Exterior Access for Sprinkler Riser Ever Required?

9/1/2022

Is there a situation, other than a fire pump room, where a sprinkler riser room would be required to have direct access to the exterior?

Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe

11 Comments

Dan Wilder

9/1/2022 08:00:07 am

When the AHJ requires it.

I guess I need more clarification on the question like are you trying to argue or justify a location?

Many time this is written into the adopted building/fire codes and is subject to what they feel is considered "Ready Access" or "Readily accessible"

IBC Section 902.1.1 "Automatic sprinkler system risers, fire pump and controllers, shall be provided with ready access"

Christopher Nichols

9/1/2022 08:13:51 am

The local jurisdictions usually will require an exterior door to the riser room if the building is going to be multi-tenant occupied like a retail strip center.

Franck

9/1/2022 08:17:01 am

There is no such requirement in NFPA 13.
But it is a good practice to have a direct access to the riser so that in case of fire within the building the control valve remains accessible.
Best practice is even to have a Post Indicative Valve located away from the building (40 ft), so that even if the building collapse you can still access the valve.
Worst practice is to have the valve in the basement or at an elevated level as it might be difficult to access it in case of fire inside the building.

At the end, as indicated by Dan, this is mostly a decision from the AHJ. Or it may be governed by internal rules for an Industrial group, or the insurance company (FM Global, for example, is quite restrictive for the location of such valves).

Alex

9/1/2022 08:38:13 am

As far as I know, there is no such requirement within NFPA 13. As others stated above, its good practice.

Wayne Ammons

9/1/2022 08:41:37 am

I find this extremely ironic because a fellow designer asked me this exact question yesterday and did not make this post himself. In his situation, the riser is being proposed to be installed inside an interior janitor's closet.

schulman

9/1/2022 08:41:42 am

i tell my architect clients its required.
shhh. dont spoil it for me.
its right for so many reasons.

Casey Milhorn

9/1/2022 08:43:06 am

Great question. This is one of those that you find a designer that's been on the job 1 day asking about, but also someone that may have been designing for 30 years not really understanding. They just know what certain AHJs want and/or follow the design intent and civil drawings. It also is one of those items that doesn't get coordinated very well between civil engineer and mechanical engineers sometimes.

Below is from NFPA 24, 2013 edition (check your applicable edition, but I don't think this has changed recently).

I believe in earlier editions, it said something about this list of valve locations being in a preferred order... but I don't know if that's my imagination or maybe something I read in some other text or handbook. BUT, this is the order that I go by, and it makes the most sense for the safety of the fire fighter (at least to me).

See option #6 as one of the acceptable methods for access to the control valve.

6.2.11 All connections to private fire service mains for fire
protection systems shall be arranged in accordance with one
of the following so that they can be isolated:
(1)*A post indicator valve installed not less than 40 ft (12 m)
from the building
(a) For buildings less than 40 ft (12 m) in height, a post
indicator valve shall be permitted to be installed
closer than 40 ft (12 m) but at least as far from the
building as the height of the wall facing the post indicator
valve.
(2) A wall post indicator valve
(3) An indicating valve in a pit, installed in accordance with
Section 6.4
(4)*A backflow preventer with at least one indicating valve not
less than 40 ft (12 m) from the building
(a) For buildings less than 40 ft (12 m) in height, a backflow
preventer with at least one indicating valve shall
be permitted to be installed closer than 40 ft (12 m)
but at least as far from the building as the height of
the wall facing the backflow preventer.
(5)*A nonindicating valve, such as an underground gate valve
with an approved roadway box, complete with T-wrench,
located not less than 40 ft (12 m) from the building
(a) For buildings less than 40 ft (12 m) in height, a nonindicating
valve, such as an underground gate valve with an
approved roadway box, complete with T-wrench, shall
be permitted to be installed closer than 40 ft (12 m) but
at least as far from the building as the height of the wall
facing the backflow preventer.
(6) Control valves installed in a fire-rated room accessible
from the exterior
(7) Control valves in a fire-rated stair enclosure accessible
from the exterior as permitted by the authority having
jurisdiction

But to answer your question, it depends on the AHJ. What we see most often is they would like to have a yard PIV first, wall PIV second, and exterior access to the riser room third (all increasing in risk to the responding fire fighters). A lot of AHJs will not allow the other options. I can say I've never seen an UG gate valve provided with a T handle wrench just sitting there for fire department use.... that always seemed like a weird option to have in the list.

Jesse

9/1/2022 08:47:37 am

Every situation for every AHJ in the Austin, Texas metro area. Every riser room must have direct exterior access.

Dave

9/1/2022 10:50:59 am

In my area it is as others have said, it depends on he AHJ. As I assist the architect in design development, it is one thing I have to know or confirm. Whether it is written in the city or county ordinance or not, many of my local AHJ's require outside access or an outside PIV (sometimes a minimum distance from the structure). Some require both. Some require neither. One large local city is even okay if the riser located in the basement. I also make sure the architect keeps my riser room at an exterior wall so as not to exceed the 10-ft. maximum of underground, and to allow discharge of main drains if they are to be directed to the exterior..

Manny Rios

9/1/2022 11:58:36 am

In our jurisdiction, most if not all of the buildings are schools. All of the fire risers rooms are designed/built with direct access to the exterior of the buildings per contract documents.

Donnie Brewer

9/6/2022 01:57:17 pm

You can use the International Fire Code 2018 Edition section 504.1 required access exterior doors and section 509.2 Equipment access to get an approved exterior door for the sprinkler riser room.

Donnie

Exterior Access for Sprinkler Riser Ever Required?

Leave a Reply.

ALL-ACCESS

SUBSCRIBE

COMMUNITY

YOUR POST

PE EXAM

FILTERS

ARCHIVES

PE PREP SERIES