What's the difference between a bathroom and washroom?

[SprinklerDesigner2]

I got a hostpital and have been asked to calculate an additional area consisting of patient rooms and corridor.

Was thinking of going with the largest room method but the partition walls between the patient rooms do not extend to the underside of the deck. With just a suspended ceiling I don't think I can use the smallest room method.

Since I am using quick response and ceilings are <10' I can calculate an area of 900 sq. ft..

Each patient room has a bathroom with lavatory and toilet.

14.4.4.4.2 The requirements of 14.4.4.4.1 to include every sprinkler in the design area to be included in the system discharge shall not apply and where the area of application is equal to or greater than the minimum allowable area of for the appropriate hazard classification (including a 30 percent increase for dry pipe systems), sprinkler discharge in closets, washrooms, and similar small compartments requiring only one sprinkler shall be permitted to be omitted from hydraulic calculations within the area of application. Sprinklers in these small compartments shall, however, be capable of discharging minimum densities in accordance with Figure 11.2.3.1.5.

These are toilet rooms 44.6 sq. ft. each having one sprinkler.

I don't think I have to include the sprinklers in the toilet rooms. There's a total of two toilet rooms.

Are these "Wash rooms"?

 

[Cidona]

In my opinion if you reduce the area you cannot eliminate any sprinklers. Eliminating sprinklers is only allowed when 'the area of application is greater than the minimum allowable area of figure 11.2.3.1.5'.

 

[Cidona]

PS. do you have a Wall Schdule showing the fire ratings of the wall types? My understanding is you only need 30mins rating for light hazard which I believe can be accomplished with the wall terminating 6" above the ceiling.

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

"PS. do you have a Wall Schdule showing the fire ratings of the wall types? My understanding is you only need 30mins rating for light hazard which I believe can be accomplished with the wall terminating 6" above the ceiling."

I looked for a wall schedule showing ratings and didn't find one. Not being an architect or PE making the decision as to what constitutes a 30 minute rating is beyond my pay scale so I don't go there.

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

"In my opinion if you reduce the area you cannot eliminate any sprinklers. Eliminating sprinklers is only allowed when 'the area of application is greater than the minimum allowable area of figure 11.2.3.1.5'."

I've never done it yet so I'm not guilty of anything but I disagree with this one. Will be interesting to see what others say.

 

[TravisMack]

I will agree that you can't eliminate heads from small rooms if you are using the QR reduction. In LH, fig 11.2.3.1.5 states 1500 sq ft is the minimum design area for LH. Therefore, you can only apply 14.4.4.4.2 when you have the design area per 11.2.3.1.5.



Travis Mack
MFP Design, LLC

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

Cidona and Travis,

Thank you for your input. I'll take the QR reduction but open the heads in the bathrooms.

 

[firepe]

Sorry,

Cidona is completely correct. You must use an unreduced area of at least 1500 sq.ft. to qualify to exclude heads in small rooms with this provision.

If you take the QR area reduction, you CANNOT also use this provision.

Perhaps you might look into small orifice sprinklers in these small compartments to control your flows in the calcs.

Also, just curious, do you have a copy of the sprinkler system handbook, or just the standard?

If only the standard, you might find it very useful to get the handbook, which organizes each section of the standard, with its appropriate annex material, and also has expert commentary by the NFPA staff liason.

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

No harm done and I am looking good.

Picked up all the sprinklers and I got 288.1 gpm @ 44.2 psi required and 59.4 psi available. Some of the reviewing engineers are getting better. This one picked up an area that might of been more remote and at first it kind of ticked me off but the more I looked at it it appeared he might have been right. It was close but not more remote so I can act like I knew it all the time.

 

[ChrisConley]

Washrooms are bathrooms in Canada. We usually refer to washrooms in commercial and bathroom in residential.

Not really relevant, but it does address the question in the OP.