American Fire Sprinkler Association
12750 Merit Dr., Suite 350 Dallas TX 75251
Ph: (214)349-5965 Fax: (214)276-0908
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TECHNICAL UPDATE
AUGUST 28, 2008
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"We have 2 and 3 story residential buildings. The 3-story buildings
require NFPA 13 compliance and the 2-story buildings require NFPA 13R
compliance. Some of the balconies are less than 4 ft and some exceed 4
ft and are protected with dry sidewall heads in lieu of dry pendent
heads set at a 45-degree angle as depicted in NFPA 13 A.8.15.7.
Although neither are installed per their listing, due to the narrow
nature of the balconies, would the coverage afforded by the dry
sidewall be at least equal to if not greater than the coverage
provided by the dry pendent head?"
We have reviewed NFPA 13, 2007 Edition as the applicable standard. Our
informal interpretation is that a sidewall should be equally acceptable.
As you already identified, neither the pendent or sidewall sprinkler
would be in compliance with NFPA 13 when installed as identified in
the annex. Such an arrangement is allowed as a reasonable means to
provide protection on narrow balconies (or other canopies). Such open
areas with light fuel loads cannot flashover so the effort is to keep
the fire from extending into the building. Either type of sprinkler
will activate in the same time frame so a comparison is simply a
matter of distribution. Actually, the sidewall sprinkler will provide
a better coverage of the contents on the balcony. Thus, either type of
sprinkler should be equally acceptable.
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Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the
AFSA: Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services Roland
Huggins, a PE registered in fire protection engineering; Phill Brown,
a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician and NFPA Certified
Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a degreed fire
protection engineering technologist. This is provided with the
understanding that the AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or
actions taken on it and they are not to be considered the official
position of the NFPA or its technical committees.
Copyright (c) 2008, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights
Reserved
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