Wet-Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems
Remake for template neutrality (from-scratch field inventory, five-state defaults, parameters and derived fields, schedule deferrals)
Showing changes from Rev 6
to Rev 7
in Wet-Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems.
−---
−title: Wet-Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems
−category: Fire Protection
−toc_depth: 3
−description: >
− When to use: Automatic wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems for commercial, institutional, industrial, and multi-family residential buildings. Covers the complete above-ground sprinkler system from the water supply connection through the system riser, distribution piping, sprinklers, alarm and supervisory devices, and fire department connections. Addresses light hazard, ordinary hazard (Groups 1 and 2), and extra hazard (Groups 1 and 2) occupancies. Suitable for conditioned occupied spaces where the piping will not be exposed to freezing temperatures.
− Not intended for: Dry-pipe systems where piping is in unheated spaces subject to freezing (see [[sync/dry-pipe-fire-sprinkler-systems]]); pre-action or deluge systems for high-value or special hazard applications; residential systems designed to NFPA 13R or NFPA 13D; underground fire service mains and yard piping (see [[sync/underground-fire-service-mains]]); fire pump installations (see [[sync/fire-pumps]]); standpipe and hose systems (see [[sync/standpipe-systems]]); or fire alarm and notification appliance circuits beyond the waterflow switch and valve supervisory connections (see [[sync/fire-alarm-systems]]).
−---
−
−# Scope {toc}
−
−## This standard covers the design documentation requirements, materials, installation, testing, and acceptance criteria for automatic wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems installed in buildings where the piping remains continuously charged with water at supply pressure. {note}
−## The system activates when one or more sprinklers open in response to heat, discharging water directly onto the fire while simultaneously actuating waterflow alarms. {note}
−## Wet-pipe systems are the predominant type of automatic sprinkler system installed in occupied, conditioned buildings because they are mechanically simple, reliably fast-acting, and straightforward to maintain. {note}
−
−## The scope extends from the point where the underground service lateral connects to the system riser — or, where a backflow preventer or control valve assembly is provided, from the downstream side of that assembly — through all above-ground supply mains, cross mains, branch lines, and branch line end connections to the individual sprinklers. {note}
−## Alarm check valve assemblies, waterflow alarm devices, valve supervisory devices, fire department connections, air venting, and seismic bracing are included. {note}
−## The design basis and hydraulic calculation methodology govern all of these components as an integrated system. {note}
−
−## Wet-pipe systems installed under this standard shall comply with NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems (current edition adopted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction), the International Fire Code (IFC), and the International Building Code (IBC) as adopted locally.
−
−## Where local amendments modify NFPA 13 requirements, the local amendment governs unless it is less stringent than the base standard, in which case the base standard governs.
−
−## The Contractor and the designer shall confirm the edition of NFPA 13 adopted in the jurisdiction prior to beginning design work.
−
−## Each successive edition of NFPA 13 has introduced meaningful changes to hazard classification, density requirements, pipe joining, seismic bracing, and corrosion protection that affect design and material procurement. {note}
−
−## This standard does not govern occupancy-specific or commodity-specific sprinkler systems designed under the storage chapters of NFPA 13 (rack storage, high-piled storage, high-bay warehouses), which require specialized density, area, and in-rack sprinkler analysis beyond the scope of this document.
−
−## The Engineer of Record shall confirm whether storage-specific rules apply to any portion of the building before releasing this standard for use on a project.
−
−# Referenced Standards {toc}
−
−## Materials, design, installation, and testing shall comply with the current adopted editions of the following standards.
−## Where standards conflict, the more stringent requirement governs unless directed otherwise by the Engineer of Record in writing. {note}
−
−| Standard | Title |
−|----------|-------|
−| NFPA 13 | Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems |
−| NFPA 20 | Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection |
−| NFPA 24 | Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances |
−| NFPA 25 | Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems |
−| NFPA 72 | National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code |
−| NFPA 291 | Recommended Practice for Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants |
−| IBC | International Building Code |
−| IFC | International Fire Code |
−| ASTM A795 | Standard Specification for Black and Hot-Dipped Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Welded and Seamless Steel Pipe for Fire Protection Use |
−| ASTM A53 | Standard Specification for Pipe, Steel, Black and Hot-Dipped, Zinc-Coated, Welded and Seamless |
−| ASTM A135 | Standard Specification for Electric-Resistance-Welded Steel Pipe |
−| ASTM B75 | Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Tube |
−| ASTM B88 | Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Water Tube |
−| ASME B16.1 | Gray Iron Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings |
−| ASME B16.3 | Malleable Iron Threaded Fittings |
−| ASME B16.9 | Factory-Made Wrought Buttwelding Fittings |
−| ASME B16.11 | Forged Fittings, Socket-Welding and Threaded |
−| ASME B16.18 | Cast Copper Alloy Solder Joint Pressure Fittings |
−| ASME B16.22 | Wrought Copper and Copper Alloy Solder Joint Pressure Fittings |
−| UL 193 | Alarm Valves for Fire Protection Service |
−| UL 199 | Automatic Sprinklers for Fire Protection Service |
−| UL 260 | Dry Pipe Valves for Fire Protection Service |
−| UL 262 | Gate Valves for Fire Protection Service |
−| UL 312 | Check Valves for Fire Protection Service |
−| UL 753 | Alarm Accessories for Automatic Water-Supply Control Valves for Fire Protection Service |
−| UL 1091 | Butterfly Valves for Fire Protection Service |
−| FM Global DS 2-0 | Installation Guidelines for Automatic Sprinklers |
−| FM Global DS 2-8N | Corrosion in Automatic Sprinkler Systems |
−| ANSI/AWWA C606 | Grooved and Shouldered Joints |
−
−# Submittals {toc}
−
−## Action Submittals {toc}
−
−### The Contractor shall submit the following for the Engineer of Record's review and the Authority Having Jurisdiction's approval prior to procurement and installation, as a coordinated package:
−- Working drawings for the sprinkler system complying with NFPA 13 Chapter 28, including floor plans showing pipe routing, pipe sizes, sprinkler types, locations, and elevations; riser diagrams; hydraulic reference node diagram; and details of all major system components
−- Hydraulic calculations performed by the pipe-sizing method, demonstrating that the system meets the design density and area requirements for each hazard area within the building, with the water demand plotted against the water supply curve including all hose stream allowances and with the required safety margin demonstrated at the design point
−- Product data for each item of equipment and material, including pipe, fittings, sprinklers with temperature ratings and K-factors, alarm check valve assembly, waterflow alarm devices, valve supervisory switches, fire department connection, hangers, seismic brace hardware, and any listed flexible connections
−- Manufacturer's installation instructions for each listed or approved component, including any limitations on application, pipe joining method, or system arrangement that affect compliance
−- CPVC pipe listing documentation, cement product data, and the CPVC manufacturer's chemical compatibility advisory, where CPVC pipe is used
−- Seismic bracing calculations, where seismic bracing is required by the project's Seismic Design Category
−
−```datasheet
−label: Action Submittals Required
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "Working drawings per NFPA 13 Chapter 28"
− - "Hydraulic calculations"
− - "Product data for all components"
− - "Manufacturer installation instructions"
− - "CPVC listing and compatibility documentation (if CPVC used)"
− - "Seismic bracing calculations (if required)"
−default: "Working drawings per NFPA 13 Chapter 28"
−```
−
−### No work shall proceed on any portion of the sprinkler system until the corresponding submittals are reviewed, returned, and any required approval from the AHJ is in hand.
−
−### Working drawings shall be prepared by or under the supervision of a person with qualifications acceptable to the AHJ.
−
−### The Contractor is responsible for confirming designer qualification requirements before assigning the design work.
−
−### Sprinkler system submittals are engineering documents that the AHJ uses as the primary basis for plan review; incomplete or inadequately detailed submittals are one of the most common causes of project delays. {note}
−
−## Closeout Submittals {toc}
−
−### The Contractor shall submit the following at substantial completion before the sprinkler system is accepted:
−- Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping (NFPA 13 Figure 29.1.1), signed by the installing contractor, certifying the pipe and fittings materials, joint types, flushing procedure, hydrostatic test results, alarm device operation, and inspector's test valve performance
−- As-built drawings reflecting field changes from the reviewed working drawings
−- Operation and maintenance manual including valve locations, system description, impairment procedures, and NFPA 25 inspection intervals
−- Warranty documentation for all components carrying a manufacturer warranty
−- Hydraulic design information signs confirming that installed signs match the design calculations
−
−```datasheet
−label: Closeout Submittals Required
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping"
− - "As-built drawings"
− - "Operation and maintenance manual"
− - "Manufacturer warranty documentation"
− - "Hydraulic design information sign verification"
−default: "Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping"
−```
−
−# Quality Assurance {toc}
−
−## Installer Qualifications {toc}
−
−### Sprinkler system installation shall be performed by a licensed fire protection contractor as required by the state and local jurisdiction.
−
−### In states where licensing is mandatory, the installing contractor shall hold a current fire protection contractor's license.
−
−### The individual preparing the working drawings and hydraulic calculations shall hold qualifications as required by the AHJ; where state law requires NICET certification, the designer shall hold NICET Level III or Level IV certification in water-based systems layout or fire protection engineering technology, as applicable.
−
−### Where the Contractor subcontracts the design to a fire protection engineering consultant, both the Contractor and the engineer shall be identified on the working drawings, and the engineer shall seal the drawings where required by state law.
−
−### In no case shall the responsibility for a code-compliant installation transfer away from the licensed installing Contractor.
−
−## Coordination with Other Trades {toc}
−
−### The sprinkler Contractor shall coordinate early and continuously with the mechanical, electrical, structural, and architectural trades.
−
−### The sprinkler Contractor shall participate in BIM coordination where required by the project and shall resolve all hard conflicts before piping is fabricated or installed.
−
−### The location and structural capacity of the building structure to which hangers and seismic braces attach shall be confirmed with the structural engineer before hanger installation begins.
−
−### Where the structural member cannot carry the imposed sprinkler loads, the sprinkler Contractor shall coordinate with the structural engineer for supplemental framing.
−
−### Conflicts between sprinkler piping and HVAC ductwork, structural beams and joists, light fixtures, and ceiling systems are among the most common sources of field RFIs and change orders on sprinkler projects. {note}
−
−### Inadequate structural capacity is a common issue at lightweight steel joists, metal deck panels between joists, and prefabricated wood trusses. {note}
−
−## Listing and Approval {toc}
−
−### All sprinklers, valves, hangers, flexible connections, seismic brace assemblies, and alarm devices shall be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (UL, FM, or another NRTL as accepted by the AHJ) for the specific application and service conditions in which they are used.
−
−### CPVC pipe and fittings shall be listed by UL and shall carry an FM Global approval where the project's insurance carrier requires FM compliance.
−
−### No component shall be substituted for a listed product with an unlisted or unapproved equivalent without the Engineer of Record's written approval and confirmation of acceptability by the AHJ.
−
−## FM Global Compliance {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: FM Global Compliance Required
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not required"
− - "Required — FM-approved components throughout"
−default: "Not required"
−```
−
−### Where the building's property insurance carrier or the Owner requires FM Global compliance, all components shall be FM-approved in addition to UL-listed.
−
−### The Contractor shall confirm FM approval status for each product at procurement, not after installation.
−
−### FM and UL listings are not identical; a component that is UL-listed may not be FM-approved, and the difference is consequential for insurance purposes. {note}
−
−## Corrosion Protection {toc}
−
−### The Contractor shall install the automatic air vent at the highest point of the system or as close thereto as permitted by the system geometry.
−
−### Where the Owner requires enhanced corrosion protection — such as in coastal, chemical plant, or food processing environments — the Engineer shall specify internally lined pipe, nitrogen inerting, or other listed corrosion control measures, which are outside the standard scope.
−
−### Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and oxygen-driven corrosion are recognized causes of premature wet-pipe sprinkler system failure. {note}
−
−### The 2022 edition of NFPA 13 introduced a mandatory requirement for an automatic air vent on each wet-pipe system to reduce trapped air and thereby reduce oxygen-driven internal corrosion. {note}
−
−# Environmental and Service Conditions {toc}
−
−## Temperature Limitations {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Minimum Ambient Temperature at Piping
−type: range
−unit: °F
−options:
− min: 40
− max: 100
− setpoints: [40, 50, 60, 70, 100]
−default: 40
−```
−
−### Wet-pipe systems shall be installed only in spaces where the ambient temperature is reliably maintained above 40°F (4°C) throughout the year.
−
−### Where any portion of the piping is exposed to temperatures below 40°F — including attic spaces, parking structures, outdoor walkways, and mechanical penthouses — a dry-pipe or pre-action system shall be used for that portion.
−
−### Refer to [[sync/dry-pipe-fire-sprinkler-systems]] for unheated or intermittently heated spaces. {note}
−
−## Maximum Working Pressure {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: System Working Pressure
−type: range
−unit: psi
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 40
− max: 250
− setpoints: [40, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250]
−default: 150
−```
−
−### The system working pressure shall not exceed 175 psi at the alarm check valve unless the system is designed and the components are rated for a higher pressure.
−
−### Where the water supply static pressure exceeds 175 psi, a pressure-reducing valve shall be provided on the supply to the sprinkler system.
−
−# Design Basis and Hazard Classification {toc}
−
−## Occupancy Hazard Classification {toc}
−
−### Hazard classification is the single most consequential design decision for a sprinkler system because it directly determines the design density, the design area, and therefore the flow and pressure demand on the water supply. {note}
−
−### The hazard classification shall be assigned by the designer based on the occupancy descriptions in NFPA 13 Chapter 5 and shall be confirmed with the Owner and the AHJ prior to finalizing the hydraulic design.
−
−```datasheet
−label: Predominant Occupancy Hazard Classification
−type: select
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "Light Hazard"
− - "Ordinary Hazard Group 1"
− - "Ordinary Hazard Group 2"
− - "Extra Hazard Group 1"
− - "Extra Hazard Group 2"
−default: "Ordinary Hazard Group 1"
−```
−
−### Where a building includes multiple hazard areas, each hazard area shall be independently classified and piped to its own density and area requirement.
−
−### An incorrect hazard classification produces a system that is either inadequately protected (a life-safety deficiency) or grossly over-designed (an unnecessary capital cost). {note}
−
−### Light Hazard occupancies are characterized by low rates of heat release and include offices, classrooms, healthcare patient rooms, churches, libraries (except stack areas), and similar occupancies where the fuel load is low and materials are unlikely to support rapid fire growth. {note}
−
−### Ordinary Hazard Group 1 occupancies have moderate rates of heat release with predominantly non-combustible or limited-combustible contents; representative occupancies include parking garages, bakeries, laundries, and manufacturing of non-combustible products. {note}
−
−### Ordinary Hazard Group 2 occupancies have higher rates of heat release, moderate quantities of combustibles, and stock piles up to 12 ft in height; representative occupancies include machine shops, auto repair facilities, wood product assembly, textile manufacturing, and libraries with stack areas. {note}
−
−### Extra Hazard Group 1 occupancies involve materials or operations with significant quantities of combustible materials without flammable or combustible liquids; representative occupancies include certain woodworking operations, high-piled combustibles in non-storage areas, and areas with large amounts of foam rubber or plastics. {note}
−
−### Extra Hazard Group 2 occupancies involve significant quantities of flammable or combustible liquids; representative occupancies include automobile paint spray booths, plastic manufacturing with spray application of materials, and solvent cleaning operations. {note}
−
−### A light hazard office surrounded by ordinary hazard manufacturing does not permit the designer to classify the entire floor as light hazard. {note}
−
−## Design Method {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Design Method
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Single-point density method — NFPA 13 Table 19.2.3.1.1 (new systems)"
− - "FM Global Data Sheet design criteria"
− - "Density/area curve method — existing systems only"
−default: "Single-point density method — NFPA 13 Table 19.2.3.1.1 (new systems)"
−```
−
−### New wet-pipe systems shall be designed using the single-point density method set forth in NFPA 13 (2022 edition) Table 19.2.3.1.1.
−
−### The Contractor's designer shall use the single-point design density and area values from Table 19.2.3.1.1 for the applicable hazard classification.
−
−### For systems designed to FM Global standards, the designer shall use the applicable FM Data Sheet design criteria, which may differ from NFPA 13 in both density and design area.
−
−### The traditional density/area curve method, which allowed the designer to select any point along the curve, is no longer permitted for new system design and is retained only for evaluation of existing systems. {note}
−
−### This change was made because designers routinely selected the least favorable point on the curve rather than using the curve as intended, which resulted in hydraulically undersized systems in practice. {note}
−
−## Design Density {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Design Density
−type: range
−unit: gpm/sq ft
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 0.10
− max: 0.60
− setpoints: [0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, 0.45, 0.60]
−default: 0.15
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Design Area
−type: range
−unit: sq ft
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 1500
− max: 5000
− setpoints: [1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000]
−default: 1500
−```
−
−### Design density shall be determined from NFPA 13 Table 19.2.3.1.1 for the applicable hazard classification.
−
−### For ordinary hazard group 1, the standard single-point density is 0.15 gpm/sq ft over 1,500 sq ft.
−
−### For ordinary hazard group 2, the standard single-point density is 0.20 gpm/sq ft over 1,500 sq ft.
−
−### For light hazard, the standard single-point density is 0.10 gpm/sq ft over 1,500 sq ft.
−
−### Extra hazard group 1 and group 2 densities are higher and shall be taken directly from the current edition of NFPA 13 as adopted by the AHJ.
−
−### The designer shall not interpolate between hazard classifications; if the occupancy is borderline, the more stringent classification shall be applied or the classification shall be resolved with the AHJ in writing.
−
−## Hose Stream Allowance {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Hose Stream Allowance
−type: select
−unit: gpm
−options:
− - "100 gpm (Light Hazard)"
− - "250 gpm (Ordinary Hazard)"
− - "500 gpm (Extra Hazard)"
−default: "250 gpm (Ordinary Hazard)"
−```
−
−### In addition to the sprinkler demand, the hydraulic calculations shall include a hose stream allowance added to the sprinkler flow demand at the base of the riser.
−
−### For light hazard occupancies the hose stream allowance is 100 gpm.
−
−### For ordinary hazard occupancies the hose stream allowance is 250 gpm.
−
−### For extra hazard occupancies the hose stream allowance is 500 gpm.
−
−### The hose stream demand shall be applied simultaneously with the sprinkler demand at the design area.
−
−### Omitting the hose stream allowance is a common hydraulic calculation error that produces an apparently compliant system that will fail when fire department hose lines are charged. {note}
−
−## Water Supply Verification {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Water Supply Source
−type: select
−options:
− - "Public water main — flow test required"
− - "Dedicated fire water storage tank and pump"
− - "Combined public main and storage tank"
−default: "Public water main — flow test required"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Flow Test Date
−type: text
−drawing_ref: true
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Static Pressure at Flow Test
−type: range
−unit: psi
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 20
− max: 150
− setpoints: [20, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150]
−default: 70
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Residual Pressure at Flow Test
−type: range
−unit: psi
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 10
− max: 130
− setpoints: [10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 100, 130]
−default: 50
−```
−
−### Water supply data shall be obtained by a hydrant flow test conducted at or near the project site in accordance with NFPA 291.
−
−### The flow test shall have been conducted no more than 12 months prior to the date of submittal.
−
−### Static pressure, residual pressure, and pitot flow shall be recorded.
−
−### The designer shall plot the water supply curve (C-factor method or equivalent) and confirm that the system demand including hose stream falls below the supply curve with a minimum safety margin of 10 psi where the static pressure is below 90 psi, or with a design static pressure not exceeding 80 psi where the static is 90 psi or greater.
−
−### Where the available water supply does not meet the system demand, a fire pump shall be provided per [[sync/fire-pumps]].
−
−## System Type {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Pipe Arrangement
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Tree (looped branch lines off a single main)"
− - "Looped (main supply looped around building)"
− - "Gridded (branch lines interconnected at both ends)"
−default: "Tree (looped branch lines off a single main)"
−```
−
−### The designer shall select the arrangement based on the building geometry, water supply characteristics, and ceiling conditions.
−
−### Gridded systems provide hydraulic redundancy and generally produce smaller pipe sizes on remote branch lines, but they require a minimum of two additional sets of hydraulic calculations to verify demand area peaking per NFPA 13. {note}
−
−### Looped mains reduce friction loss to the design area and are advantageous in large buildings with multiple hazard zones; tree systems are simpler to design and maintain but may produce larger pipe sizes in long runs. {note}
−
−# Piping Materials {toc}
−
−## Steel Pipe {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Steel Pipe Standard
−type: radio
−options:
− - "ASTM A795 (black)"
− - "ASTM A795 (galvanized)"
− - "ASTM A53 (black)"
− - "ASTM A53 (galvanized)"
−default: "ASTM A795 (black)"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Steel Pipe Schedule
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Schedule 10 — grooved joints only, 1 in. and larger"
− - "Schedule 40 — threaded, grooved, or welded"
− - "Schedule 10 for 2 in. and larger; Schedule 40 for 1-1/4 in. and smaller"
−default: "Schedule 10 for 2 in. and larger; Schedule 40 for 1-1/4 in. and smaller"
−```
−
−### Steel pipe shall conform to ASTM A795, ASTM A53, or ASTM A135, as applicable.
−
−### Schedule 40 pipe shall be used where threaded joints are used in sizes 3 in. and smaller, because the wall thickness of Schedule 10 pipe in these sizes does not provide sufficient thread engagement for listed fire protection fittings.
−
−### The Contractor shall not thread Schedule 10 pipe.
−
−### Galvanized pipe shall be used where required for corrosion resistance: in canopy areas exposed to weather, in parking structures subject to road salt or moisture intrusion, and in other environments with elevated corrosion potential.
−
−### The engineer shall specify galvanized pipe for any area that experiences standing moisture, condensation, or chemical exposure.
−
−### ASTM A795 is the purpose-written standard for fire protection piping and is the preferred specification because it was developed specifically for wet-pipe sprinkler service and includes both black and galvanized options with dimensional requirements aligned to sprinkler industry fabrication practice. {note}
−
−### Threading Schedule 10 pipe violates the pipe listing and is a common and serious field error. {note}
−
−### Black steel pipe is appropriate for interior, conditioned, dry environments. {note}
−
−## CPVC Pipe {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: CPVC Pipe Permitted
−type: radio
−options:
− - "No — steel pipe throughout"
− - "Yes — CPVC permitted in light and ordinary hazard areas per listing"
−default: "No — steel pipe throughout"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: CPVC Joining Method
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Solvent cement — manufacturer's listed cement only"
− - "Listed grooved coupling adapter at steel-to-CPVC transitions"
− - "Both"
−default: "Solvent cement — manufacturer's listed cement only"
−```
−
−### Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) pipe and fittings listed for fire sprinkler service may be used in wet-pipe systems in light hazard and limited ordinary hazard occupancies, in accordance with the pipe and fitting manufacturer's listing and the requirements of NFPA 13.
−
−### CPVC shall not be used in spaces where it will be exposed to temperatures exceeding the listing temperature (typically 150°F continuous exposure limit) or where it may be subject to physical damage.
−
−### The CPVC manufacturer's published chemical compatibility advisory shall be reviewed by the installing Contractor before installation begins.
−
−### The Contractor shall instruct all trades working in the vicinity of CPVC sprinkler piping about the chemical incompatibility requirements.
−
−### CPVC pipe and fittings shall be joined using solvent cement specifically listed for fire protection CPVC by the pipe manufacturer.
−
−### No other solvent cement shall be used.
−
−### Joints shall be made in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions including the required cure time before the system is pressurized.
−
−### Grooved coupling adapters may be used to connect CPVC pipe to grooved-end steel pipe at transitions, using only listed grooved adapters compatible with the CPVC pipe manufacturer's system.
