NFPA Sprinkler system

[habit04]

This a personal issue...
The question is
Do I need sprinklers in my building?

I am thinking of buying a building that is roughly 23000 sq. ft
It will be used for a meat processing facility and I want to make sure that the NFPA says I do not require a sprinkler system in my building, ive talked to the local building inspectors and they keep saying that 24000 is the max sq footage without a sprinkler system then they have also said it might be 12000 so that puts me in a bad spot....i need to know they say they do whatever the NFPA states and they have yet to let me know it has been 2 weeks and they have not gotten back with me......
The ceiling is about 25 foot high...please help me as i am not familiar with the NFPA codes
I do not want to spend the money to install a sprinkler system so i need to know what my options are...

anybodys help and time is greatly appreciated...
Thanks
Justin

 

[charlie]

Re: NFPA Sprinkler system

Talk to your insurance company, they may reduce the rates enough to make it worth your while to sprinkle the building. If you read very many fire reports, you will find no reports of major damage with protected buildings as opposed to buildings without sprinklers. In my opinion, you need them but I have no idea what the standards require.

If I ever build a new home, I will have a sprinkler system installed. I would have one now but it is difficult to install one in a two story dwelling that is already built.