I love these discussions cause I get to hear about the problems that the contractors have in designing these systems. Guess what...we (the AHJ) have the same problems trying to approve them.
I remembered a similar discussion saying something about not allowing them to build something that you can't protect...I think it was a boat storage rack or something about ESFR sprinklers. The problem with these houses is that the architect, builder, and home owner have conspired to build them and now we have to figure out how to protect them. I guess I could tell them to rip it all out and make a smooth flat ceiling, but I don't think that would be acceptable to our administration. So what do we do? My simplistic answer is that if it looks like an over-kill design with 10 heads in a 20 x 20-foot room, then it probably is a waste of money. If one head can protect the room with a smooth flat ceiling, then maybe four or five heads should be "reasonable" with beam pockets. Depends on the size and occupancy of the room, beam locations, depth, ceiling height, type of sprinklers used, and other variables...but there is a "reasonable" answer to it. The difficulty is deciding what's "reasonable"...and no single solution will fit all situations. rick matsuda city of dallas, bldg insp dept -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bob Knight Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 11:52 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Residential Sprinklers and Beam Obstructions I'm working on a home (13D) that has several rooms with the ceiling broken up by "beam pockets". These vary in width from 2'8" to 3'3" o.c. with the beams being 6" deep. Concealed residential sprinklers are being used. In one room, which is 224 sf, if I place a sprinkler in every pocket like I think I should, there will be 13 sprinklers. This averages out to 17 sf per head. Another room is 375 sf and will require 10 sprinklers. This averages at 37.5 per head. In rooms of this size do I really need a sprinkler in every pocket? Can a sprinkler be placed in every other pocket and be acceptable? Has anyone else found a better way to protect rooms like this? Any and all suggestions will help. Thanks, Bob Knight, CET (208) 318-3057 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.firebyknight.com _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