−
−### CPVC is significantly lighter than steel and does not require hot work, which simplifies installation and reduces fire risk during construction. {note}
−
−### CPVC is subject to thermal derating at elevated temperatures and is sensitive to chemical attack from a wide range of construction materials including certain paints, pipe insulation adhesives, thread sealants, and fire stopping compounds. {note}
−
−### Incompatible materials — including certain pipe insulation mastics, gasket compounds, solvents, and aerosol products — applied to or near CPVC pipe can cause stress cracking and catastrophic failure. {note}
−
−### The cure-time requirement is routinely violated in the field when schedule pressure drives premature pressurization. {note}
−
−## Copper Tube {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Copper Tube Used
−type: radio
−options:
− - "No"
− - "Yes — ASTM B88 Type L or K, light hazard branch lines"
−default: "No"
−```
−
−### Copper tube conforming to ASTM B75 or ASTM B88 Types K, L, or M may be used for sprinkler branch lines and in concealed spaces in light hazard occupancies in accordance with NFPA 13.
−
−### Copper tube shall be joined by solder joints using fittings conforming to ASME B16.18 or ASME B16.22, or by listed mechanical joints.
−
−### Lead-free solder and flux shall be used throughout; lead-containing solders are prohibited in fire protection piping.
−
−### Copper provides excellent corrosion resistance for wet-pipe service but is substantially more expensive than steel or CPVC at comparable sizes. {note}
−
−## Steel Fittings {toc}
−
−### Steel fittings shall be listed for fire protection service and shall be compatible with the joining method and pipe schedule used.
−
−### Malleable iron threaded fittings conforming to ASME B16.3 shall be used with threaded Schedule 40 pipe.
−
−### Grooved mechanical couplings and fittings shall be listed and shall conform to ANSI/AWWA C606, and the manufacturer's installation torque specification shall be followed at every joint.
−
−### Welded fittings conforming to ASME B16.9 shall be used where welded joints are specified.
−
−### Steel fittings shall not be mixed with CPVC fittings except at listed transition adapters.
−
−## Joining Methods {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Primary Joining Method
−type: select
−options:
− - "Threaded (Schedule 40 only, 3 in. and smaller)"
− - "Grooved mechanical coupling (Schedule 10 or 40, 1 in. and larger)"
− - "Welded (Schedule 40, 1 in. and larger)"
− - "Solvent cement (CPVC only)"
− - "Grooved mains / threaded branch lines"
−default: "Grooved mechanical coupling (Schedule 10 or 40, 1 in. and larger)"
−```
−
−### Threaded joints shall use listed fire protection thread sealant applied to male threads only in accordance with the sealant manufacturer's instructions.
−
−### Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape is not permitted as the sole thread sealant on fire protection threaded joints; it does not meet the requirements for a listed thread compound.
−
−### Threaded joints on CPVC shall use only thread sealant compounds listed as compatible with the CPVC pipe manufacturer's system.
−
−### Grooved mechanical couplings shall be either rigid or flexible as required by NFPA 13.
−
−### Flexible couplings shall be used at specific locations to accommodate pipe expansion, vibration isolation, and seismic flexibility.
−
−### Rigid couplings may be used throughout the system where flexible movement is not required.
−
−### Where seismic design requires it, flexible couplings shall be used within a specified distance of each bracing point for pipes of 2-1/2 in. and larger.
−
−### Grooved joints shall not be used in inaccessible locations unless the coupling is listed for the purpose and the joint is accessible for inspection and retightening.
−
−### Welding of fire protection pipe shall be performed by welders qualified in accordance with AWS D10.12.
−
−### Cut grooves shall not be welded.
−
−### The weld joint shall be visually inspected for full penetration, and the weld area shall be painted or primed to protect against external corrosion.
−
−# Sprinklers {toc}
−
−## Sprinkler Types {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Sprinkler Type
−type: select
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "Standard pendant"
− - "Concealed pendant"
− - "Upright"
− - "Sidewall"
− - "Extended coverage pendant"
− - "Extended coverage upright"
−default: "Standard pendant"
−```
−
−### All sprinklers shall be listed to UL 199 and shall be installed in accordance with their listing and the installation requirements of NFPA 13.
−
−### Sprinklers shall not be modified in any way, including bending of the deflector, painting, or application of any coating, after leaving the factory.
−
−### Factory-applied coatings provided by the manufacturer for corrosive environments are permitted; field-applied paint or coatings over sprinklers are prohibited and are a common cause of system failure.
−
−### Where sidewall sprinklers are used, the designer shall use the spacing tables applicable to the specific sidewall sprinkler listed.
−
−### The use of extended coverage sprinklers shall be confirmed with the AHJ, because some jurisdictions restrict their use.
−
−### Standard pendant sprinklers are intended for exposed installations; concealed pendant sprinklers are installed above the ceiling line with only the cover plate visible and are appropriate where appearance is critical. {note}
−
−### Upright sprinklers are installed above the pipe with the deflector facing upward and are appropriate for exposed pipe systems in warehouses, mechanical spaces, and areas where pendant installation is not feasible because of obstructions below the pipe. {note}
−
−### Sidewall sprinklers discharge water in a half-circle pattern away from the wall and are appropriate for corridors, small rooms, and other spaces where routing pipe on the ceiling is impractical. {note}
−
−### Extended coverage sprinklers are listed for larger coverage areas than standard spray sprinklers and may reduce the number of sprinkler heads required, but they have stricter installation requirements regarding clearance, obstruction, and ceiling slopes. {note}
−
−## Thermal Response {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Sprinkler Thermal Response
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Quick Response (RTI ≤ 50 (m·s)^0.5) — Light Hazard"
− - "Standard Response (RTI > 80 (m·s)^0.5) — Ordinary / Extra Hazard"
− - "Quick Response throughout — verified compatible with hydraulic design"
−default: "Standard Response (RTI > 80 (m·s)^0.5) — Ordinary / Extra Hazard"
−```
−
−### Quick response sprinklers shall have an RTI not exceeding 50 (m·s)^0.5 and are required in light hazard occupancies and in certain occupancy types where life safety is paramount, including healthcare occupancies and certain residential and institutional uses, in accordance with NFPA 13.
−
−### The designer shall not mix quick response and standard response sprinklers in the same hydraulic design area without analyzing the effect on system performance.
−
−### Standard response sprinklers have an RTI greater than 80 (m·s)^0.5 and are used in ordinary and extra hazard occupancies where the design is based on a standard response assumption. {note}
−
−### Specifying quick response sprinklers in an otherwise standard response system designed using standard response hydraulic assumptions is a common and non-obvious error, because the first sprinklers to open discharge less water than the design basis requires and can result in inadequate suppression before additional sprinklers open. {note}
−
−## Temperature Ratings {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Sprinkler Temperature Rating — General Areas
−type: select
−options:
− - "Ordinary (135°F–170°F) — ambient up to 100°F"
− - "Intermediate (175°F–225°F) — ambient 101°F–150°F"
− - "High (250°F–300°F) — ambient 151°F–225°F"
− - "Very High (325°F–375°F) — ambient 226°F–300°F"
−default: "Ordinary (135°F–170°F) — ambient up to 100°F"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Sprinkler Temperature Rating — Near Heat Sources
−type: select
−options:
− - "Intermediate (175°F–225°F)"
− - "High (250°F–300°F)"
− - "Not applicable — no localized heat sources"
−default: "Intermediate (175°F–225°F)"
−```
−
−### Sprinklers shall be selected for the temperature rating appropriate to the maximum expected ambient temperature at the ceiling level per NFPA 13 Table 8.3.2.1.
−
−### Intermediate temperature rating (175°F to 225°F) shall be used at locations near heat-emitting equipment, below skylights, in unventilated concealed spaces, and within 12 in. of heating unit outlets.
−
−### High temperature rating (250°F to 300°F) shall be used in commercial cooking operations, boiler rooms, and similar high-heat environments.
−
−### A sprinkler rated too close to the ambient ceiling temperature may open prematurely in warm weather, and a sprinkler rated too high will delay activation and reduce suppression effectiveness. {note}
−
−### Ordinary temperature rating (135°F to 170°F) is appropriate for most occupied building spaces where the ceiling temperature does not exceed 100°F under normal conditions. {note}
−
−### Very high and ultra-high ratings are available for specialized industrial applications. {note}
−
−## K-Factor {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Sprinkler K-Factor
−type: select
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "K-2.8 (1/2 in. orifice)"
− - "K-4.2 (17/32 in. orifice)"
− - "K-5.6 (17/32 in. orifice, standard commercial)"
− - "K-8.0 (large orifice)"
− - "K-11.2 (extra large orifice)"
− - "K-14.0"
−default: "K-5.6 (17/32 in. orifice, standard commercial)"
−```
−
−### The K-factor used in hydraulic calculations shall match the K-factor of the specified product exactly.
−
−### The Contractor's designer shall use the listed K-factor from the sprinkler's product data sheet rather than the nominal K-factor from the standard, because the listed actual K-factor may differ from the nominal within manufacturing tolerances.
−
−### The K-factor of a sprinkler determines the relationship between flow (Q in gpm) and pressure (P in psi) per the equation Q = K√P. {note}
−
−### Standard spray sprinklers are available in K-factors of 2.8, 4.2, 5.6, 8.0, 11.2, 14.0, 16.8, and 19.6, among others, in accordance with NFPA 13; the K-5.6 sprinkler is the most widely used standard commercial sprinkler. {note}
−
−### Larger K-factors are available for ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) and CMSA (Control Mode Special Application) storage sprinklers, which are outside the scope of this standard. {note}
−
−## Finish {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Sprinkler Finish
−type: select
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "Natural brass"
− - "Chrome"
− - "White paint (factory-applied)"
− - "Black paint (factory-applied)"
− - "Wax-coated (corrosive atmospheres)"
− - "Lead-coated (corrosive atmospheres)"
−default: "Natural brass"
−```
−
−## Spacing and Coverage {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Maximum Sprinkler Coverage Area
−type: select
−unit: sq ft/sprinkler
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "130 sq ft (Ordinary Hazard — standard spray)"
− - "130 sq ft (Extra Hazard — standard spray)"
− - "200 sq ft (Light Hazard — standard spray)"
− - "225 sq ft (Light Hazard — standard spray, maximum)"
−default: "130 sq ft (Ordinary Hazard — standard spray)"
−```
−
−### The maximum spacing and coverage area per sprinkler shall not exceed the values in NFPA 13 for the sprinkler type, hazard classification, and ceiling construction.
−
−### For standard spray pendent or upright sprinklers, the maximum spacing is 15 ft between sprinklers in both directions for light and ordinary hazard, with a maximum area of coverage per sprinkler not exceeding 225 sq ft for light hazard and 130 sq ft for ordinary hazard in standard ceiling conditions.
−
−### Extended coverage sprinklers may cover up to 400 sq ft per head when installed within their listing conditions.
−
−### Sprinklers shall be positioned so that their deflectors are between 1 in. and 12 in. below the ceiling for pendant and upright sprinklers in smooth, flat ceilings, with the specific distance per the sprinkler type and ceiling construction in accordance with the applicable chapter of NFPA 13.
−
−### Clearance from the deflector to the top of stored materials or the tops of shelving shall be a minimum of 18 in. for standard spray sprinklers.
−
−### The Owner shall be informed that storage arrangements that reduce the 18 in. clearance below any sprinkler require review by a fire protection engineer before the storage is put in place.
−
−### The 18 in. clearance ensures that the sprinkler discharge pattern can fully develop before striking an obstruction and is one of the most frequently violated field requirements when storage arrangements change after the sprinkler system is installed. {note}
−
−## Spare Sprinklers {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Spare Sprinkler Cabinet Quantity
−type: select
−options:
− - "6 sprinklers (≤300 heads installed)"
− - "12 sprinklers (301–1,000 heads installed)"
− - "24 sprinklers (>1,000 heads installed)"
−default: "6 sprinklers (≤300 heads installed)"
−```
−
−### The Contractor shall provide a cabinet of spare sprinklers and one sprinkler wrench, mounted in the sprinkler riser room or mechanical room, in accordance with NFPA 13.
−
−### The spare sprinkler cabinet shall contain at minimum six sprinklers for systems with up to 300 sprinklers, or 12 sprinklers for systems with 300 to 1,000 sprinklers, or 24 sprinklers for systems with over 1,000 sprinklers.
−
−### Spare sprinklers shall represent each type, orifice size, temperature rating, and finish installed in the building.
−
−### Failure to provide a properly stocked spare sprinkler cabinet is a routine deficiency cited at acceptance inspection and at annual NFPA 25 inspections. {note}
−
−# Valves, Risers, and Specialties {toc}
−
−## Alarm Check Valve Assembly {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Alarm Check Valve Size
−type: select
−unit: in
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "2 in."
