Zoning between floors 1

[ContractorDave]

I am sure it's here somewhere but it escapes me... what section in 13 speaks to the installation of flow switches on zones in separate fire zones and between floors? The search function for NFPA online has a little to be desired.

Thx for your consideration

Regards
Dave

 

[stookeyfpe]

The only NFPA 13 sections that I am aware of is in Section 8.16.1.6 for high-rise buildings and Section 8.16.1.7 for storage occupancies and in-rack sprinklers.

The IFC requires that the sprinkler system be electrically supervised and monitored. But with the exception of floor control valves, neither the IFC or NFPA 13 have any special zoning requirements.

 

[DonPhillips]

8.2 limits the area of a riser and each riser would need its own flow switch. Is that what you were looking for?

Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

I have the feeling he wants to know if separate floor control valves are required for each floor of a 2, 3, 4 or even 5 story building.

From NFPA #13 (2002 since that is what we still use) 8.15.1.1.2.2 Floor control valves in high-rise buildings and valves controlling flow to sprinklers in circulating closed loop systems shall comply with 8.15.1.1.2.1(1) or 8.15.1.1.2.1(2).

So yes, they are required in a "high-rise" building and a high-rise building is defined by the building code and not NFPA standards.

It has been my experience most building codes define a high rise building where the top floor exceeds 65 to 75 feet above grade so, generaly speaking, a four story building with the top floor 30 to 35 feet above grade does not require floor control valves.

If I am wrong will someone correct me fast, please?

 

[ContractorDave]

Thanks guys, but this all stemmed from the following situation: There is an addition being built for a senior citizens home that will be a dementia facility. The existing is a fully sprinklered single story with partial basement and crawlspace and has 4 zones. The addition which is larger, is also a single story with a partial basement and crawlspace and at first was only going to be a single zone and I this. Then it got silly. Due to window exposures and distance to property line limitations, the AHJ decided glazing protection was required in all the rooms facing these lines, and these sprinklers would be on a separate zone. The latest is that the crawlspace / basement and the main floor will also be on their own zones.
Sigh.
So I had originally asked if zoning was required, my thoughts being that separate fire zones might require separate flow switches.
I'm sure the above situation is going to change yet again because it is pretty confusing at the moment. I'll keep you posted for the fun of it.

Regards
Dave

 

[TravisMack]

SD2:

The way I understood it was that if you have a combination riser (mid-rise building), then each floor needs it own control assembly. I guess if you ran a separate riser for the standpipes and a separate for the sprinklers, then you wouldn't need the floor controls until you hit hi-rise requirements.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Travis Mack
MFP Design, LLC

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

Travis,

By mid-rise I assume you refer to a multi-story building high enough to require a standpipe yet not high enough to be a "high rise" under the building code.

I agree floor control valves are not required on a mid-rise, a separate sprinkler riser can be installed and sprinklers need not be fed from a standpipe.

If a four story has a standpipe which meets the requirements of 100 or even 65 psi at the top of the standpipes then I would always come off with floor control valves because it makes it easier. That said Georgia has a fire marshal rule that says in buildings requiring a standpipe but not high enough to qualify as a "high rise" in accordance with the building code then we can ignor standpipe gpm and pressure requirements as long as all standpipe piping is sized a minimum of 8" diameter.

I have a lot of 4 story hotels around with 8" feeds and 8" standpipes in the stairwells but it beats a fire pump especially if in Savannah were all fire pumps must be diesel.

The downside is with 4 story buildings I often don't have a lot of excess pressure, Georgia requires a 10 psi safety factor on all sprinkler systems, so I resort to bird caging and other methods. Calcs can get complicated but it still beats a diesel pump.

 

[TravisMack]

Yeah, by mid-rise, I mean from 30'-75' to the top floor. Do they not allow manual standpipes? A manual standpipe has a pump, albeit a portable one. Manual standpipes can be either dry or wet. The pump in a manual standpipe system is the fire dept pumper truck. You just calc the standpipes with 100 psi at the top like you normally would, and the supply is the FDC. Check with the FD to see what pressures they have available on the truck. Typically, you can figure on 1000 gpm @ 150 psi available at the FDC. But, you should check that with the responding jurisdiction.

Merry Christmas all!

Travis Mack
MFP Design, LLC