Fire Prevention Coffee Break Training

Fire Prevention Coffee Break Training May 2017

Agenda Introduction Submittals- Phelan Changes to NFPA 13 - Phelan Questions and Answers – Open Forum

Please welcome our Summer Intern Charlie Poppe

Small Change/Reminder about Submittals • Reminders • DMFD does not accept electronic submittals of drawings/original submittals. • If there are substantive changes to the drawings required by a resubmittal hardcopies are required to complete/approve the permit. • We will accept the following electronically • Material datasheets • Resubmitted calculations • Response letter • Small Change to the process • The email address for responses will now be • firedept@dmgov.org

NFPA 13 2013 Significant Changes • The City of Des Moines has adopted the 2015 IFC and IBC. • As of March 1st the 2015 I-codes are effective. • These codes reference the 2013 versions of NFPA 13 and 72.

CPVC Compatibility The new language requires that, where corrosion inhibitors are used in combination systems that include coated steel pipe and CPVC pipe, the coating must be tested for compatibility with CPVC. Furthermore, the new requirements state that when CPVC pipe is used in combination systems using steel pipe, cutting oils and lubricants used in the fabrication of the steel piping shall be compatible with CPVC materials.

Antifreeze and Freeze Protection Requirements The tentative interim amendments (TIAs) that were approved by the Standards Council in March 2011 were reviewed by the technical committees responsible for NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, and NFPA 13D for inclusion in the 2013 editions of the standards. With the exception of a revised definition for premixed antifreeze solution, the requirements in the TIAs, including the antifreeze concentration limits and testing criteria, were accepted.

Sprinkler Requirements for Elevator Hoistways and Elevator-Related Spaces Sprinkler protection requirements for elevator hoistways and elevator machine rooms have never been correlated between the model building codes, life safety codes, elevator codes, and sprinkler design standards. The 2013 edition of NFPA 13, however, takes a large step towards getting these documents in harmony.

Sprinklers in Small Bathrooms The 2010 edition of NFPA 13 allows sprinklers to be omitted from dwelling unit bathrooms that are less than 55 square feet (5 square meters), are not located in limited-care facilities, or do not open on to a public corridor. The 2013 edition of NFPA 13 will see a significant change to that concept, as this allowance will now only apply to dwelling units in hotels and motels. Apartment buildings designed with NFPA 13 systems with bathrooms less than 55 square feet (5 square meters) must now have sprinkler protection where they were not required to do so in previous editions.

Shadow Areas NFPA 13R does not have the three- and four-times rules, and the technical committee found value in quantifying maximum allowable dry areas for sprinklers. In addition to a definition for a shadow area, the committee specified that shadow areas are permitted in the protection area of a sprinkler as long as they do not exceed 15 square feet (1.4 square meters) per sprinkler.

New Storage Chapter The 2013 edition of NFPA 13 will include a new storage chapter dedicated to performance-based protection approaches for storage applications. The new Chapter 21, “Alternative Sprinkler System Designs for Chapters 12 Through 20,” provides manufacturers and designers with the information necessary to implement an alternative design approach.

ESFR and CMSA Sprinklers Another loop closed in the 2013 edition of NFPA 13 surrounds the use of control mode specific application (CMSA) and early suppression fast response (ESFR) sprinklers in light- and ordinary-hazard occupancies.

Sloped Ceilings NFPA’s residential sprinkler design standards have never clearly defined how to determine the appropriate number of sprinklers that need to be calculated under a sloped ceiling or a ceiling with beams. This has led to a range of opinions on how to handle these situations and has added to the challenges of implementing sprinkler system designs in occupancies with such ceilings. In 2010, the Fire Protection Research Foundation sponsored a project conducted by Hughes Associates to determine if there was a way to better quantify the impact of these ceiling arrangements on system design. The information gathered in the study, Analysis of the Performance of Residential Sprinkler Systems with Sloped or Sloped and Beamed Ceilings, available at nfpa.org/foundation, was used to develop code language that provides five common ceiling arrangements that can use the “two sprinkler hydraulic calculation” found in NFPA 13D and the “four sprinklerhydraulic calculation” found in NFPA 13R without the need for each arrangement to be included in the listing for the sprinkler.

Cloud Ceilings Another topic that has seen much debate over the years is sprinkler system design for cloud ceilings, which are “floating” ceiling panels installed below the main ceiling that do not make a complete wall to wall horizontal surface. Cloud ceilings are becoming more and more prevalent in architectural design, and many NFPA 13 users are looking for a specific section that addresses this concept. While the Technical Committee for Sprinkler System Installation Criteria reviewed potential language addressing sprinkler protection for cloud ceilings, the concepts were not supported by full scale testing and were not adopted into the standard. The use of the obstruction rules in Chapter 8 will continue to provide direction as to where sprinklers need to be provided where cloud ceilings exist. The Fire Protection Research Foundation is currently reviewing a proposal to conduct testing on cloud ceiling arrangements that would provide the committee with more data to consider when developing the next edition of the standard.

3.3.18 The terms "continuous" and "non-continuous" have been used for many cycles to describe obstructions and the criteria to be applied. These terms now have definitions, with "continuous" being obstructions that aퟤect two or more adjacent sprinklers. Although typically thought of as a single item, such as a duct, prior editions did identify in the annex

(A.8.6.5.2.1.4) that even if the obstructions are not connected, but aퟤectadjacent sprinklers, such as adjacent light fixtures, they are considered "continuous."