− - "2-1/2 in."
− - "3 in."
− - "4 in."
− - "6 in."
− - "8 in."
−default: "4 in."
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Alarm Check Valve Material
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Cast iron body, bronze trim"
− - "Ductile iron body, stainless steel trim"
−default: "Cast iron body, bronze trim"
−```
−
−### The system riser shall include an alarm check valve assembly as the primary flow detection and alarm initiation device for the wet-pipe system.
−
−### The alarm check valve shall be listed to UL 193 and shall be sized for the riser diameter.
−
−### The alarm check valve assembly shall include a pressure gauge on both the supply (inlet) side and the system (outlet) side of the alarm check valve.
−
−### A retard chamber shall be installed downstream of the alarm port to prevent false alarms caused by brief pressure surges or water hammer that momentarily lifts the clapper without indicating true waterflow.
−
−### Where the water supply is subject to frequent surges, the retard chamber capacity shall be confirmed adequate.
−
−### An automatic drain valve shall be installed to automatically drain the piping between the alarm check valve and the system main control valve when the control valve is closed, preventing water damage from residual water when the valve is closed for maintenance.
−
−### The alarm check valve is a listed one-way check valve with a clapper that lifts off its seat when water flows to the system side, allowing water to pass into the retard chamber and alarm port to actuate the local waterflow alarm. {note}
−
−### The supply and system gauges allow the installer and maintenance technician to confirm system pressure and to identify whether pressure drops or anomalies are on the supply side or the system side, which is critical for troubleshooting. {note}
−
−### The retard chamber fills during a transient and does not discharge to the alarm line unless sustained flow continues, providing the code-required delay in alarm actuation. {note}
−
−## System Control Valve {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: System Control Valve Type
−type: radio
−options:
− - "OS&Y gate valve (interior riser)"
− - "Post-indicator valve (exterior / yard service)"
− - "Indicating butterfly valve with supervisory switch"
−default: "OS&Y gate valve (interior riser)"
−```
−
−### The system supply shall be controlled by a listed indicating control valve installed upstream of the alarm check valve.
−
−### The control valve shall be of the indicating type — meaning its open or closed status is visually evident from the valve itself — and shall be listed to UL 262 (gate valve) or UL 1091 (butterfly valve) as applicable.
−
−### The OS&Y gate valve shall have the stem rising visibly when the valve is open, providing unambiguous visual indication of the valve position.
−
−### The handwheel or chain-operated stem shall be lockable in the open position to prevent inadvertent closure.
−
−### The Contractor shall not substitute a non-indicating valve (a ball valve or a curb stop) for the listed indicating control valve, because the position of a non-indicating valve cannot be confirmed without operating it.
−
−### The most common indicating valves used in sprinkler systems are the OS&Y (outside screw and yoke) gate valve and the post-indicator valve (PIV) for underground or exterior service, though butterfly valves with indicating position indicators are also widely used on interior risers. {note}
−
−## Valve Supervision {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Valve Supervisory Switches
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "System main control valve"
− - "Each floor or zone control valve"
− - "Backflow preventer isolation valves"
− - "Inspector's test valve isolation (if valved)"
− - "All other valves in water supply to sprinklers"
−default: "System main control valve"
−```
−
−### The system control valve and all other valves controlling water to any portion of the sprinkler system shall be supervised open.
−
−### Valve supervision shall be provided by an electrically supervised tamper switch connected to the building fire alarm system or to an approved supervising station, in accordance with NFPA 72 and NFPA 13.
−
−### The tamper switch shall send a supervisory signal to the fire alarm control panel within two full turns of the valve handwheel from the fully open position.
−
−### The Contractor shall confirm the number and locations of all valves requiring supervision with the fire alarm Contractor, including the system control valve, any floor control valves, zone control valves, inspector's test valves (where equipped with an isolation valve), and the backflow preventer isolation valves.
−
−### Unsupervised control valves — or control valves supervised only by a chain and padlock — are no longer acceptable under NFPA 13 in buildings required to have supervised fire alarm systems. {note}
−
−### Coordination between the sprinkler Contractor and fire alarm Contractor for tamper switch installation is a routine source of missed connections. {note}
−
−## Floor Control Assemblies {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Floor / Zone Control Valves Provided
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Single riser — no floor control valves"
− - "Floor control valves at each floor"
− - "Zone control valves per zone drawing"
−default: "Floor control valves at each floor"
−```
−
−### Where the building is served by multiple sprinkler zones or individual floor risers, each zone or floor shall be provided with a listed indicating control valve, a waterflow switch, and an inspector's test valve and drain.
−
−### The inspector's test valve shall be located at the hydraulically most remote point of the zone and shall be sized to simulate the flow of one sprinkler for waterflow alarm testing.
−
−### Floor control valve assemblies simplify impairment management by allowing individual zones to be shut down without impairing the entire building. {note}
−
−## Backflow Prevention {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Backflow Preventer Required
−type: radio
−options:
− - "No — direct connection permitted by utility"
− - "Double check valve assembly (DCVA)"
− - "Reduced pressure zone (RPZ) assembly"
−default: "Double check valve assembly (DCVA)"
−```
−
−### A backflow preventer shall be installed on the sprinkler water supply connection to the potable water system where required by the local plumbing code or the water utility's cross-connection control requirements.
−
−### The type of backflow preventer required — reduced pressure zone (RPZ) assembly or double check valve assembly — shall be confirmed with the Authority Having Jurisdiction and the water utility.
−
−### Where an RPZ is required, the pressure drop across the assembly shall be included in the hydraulic calculations, because an RPZ can introduce a pressure loss of 15 to 30 psi at design flow that directly affects the available pressure for the sprinkler system.
−
−### Neglecting the backflow preventer pressure drop is a common hydraulic calculation error. {note}
−
−## Inspector's Test Valve and Drain {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Main Drain Discharge Location
−type: select
−options:
− - "Floor drain — interior"
− - "Exterior discharge at grade"
− - "Discharge to storm system"
−default: "Floor drain — interior"
−```
−
−### A main drain valve of a size not smaller than 2 in. shall be provided to allow the system to be drained completely for maintenance.
−
−### The main drain discharge shall terminate at a location where water can be discharged safely without causing property damage.
−
−### An inspector's test valve and sight glass or orifice assembly shall be provided at the most remote point of the system to simulate the operation of one sprinkler for waterflow alarm testing.
−
−### The inspector's test valve shall have an orifice sized to produce the flow equivalent to one sprinkler of the smallest K-factor installed in the system.
−
−### The Contractor shall coordinate drain discharge points with the plumbing Contractor and shall confirm that all drains are functional before the system is accepted.
−
−### If the main drain or inspector's test valve is not accessible, incorrectly installed, or discharges to an improper location, it creates recurring compliance problems for the Owner throughout the life of the building. {note}
−
−# Fire Department Connections {toc}
−
−## FDC Location and Accessibility {toc}
−
−### A fire department connection (FDC) shall be provided for the wet-pipe sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13 and the International Fire Code.
−
−### The FDC shall be located on the exterior of the building at a point accessible to fire apparatus and approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
−
−### The Contractor shall confirm the required FDC location with the AHJ prior to installation.
−
−### The FDC shall be mounted with the inlet(s) between 18 in. and 44 in. above the finished grade.
−
−### The connection shall not be obscured by landscaping, vehicles, signage, or other obstructions.
−
−### A listed check valve shall be installed in each FDC inlet, and the connection shall drain automatically so that water does not accumulate in the FDC piping and freeze in cold climates.
−
−### In most jurisdictions the AHJ will specify that the FDC be within 100 ft of a fire hydrant and clearly visible and accessible from the street or apparatus access road. {note}
−
−## FDC Type and Size {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: FDC Type
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Siamese (two 2-1/2 in. inlets)"
− - "Single 4 in. LDH (large diameter hose) inlet"
− - "Siamese plus one 4 in. LDH inlet"
−default: "Siamese (two 2-1/2 in. inlets)"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: FDC Inlet Thread
−type: radio
−options:
− - "National Standard Thread (NST / NH)"
− - "Local fire department thread — confirm with AHJ"
−default: "National Standard Thread (NST / NH)"
−```
−
−### The FDC size and inlet configuration shall comply with the local fire department's standard connections and shall be confirmed with the fire marshal or fire department plan review.
−
−### The Contractor shall not install FDC inlets with swivel connections sized differently from the fire department's standard hose threads without the AHJ's express approval.
−
−### Many municipalities have adopted large-diameter hose (LDH) connections at 4 in. or 5 in. as the standard for new construction. {note}
−
−## FDC Identification Signage {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: FDC Identification Sign
−type: radio
−options:
− - "\"AUTO SPKR\" per NFPA 13"
− - "\"AUTO SPKR\" plus zone identification"
−default: "\"AUTO SPKR\" per NFPA 13"
−```
−
−### The FDC shall be identified with a sign reading "AUTO SPKR" in letters not smaller than 1 in. in height and shall indicate the zone or area of the building served where the building is equipped with multiple FDCs, in accordance with NFPA 13.
−
−### The sign shall be permanently attached to the FDC body or to the building adjacent to the FDC.
−
−### A sign indicating "AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER" or similar wording shall also be provided on the exterior of the building at the FDC location where required by the local fire code.
−
−### The caps on all FDC inlets shall be chained to the FDC body to prevent loss.
−
−### The Contractor shall inspect all FDC caps at substantial completion and shall replace any cap that is missing or damaged.
−
−### Uncapped FDC inlets allow debris, insects, and vandalism to render the FDC inoperable. {note}
−
−# Alarm and Supervisory Devices {toc}
−
−## Waterflow Alarm {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Waterflow Alarm Devices
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "Electric waterflow switch connected to fire alarm system"
− - "Water motor gong (exterior, hydraulic)"
− - "Both — waterflow switch and water motor gong"
−default: "Both — waterflow switch and water motor gong"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Waterflow Switch Retard Setting
−type: range
−unit: seconds
−options:
− min: 0
− max: 90
− setpoints: [0, 30, 60, 90]
−default: 30
−```
−
−### Every wet-pipe sprinkler system shall be equipped with a waterflow alarm device that produces a local audible alarm at the building when waterflow occurs, in accordance with NFPA 13 and NFPA 72.
−
−### The waterflow alarm shall activate within 90 seconds of sustained sprinkler flow.
−
−### The waterflow switch shall have a retard feature or shall be wired to a delay relay to prevent false alarms from transient pressure fluctuations.
−
−### The maximum permitted alarm delay from waterflow initiation to notification appliance operation is 90 seconds for systems connected to a fire alarm system.
−
−### Water motor gongs are required in all occupancies requiring an audible alarm and are supplementary to an electrical alarm system in buildings equipped with NFPA 72 fire alarm systems.
−
−### The waterflow switch (also called an electrical waterflow alarm) is a vane or paddle type device installed in the system piping that detects the movement of water and sends an electrical supervisory signal to the fire alarm control panel, which then activates notification appliances throughout the building. {note}
−
−### The water motor gong is a hydraulically operated mechanical alarm device driven directly by the water pressure in the alarm port of the alarm check valve, spinning a bronze impeller that drives a gong mounted on the exterior of the building when the clapper lifts. {note}
−
−### The water motor gong provides a local audible alarm without electrical power and is highly reliable because it has no electrical components to fail. {note}
−
−## Pressure Gauges {toc}
−
−### Pressure gauges shall be provided on both the supply and system sides of the alarm check valve, and at each floor control valve assembly.
−
−### Gauges shall have a full-scale range of not less than twice the normal system pressure, so that the gauge remains accurate at normal operating conditions while still reading in the event of a pressure surge.
−
−### Gauges shall be provided with a listed gauge cock to allow the gauge to be isolated for replacement without draining the system.
−
−## Hydraulic Design Information Sign {toc}
−
−### A hydraulic design information sign shall be permanently affixed at the system riser in accordance with NFPA 13.
−
−### The sign shall state the design basis information including the location of the design area, the design density, the required flow at the base of the riser (gpm), the required pressure at the base of the riser (psi), the hose stream demand (gpm), the total water demand (gpm and duration), and the K-factor of the sprinklers in the design area.
