Hi All, I have a two part question regarding sprinklers below ductwork exceeding 48" wide. Both areas below (in different locations) are Ordinary Hazard, 130 sqft maximum spacing. When protecting below the ductwork in the elevation sketch below, is the 6'-11" dimension doubled to be 13'-10" the same as when spacing to a wall (SxL) ? Or can the distance to the next sprinkler be 15-ft (15 x 6-11 = 103.75 sqft)? In the plan view below, are sprinklers required below the 60" wide duct ABOVE the AHU (shown in green), if the vertical distance between the AHU and bottom of duct is greater than 24"? This would be under NFPA 13-2019, Section 9.5.5.3.1.5. Many thanks!
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Does anyone know of a sleeve product that can be installed AFTER pipe installation without backing out the pipe?
The underlying issue is that I have a project with seismic requirements (for extra clearance at penetrations) that has many fire rated walls. Basic pipe sleeves with extra large clearance filled with fire caulk is our typical situation, but if a sleeve gets missed during rough-in, we're hoping to use something after that fact. So either looking for a split sleeve of some type, OR a way to fire caulk a 2 hour rated gypsum wall with extra large clearance per NFPA 13-2016 section 9.3.4.3. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe A building 2,880 sqft, 20-ft in height, Type IIB with classification of 4 for occupancy hazard.
When I calculate the gallons needed for a water storage tank, is this based off a 2-hour fire flow per NFPA 1142? If so, where can I find that requirement? 2,880 sqft x 20-ft height = 57,600 cubic feet / 4 occupancy hazard x .75 = 10,800 gallons. Is this 750 GPM x 120 minutes for a total of 90,000 gallons? Huge difference between the two. Thanks. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Hello everyone, I am currently working on a project where 5 deluge valves will be installed in a dedicate riser room. The room will only contain the deluge valves (5), the foam tank and air compressors.
How would you recommend I give dimensional requirements for this room to the architect? What's your thought process, or lessons learned, for sizing rooms like this? Thanks in advance - much appreciated. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe In a recent project, I asked for hydrant flow test results from the civil engineer, and I received Boundary Conditions instead.
Is there a way of using this information to validate hydraulic calculations? An example of Boundary Conditions given to us: Demand = 18.54 gpm (1.17 L/s), HGL = 463'-11" (141.41 m), Pressure = 64.1 psi (442 kPa). Thanks! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have an existing manufacturing area subject to NFPA 13-2022 Edition.
The Ordinary Hazard Group 2 manufacturing area sprinkler system can meet Figure 21.2.2.3.2 requirements for 0.20 density over 2,200 SF plus 500 GPM for hose streams required for Class III storage to 20 ft. high. Does the Ordinary Hazard Group 2 requirement of Section 4.3.3.2 (2) still limit storage height to 12-ft, regardless, since this is not a dedicated storage area? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have wrote up several pump sensing line locations where they tap into the system. I understand it that they need to be be install between the discharge check and discharge control valve.
A contractor keeps installing on the pump bypass and says it works fine. Is this compliant? Is there a downside to attaching to the bypass? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am pricing sprinklers in a steel frame building with Z-Purlins and a white vinyl backed insulation composed of inorganic glass fibers which are bonded with a thermoset resin to form a uniformly textured blanket style insulation at the Roof.
In an otherwise noncombustible area above the ceiling will the White Vinyl Backed Vapor Barrier System now make this above ceiling area combustible, requiring sprinklers? From the data sheet I have found the vapor barrier has a flame spread of 0 but have found from a google search flame spread and combustibility are not the same. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Looking to learn more about NFPA 72-2019 18.5.5.7 Performance-Based Alternative for visible notification.
Currently have a single 95cd wall-mounted horn-strobe approximately centered in an club office room that is approximately 41-ft by 34-ft, ceilings at 11-ft. The is a wall on the far end that is about 10-ft and 9-ft off the back wall and full height. Table 18.5.5.5.1(a) is based off direct line of sight is my understanding, but would give a maximum room size of 50-ft x 50-ft. Are there any resources available to help understand how to quantify the that 0.0375 lumen/ft² of illumination is met from reflection of surfaces behind the wall? I'm sure there are more inputs that are needed but just looking to get started at how to attack the problem. Thanks in advance Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Good morning! Is there any NFPA 13 prescriptive option for this type of obstruction? These are ceiling waves with a horizontal fall chain lighting system. Thanks in advance.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Sometimes we would not want to evacuate entire buildings in a fire alarm condition, even outside of healthcare facilities.
