Sprinkler Required Within Each Toilet Stall?

2/28/2024

We have a project with non-gender specific toilet stalls/water closets.

I am of the opinion that NFPA 13 does provide an exception for having to install sprinklers within each water closet. However, this project is has the water closets in restrooms which are not within a dwelling unit, so no relaxation is given in NFPA 13 for dwelling unit bathrooms.

As I understand NFPA 13, a sprinkler would be required within each of these water closets. Do I believe it’s overkill? Yes, but until it is addressed in NFPA 13, there wouldn’t be much to do about it.

What is your opinion?

Non-gender specific toilet facilities are becoming increasingly common, see a conceptual layout below.

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12 Comments

Dan Wilder

2/28/2024 06:26:24 am

We have to do this for about every resort, spa, or convention center (at times) as they always have the individual, walled toilet areas.

While omitting the installation of sprinklers isn't an option, you can use NFPA 13 to remove the sprinklers from the calculated area. It does require a non-reduced remote area, but it can help greatly during hydraulic calculations.

16'-23.4.4.7.2
19'-27.2.4.7.2

And yes, I have also seen properties use a room or two as a storage room at times.

https://www.sprinklerage.com/omitting-flow-sprinklers-design-area/

Daniel LeFave

2/28/2024 08:16:53 am

Dan, Came here to say this. Your best best would be to take the full remote area square footage and exclude the sprinklers from the calculations per the code reference above!

Pete H

2/28/2024 06:53:33 am

It's a common bathroom, if the walls go all the way up and compartmentalize each toilet room, then you need a sprinkler head in each one.

-

Fun side fact, in 2013 (they fixed it in 2016 and this wasn't in 2010 to my knowledge) the ability to omit the sprinklers from calculations if you did not use a reduced remote area didn't have the 55 square foot small compartment and was just written as "23.4.4.6.2 Where the design area is equal to or greater than the area in table 23.4.4.6.2 for the hazard being protected by the sprinkler system, the discharge for sprinklers protecting small rooms such as closets, washrooms, and similar small compartments that are in the design area shall be permitted to be omitted from the hydraulic calculations."

So with only the guidance of "small room" and no 55 square foot limitation you could have a 799 square foot bathroom in your 1500 square foot design area and omit it.... granted by the time most jurisdictions adopted 2013, 2016 edition was already written and available for viewing, so if you did this you should also have had complete knowledge you were using the letter of the law to fly in the face of the spirit of the law.

Which I imagine is why they fixed that in 2016 edition.

Josh

2/28/2024 08:04:36 am

I interpret NFPA 13 exceptions to solely be for a dwelling unit. If I have a commercial gig, it install.

Glenn Berger

2/28/2024 08:08:15 am

If the walls goes within the specified distance of the ceiling then sprinklering each enclosure is required.

Ricardo Gonzales Jr link

2/28/2024 08:44:15 am

The 1st item is to determine how high the stall walls go up towards the ceiling. If the clearance is there, no you don't. But if the clearance isn't there, then yes. That is allowed in NFPA 13. No different than bookshelves (if the architect provides the furniture layout and elevations).

The same goes for Fire Alarm Visual.

Jack G

2/28/2024 09:02:58 am

Rule only applies to bathrooms in a residential occupancy ( in this case )
It does not apply to limited care facilities or bathrooms that open up to public areas.
This area if a small room rule can be applied, could use area reduction method ( looks like 21 sprinklers are required for the room- 800 sf or less)
This looks like your “ hydraulic remote area” !

Dert

2/28/2024 10:04:16 am

Use a K2.8 head to reduce hydraulic demand.

Andrew

2/28/2024 07:43:26 pm

Not always a realistic option, but if a lower open cell ceiling could be installed that would mitigate the multiple heads.

Dave

2/29/2024 10:43:39 am

I got an architect lower the partitions ONCE, and the contractor was able to use the "partition rule" and cover two stalls with one sprinkler, but every other time it's been one sprinkler per stall. Often suggesting smaller K as suggested above. If it's a school, I often spec less-noticeable concealed sprinklers.

Jesse

2/29/2024 08:40:50 am

If its a full 13 design, there are no two ways about it. You need to protect each individual stall.

Tom

7/17/2025 08:58:14 am

What if this was an NFPA-13R installation? My understanding is that the individual stalls would not need to be protected.

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Sprinkler Required Within Each Toilet Stall?

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