−
−### This sign is the first reference for any person troubleshooting, modifying, or testing the system after the original installation team is no longer involved; its accuracy and permanence are important long-term operational documents. {note}
−
−# Hangers and Seismic Bracing {toc}
−
−## Hanger Design and Spacing {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Hanger Attachment to Structure
−type: select
−options:
− - "C-clamp to steel flange"
− - "Beam clamp (side beam clip)"
− - "Through-bolt in concrete"
− - "Concrete insert (cast)"
− - "Power-driven fastener in concrete (listed)"
− - "Powder-actuated fastener in steel deck"
− - "Threaded rod from beam above"
−default: "Threaded rod from beam above"
−```
−
−### Hangers shall be listed for fire protection use and shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 13 Chapter 17 and the hanger manufacturer's listing.
−
−### Hangers shall be capable of supporting five times the weight of the water-filled pipe plus 250 lb at each point of support.
−
−### Steel pipe shall be supported at intervals not exceeding those specified in NFPA 13, which generally requires 1-1/4 in. and smaller pipe supported at 12 ft maximum spacing, 1-1/2 in. pipe at 15 ft, and 2 in. and larger pipe at not more than 15 ft for standard hanger loads.
−
−### A hanger shall be installed within 12 in. of the end of every branch line and within 24 in. of every sprinkler deflector on branch lines.
−
−### Hangers for branch lines shall be positioned so that the branch line cannot be displaced by normal building use or vibration.
−
−### The Contractor shall not omit sprinkler proximity hangers because of interference with other trades; relocating the hanger is required, not eliminating it.
−
−### The structural member to which every hanger is attached shall be capable of carrying the imposed load.
−
−### The Contractor shall not attach hangers to light-gauge steel studs, metal deck between joists, perforated bottom chords of bar joists, or any structural member whose capacity to carry the hanger load has not been confirmed.
−
−### Where the available structure is inadequate, supplemental trapeze framing of adequate capacity shall be provided.
−
−## Clearance at Walls and Obstructions {toc}
−
−### Pipes shall maintain clearance from walls, other pipes, and building structure sufficient for inspection, maintenance, and to allow for thermal expansion.
−
−### The minimum clearance between the outside of the pipe and any wall, beam, or other obstruction shall comply with NFPA 13; as a practical guide, at least 1 in. clear on all sides of the pipe is required for pipes up to 3 in. diameter.
−
−### Where pipes pass through concrete or masonry walls, a sleeve with a minimum 1/2 in. annular clearance shall be provided, and the annulus shall be fire-stopped with a UL-listed assembly compatible with the pipe material.
−
−## Seismic Bracing {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Seismic Bracing Required
−type: radio
−options:
− - "No — SDC A or B"
− - "Yes — SDC C"
− - "Yes — SDC D, E, or F (full bracing per NFPA 13 Chapter 18)"
−default: "No — SDC A or B"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Seismic Design Category
−type: select
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− - "A"
− - "B"
− - "C"
− - "D"
− - "E"
− - "F"
−default: "B"
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Flexible Couplings at Seismic Brace Locations
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not required — SDC A or B"
− - "Required within 6 in. of each brace on 2-1/2 in. and larger pipe"
− - "Required — exact spacing per seismic calculations"
−default: "Not required — SDC A or B"
−```
−
−### Where the building is located in a Seismic Design Category (SDC) C, D, E, or F as defined by ASCE 7 and the IBC, lateral and longitudinal seismic bracing shall be provided for the sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13 Chapter 18.
−
−### The seismic design of the sprinkler system shall be based on the same spectral accelerations used for the building structural design.
−
−### Lateral braces shall be provided for mains and branch lines 2-1/2 in. and larger at intervals not exceeding 40 ft, and at changes in direction, to resist pipe movement transverse to the pipe axis.
−
−### Longitudinal braces shall be provided at intervals not exceeding 80 ft to resist pipe movement along the pipe axis.
−
−### Where the free-run length of a pipe between braces would exceed the code maximum, an intermediate brace shall be added.
−
−### Branch lines smaller than 2-1/2 in. shall be provided with end-of-line restraints in accordance with NFPA 13 Section 18.6, using listed sway brace assemblies or pipe clamps, to prevent them from swinging freely as a pendulum and damaging adjacent structure or equipment.
−
−### Where seismic bracing is required, the Contractor's designer shall prepare seismic brace calculations demonstrating compliance with NFPA 13 Chapter 18 for the specific building geometry, pipe arrangement, and site spectral accelerations.
−
−### Seismic brace calculations shall be submitted for review and shall include brace spacing, brace component ratings, and the Cp values used.
−
−### Off-the-shelf seismic brace kits shall be used only where the kit listing covers the pipe size and Cp value of the project; the Contractor shall not use seismic brace components that exceed their individual listing limits.
−
−### Flexible couplings shall be provided within a specified distance of each seismic brace on pipes 2-1/2 in. and larger in SDC C and above.
−
−### The specific restraint requirement depends on the pipe length and the Cp value for the site. {note}
−
−### Rigid couplings adjacent to seismic braces prevent the pipes from accommodating differential movement during a seismic event and can result in joint failures; flexible couplings at the prescribed locations allow the system to flex without losing water-tightness. {note}
−
−## Clearance from Building Seismic Joints {toc}
−
−### Where sprinkler piping crosses a building seismic or expansion joint, a listed flexible piping assembly or a swing joint assembly approved for seismic use shall be provided at the crossing to accommodate the relative movement anticipated across the joint.
−
−### The maximum anticipated displacement at the joint shall be obtained from the structural engineer and shall be the basis for selecting the flexible assembly.
−
−### Standard grooved couplings alone are not adequate for crossing a seismic joint unless the joint displacement falls within the coupling's allowable angular deflection.
−
−# Installation {toc}
−
−## Pipe Routing and Coordination {toc}
−
−### Working drawings approved by the AHJ govern the routing, sizing, and arrangement of all sprinkler piping.
−
−### Deviations from the reviewed working drawings require either a revised submittal or written approval from the Engineer of Record and the AHJ.
−
−### The Contractor shall not make unauthorized changes to pipe routing, size, or sprinkler placement, because each change potentially affects the hydraulic balance of the system and the sprinkler spacing compliance.
−
−### Sprinkler piping shall be routed to avoid interference with structural elements, HVAC equipment, electrical conduits and cable trays, mechanical piping, and ceiling systems.
−
−### The Contractor shall obtain a copy of all other trade drawings before routing sprinkler piping and shall coordinate in BIM where required.
−
−### Sprinkler piping shall be routed parallel and perpendicular to the building grid where possible to present a neat, orderly appearance and to facilitate future maintenance access.
−
−## Cutting and Fabrication {toc}
−
−### Pipe shall be cut square and all burrs removed before jointing.
−
−### Threaded pipe shall be reamed after threading to remove the internal burr that threading creates, because a cutting burr left inside the pipe impedes flow and accelerates corrosion.
−
−### Grooved pipe ends shall be roll-grooved or cut-grooved to the coupling manufacturer's dimension specifications; cut grooves shall meet the manufacturer's groove width and depth requirements.
−
−### CPVC pipe shall be cut with a ratchet-style pipe cutter or fine-tooth saw; power-driven abrasive wheels shall not be used because they generate heat that can damage the pipe material.
−
−## Protection During Construction {toc}
−
−### Fire protection piping shall be protected against contamination during construction.
−
−### All open pipe ends shall be capped when work is not in progress to prevent the introduction of debris, rodents, insects, and construction materials.
−
−### Where sprinkler piping is installed before finish construction is complete, it shall be protected from paint overspray, drywall compound splatter, and other coatings.
−
−### Sprinklers installed before finish trades complete their work shall be protected using listed protective caps that are removed by the heat of a fire.
−
−### Listed protective caps are not a substitute for proper scheduling; where possible, sprinklers shall be installed after finish trades have completed work in the area to avoid the need for protective caps.
−
−### Construction debris in sprinkler piping is a recognized cause of blocked sprinkler orifices and is the primary reason for the pre-acceptance flushing requirement in NFPA 13; a single blocked sprinkler in the design area will prevent the system from developing the required density and can allow a fire to grow unchecked. {note}
−
−## Obstructions and Clearances {toc}
−
−### Sprinklers shall be positioned so that their discharge is not blocked by structural beams, light fixtures, HVAC diffusers, ceiling fans, decorative elements, or other obstructions.
−
−### An obstruction within 18 in. below the deflector that intercepts the discharge pattern shall require the sprinkler to be repositioned or an additional sprinkler to be installed below the obstruction.
−
−### The 18 in. clearance between the sprinkler deflector and the top of storage or shelving shall be maintained at all times.
−
−### The Contractor shall note the 18 in. clearance requirement on the hydraulic design information sign and in the operation and maintenance manual so that the Owner is informed of this operational constraint before accepting the building.
−
−### NFPA 13 provides detailed rules for the minimum distance from a sprinkler deflector to an obstruction based on the size of the obstruction. {note}
−
−## CPVC Installation Precautions {toc}
−
−### All trades working in the vicinity of CPVC piping shall be given a written notice identifying the incompatible materials list published by the CPVC manufacturer.
−
−### The notice shall identify common construction products that can cause stress cracking failure in CPVC, including certain pipe insulation adhesives and jacketing systems, aerosol-applied products, some thread sealants, and certain fire stopping materials.
−
−### The general Contractor shall be responsible for distributing this notice and for ensuring that incompatible materials are not used within the specified distance of the CPVC piping.
−
−### CPVC pipe shall not be installed in areas subject to direct sunlight unless the pipe is listed for UV exposure, because ultraviolet radiation degrades the CPVC material over time and reduces the pipe's pressure rating.
−
−### The minimum cure time specified by the CPVC solvent cement manufacturer shall be observed before the system is pressurized.
−
−### Curing time is temperature-dependent and is longer in cold temperatures; the Contractor shall use the cold-weather cure schedule when the ambient temperature is below 60°F.
−
−## Installation in Cold Weather {toc}
−
−### Sprinkler system installation shall not proceed when pipe materials or the work environment are below the minimum temperatures permitted by the pipe material and joint-forming method.
−
−### Solvent cement joints in CPVC shall not be made at temperatures below 35°F.
−
−### Grooved coupling gaskets shall be at room temperature before installation so that the elastomer is flexible and seats properly on the pipe groove.
−
−### The Contractor shall heat the work area or defer installation when temperatures are below the material minimums.
−
−# Acceptance Testing {toc}
−
−## Flushing {toc}
−
−### Before connecting the underground service lateral to the sprinkler riser, the underground piping shall be flushed in accordance with NFPA 24 to remove debris accumulated during construction.
−
−### Flushing shall be performed at a flow velocity of not less than 10 ft/s through each pipe.
−
−### The flushing discharge shall be directed to an approved location and shall continue until the effluent runs clear.
−
−### The Contractor shall document the flushing by recording the date, the pipe sections flushed, the flow rate used, and the duration.
−
−### After the underground has been flushed and connected to the riser, the aboveground distribution piping shall be flushed before sprinkler heads are installed.
−
−### Aboveground flushing shall flow through open flushing connections or cross-main test connections to remove debris from the installation, at a flow that equals or exceeds the maximum demand flow of the system.
−
−### Sprinklers shall not be installed before the piping is flushed, because installing sprinklers before flushing allows debris to be trapped at the sprinkler orifices where it may not be discovered until a fire event.
−
−### The Contractor shall document the flushing sequence in the Contractor's Material and Test Certificate.
−
−## Hydrostatic Pressure Test {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Hydrostatic Test Pressure
−type: range
−unit: psi
−options:
− min: 200
− max: 400
− setpoints: [200, 250, 300, 350, 400]
−default: 200
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Hydrostatic Test Duration
−type: radio
−unit: hours
−options:
− - "2 hours"
−default: "2 hours"
−```
−
−### All piping shall be hydrostatically tested at 200 psi for 2 hours with no pressure loss at the test gauge and no visible leaks, in accordance with NFPA 13 Section 29.2.
−
−### Where system working pressure exceeds 150 psi, the test pressure shall be the system working pressure plus 50 psi.
−
−### The test pressure shall be applied to the entire system simultaneously; testing sections individually is not acceptable unless portions of the system are physically separated by valves that are qualified for pressure isolation.
−
−### The test shall be conducted after all piping is complete, after flushing, and before ceilings are closed.
−
−### No portion of the piping shall be concealed before the hydrostatic test is completed and witnessed.
−
−### The test shall be witnessed by the Owner's representative, the Engineer of Record, or the AHJ as required by the project specifications and local inspection requirements.
−
−### Hydrostatic test results shall be recorded on the Contractor's Material and Test Certificate.
−
−### CPVC piping systems shall be hydrostatically tested at 200 psi or 50 psi above system working pressure, whichever is greater, for 2 hours.
−
−### CPVC that is tested at a temperature below 60°F shall use a test pressure not to exceed the manufacturer's cold-temperature pressure rating.
−
−### The cure time for all solvent cement joints shall be complete before pressurization for testing, because premature pressurization before curing is complete is a common cause of CPVC joint failure during testing.
−
−## Alarm Device Test {toc}
−
−### After the hydrostatic test, the waterflow alarm devices shall be tested by opening the inspector's test valve and confirming that the waterflow switch signals the fire alarm control panel within 90 seconds and that the water motor gong activates.
−
−### The test shall be conducted with the inspector's test valve fully open for a sustained period equal to the waterflow switch retard setting plus the maximum permitted alarm response time, confirming that the alarm activates within the code-required window.
−
−### The alarm device test results shall be documented.
−
−### The valve supervisory switches for all supervised control valves shall be tested by partially closing each valve and confirming that the fire alarm control panel receives the supervisory signal within two turns of the handwheel.
−
−### Each valve shall be returned to the fully open position and confirmed fully open after testing.
−
−## Main Drain Test {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Main Drain Static Pressure at Acceptance
−type: range
−unit: psi
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 20
− max: 200
− setpoints: [20, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 100, 120, 150, 175, 200]
−default: 70
−```
−
−```datasheet
−label: Main Drain Residual Pressure at Acceptance
−type: range
−unit: psi
−drawing_ref: true
−options:
− min: 10
− max: 180
− setpoints: [10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180]
−default: 50
−```
−
−### The main drain shall be fully opened with all supply valves open and the static pressure and residual flowing pressure shall be recorded.
−
−### The flowing pressure at the main drain shall be documented and compared to the design water supply data.
−
−### The main drain test result shall be recorded on the Contractor's Material and Test Certificate and shall serve as the baseline for future NFPA 25 annual main drain tests.
−
−### A significantly lower residual pressure at the main drain than anticipated during design indicates either increased system demand, reduced water supply, or a partially closed supply valve. {note}
−
−## Contractor's Material and Test Certificate {toc}
−
−### The Contractor shall complete and sign a Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping using the form provided in NFPA 13 Figure 29.1.1 or an equivalent form approved by the AHJ.
−
−### The certificate shall document at minimum the property name and address; the Contractor's name and license number; the date of installation; a description of the work; the pipe material and joining method; the results of the hydrostatic test including date, test pressure, and duration; the results of the flushing; a description of the alarm devices tested; and the certification that the installation complies with NFPA 13 and the reviewed working drawings.
−
−### The certificate shall be executed at the time of acceptance and retained permanently with the Owner's facility documentation.
−
−### The Contractor shall ensure that every field on the certificate is completed accurately.
−
−### The Contractor's Material and Test Certificate is a legal document and a permanent record of the system's condition at installation, and is the baseline against which future NFPA 25 test results are compared. {note}
−
−## Acceptance Inspection by AHJ {toc}
−
−### The Contractor shall schedule an acceptance inspection with the Authority Having Jurisdiction after the system is complete, tested, and all deficiencies from preliminary inspections are corrected.
−
−### The sprinkler system shall not be placed in service — and no certificate of occupancy shall be issued — until the AHJ has conducted the acceptance inspection and issued approval.
−
−### The Contractor shall coordinate the acceptance inspection with the general Contractor's schedule to ensure that the sprinkler system is accessible, water is available at the required design pressure, and all trade work in the sprinkler space is sufficiently complete to allow a meaningful inspection.
−
−### The AHJ's acceptance inspection may include witnessing the hydrostatic test, verifying sprinkler placement, confirming hanger spacing, testing alarm devices, and reviewing the Contractor's Material and Test Certificate. {note}
−
−### Requesting an acceptance inspection before the system is fully complete wastes the AHJ's time and is a source of project delays. {note}
−
−# Ongoing Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance {toc}
−
−## NFPA 25 Inspection and Maintenance {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: NFPA 25 Service Agreement
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Service agreement with qualified fire protection contractor"
− - "Owner-performed per NFPA 25 (qualified personnel required for testing)"
−default: "Service agreement with qualified fire protection contractor"
−```
−
−### The sprinkler system shall be inspected, tested, and maintained throughout the life of the building in accordance with NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, current adopted edition.
−
−### The Owner shall maintain a service agreement with a qualified fire protection service contractor to perform NFPA 25 inspections and tests at the required intervals.
−
−### Owner-performed inspections are permitted by NFPA 25 for certain visual inspection tasks, but testing of alarm devices, main drain tests, and five-year internal assessments shall be performed by qualified service personnel.
−
−### Records of all inspections, tests, and maintenance activities shall be retained on-site and made available to the AHJ upon request.
−
−### Sprinklers showing corrosion, paint, physical damage, or loading shall be replaced regardless of age.
−
−### NFPA 25 establishes mandatory intervals for inspecting system components, testing alarm devices, conducting main drain tests, and servicing components that require periodic maintenance, ranging from weekly visual checks of gauges in impairment scenarios to 5-year internal pipe assessments. {note}
−
−### Key NFPA 25 requirements for wet-pipe systems include monthly visual inspection of alarm check valves and system pressure gauges; quarterly testing of waterflow alarm devices; annual inspection of sprinkler heads, hangers, pipe supports, and seismic bracing; annual testing of supervisory devices and control valve tamper switches; 5-year internal pipe assessment to check for obstruction material, corrosion, and microbiological growth; and sprinkler sample testing at 25 years for fast-response and 50 years for standard response sprinklers. {note}
−
−# Warranty {toc}
−
−## Installation Warranty {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Installation Warranty Period
−type: select
−options:
− - "1 year from substantial completion"
− - "2 years from substantial completion"
−default: "1 year from substantial completion"
−```
−
−### The Contractor shall warrant all materials and workmanship against defects for the project warranty period.
−
−### The warranty shall cover the complete installed system including pipe, fittings, hangers, seismic bracing, valves, alarm devices, fire department connection, and all specialties.
−
−### Sprinklers carry individual manufacturer's limited warranties as stated in the manufacturer's product data; the Contractor shall pass through these warranties to the Owner.
−
−### The warranty period shall run from the date of substantial completion.
−
−### The Contractor shall correct, at no cost to the Owner, any leaks, failures, or deficiencies that arise from defective materials or workmanship during the warranty period.
−
−### Warranty service calls shall be responded to within 4 hours for impairment conditions and within 24 hours for non-impairment deficiencies.
−
−### The Contractor shall coordinate with the Owner's fire alarm monitoring service to ensure that the fire alarm system is placed in test before warranty work begins and returned to service immediately upon completion.
−
−## Impairment Procedures {toc}
−
−```datasheet
−label: Impairment Response Time
−type: radio
−options:
− - "4 hours maximum for restoration or alternative protection"
− - "As required by AHJ impairment plan"
−default: "4 hours maximum for restoration or alternative protection"
−```
−
−### Any system impairment — defined as any condition that renders the sprinkler system partially or completely inoperative — shall be handled in accordance with NFPA 25 impairment procedures, including prompt notification to the Owner, the monitoring station, the fire department, and the insurance carrier.
−
−### The Contractor shall maintain the ability to restore impaired systems to full service within the time limits required by the AHJ and the Owner's insurance carrier.
−
−### Impairment procedures shall be documented in the operations and maintenance manual.
+---
+title: Wet-Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems
+category: Fire Protection
+description: >
+ When to use: Automatic wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems designed under NFPA 13 for commercial, institutional, industrial, high-rise, and multi-family residential buildings, together with the requirements common to every automatic sprinkler system that the dry-pipe and pre-action layers build on. Covers occupancy hazard classification, the design approach, design density and area, hose stream allowance and water supply duration, the water supply basis, pipe arrangement, the hanging and seismic bracing policy for sprinkler piping, sprinkler selection (type, thermal response, temperature rating, K-factor, finish, and corrosion resistance), flexible sprinkler connections, the wet-pipe riser, floor and zone control assemblies, alarm and supervisory provisions, freeze-exposed pockets on a wet system, acceptance testing, warranty, and the spare sprinkler cabinet.
+
+ Not intended for: The pipe, fittings, joints, control and check valves, waterflow and supervisory switches, drains, gauges, hangers, and seismic brace hardware common to all water-based systems ([[sync/fire-protection-piping]]); the fire department connection and its signage ([[sync/fire-department-connections]]); dry-pipe systems ([[sync/dry-pipe-fire-sprinkler-systems]]) and pre-action and deluge systems ([[sync/pre-action-and-deluge-sprinkler-systems]]), which layer their own valves, air supplies, water delivery times, and trip tests over this standard; storage occupancies designed under the storage chapters of NFPA 13, including rack storage, high-piled storage, and ESFR and CMSA sprinklers; residential systems designed to NFPA 13R or NFPA 13D; standpipe risers and hose connections ([[sync/standpipe-systems]]); fire pumps and their controllers ([[sync/fire-pumps]] and [[sync/fire-pump-controllers]]); the underground fire service main ([[sync/underground-fire-service-mains]]); the fire alarm system that receives sprinkler signals ([[sync/fire-alarm-systems]]); and contractor qualification, submittal administration, and record documents common to all fire suppression work ([[sync/common-work-results-fire-suppression]]).
+---
+
+# Scope {toc}
+
+## This standard governs the design basis, sprinkler selection, riser and zone arrangement, alarm and supervisory provisions, installation, acceptance testing, warranty, and spares of automatic wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems, and it is the family standard from which the dry-pipe and pre-action layers take everything common to an automatic sprinkler system. {note}
+
+## A wet-pipe system holds water under supply pressure in every pipe at all times, so that the opening of a single sprinkler discharges water onto the fire immediately and moves water through the riser, where the flow is detected and alarmed. {note}
+
+## The scope begins at the connection between the underground fire service lateral and the system riser, or at the downstream side of the backflow prevention assembly or control valve assembly where one is provided, and extends through the riser, feed mains, cross mains, and branch lines to every sprinkler, floor and zone control assembly, alarm device, drain, and test connection the system contains. {note}
+
+## The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: {note}
+
+- pipe, fittings, joints, control valves, check valves, waterflow and supervisory switches, main drains, pressure gauges, hangers, and seismic brace hardware, which this standard invokes from [[sync/fire-protection-piping]]
+- the fire department connection body, inlets, check valve, drain, and signage, governed by [[sync/fire-department-connections]]
+- the dry-pipe valve, air supply, water delivery time, and trip test of a dry-pipe system, governed by [[sync/dry-pipe-fire-sprinkler-systems]] as a layer over this standard
+- the pre-action or deluge valve, detection interlock, and supervision of a pre-action or deluge system, governed by [[sync/pre-action-and-deluge-sprinkler-systems]] as a layer over this standard
+- storage occupancies designed under the storage chapters of NFPA 13, including in-rack sprinklers and ESFR and CMSA ceiling sprinklers
+- fire pumps, jockey pumps, drivers, and controllers, governed by [[sync/fire-pumps]] and [[sync/fire-pump-controllers]]
+- the underground fire service main, its thrust restraint, and its flushing, governed by [[sync/underground-fire-service-mains]]
+- the backflow prevention assembly on the fire service, governed by [[sync/backflow-prevention]]
+- standpipe risers and hose connections, including the standpipe demand on a combined riser, governed by [[sync/standpipe-systems]]
+- the fire alarm control unit, notification appliances, and supervising station connection that receive sprinkler signals, governed by [[sync/fire-alarm-systems]]
+- firestopping of sprinkler pipe penetrations, governed by [[sync/firestopping]]
+- contractor and designer qualification, submittal administration, coordination, and record documents common to all fire suppression work, governed by [[sync/common-work-results-fire-suppression]]
+
+## Wet-pipe sprinkler systems shall comply with NFPA 13 in the edition adopted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction, with the International Building Code, and with the International Fire Code as adopted locally.
