sprinkler pipe outside

[cdafd]

I may have been around to long. I thought NFPA 13 use to require fire sprinkler pipe located outside to be either galvanized or painted. Cannot find it in the 2002 edition.

Any help??

 

[cdafd]

FOr got if it matters this is a dry pipe system

 

[trashcanman]

NFPA 13 no longer requires dry pipe systems to be galvanized. I guess they finally realized that the heads and valves were not galvanized so, why bother with the piping?

 

[TravisMack]

Here is what I think you may be referring to:

8.15.3.2 Protection of Piping Against Corrosion.
8.15.3.2.1* Where corrosive conditions are known to exist due to moisture or fumes from corrosive chemicals or both, special types of fittings, pipes, and hangers that resist corrosion shall be used, or a protective coating shall be applied to all unprotected exposed surfaces of the sprinkler system.

It is the conditions due to moisture that gets a lot of people. Some will claim that relative humidity will be an issue and require galvanizing for exterior piping. Others will say that if there is a covering so it does not get directly rained on that you don't need galvanizing.

Good luck

 

[pipedream]

if this is a factory mutual job the piping will have to be galvanized if it is a dry system, the fittings can be black. check their loss prevention data sheets.

 

[cdafd]

trashcanman

Thank you all for the replies I thought it use to be there. I still would question pipe on the outside not requireing to be protected. Even in so called normal condtions I have seen outsdie pipe that does not look good.

 

[TravisMack]

Here in the dry desert (phx, az) we see black piping outside all of the time. It doesn't seem to be doing too bad. However, I couldn't imagine having black steel piping exposed in southern Fl. I guess it truly depends on the environment.

 

[trashcanman]

What TravisMack said! Right! If the piping is in a corrosive environment, then by all means, protect it. Galvanize, paint, coat with something, or use copper piping.

 

[sprinklerdesigner]

What TravisMack said again.

It's amazing what high humidity salt air can do for unprotected sprinkler pipe in Florida.

This should remain a locality issue.