NFPA131996

FAQs

ResponsestoFAQsarepreparedbyNFPAtechnicalstafftoassistusersinreadingandunderstandingNFPAcodesand
standards.Theresponses,however,arenotFormalInterpretationsissuedpursuanttoNFPARegulations.Anyopinions
expressedarethepersonalopinionsoftheauthor(s),anddonotnecessarilyrepresenttheofficialpositionoftheNFPAor
itsTechnicalCommittees.Inaddition,theresponsesareneitherintended,norshouldbereliedupon,toprovide
professionalconsultationorservices.

1. DoIneedsprinklersinmybuilding?

NFPA13istheNFPAdocumentthatspecifiestheminimumrequirementsfordesigningand
installingsprinklersystems.Itdoesnotspecifywhichbuildingsrequireasprinklersystem.
TherequirementtoinstallasprinklersystemcomplyingwithNFPA13canusuallybefoundin
oneofthefollowingsources:buildingcode;federal,stateorlocalregulations;insurer's
requirements;accreditationrequirements;orowner'srequest.

2. IfIhaveadrypipesprinklersystemunderapitchedroofexceedingaslopeof16.7%,doI
applybothareaincreasesfromSection52.3.2.5andSection52.3.2.6?

Yes,bothsectionswouldbeappliedcumulativelytothedesignareachosenfromFigure5
2.3.Thisisshowninthefollowingexample:TheapplicationareadeterminedfromFigure5
2.3is1500squarefeet.AsrequiredbySection52.3.2.5,1500squarefeetisincreasedby
30%to1950squarefeetforthesteeplypitchedroof.AsrequiredbySection52.3.2.6,the
1950squarefeetisincreasedby30%forthedrypipesystem.Therefore,theoriginaldensity
chosenfromFigure52.3mustbeappliedover2535squarefeet.Ensurethatthereareno
otherdesignareamodificationsrequiredforthesystembeinginstalled.

3. CanplasticpipebeusedonasprinklersystemcomplyingwithNFPA13?

Section23.5allowstheuseofplasticpipethathasbeenspecificallylistedforfireprotection
use.Thispipemustbeinstalledinaccordancewithitslistinglimitations,includinginstallation
instructions.

4. Whatisthelimitforthecalculatedwatervelocityinasprinklersystemcomplyingwith
NFPA13?

NFPA13doesnotspecifyamaximumlimitforthecalculatedwatervelocity.

5. Dowalkintypefreezers,coolers,vaultsandsafesrequiresprinklers?

Yes.AsexplainedbyFormalInterpretation786,theseareasrequiresprinklersbecausethey
arepartofthepremises.NFPA13requiresthatsprinklersbeinstalledthroughoutthe
premisesinaccordancewithSection41.1.Therearenoexceptionsprovidedwhichallowfor

NFPA 13-1996 FAQs

sprinkleromissionintheseareas.

6. Inapplyingthe'ThreeTimesRule'forsprinklerobstructions(i.e.Section46.5.2.2),what
dimensionisthe24inchmaximumreferringto?

Thismaximumdimensionisthedimensionmeasuredfromthesprinklertothenearestedge
oftheobstruction.Isolatedobstructionsthataremorethan24inchesawayfromstandard
uprightandpendentsprinklersdonotgenerallycreateasignificantobstruction.

7. Aresprinklersrequiredinclosets?

Yes.TherearelimitedexceptionsspecifiedinSection413.8.2forcertainsmallclosetsinthe
dwellingunitsofhotelsandmotels.

8. Canasupplycontrolvalvebeinstalleddownstreamofthefiredepartmentconnection?

TheconfusionthatbringsaboutthisquestionisusuallycausedbySection415.2.4.2,the
ExceptiontoSection414.1.1.2,andExceptionNo.1toSection414.1.1.8.Thesesectionsare
necessarytodifferentiatethefiredepartmentconnectionfromothertypesofwater
supplies.Normally,acontrolvalveisrequiredbeforeandaftereachcheckvalveinasource
ofsupply.Thevalvesarerequiredsothatthecheckvalvecanbeisolatedandserviced.As
well,acontrolvalveisnormallyrequiredineachautomaticsourceofsupplyinaccordance
withSection414.1.1.1.However,thesecontrolvalvesarenotnecessary,norallowed,inthe
firedepartmentconnectionpiping.Whilethecontrolvalvesarenotallowedinthefire
departmentconnectionpipingitself,controlvalvescanbeinstalleddownstreamfromthe
firedepartmentconnectionpipinginaccordancewith414.1.1.Itwouldbeimpracticalto
requireafiredepartmentconnectionafterallcontrolvalvesinamultizoneormultisystem
arrangement.Furthermore,Section414.1.1.3ofNFPA13requiresthatallvalvescontrolling
watersuppliesbesupervisedintheopenposition.Inallcases,thearrangementforthefire
departmentconnectionmustcomplywithSection415.2.3.