If a fire alarm is programmed to evacuate only "affected" areas, what defines the boundaries of the affected area? What building features are required to implement a defend-in-place strategy, in a large Industrial Facility F-1? Where can I find the specific rating requirements for the fire and smoke barriers separating "affected areas"/zones? Looking to understand this concept and the requirements around it better; thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can a branch line tee to multiple sprinklers? Please see the attached example. I'm trying to figure out if a branch line that has a tee to multiple sprinklers would then be considered a main or still part of the branch line. This question also applies to looped branch line systems. The classification of branch lines and mains can have a major effect on the amount of seismic bracing required.
NFPA 13 defines branch lines as "The pipes supplying sprinklers, either directly or through sprigs, drops, return bends, or arm-overs." NFPA defines arm-overs as "A horizontal pipe that extends from a branch line to a single sprinkler or a sprinkler above and below a ceiling." Therefore, others that I have talked to have argued that the branch line will become a cross main since it is now feeding two sprinklers off of one line. This as a result would require additional seismic bracing. NFPA defines a cross main as "The pipes serving the branch lines, either directly or through riser nipples." In my opinion, the pipe would remain a branch line because it still aligns with the branch line definition. Moreover, there is nothing in NFPA that says that branching/teeing from a branch line automatically reclassifies the branch line as a main. Just because a pipe is no longer serving as an arm-over doesn't categorize the pipe feeding it as a main. The distinction between branch lines and cross mains is primarily based on their roles within the overall system, branch lines serve individual zones or areas, while cross mains supply multiple branch lines. What do you think? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Are air compressors for dry fire sprinkler systems required to be listed?
Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I am a President of Board of a 4-story condo building. The building was built in 1982 and is concrete block.
We received permission from fire marshal several years ago to remove all our fire hoses. The fire department told us that if there was a fire they would not use them. They would hook up to the FDC in front of our building. My question is - what is the purpose of the building's fire pump, and can we petition to also have it removed? What are the deciding factors or requirements on when a deluge system would be required on a stage to separate the stage from the audience?
This would be for the proscenium opening protection. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Does code allow a fire sprinkler riser to be installed in a rated stairwell enclosure?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We really appreciate the insight and collaboration from everyone on this forum - to make it helpful, informative, truthful, and help us all do our work better to make the world a little safer & more reliable. Much appreciated. Here's the Top Contributors from March 2024:
Is "tenting" wet system piping (in an unheated attic) an appropriate approach to protect the pipes when the outside air temperature can drop to approximately 0 degrees F for multiple consecutive days?
In this case, the soffit and ridge vents allow exterior air into the attic space and there is no air barrier to prevent cold air infiltration. I have reviewed NFPA 13 and 13R and cannot find a definitive answer. Many thanks for assisting. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe For multi family buildings, I am being told that for a 4-story building, normally the fire pumps are only 15HP because the standpipes are pressurized by the fire trucks.
My understanding of NFPA 20 is that it would still be required to have a correctly sized fire pump without considering the size of the pump on the local fire trucks. Is this an industry norm that is allowed by certain AHJ’s or is there code related to multi family that I am missing? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Would we still be required to conduct a forward flow test if we have a fire pump downstream and it's tested annually?
Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a project that is a building 10-ft x 20-ft and is used only for electrical equipment. The building is remotely located, 10 miles from the nearest town.
Would a fire hydrant be required for such a structure? If not, what code exception would allow the omission of a hydrant? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We are trying to determine Fire Flow according to Annex of IFC 2022.
It says: B104.1 General The fire-flow calculation area shall be the total floor area of all floor levels within the exterior walls, and under the horizontal projections of the roof of a building, except as modified in Section B104.3. B104.2 Area Separation Portions of buildings that are separated by fire walls without openings, constructed in accordance with the International Building Code, are allowed to be considered as separate fire-flow calculation areas. Does this mean we need to add in (include) the area of basement to the floor area for Fire Flow? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Hello, First post for me here, thanks in advance for the assistance. In regards to the irregular room and spacing off the walls, I understand the .75 allowance up to 11'3" for the irregular or less than 90 degree wall (NFPA 13, 2019, 10.2.5.2.2). However, I have a set of plans I'm reviewing showing four rooms with only one sprinkler and they are applying this section as one wall in each room is irregular - however - the other walls are all regular 90 degree walls but they are exceeding 7'6" off those walls as well. In my interpretation, they should only be able to apply the above section for the irregular walls only, not normal 90 degree walls. In this situation I would request an additional head in each room. Am I missing something here? Thank you.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe In a 15-story highrise building, can the standpipe system be zoned with an Automatic Dry in the 1st -5th floors of the unheated Parking Garage, and an Automatic Wet in the 6th- 15th floors of the heated office portion?
Are we allowed to mix types? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Are Saunas within dwelling units considered bathrooms?
Bathroom: within a dwelling unit, any room or compartment dedicated to personal hygiene, containing a toilet, sink, or bathing capability such as a shower or tub. Would saunas fall under the definition of bathroom, since they are dedicated to personal hygiene and contain a bathing capability? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe |
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