*8.15.7.2 and** 8.15.7.3 * Limited Combustible which is defined in
3.3 and one of the defining factors is the flame spread less than 25.
Plus I was quoting an engineer that just enlightened me as to why heads
were not required on a particular canopy. The product I am looking at
online appears to meet every description of Limited Combustible in 3.3.
I understand I am only looking at one product but it is all I can find
with easy to read information.
I am not an engineer so I am asking the learned men of the Forum for the
correct answer to this situation.
Is the engineer correct and heads are not required under a soffit in
which (I am only asking about the CEILING) the ceiling is covered in
vinyl siding. In all three of the scenarios I am looking at right now,
the exterior walls are Non-combustible, brick, concrete and metal siding.
OR does the rest of the sprinkler world consider vinyl siding
combustible therefore creating a requirement for protection on this one
issue alone?
13 does not address what is behind the "exposed finish material",
densglass, sheetrock, plywood or bare trusses. I absolutely do not know
the answer to this question and I am certainly not trying to manipulate
a particular response from the group. However, I am sure that most of us
have run into this exact or nearly exact situation before. I have always
protected them in the past. Now I have a very high profile local job
that will not have them protected which begs the questions - am I right
or wrong?
So my question remains as stated. I am not adding or subtracting from
the text in 13. Is typical vinyl siding considered "limited combustible"
or "combustible"?
Still appreciative of the help.
Greg
On 9/8/2010 2:26 PM, David de Vries wrote:
Where does it say that no protection is needed if the siding has a flame spread
of 25 or less?
Is this situation related to a requirement for protection under a canopy of combustible construction, or if there is combustible storage under the canopy?
Generically speaking, vinyl (PVC) when heated releases chlorine compounds that inhibit combustion. This is why rigid PVC is treated as a Group C plastic, rather than Group A, like most plastics we deal with. But when exposed to an adjacent fire, vinyl siding will burn and fire will go right up to the canopy or soffit. If there are soffit vents that lead to a wood frame attic, you can have a disastrous fire.
Dave
David A. de Vries, P.E., CSP
Firetech Engineering Incorporated
2715 Harrison St.
Evanston, IL 60201
Tel: 847-733-0944
Fax: 847-866-6255
--- On Tue, 9/7/10, Greg McGahan<[email protected]> wrote:
From: Greg McGahan<[email protected]>
Subject: vinyl soffits
To: [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, September 7, 2010, 8:15 PM
In the past we have installed systems for vinyl storage and been met with very
mixed assessments of the criteria it should fall under by members of this forum
and various Engineers of Record. Recently we posed an RFI to an Arch and Eng
design team that stated that at least one vinyl siding product had a flame
spread of 25 or less and therefore would not create a need for protection under
an exterior canopy. I have never heard this before now.
So the question is that if there is an exterior walkway covered with typical
everyday plain old vinyl siding at the ceiling: would sprinklers be required if
this were the only questionable component?
There are a myriad of existing such situations in which we happen to find
ourselves at the present time and determining the manufacturer and exact
material would be virtually impossible.
Thanks for the help as always!
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