Permit Fire Sprinkler

[letnes]

I have a condo in New Hampshire. We have been having problems with sprinkler heads leaking, pipes freezing and bursting. The company that came to fix the pipes told us that the pipes were installed incorrectly.

We have asked the developer for the name of the company that installed the sprinkler system, but he will not tell us.

I am thinking of going to the Building Inspector to see if he has any paperwork for the sprinkler install. So I would like to know if there is a requirement for a permit from Code Enforcement when a sprinkler system is installed or if an inspection is done after the install to certify the system.

 

[cdafd]

Some cities do require permits and inspections

You can ask for the items under open records

Some states do the inspections

Ask the company you are dealing with what the procedure is for your area

 

[cdafd]

What are they seeing that they think they were installed incorrectly???

Also where the main valve/pipe is located dome companies will put there name as the installing company, you might look and see if there are any tags/stickers

 

[cdafd]

How old are the buildings

Have they had yearly inspection of the fire sprinkler system since it was built????

 

[letnes]

The condo was built in 2006. We do not have access to the space where main valve is located.

The company that came to fix the burst pipes said that the pipes were not insulated correctly in the walls(I do not have the report with me for the exact wording)that's why the sprinkler pipe burst 2 years in January flooding 2 rooms. They also tested the anti-freeze temp in all of the condo units. The temp of the anti-freeze in the condo units varied from -3 degrees F to +15 degrees F, it is my understanding that the anti-freeze should be around -26 degrees F.

 

[cdafd]

Cannot answer the anti freeze question for your area

Sometimes we see people go away for a few days and turn down the heat and just like other water pipes the sprinkler pipes will break

I also see exposed sprinkler pipe in attic areas and other areas that shiould be insulated but is not, sometimes it was not insulated properly in the first place or has been disturbed over the years

 

[cdafd]

Insulation should be somewhat of an easy fix

You just need someone that knows what they are doing when it comes to insulation

 

[stookeyfpe]

He/she is in New Hampshire and is under NFPA 1/Life Safety Code. NFPA 1 requires a permit for a sprinkler system and he/she should be able to go to the local government and have access to permit records.

I have no idea about licensing of contractors in your state. You need to make a trip to city hall and start a discussion with the building official.

We can't help you in this arena.

 

[letnes]

Thanks for the replies. I will go to the Building Inspector's office today to look for the permit.

 

[cdafd]

So who has access to the main sprinkler valves????

 

[letnes]

Well I went to the Building Department yesterday. They did not have any paperwork on the sprinkler system. They sent me to the Fire Department, I asked them if they had any paperwork on the inspection after the install to certify the system, they said they don't have any paperwork on the system.

It seems that no one has any paperwork on a system we are having problems. Both the Building Department and the Fire Department say it's unusual not to have paperwork on a sprinkler system.

Given the history of the developer with other things in the units it would not surprise us that he had the system put in by a company not qualified to do it. The previous Building Inspector was fired for some corruption issues, so I would not be surprised if he let the system through without the proper paperwork.

 

[letnes]

The developer who lives in one of the units has access to the area where the main sprinkler valves are located, he uses it as storage. Given other issues we have had with him we are not on speaking terms. I will have to see if we can get down there during an association meeting.

 

[ForestW]

There is a even greater issue which you need to address.
NFPA recently issued an emergency bulletin, urging all property owners with anti-freeze fire sprinkler systems protecting dwelling units to drain the anti-freeze.

You can view the bulletin at

http://www.nfpa.org.

Forest Wilson
Cherokee Fire Protection Co.