+
+## Where a local amendment modifies NFPA 13, the International Building Code, or the International Fire Code, the local amendment shall govern unless it is less stringent than the base document, in which case the base document governs.
+
+## The Engineer of Record shall confirm the adopted edition of NFPA 13 before design begins.
+
+## Successive editions of NFPA 13 have changed the hazard classification examples, the density and area design basis, the quick-response requirements, the air venting requirement, the seismic bracing rules, and the obstruction rules, so the adopted edition decides several of the values this standard asks for. {note}
+
+## The Engineer of Record shall confirm whether any portion of the building falls under the storage chapters of NFPA 13 before this standard is applied to that portion.
+
+## The Contractor shall comply with [[sync/common-work-results-fire-suppression]] in addition to this standard.
+
+# Referenced Standards {toc}
+
+## Materials, design, installation, and testing shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
+
+## Where the contract documents, the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or two referenced standards impose conflicting requirements, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
+
+| Standard | Title |
+|----------|-------|
+| NFPA 13 | Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems |
+| NFPA 14 | Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems |
+| NFPA 20 | Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection |
+| NFPA 24 | Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances |
+| NFPA 25 | Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems |
+| NFPA 72 | National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code |
+| NFPA 291 | Recommended Practice for Water Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants |
+| IBC | International Building Code (Chapter 9) |
+| IFC | International Fire Code (Chapter 9) |
+| ASCE 7 | Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (Chapter 13) |
+| UL 199 | Automatic Sprinklers for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 1626 | Residential Sprinklers for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 193 | Alarm Valves for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 262 | Gate Valves for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 312 | Check Valves for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 753 | Alarm Accessories for Automatic Water-Supply Control Valves for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 1091 | Butterfly Valves for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 1821 | Thermoplastic Sprinkler Pipe and Fittings for Fire-Protection Service |
+| UL 2443 | Flexible Sprinkler Hose with Fittings for Fire Protection Service |
+| FM 2000 | Approval Standard for Automatic Sprinklers for Fire Protection |
+| FM 1637 | Approval Standard for Flexible Sprinkler Hose with Threaded End Fittings |
+| FM Global Data Sheet 2-0 | Installation Guidelines for Automatic Sprinklers |
+| FM Global Data Sheet 3-26 | Fire Protection for Nonstorage Occupancies |
+
+# Submittals {toc}
+
+## Action Submittals {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall submit the following for the Engineer of Record's review and the Authority Having Jurisdiction's approval before sprinkler system materials are procured:
+
+- working drawings prepared in accordance with the plans and calculations requirements of NFPA 13, showing pipe routing, pipe sizes, sprinkler types and locations, ceiling heights and construction, the hazard classification of each area, hanger and brace locations, and the location of every valve, drain, and test connection
+- a riser diagram showing the riser arrangement, each floor or zone control assembly, and every connection to the water supply, the fire department connection, and any combined standpipe riser
+- hydraulic calculations demonstrating the design density over the design area for each hazard area, with the hose stream allowance added, the water supply curve plotted against the total demand, and the safety margin this standard requires shown at the design point
+- product data for each sprinkler type, giving the listing, the nominal K-factor, the temperature rating, the thermal response classification, the finish, and the pressure rating
+- product data for the riser assembly, the floor and zone control assemblies, the waterflow and supervisory devices, the air vent, and the test and drain connections
+- product data and the listing for flexible sprinkler hose connections, where selected
+- the listing, the installation instructions, and the chemical compatibility advisory for CPVC pipe and fittings, where CPVC is selected under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]]
+- seismic bracing calculations and details where bracing is required under this standard
+
+```datasheet
+label: Action Submittal Package
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Working drawings per NFPA 13"
+ - "Riser diagram"
+ - "Hydraulic calculations"
+ - "Sprinkler product data"
+ - "Riser, control assembly, and device product data"
+ - "Flexible sprinkler hose listing and product data"
+ - "CPVC listing, instructions, and compatibility advisory"
+ - "Seismic bracing calculations and details"
+default:
+ - "Working drawings per NFPA 13"
+ - "Riser diagram"
+ - "Hydraulic calculations"
+ - "Sprinkler product data"
+ - "Riser, control assembly, and device product data"
+```
+
+### Sprinkler piping shall not be fabricated or installed until the corresponding action submittals have been reviewed, returned, and approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
+
+### The fire code official reviews the working drawings and calculations as the primary basis of the fire protection plan review, and a package submitted without the hazard classification of each area or without the supply curve plotted against the demand is the usual cause of a delayed approval at this trade. {note}
+
+## Informational Submittals {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall submit the following with or before the action submittals:
+
+- the water supply flow test report on which the hydraulic calculations are based, giving the test location, the date, the static pressure, the residual pressure, and the flow
+- the qualification of the individual who prepared the working drawings and hydraulic calculations, as required by [[sync/common-work-results-fire-suppression]]
+- written confirmation from the Owner of the intended use and contents of each area on which the hazard classification is based
+
+```datasheet
+label: Informational Submittal Package
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Water supply flow test report"
+ - "Designer qualification"
+ - "Owner confirmation of intended use and contents"
+default:
+ - "Water supply flow test report"
+ - "Designer qualification"
+```
+
+## Closeout Submittals {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall submit the following before the sprinkler system is accepted:
+
+- the Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping, signed by the installing Contractor and witnessed as this standard requires, recording the materials and joint types installed, the flushing, the hydrostatic test, the main drain test, and the operation of every alarm and supervisory device
+- as-built drawings recording field changes from the reviewed working drawings, including the installed location of every sprinkler, valve, drain, and test connection
+- an operation and maintenance manual including the riser and zone identification, the valve locations, the hazard classification and design basis of each area, the impairment procedure, and the NFPA 25 inspection, testing, and maintenance schedule for the system
+- verification that the hydraulic design information sign and the general information sign at each riser match the accepted calculations and the installed system
+- warranty documentation for the sprinkler installation and for each listed device
+- a signed receipt from the Owner for the spare sprinkler cabinet and the other spare parts delivered
+
+```datasheet
+label: Closeout Submittal Package
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping"
+ - "As-built drawings"
+ - "Operation and maintenance manual with the NFPA 25 schedule"
+ - "Hydraulic design and general information sign verification"
+ - "Warranty documentation"
+ - "Spare parts receipt"
+default:
+ - "Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping"
+ - "As-built drawings"
+ - "Operation and maintenance manual with the NFPA 25 schedule"
+ - "Hydraulic design and general information sign verification"
+ - "Warranty documentation"
+ - "Spare parts receipt"
+```
+
+# Quality Assurance {toc}
+
+## Designer and Installer Qualifications {toc}
+
+### The sprinkler system shall be designed and installed by personnel holding the qualifications required by [[sync/common-work-results-fire-suppression]] and by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
+
+### Working drawings and hydraulic calculations shall be prepared by an individual whose qualification the Authority Having Jurisdiction accepts for water-based fire protection system layout.
+
+## Component Listing {toc}
+
+### Sprinklers, riser assemblies, control assemblies, alarm and supervisory devices, flexible sprinkler hose connections, and air vents shall be listed for fire protection service on the basis indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Component Listing Basis
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for fire protection service"
+ - "Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and FM Approved"
+default: "Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for fire protection service"
+```
+
+### Standard spray, extended coverage, and special application sprinklers shall be listed to UL 199, residential sprinklers shall be listed to UL 1626, and where the datasheet requires FM Approval each sprinkler shall additionally be approved to FM 2000.
+
+### A UL listing and an FM Approval test a sprinkler and its installation limits under different protocols, so a product holding one does not necessarily hold the other, and an insurer's FM requirement is confirmed at procurement rather than discovered at the acceptance inspection. {note}
+
+### A listed component shall not be replaced by an unlisted product, and a listed component shall not be replaced by a different listed product without the Engineer of Record's written acceptance and the Authority Having Jurisdiction's concurrence.
+
+## Coordination with Other Trades {toc}
+
+### The sprinkler Contractor shall resolve conflicts between sprinkler piping and ductwork, structure, light fixtures, cable tray, and ceiling systems on the coordination drawings before piping is fabricated.
+
+### The capacity of the structure at every hanger and brace attachment shall be confirmed with the structural engineer before hangers are installed, and supplemental framing shall be provided where the available structure cannot carry the imposed load.
+
+### Sprinkler positions in finished ceilings shall be coordinated with the ceiling layout, the light fixtures, and the air devices before the ceiling grid is installed.
+
+### Lightweight steel joists, metal deck between joists, and wood trusses are the structural conditions most often found unable to carry a hanger or brace load, and a hanger relocated in the field to reach adequate structure moves the branch line and the sprinkler with it. {note}
+
+# Environmental and Service Conditions {toc}
+
+## Freeze Exposure of Wet-Pipe Piping {toc}
+
+### Water-filled sprinkler piping shall be located only where the ambient temperature is maintained at or above 40°F.
+
+### The provision applied to any portion of the system exposed to temperatures below 40°F shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Freeze Protection of Piping Exposed Below 40°F
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Not applicable, all wet-pipe piping within space maintained at or above 40°F"
+ - "Listed dry-type sprinklers on the wet system"
+ - "Listed premixed antifreeze solution in the exposed portion"
+ - "Listed electric heat tracing with thermal insulation"
+ - "Heated enclosure maintaining the piping above 40°F"
+ - "Dry-pipe or pre-action system for the exposed portion"
+```
+
+### Loading dock canopies, walk-in freezers and coolers, unheated attics, exterior stair towers, and open parking levels are the pockets of a conditioned building that fall below 40°F, and the provision that fits each turns on how many sprinklers the pocket holds, whether power is available at it, and whether a separate dry-pipe valve and air supply can be justified for it. {note}
+
+### A dry-type sprinkler carries a sealed barrel that keeps water back in the heated wet pipe, so a handful of sprinklers in a freezer or under a canopy can be served from the wet system without a second system type; a pocket large enough to need many sprinklers or long exposed runs is served more reliably by heat tracing, an enclosure, or a dry-pipe portion. {note}
+
+### Where dry-type sprinklers are selected, the barrel length shall keep the water seal within the heated space, and the sprinkler shall be installed within the listed limits on barrel length and orientation.
+
+### Where an antifreeze solution is selected, it shall be a listed premixed solution used within the concentration and volume limits of its listing and of NFPA 13, and the general information sign shall state its presence and its type.
+
+### NFPA 13 no longer permits field-mixed antifreeze in a sprinkler system, because a field-mixed glycerin or glycol solution above its listed concentration ignites at the sprinkler and adds fuel to the fire it was meant to control. {note}
+
+### Where heat tracing is selected, it shall be listed for use on fire protection piping, shall be electrically supervised, and shall be installed with the insulation and monitoring its listing requires.
+
+### The extent of each portion of the system exposed to temperatures below 40°F shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+## System Working Pressure {toc}
+
+### The system working pressure shall be determined from [[parameter: site-water-supply-pressure-maximum]] plus the churn pressure of any fire pump, less the elevation head to the point considered, and the working pressure class of every component shall be selected for it under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### Every sprinkler shall be rated for the maximum static pressure at its elevation.
+
+### Standard sprinklers are rated for 175 psi, and a sprinkler on a low floor of a tall building or downstream of a high-churn pump can see more than that at rest; a high-pressure sprinkler listing or a pressure-reducing arrangement is decided at design rather than discovered when the pump is started. {note}
+
+### Where the static pressure at any sprinkler would exceed the rating of the sprinklers selected, either sprinklers listed for the higher pressure shall be used in that portion or a listed pressure-reducing valve shall be provided under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]] to limit the pressure in that portion.
+
+## Air Venting and Internal Corrosion {toc}
+
+### Each wet-pipe system with metallic pipe shall be provided with a single air vent of the type indicated in the datasheet, located at a high point of the system.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Wet-Pipe System Air Vent
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Automatic air vent"
+ - "Manual air vent"
+```
+
+### Air trapped at the high points of a wet system is the oxygen supply for the corrosion that pits the pipe from the inside, and venting it as the system fills is the lowest-cost corrosion control NFPA 13 requires; an automatic vent releases air on every refill without a technician present, and a manual vent depends on the fill procedure being followed. {note}
+
+### The internal corrosion protection approach for the system shall be selected under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### The air vent shall be arranged so that it does not discharge water where damage would result, and shall be isolable for service without draining the system.
