Chris, Being from the arctic realm of north Florida, I can tell you that typically the "freeze line" is interpreted as the line from roughly Cocoa Beach (east coast) through Orlando to Tampa (west coast). Every jurisdiction below that latitude typically lets you put in wet systems even with exterior risers (as you described). The northern gulf coast that you are describing would probably be above this freeze line. This line comes from the chart in NFPA 24. I can tell you that it has been cold enough for long enough here in North Florida to cause serious problems with pipes bursting twice that I can remember - 1989 and the "storm of the century" in 1993. As you have heard from some of the other forum guys like Greg McGahan, the panhandle is just cold sometimes - lower Alabama as someone described it.
My experience has been that this line of demarcation is a good one and you won't have any problems south of this line in Florida, but north of it you are likely to run into problems over the typical life of a sprinkler system. Hope that helps, Steve Kowkabany, P.E. Fire Protection Engineer Neptune Fire Protection Engineering LLC 60 Ocean Boulevard, Suite 15 Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 904-652-4200 Phone 904-212-0868 Fax We have moved. Please note our new address. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chris Cahill Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 2:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Gulf Coast Note I'm a little north of the Gulf Coast if this question sounds a little odd. Would you be looking at a dry system in an unheated warehouse within say 5 miles of the northern Gulf Coast? Seriously I know it can get cool by our standards down there but it ain't cold. But for how long? Even a day or 2 in the mid 20's would that cause a freeze up problem in a 100,000 sq.ft. plus building? Just wondering what the norm is for dealing with cool weather. I know I've been in the Tampa and Orlando area and seen plenty of exterior wet risers not to mention the double checks off the UG. My question is a little more LA specific. Chris Cahill, P.E. Fire Protection Engineer Sentry Fire Protection, Inc. 763-658-4483 763-658-4921 fax Email: [email protected] Mail: P.O. Box 69 Waverly, MN 55390 Location: 4439 Hwy 12 SW Waverly, MN 55390 _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.425 / Virus Database: 270.14.60/2496 - Release Date: 11/12/09 07:38:00 _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
