Sprinkler heads

[George Stolz]

Where can I find the requirements behind the distance that sprinkler heads are to be from light fixtures? I didn't think it was NEC, but this guy swears he saw it somewhere.

Also, is it 1' seperation or 3'? I'm saying a foot, he's saying 30" or 36".

Any help is much appreciated.

Edit to add: Any why is this required?

[ March 31, 2005, 06:46 AM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]

 

[ron]

Re: Sprinkler heads

The only required clearance that I can think of, would be to avoid interruption of the spray pattern of the sprinkler head.

 

[inspector 102]

Re: Sprinkler heads

I believe the required distance would depend on the type of sprinkler head ( large drop, ESFR, pendant, etc.) NFPA 13 defines the required distance minimums that an obstruction can be without interfering with the spray pattern of the head. A good rule of thumb is 3Xs the dimension of the obstruction up the a maximum of 24". Greater than that would require a design to ensure adequate sprinkler coverage.

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Sprinkler heads

So would your 3x pattern still be in tight spaces such as hallways? There would be a section high on the wall that wouldn't recieve spray, but a fire there wouldn't likely have opened the head in the first place, right?

[ March 31, 2005, 08:07 AM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]

 

[paul32]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Hi George, I thought you just did residential.

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Originally posted by georgestolz:
Where can I find the requirements behind the distance that sprinkler heads are to be from light fixtures? I didn't think it was NEC, but this guy swears he saw it somewhere.

You can find this in the NFPA 13 and the listing and labeling of the specific head that is being used.

 

[steve66]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Hi George, I thought you just did residential.

According to IBC, I don't need a second exit from a basement bedroom if my entire house is sprinklered.

Haven't been able to talk my wife into it yet, though

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Originally posted by steve66:

Hi George, I thought you just did residential.

According to IBC, I don't need a second exit from a basement bedroom if my entire house is sprinklered.

Why would you build a house under the IBC and not the IRC?

 

[steve66]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Why would you build a house under the IBC and not the IRC?

I was mostly just kidding, although I also wanted to make a point that sprinklers can also be installed in residential.

I don't know why one would use IBC for residential, but there are residential requirements in the IBC. (It's not like I actually built my house, but it does have a finished room in the basement, and my understanding is that it can't legally be used as a bedroom).

Steve

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Sprinkler heads

We actually have rather a lot of houses that are sprinklered in my city, due to fire department access time and sizes of homes. I don't know the answer to the original question, however, since the fire marshall is the one in our sity responsible for enforcing the NFPA 13.

[ March 31, 2005, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: ryan_618 ]

 

[physis]

Re: Sprinkler heads

my understanding is that it can't legally be used as a bedroom

I'll just look at the floor and shake my head.

 

[steve66]

Re: Sprinkler heads

I'll just look at the floor and shake my head.

That's funny, that's the exact same thing my wife did when I suggested putting sprinkler heads in!!

When doing work in your own house, wives can give a whole new meaning to "local AHJ". She gets to reject anything based on what it will look like. And I can't even ask for a code reference

Steve

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Originally posted by paul32:
Hi George, I thought you just did residential.

What, I can't dabble?

Another guy asked me, and found the chink in my armor. I was pretty sure it wasn't NEC. But I did pass it along about the 3x rule of thumb, thanks for that.

And thanks for all the replies!

Has anyone else heard of the NFPA's motions to begin requiring sprinklers in 1- & 2- family dwellings? I skimmed it in a magazine at the shop yesterday. Don't remember the publication. Nothing official, just people having movements and motioning others to look, or something.

The stats the magazine cited were impressive, if perhaps a little misleading. Something like only 4 deaths in homes with sprinklers versus 7900 in homes without them. I'd imagine that could be because of the small number of sprinklered single-family homes, though.

 

[steve66]

Re: Sprinkler heads

Aren't statistics a wonderful thing? You can find statistics that seem to support almost any view. I still remember an example a psychology teacher gave us in college:

The amount of whiskey consumed in each town was compared to the number of teachers in each town. The amount of whiskey consumed went up in proportion to the number of teachers.

You might be tempted to conclude that teachers drink a lot of whiskey. But what is really happening is that both the number of teachers in a town and the amount of whiskey consumed depend on a third variable: the town's population.

Steve