9. Ifawatercurtainisinstalled,whatistheequivalentfireseparationrating?

NFPA13doesnotspecifyanequivalentfireseparationratingforwatercurtainsinstalledin
accordancewithSection413.3.4anddesignedinaccordancewithSection53.7.

10. Whatistheallowablereductioninfireseparationratingsinabuildingwhereasprinkler
systemisinstalled?

NFPA13doesnotaddresssuchreductions.Somebuilding/firecodeswillspecifyanallowable
reductioninfireseparationratingsforcertainbuildingswheresprinklersareprovidedin
accordancewithNFPA13.Youwouldneedtoconsultwiththeapplicablebuilding/firecode
foryourparticularprojecttodetermineifthereareanyallowablereductions.

11. Aresprinklersrequiredintheupperportionofanarchitecturalceilingfeature,evenwhen
therearenoopeningstoaboveandthesprinklersatthelowerportiondonotexceedarea
NFPA 13-1996 FAQs

ofcoveragelimitations?

Thisquestionusuallyariseswitharchitecturalfeaturessuchasskylightsandroomswith
multilevelceilings.Thegeneralconcernwiththesetypesoffeaturesisthepotentialforheat
to'pocket'andthenegativeimpacttotheoperationofthesprinklers.Thiscouldbetrueeven
ifsprinklersarespacedwithintheirlimitationsforallowableareaofprotection.NFPA13does
notspecificallyaddressthesprinklerrequirementsforthesearchitecturalfeatures.However,
theapplicablesectionsofChapter4doaddressthedistancebelowtheceilingthatsprinklers
mustbepositioned.Theneedforsprinklersintheupperportioncanbedeterminedbasedon
thedistancefromtheupperleveltothepositionatwhichthesprinklerswouldbeinstalled
onthelowerlevel.IfthisdistanceexceedstheallowabledistancesspecifiedinChapter4,
thensprinklerswouldberequiredattheupperlevel.ObstructionsspecifiedbyChapter4to
anyofthesprinklerswouldalsoneedtobeexaminedandaccountedfor.

12. Aresprinklersrequiredwithinfurniture?

No.Sprinklersarerequiredwithinallpermanentspacesofthestructure,suchasclosets,in
accordancewithSection41.1.Moveablefurnitureitems,suchasdesks,dressersand
wardrobes,donotrequiresprinklerswithinthemevenwhentheyareaffixedtothe
permanentstructureofthebuilding.

13. MustIdesignthesprinklersystemtoprotectthesamehazardthroughoutthestructure?

No.NFPA13doesnotrequirethattheentirestructurebeprotectedasasinglehazard
classification.Therearetwoimportantthingstokeepinmind,however,whendesigninga
systemwithmultiplehazardclassifications.Thefirstisthatyouwilllockthebuildinguseinto
thehazardconfigurationthatthesprinklersystemisdesignedfor.Iftheentirespacewas
protectedforthehighesthazard,however,thebuildinguserwouldnothavetoworryabout
thegenerallocationsofthedifferenthazards.Additionally,thehydrauliccalculation
procedurebecomesmorecomplexwithmultiplehazardclassificationsthanwherethe
highesthazardisusedthroughout.

14. IftherearenohoseconnectionsinabuildingsprinkleredtoNFPA13,willthewater
demandneedtoincludeahosestreamallowance?

Yes.AnoutsidehosestreamdemandwouldberequiredinaccordancewithSection52.3.1.1.

15. DoesSection52.3.2.5applytoquickresponsesprinklers?

Yes.Thissectionappliestospraysprinklersincludingquickresponsesprinklersandextended
coveragesprinklersusedinaccordancewithExceptionNo.3toSection44.3.Theadditional
designareaisrequiredbecauseafireunderaslopedceilingconditionwillcausemore
sprinklerstooperatethaniftheceilingwerehorizontal.

NFPA 13-1996 FAQs