NFPA 13R very specifically exempts combustible concealed spaces from protected areas in buildings to which the standard is applicable. Concealed space provisions are widely interpreted differently, including and especially where you have non-dwelling unit areas where there is combustible concealed space above. I believe it is the intent that ALL combustible concealed spaces are exempted, including those over areas where 13 is applied such as lobbies or service areas in mid-rise hotel/motel occupancies. Like 13D, 13R is a LIFE safety standard by priority, not a property protection standard.
With that in mind, the use of a single sprinkler in the immediate vicinity is as a sentinel or "alarm" sprinkler, to hopefully sound waterflow if there is an incident in an attic or interstitial space. There have been several documented roof burn-offs and horizontal fire spread through unprotected attics in 13R buildings and there is energy in the ICC and fire service communities to eliminate 13R or to require sprinklers in those spaces. The committee heard and rejected at least one such proposal this cycle. With all of the foregoing considered, my take is that you install a single sprinkler only and the presence of that sprinkler does not trigger protecting the entire concealed compartment. The foregoing is my opinion only and does not necessarily represent the opinion or intent of the NFPA 13D/13R Technical Committee on Residential Sprinkler Systems. Steve Leyton Protection Design & Consulting San Diego, CA -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ron Greenman Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 5:19 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: NFPA 13R Question I'd like to hear from a committee member but I'd guess that the change was to eliminate this interpretation of needing to sprinkler the entire unoccupied space merely because a single piece of equipment is present. I looked for the ROP to see the justification statement but couldn't find anything. This is a life safety code after all. On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 4:49 PM, njarendt tds.net <[email protected]> wrote: > My take is that it says at least one is over the heater it does not say > that the rest of the space is not sprinklered. We would require the entire > space to be sprinklered with at least one sprinkler directly above the > unit. > > Norm > > On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 4:33 PM, Smith, Steven D. (CSFD) < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > In the 2002 edition 6.8.5 states "... and other concealed spaces that > > are not used or intended for living purposes or storage and do not > > contain fuel-fired equipment." Meaning that if fuel fired appliances are > > located in a crawl space below the main occupancy (as an example) then > > sprinklers are required throughout the crawl space. > > > > Fast forward to 2010 edition and 6.6.6.1 "When fuel fired equipment is > > present, at least one QR intermediate temperature sprinkler shall be > > installed above the equipment." I read this as a crawl space that has a > > heater (again, as an example) the entire crawl space does not need to be > > sprinklered throughout but just above the fuel-fired appliance only. > > > > If I'm reading things correctly, my question is why? What changed to > > previously require sprinklers throughout the crawl space and now just > > over the fuel fired appliance? Or is my original assumption with the > > 2002 ed incorrect in that the intent of that section was to protect the > > fuel-fired appliance and not necessarily throughout the space it's > > located? > > > > Note that I'm not sure when 6.6.6.1 was added as my research hasn't > > gotten me that far. But I'm still curious. > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > Steve > > > > Steven Smith, CFPS | Fire Protection Engineer II > > Colorado Springs Fire Department | Division of the Fire Marshal > > Division of the Fire Marshal on Facebook <http://on.fb.me/dxW5Qx> > > > > > > -------------- next part -------------- > > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > > URL: < > > > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/private/sprinklerforum/attachm ents/20111130/1992bcd6/attachment.html > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Sprinklerforum mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > > > > > -- > Norman Arendt, CHS III, CMAS, PhD, CFEII > President Infragard Madison Members Alliance > Middleton Fire District Plan Reviewer and Investigator > PCII and CVI Certified > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/private/sprinklerforum/attachm ents/20111130/331f4d34/attachment.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > -- Ron Greenman Instructor Fire Protection Engineering Technology Bates Technical College 1101 So. Yakima Ave. Tacoma, WA 98405 [email protected] http://www.bates.ctc.edu/fireprotection/ 253.680.7346 253.576.9700 (cell) Member: ASEE, SFPE, ASCET, NFPA, AFSA, NFSA, AFAA, NIBS, WSAFM, WFC They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations. -Francis Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/private/sprinklerforum/attach ments/20111130/c53d4802/attachment.html> _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum
