Yes the point is to convert water to steam, using up BTU's, but even more
important is to remember that 13D, and 13R are life safety systems.
Their job is not to contain or extinguish a fire, only to provide a
reasonable amount of time to evacuate the premises. Then if the building
burns down, it was still a success, from a fire sprinkler point of view.
So often both AHJ's, and yes Owners, expect so much more, because our
systems have consistently done more, than buy the occupants time. I would
really like to see a 10 Min. minimum time limit put on 13R systems water
supply, so owners could look at the cost of 13 vs. 13R and understand that a
success with one, may still mean the total loss of the building, while the
other will provide a greater level of protection, closer to their
expectations. Too many assume that all fire sprinkler systems are created
equal, and have the same level of performance. "It Just Ain't So!"
Thom McMahon
Firetech, Inc.
2560 Copper Ridge Dr
Steamboat Springs, CO 80488-2136
Tel: 970-879-7952
Fax: 970-879-7926
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jamie Seidl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 11:41 AM
Subject: RE: Residential Head Mounting Heights
This is fine. They will work as intended. The only height limitation
placed on residential sprinklers is in relation to "out side the
dwelling unit" and then, it's limited to 10'-0" AFF. I can't remember
the highest ceiling height activation we've had, but I know It's >18'
P.S. The point of sprinklers IS to convert water to steam. That's how
the fires are put out, fire starts, creates BTU's, water convert's to
steam by taking energy away from the fire, BTU's lost, until enough
water converts to steam, to over come the BTU's produced by the fire.
There's a good section on physical science of fires in the fire
protection hand book, it has a lot of good information on this subject,
and states it more eloquently then I have here.
Jamie Seidl
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dave
Phelan
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 7:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Residential Head Mounting Heights
Good Morning to All,
I am looking for some assistance with a residential sprinkler project
and plan evaluation I am doing. The project is a series of attached
single family dwellings, wood framed, that are being suppressed using
the 1999 edition of NFPA 13R. The project is using a combination of
horizontal sidewall and pendant heads.
There is one particular area of the home that has me a bit concerned
from a design standpoint. The family room on the first floor is open
and rises approx. 18 feet above to an open walkway / bridge outside the
second floor master suite. If you could picture a two-story atrium in a
residence, thats the basic situation. The designer is calling for two
sidewall mounted heads along the larger room wall just below the ceiling
level. What this really means is discharging water would have to fall
+- 18 feet to reach the contents burning in the family room below. I
would suspect the rising heat plume would consume the falling droplets
and anything hitting the vertical surfaces would also convert to steam
during the 18 foot descent.
I believe my question really becomes a matter of the listing standard
and design limitations of residential heads. Is this situation outside
of the listing standard (UL1626)? How does the list feel about
unusually high ceilings in 13R systems and has anyone dealt with this in
their past experiences ?
Thank you.
Dave Phelan
An AHJ in New Jersey
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