8.4.6.1.1 ESFR sprinklers can be used with solid shelves if in-rack sprinklers are provided.

A.8.4.5.1 Residential sprinklers have always been allowed to be used in hallways, but restricted to hallways leading only to dwelling units. Residential sprinklers are now allowed in hallways leading to residential units and other uses, such as elevator lobbies and seating areas.

8.4.5.3 There has been past confusion on whether residential and fast response spray sprinklers could be used within a single compartment. This was cleaned-up by deleting the legacy reference to fast response sprinklers.

8.15.1.2.7 The allowance to omit sprinklers when a space is completely filled with insulation has been revised to permit a 2 inch (50 mm) air gap. This issue was initially added to the 2010 edition but only in 8.15.1.2.17.

8.15.8.1.1 The omission of protection for small bathrooms, which has been in the standard for all dwelling units for just over 20 years, is now allowed only for hotels and motels.

8.16.1.5.4 and A.3.3.23 In buildings greater than two stories, every floor is considered an individual sprinkler system and must have a floor control valve assembly (with some exceptions). This assembly is still portrayed only in the Annex and only under the wet-pipe test connection section.

8.16.4.1.5 Freeze protection can be omitted in areas that are below 40 ⁰F (4 ⁰C) but should not freeze if a heat loss calculation by a professional engineer confirms it will not freeze.

8.17.1.6(1) It is explicitly stated that each floor of a high-rise shall have a waterflowdevice. Although this has always been understood, it was not explicitly required by NFPA 13.

9.1.1.3 This will permit shared piping support to also support systems other than the sprinkler system if the supports are designed by an engineer.

11.3.1.2 When using residential sprinklers and there’s a concealed, combustible space that is unprotected, the 2010 edition required remote area of 3,000 sf (280 m2). This was changed to 8 residential sprinklers so as to mimic the philosophy of doubling the initial size of the remote area.

12.6.7.1 Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) and Control Mode Specific Application (CMSA) sprinklers designed to meet storage criteria can be used for light or ordinary hazard occupancies. This was previously permitted only for ordinary hazard occupancies, but was extended to light hazard in recognition that it makes little sense to remove these systems when a change of occupancy occurs.

12.8.6 Hose stream and duration has been expanded and is summarized by sprinkler type and size of remote area for CMDA sprinklers and by storage height for CMSA and ESFR sprinklers. The information was consolidated from chapters 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17. It now better reflects the expected performance of each system. For instance, previously chapter 16 required a 2 hour duration for both systems with a remote area of 25 or 30 sprinklers. The new duration for a 30 sprinkler design is now 2.5 hrs. The revision also addresses smaller areas, such as 1,200 sf (110 m2) for CMDA and fewer than 15 CMSA sprinklers that would apply using the room design method. For example, a CMSA design with less than 15 sprinkler now has a demand of 250 gpm (960 l) with a 60 minute duration.

17.2.1.4 The protection of exposed, unexpanded Group A plastics when using spray sprinklers for rack storage up to 25 ퟬ (7.6 m) was previously permitted only for cartoned commodities. This restriction did not apply to multiple row racks over 25 ퟬ (7.6 m), which created confusion. This has been clarified, and new sections were added providing the needed criteria. It is interesting that the source this data was derived from was not used to also provide criteria for exposed expanded Group A plastics.

23.4.4.1.1.4 & .5 How to hydraulically calculate small systems when they are less than the minimum required area (such as preaction systems for computer rooms and dry pipe or antifreeze system for loading docks) is now addressed. One eퟤectively adds the additional water flow required for the full area based on the area/density curves without accounting for any discharge overage nor hose stream demand and adds it to the point of connection of the most remote branch line.

Table 23.4.4.7.1 Historically, galvanized steel pipe for dry pipe systems has been assigned a C-value of 120. The C-value has been reduced to 100.

4.1.3.3 A combined supply main can now be 4” (100 mm) instead of 6” (150 mm) without adding domestic demand to the hydraulic calculation. New annex text also confirms that the reason that the calculation for the larger pipe could ignore the domestic demand is that it is such a small fraction of the total flow that it doesn’t make a significant diퟤerence in the results. Unfortunately, the annex adds the ambiguous statement that if the domestic demand is considerable, it should be added to the calculation for 4" (100 mm) pipe.

24.1.5.3 As a result of a problem with a previously marketed additive, biocides or corrosion inhibitors must be be compatible with system components and each other (since they are typically combined). The whole issue of compatibility is in a state of flux so there may be additional changes next cycle.

11.1.7 & 12.1.4 Guidance is provide for High Volume Low Speed (HVLS) fans. It states that HVLS fans can be used in buildings protected by either control mode or ESFR systems when the following is applied: • Fans shall have a maximum diameter of 24 ft (7.3 m). • Fans shall be approximately centered between four adjacent sprinklers. • The minimum vertical clearance to the sprinkler deflector is 3 ft (0.9 m). • Fans shall be interlocked and shut down immediately upon receiving a signal from the alarm system

Questions and Discussion What did we miss? What else have you all noticed? Whatdo we need to talk (more) about?

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