Sprinkler Coverage Above Ceilings 1

[NJ1]

An existing building originally designed per NFPA 13 is being retrofitted to be 13R.
New ceilings in hallways are being built with a depth pocket of 3-4 Feet from slab to drop ceiling.
What does nfpa 13r says in reference with sprinkler coverage between slab and drop ceiling. Is it required to be fully sprinklered or not?

 

[TravisMack]

concealed spaces not used for storage are not req'd to be protected.

FROM NFPA 13R, 2010
6.6 Location of Sprinklers.
6.6.1 Sprinklers shall be installed in all areas except where
omission is permitted by 6.6.2 through 6.6.7.
6.6.2* Sprinklers shall not be required in bathrooms where
the bathroom area does not exceed 55 ft2 (5.1 m2).
6.6.3 Except where specified in 6.6.4, sprinklers shall not be
required in clothes closets, linen closets, and pantries within
dwelling units that meet all of the following conditions:
(1) The area of the space does not exceed 24 ft2 (2.2 m2).
(2) The least dimension does not exceed 3 ft (0.91 m).
(3) The walls and ceilings are surfaced with noncombustible
or limited-combustible materials as defined by NFPA 220.
6.6.4* Sprinklers shall be installed in any closet used for heating and air-conditioning equipment except as permitted by 6.6.7.
6.6.5* Sprinklers shall not be required in any porches, balconies, corridors, carports, and stairs that are open and attached.
6.6.6* Sprinklers shall not be required in attics, penthouse equipment rooms, elevator machine rooms, concealed spaces dedicated exclusively to and containing only dwelling unit ventilation equipment, crawl spaces, floor/ceiling spaces, noncombustible elevator shafts where the elevator cars comply with ANSI A17.1, Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, and other concealed spaces that are not used or intended for living purposes or storage and do not contain fuel-fired equipment.
6.6.6.1 When fuel-fired equipment is present, at least one
quick-response intermediate temperature sprinkler shall be
installed above the equipment.
6.6.7 Sprinklers shall not be required in closets (regardless of size) on exterior balconies and exterior breezeways/corridors, regardless of size, as long as the closet does not have doors or unprotected penetrations directly into the dwelling unit.

Travis Mack
MFP Design, LLC

http://www.mfpdesign.com

 

[stookeyfpe]

Was the NFPA 13 system required to increase the building's allowable area or height? If so, you can't convert it to a NFPA 13R design.

 

[skdesigner]

"What does nfpa 13r says in reference with sprinkler coverage between slab and drop ceiling. Is it required to be fully sprinklered or not?"

Sounds like a non-comb. concealed space. A full 13 system probably wouldn't even require sprinklers there, let alone 13R.

In agreement with Stookey, why was it designed to 13 in the first place?

 

[NJ1]

I truly have no idea. I just took over a job already in progress and for what I know it was an old factory turned into loft/condo units. The reason for the question is because while surveying the job I noticed an entire hallway sprinklered up and below ceiling. The other hallway paralleled to that one does not have sprinklers above ceiling. That is what confused me.