Do Sprinkler Guards/Cages Have to be Listed?

10/7/2020

We have a residential project using residential sidewall sprinklers, with a concern about potentially breaking the glass bulbs.

Are guards for residential sprinklers required to be listed? If so, what is the code basis for requiring the guards to be listed?

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7 Comments

Patrick Turner

10/7/2020 10:10:29 am

Per NFPA 13, 2016 Edition Section 6.2.8 Guards. Sprinklers subject to mechanical injury shall be protected with listed guards.

NFPA 13R and NFPA 13D do not mention head guards, so it should fall back to NFPA 13 for that requirement. You should check the sprinkler manufacturer's data sheets for this requirement and a reference to the head guards that will be listed with the specific sprinklers in question.

Richard Mercer

10/7/2020 10:28:55 am

NFPA13D 13R really don't address because the area where Residential Listed Heads are installed, tend not to be subject to damage. The addition of a generic cage would alter the approved spray pattern as originally tested. We have recently starting using the product below were we are concerned with tampering/damage.

https://www.tyco-fire.com/e-catalog/LFII-4.2K-Concealed-Horizontal-Sidewall_8-20.pdf

Salvatore Izzo

10/7/2020 10:23:16 am

Sprinkler guards must be listed for the specific model sprinkler being used. I do not believe that there are listed sprinkler guards for residential sprinklers or extended coverage sprinklers as well.

Dan Wilder

10/7/2020 10:36:47 am

All the MFG's have specific sheets showing the allowable guards per sprinkler type. If you can find a listing of the guard with a specific sprinkler, then problem solved. Due to the residential spray patterns & development, you may be looking a little harder to find an approved/listed method.

NFPA 2019
16.2.6 - Sprinklers subject to mechanical injury shall be protected with listed guards.

I have even found a rack sprinkler guard MFG that has gone through the process of getting listings on several MFG's storage sprinklers.

https://www.sprinkguard.net/ul-listing

MFG's for reference
https://www.vikinggroupinc.com/sites/default/files/documents/061289.pdf

https://www.reliablesprinkler.com/files/bulletins/208.pdf?x98153

https://www.tyco-fire.com/TD_TFP/TFP/TFP780_04_2019.pdf

https://static.victaulic.com/assets/uploads/literature/40.83.pdf

Franck

10/7/2020 11:11:55 am

In addition to all the comments above, I would suggest in all cases to provided listed components when you attach it to a sprinkler.
This is just good practice.
If not listed and/or approved for this specific use, you may definitely alter the water distribution pattern.

Possible issues I have seen on the field with non listed equipment:
- not sufficiently secured guards (if they move, they may alter the distribution pattern and even create unnecessary obstructions)
- quickly corroded guards (material used was not that good...)
- guards creating obvious obstructions to the water distribution pattern as it was poorly designed (large metal stripes)

Manny Rios

10/7/2020 03:11:58 pm

As already stated by Patrick, in the absence of direction in NFPA 13D/13R, NFPA 13 would be the governing document for the protection of said sprinklers. The project specifications should address the issue.

Michael Major

10/8/2020 01:55:23 pm

Is there such a thing as a non-listed sprinkler guard? Seems like they would all get listed so they are not limited to who they can sell to.

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