Sprinkler-Fire Systems for Domestic Use

[friartuck]

Hi Folks

I am doing a holiday village with restaurant/small hotel in Antigua

I thought I would start this new thread as the old one is not relevant to this problem (See thread on 'water' problem )

Has anyone done a domestic sprinkler job. We don't get them in the UK, they tend to be sprinkler systems for larger warehouses, shopping centres etc.

Do we just put a small 1/2 pipe or 3/4 inch pipe and serve a sprinkler outlet in the main living area, or do we do every room??

Can we connect into the mains cold water or do we need a dedicated water system

For larger jobs we would normally put a dedicated fire tank with duty/standby pumps etc in, but with it being domestic, can we get away with just using the incoming mains water.

(Actually we will most likely be putting in a rain water tank per villa with a single pump set.(i.e. 22 villa, 22 rain water tanks and 22 pumps)
I thought we could 'tee in' to this rain water system and feed the sprinkler system, but again I am unsure of the practice in the USA or the Caribbean

Cheers

Friar Tuck of Sherwood

 

[willard3]

NFPA 13D covers residential sprinklers in USA and is significantly less restrictive than 13A.

You have general questions that can best be answered by reading the code.

 

[AbbyNormal]

You will have to find out what is enforced there.

If you are sprinkling residences, you could be under NFPA 13R if it is 4 stories or less. The restaurant will be under NFPA 13.

You may have standpipes as well.

Here if you want to use the cistern that collects rain water, then you have to have the proper quantity of water reserved.

Example your cistern has a 2.5 metre watrer depth. And the volume held in 2 meters of standing water is your fire fighting requirement.

The foot valve for a pump drawing off water for irrigation etc, should then only extend down 1/2 meter below the water line so that it is impossible to take the fire fighting reserve.

You will need a means for the RO plant, or municipal supply to keep the cistern full. If you are getting water trucked in, better have an annoying low level alarm with some kind of procedure required before they can acknowledge/silence the alarm. I would do something beyond having this show up as a trouble on the fire alarm annunciator.

I would also check the resort's insurers. Many times resorts are built in areas without codes however the insurance may require sprinklers. See what code the insurance company wants.

Never see a pipe smaller than 1" supplying a sprinkler head under the NFPA codes.Coverage area is going to vary depending on the 'hazard classification' ie need more sprinklers in restuarant compared to residences, and if you are sprinkling residence to the 13R code there are also extended coverage heads. Perhaps two heads per residential room as a maximum.

Doing a resort right now, this one is rare in that I am using a horizontal fire pump. The cistern is above grade.

Majority of fire pumps here are vertical as the cisterns are mainly under ground. Suction Lifts are not allowed for fire pumps under the NFPA codes.

Here our building codes have a water requirement based on standpipes that will usually exceed what the hydraulic calculations with hose allowance will call for.

Based on what we do here you would need US 22,500 gallons reserved for fire protection.

You are getting into life safety here, so you are going to have to be certain of what to do.

Take the "V" out of HVAC and you are left with a HAC(k) job.

 

[friartuck]

Your regs sound similar to ours

I thought with it being residential they would be more relaxed

I think we are going to need to dig a big hole (to put a tank in) or find a space for a big water tank

(I don't think the Architect is going to be very happy)

Thanks for the excellent info

Tucky



Friar Tuck of Sherwood

 

[AbbyNormal]

your welcome, but maybe you will get more input on fire and water in other forums besides the hvac one

Take the "V" out of HVAC and you are left with a HAC(k) job.

 

[AbbyNormal]

probably a building code will look at construction type and size etc before sprinklers are required.

If it has to be sprinkled, it has to be sprinkled. A big cistern for fire may be more easily built on site rather than shipping in a monster tank.

they must make concrete blocks on the island.

Take the "V" out of HVAC and you are left with a HAC(k) job.