Does Ceiling Rating Affect Protection Above?

6/2/2023

We have a project that is a 100,000 sqft building with an ESFR system that will be built out as offices with ceilings throughout the building.

The building and construction will all be non-combustible with no clouds or open areas. We don't know yet if all the ceilings will be rated.

Does the ceiling rating have any bearing on whether upright ESFR sprinklers will have to remain at the roof?

Thanks in advance.

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6 Comments

Anthony

6/2/2023 07:19:02 am

Ceiling rating really doesn't have an effect on NFPA 13 sprinkler systems. types of construction ie: combustible vs non-combustible does.

If your ESFR roof area is totally enclosed with non-combustible construction, then you do not need to sprinkler that 'dead volume.' it becomes a non-combustible concealed space.

If the outlets to the ESFR sprinkler are 1''(k22 or larger) you can reuse the majority of the outlets and just run 1'' goosenecks (maybe log drop to flex head?) to your lower ceiling. The ESFR system piping will be so over sized for the light hazard office you might be able to use 20x 20 extended coverage heads, Maybe allowing you to skip every other outlet and branch line of the 10x10 ESFR system? Depends how cut up the end office space will be.

If you have 3/4'' outlets I would suggest either plugging all those outlets and cutting in mechanical tees for your drops. Or removing the branch lines and using the old mains and running new branches that have pre-fabricated outlets where you need them. Labor vs material question there.

Pete H

6/2/2023 07:22:12 am

If the ceilings are combustible, then the building/construction is not all noncombustible and protection in the void space above the ceiling will still be required (no reason it would have to remain as ESFR, but if that's what's existing, they can protect the void space as long as all other rules pertaining to ESFR sprinklers are followed in terms of clearances, slope, and it calculates).

If the ceilings the building and construction area all are noncombustible and there's no open areas... it's a noncombustible concealed space. No protection should be required.

Take with a grain of salt, I did not look at code to back anything up here.

Alex

6/2/2023 08:15:28 am

As Anthony mentioned, NFPA 13 talks about noncombustible/combustible ceilings and then the construction type of the building. If the space is completely sealed off by a lower ceiling, you should be able to omit protection above.

Glenn Berger

6/2/2023 09:19:56 am

A few questions -

Is your facility a multi-story or even a high-rise?

Is the planned ceiling continuous throughout?

Was your facility previous some type of storage facility and thus the ESFR sprinkler system?

Mark Harris

6/4/2023 07:16:50 am

If the demising wall between the office area and warehouse is not full height to roof deck should keep the roof deck protection.

Louie Lincoln

6/6/2023 06:30:06 am

If the ceiling is noncombustible, then no, that is if there is no equipment above the ceiling. If there is equipment those areas could be encapsulated with protection in those areas only.

I have seen this before many times. The Architect will not want to have the equipment relocated.

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Does Ceiling Rating Affect Protection Above?

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