Standpipe Locations with Many Horizontal Exits?

4/8/2026

I'm working on a fire protection design for a new apartment building. The architect is adding what they're calling horizontal exits throughout the building, which will increase the number of required standpipes per the local building code (IBC-based, 2025) Section 905.4.

Per the exception to 905.4.2, I do not believe we will need hose connections on both sides of every horizontal exit within the building. I think additional standpipes and hose connections will only be required in the center of the building.

Other than the egress stairwells, where are standpipes and hose connections required to be located?

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

8 Comments

Dan Wilder

4/8/2026 07:58:15 am

Looking at the exception for this section, no additional hose valves (or suppling standpipes) would be needed for any of the doors within 100' of the exit stairwells.

Doing the math on my fingers (sorry, leaving the shoes on), it looks like you'll only need an additional hose valve in the center where the black text is located (CIR - 1,000 SF). Possible omitted all together if the door can be opened and the 30' of hose stream can be applied. Now how that ties into the distance to the end of the units would be another possible reason the center hose valve may be needed.

This also depends on the hose valve location within the stairwell (main or intermediate landing) and if your AHJ requires the distance to start at the hose valve or just at the door per your sketch.

Glenn Berger

4/8/2026 08:15:00 am

There is a problem with the horizontal exit concept. There is a provision that the maximum number of horizontal exits is 50% from any given spot (or similar language).

Jim Grostick

4/8/2026 08:22:58 am

Good points on the distance math. One thing worth flagging from an operational standpoint: firefighters are trained to follow their hose line back to safety when conditions deteriorate. If that line leads to a mid-corridor standpipe connection instead of a protected stairwell, they’re retreating to an unprotected space — which is a real problem in a fast-moving fire.

Modern standpipe kit operations are also typically anchored out of the stairwell on the floor below, advancing up through the stairwell door. A center-hallway connection disrupts that model.

In our jurisdiction we require hose connections in every stairwell, including rooftop access — so the stairwell is always the operational anchor point regardless of how the horizontal exits are laid out.

So even where the code exception lets you skip the center valve on distance alone, it’s worth a conversation with the AHJ about whether stairwell valve placement can be optimized to cover the building without putting a hose connection in the middle of an open corridor.

Code minimum and operationally safe don’t always line up — this feels like one of those cases.

Laura L Henning

4/8/2026 08:57:55 am

That's a lot of horizontal cross corridors duel swings. First question is are they all horizontal egress walls, or are they IBC 706 fire walls for area separation, smoke barrier walls for smoke compartment or a rated fire barrier? Egress codes require at least 50% or more exits in a horizontal egress to exit to the outside or a stairwell opening directly to the outside. in theory only one set can be a horizontal exit, but the others could be fire walls or smoke barriers.

If the IFC is enforced, section 504 gives the local fire department the option to state where they want them. Most departments want one on each side (if required) if it is a Smoke Barrier. but every department is different.

Todd Wyatt

4/8/2026 09:15:32 am

Horizontal Exits (HE) in this residential application are typically added to a story based on the Exit Access Travel Distance (EATD) to the (2) Exits … the (2) Interior Exit Stairways (IES) … exceeding the maximum 250-FT for R-2 that is protected by an automatic sprinkler system (ASPS) per the scoping Code (e.g. IBC-2024 TABLE 1017.2).

To check this 250-FT maximum EATD compliance, these are the following steps …
1. Determine the Travel Distance (TD) between the (2) IES (+/- 215 FT),
2. Determine the hallway point (+/- 108 FT),
3. Determine the Most Remote Location (MRL) from this hallway point to the (2) IES.

Based on my scaled calculations, the Most Remote Location (MRL) from both IES is +/- 147 FT which is below the maximum EATD of 250 FT. A HE is NOT required to meet the EATD.

The Building Area (BA) for this Story is +/- 15000 SF which would have a calculated Occupant Load (OL) of between (75) to (90) Occupants. The Means of Egress capacity of the (2) IES can accommodate this OL so a HE is NOT required to meet Means of Egress capacity.

The HE may be a “result” of adding a Fire Wall (FW) to separate the story into (2) separate buildings to meet Allowable Building Area to meet IBC Table 506.2. However, a R-2 protected by an ASPS includes Allowable Areas that exceed 15000 SF based on all Types of Construction so a FW would not be required.

I recommend requesting the reason for the addition of the HEs and challenge them if it (or they) complies with IBC Section 1026 Horizontal Exits and the referenced 1026.5 Standpipes (Standpipes and standpipe hose connections shall be provided where required by Sections 905.3 and 905.4.)

Todd

4/8/2026 09:26:29 am

IBC-2024 905.4 Location of Class I Standpipe Hose Connections (SHC) includes the prescriptive requirements for a SHC at a HE :

905.4 Location of Class I Standpipe Hose Connections
Class I standpipe hose connections shall be provided in all of the following locations:
2. On each side of the wall adjacent to the exit opening of a horizontal exit.
Exception: Where floor areas adjacent to a horizontal exit are reachable from an interior exit stairway or exterior exit stairway hose connection by a 30-foot (9144 mm) hose stream from a nozzle attached to 100 feet (30 480 mm) of hose, a hose connection shall not be required at the horizontal exit.

Based on my calculations, the midpoint between the (2) IES is +/-147 FT so a HE located at this location would exceed the 130 FT maximum (30+100) exception as prescribed above.

Todd Wyatt

4/10/2026 07:45:35 am

CORRECTION : The halfway point between the (2) Interior Exit Stairways (IRS) is approximately 108 FT (not 147 FT) which WOULD meet the 130 FT maximum (100 FT of hose + 30 FT of hose stream) so additional standpipe connections at a central HE location would NOT be required.

Jack G

4/10/2026 08:10:10 am

Rather than put a standpipe hose valve in the middle of a corridor in the center of the building, and none are required at the building doors, a good point made was the firemen following the hose,
I would add 2, one inside each entry door, making it safer for the firemen to enter a burning building and the center corridor is protected from each side.

Standpipe Locations with Many Horizontal Exits?

Leave a Reply.

ALL-ACCESS

SUBSCRIBE

COMMUNITY

YOUR POST

PE EXAM

FILTERS

ARCHIVES

PE PREP SERIES