+
+# Occupancy Hazard Classification {toc}
+
+## The hazard classification of each area sets the design density, the design area, the hose stream allowance, the supply duration, and several sprinkler selection rules, so it is the first decision this standard needs and the one whose error costs the most. {note}
+
+## The predominant occupancy hazard classification shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Predominant Occupancy Hazard Classification
+type: select
+derived: "the NFPA 13 occupancy hazard classification, or the FM Global hazard category where the FM Global design basis is selected, applied to the occupancy and contents of each area shown on the code summary"
+options:
+ - "Light Hazard"
+ - "Ordinary Hazard Group 1"
+ - "Ordinary Hazard Group 2"
+ - "Extra Hazard Group 1"
+ - "Extra Hazard Group 2"
+ - "FM Global Hazard Category 1"
+ - "FM Global Hazard Category 2"
+ - "FM Global Hazard Category 3"
+default: derived
+```
+
+## Where the building contains areas of more than one hazard classification, the classification and extent of each area shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+## Each hazard area shall be piped and calculated to its own density and area, and an area shall not be classified by the predominant occupancy around it.
+
+## NFPA 13 classifies an occupancy by the quantity and combustibility of its contents and the expected rate of heat release, not by the building's use group under the building code: {note}
+
+- Light Hazard covers low quantities of low-combustibility contents with a low rate of heat release, such as offices, classrooms, patient rooms, and places of worship.
+- Ordinary Hazard Group 1 covers moderate quantities of moderate-combustibility contents stacked no more than 8 ft high, such as parking garages, laundries, and bakeries.
+- Ordinary Hazard Group 2 covers moderate to high quantities of moderate to high combustibility stacked no more than 12 ft high, such as machine shops, repair garages, and library stack areas.
+- Extra Hazard Group 1 covers very high quantities of combustibles with little or no flammable liquid, such as certain woodworking and foam or plastic processing.
+- Extra Hazard Group 2 covers moderate to substantial quantities of flammable or combustible liquid, such as spray finishing and solvent cleaning.
+
+## A tenant fit-out that changes the contents of an area changes its classification, which is why the Owner's confirmation of intended use is a submittal and why the hazard classification of each area is stated on the general information sign at the riser. {note}
+
+## Where an occupancy is on the boundary between two classifications, the designer shall apply the more demanding classification or shall resolve the classification with the Authority Having Jurisdiction in writing before the hydraulic design is finalized.
+
+# Design Approach {toc}
+
+## Design Method {toc}
+
+### The design approach shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Design Approach
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Density/area method"
+ - "Room design method"
+ - "Pipe schedule method where NFPA 13 permits it"
+ - "FM Global data sheet design criteria"
+default: "Density/area method"
+```
+
+### The density/area method sizes the system to deliver a stated density over the hydraulically most demanding area of the stated size; the room design method sizes it to the most demanding room and its communicating openings and is used where every room is enclosed by construction rated as NFPA 13 requires; the pipe schedule method fixes pipe sizes by table rather than by calculation and is permitted by NFPA 13 only for small new systems with a proven supply and for additions to existing pipe schedule systems; and the FM Global criteria replace the NFPA 13 tables with the data sheet values an FM-insured Owner's carrier requires. {note}
+
+### Where the pipe schedule method is selected, the Contractor shall demonstrate that the system falls within the size, hazard, and water supply limits NFPA 13 places on that method, and the Authority Having Jurisdiction shall have accepted the method before the working drawings are submitted.
+
+### Where the FM Global design criteria are selected, the hazard category, density, area, and hose demand shall be taken from the applicable FM Global data sheet, and the more demanding of the FM Global and NFPA 13 values shall govern each element of the design.
+
+## Design Density and Area {toc}
+
+### The design density shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Design Density
+type: range
+unit: gpm/sq ft
+derived: "the occupancy hazard classification and the design approach selected, applied to the design criteria of NFPA 13 Chapter 19 in the adopted edition or to the applicable FM Global data sheet"
+options:
+ min: 0.05
+ max: 0.60
+ setpoints: [0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30, 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.60]
+default: derived
+```
+
+### The design area shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Design Area
+type: range
+unit: sq ft
+derived: "the occupancy hazard classification and the design approach selected, with the design area adjustments selected applied, per NFPA 13 Chapter 19 in the adopted edition or the applicable FM Global data sheet"
+options:
+ min: 500
+ max: 5000
+ setpoints: [500, 750, 900, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000]
+default: derived
+```
+
+### Under the 2022 and later editions of NFPA 13, each hazard classification carries a single design density and area in Chapter 19, so the pair follows from the classification; under the 2019 and earlier editions the designer selected any point on a density/area curve, and the curve was retired because the least demanding point was chosen so routinely that systems were being sized to the bottom of the curve rather than to the hazard. {note}
+
+### The design area adjustments applied shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Design Area Adjustments Applied
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Reduction for quick-response sprinklers under a ceiling 20 ft or lower"
+ - "Increase for a ceiling sloped more than 2 in 12"
+ - "Increase for a dry-pipe or double-interlock pre-action system"
+```
+
+### The quick-response reduction shortens the design area by up to 40 percent as ceiling height falls, on the evidence that fast-opening sprinklers control a fire with fewer heads open; the sloped ceiling increase and the dry-pipe increase enlarge the area because heat travels farther under a slope before it opens a sprinkler and because a dry system opens sprinklers before water arrives. {note}
+
+### The dry-pipe and pre-action increase is invoked under the layer standard for that system type, and the layer states the delivery time it is paired with. {note}
+
+### The design area shall be the hydraulically most demanding area of the selected size in each hazard area, shaped as NFPA 13 requires, and the designer shall not interpolate between hazard classifications.
+
+## Hose Stream Allowance and Supply Duration {toc}
+
+### The hydraulic calculations shall add the hose stream allowance indicated in the datasheet to the sprinkler demand at the point NFPA 13 specifies for the water supply arrangement.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Hose Stream Allowance
+type: range
+unit: gpm
+derived: "the occupancy hazard classification, per the water supply table of NFPA 13 Chapter 19 in the adopted edition or the applicable FM Global data sheet"
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 1000
+ setpoints: [0, 50, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1000]
+default: derived
+```
+
+### NFPA 13 assigns a combined inside and outside hose allowance of 100 gpm to light hazard, 250 gpm to ordinary hazard, and 500 gpm to extra hazard, and the allowance stands in for the hose lines the fire department will charge from the same supply while the sprinklers are flowing; a calculation that omits it produces a system that looks compliant on paper and starves when the first attack line opens. {note}
+
+### Where the building contains inside hose connections, the portion of the allowance assigned to inside hose shall be applied at the hose connection as NFPA 13 requires, and the standpipe demand on a combined riser shall be applied under [[sync/standpipe-systems]].
+
+### The water supply shall be capable of delivering the total demand for not less than the duration indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Water Supply Duration
+type: range
+unit: minutes
+options:
+ min: 30
+ max: 120
+ setpoints: [30, 45, 60, 90, 120]
+```
+
+### The duration shall be not less than 30 minutes for light hazard, 60 minutes for ordinary hazard, and 90 minutes for extra hazard, and shall be within the band NFPA 13 sets for the hazard classification.
+
+### NFPA 13 sets the duration as a band for ordinary and extra hazard, and the point within the band is agreed with the Authority Having Jurisdiction and, on a stored supply, sizes the tank. {note}
+
+## Water Supply {toc}
+
+### The water supply source shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Water Supply Source
+type: select
+drawing_ref: "the fire protection riser diagram"
+options:
+ - "Public water main"
+ - "Public water main with fire pump"
+ - "Stored water supply with fire pump"
+ - "Public water main and stored water supply with fire pump"
+ - "Gravity tank"
+ - "Pressure tank"
+default: deferred
+```
+
+### The water supply data on which the hydraulic calculations are based shall be obtained from a flow test conducted at or near the site in accordance with NFPA 291, and shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### The flow test shall have been conducted not more than the period indicated in the datasheet before the date of the hydraulic calculation submittal.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Maximum Age of the Water Supply Flow Test at Submittal
+type: range
+unit: months
+options:
+ min: 6
+ max: 36
+ setpoints: [6, 12, 24, 36]
+default: 12
+```
+
+### The hydraulic calculations shall demonstrate that the total demand, including the hose stream allowance, falls below the water supply curve at the design point by not less than the safety margin indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Water Supply Safety Margin at the Design Point
+type: range
+unit: psi
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 20
+ setpoints: [0, 5, 10, 15, 20]
+```
+
+### A margin absorbs the decline of a public main over the life of the building and the seasonal variation of the test; a margin of zero is a legal design under NFPA 13 and leaves nothing for either. {note}
+
+### Where the available supply does not deliver the total demand at the required pressure, a fire pump shall be provided in accordance with [[sync/fire-pumps]].
+
+### Where a backflow prevention assembly is installed on the supply, its pressure loss at the total demand shall be included in the hydraulic calculations, using the assembly's published loss curve.
+
+### An assembly loss omitted from the calculation is the most common reason a wet-pipe system passes plan review and fails its main drain or forward-flow comparison at acceptance. {note}
+
+## Pipe Arrangement {toc}
+
+### The pipe arrangement shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Pipe Arrangement
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Tree"
+ - "Looped feed and cross mains"
+ - "Gridded branch lines"
+```
+
+### A tree arrangement feeds each branch line from one end and is the simplest to calculate and to modify; a loop feeds the cross mains from two directions and lowers friction loss to a remote area of a large floor plate; a grid connects the branch lines at both ends and delivers the smallest pipe sizes on a large flat ceiling, at the cost of the peaking analysis NFPA 13 requires and of hydraulic behavior that is harder to modify later. {note}
+
+### A gridded arrangement shall not be used on a dry-pipe, pre-action, or deluge system, which NFPA 13 prohibits.
+
+### Where the arrangement differs between systems or floors in the same building, the arrangement of each shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+# Piping, Hangers, and Seismic Bracing {toc}
+
+## Pipe, Fittings, and Joints {toc}
+
+### Pipe, fittings, joints, control valves, check valves, waterflow and supervisory switches, main drains, pressure gauges, and hangers shall comply with [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### The pipe materials and joining methods selected under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]] shall be limited to the combinations NFPA 13 permits for the hazard classification, the pipe size, and the system pressure at each location.
+
+### Where CPVC pipe is selected under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]], its installation condition on this system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: CPVC Installation Condition
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Concealed above ceilings and within walls only"
+ - "Concealed and exposed within the listing conditions"
+```
+
+### A CPVC listing for sprinkler service is written around the sprinkler type, the hazard classification, and the exposure: exposed CPVC is listed only below a ceiling of the construction the listing names and only with quick-response sprinklers at the spacing the listing sets, so the exposed condition is a listing question before it is a preference. {note}
+
+### Where CPVC is exposed, the sprinklers, their spacing, and the ceiling construction shall be those the pipe listing requires for the exposed condition.
+
+### CPVC shall not be installed where its listing prohibits it, including any location where the ambient temperature can exceed the listed limit and any location where it would be exposed to a material named in the manufacturer's chemical compatibility advisory.
+
+### The Contractor shall issue the CPVC manufacturer's chemical compatibility advisory to every trade working near the piping before that trade begins work, and the general Contractor shall keep the named incompatible materials away from the piping.
+
+### Firestop sealants, cutting oils, thread sealants, insulation adhesives, and some aerosol products stress-crack CPVC on contact, and the failure appears months later as a leak in a concealed space rather than at the hydrostatic test. {note}
+
+## Hanging Policy {toc}
+
+### Hangers shall be listed for fire protection service and installed in accordance with NFPA 13 and [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### The unsupported length between the end sprinkler on a branch line and the last hanger, the length of an armover, and the length of a sprig shall not exceed the limits NFPA 13 sets for the pipe size and the sprinkler type.
+
+### The hanger spacing along branch lines and mains shall not exceed the maximum spacing established under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]] for the pipe material and size.
+
+### Hangers shall be located so that the reaction of a discharging sprinkler does not lift or rotate the branch line.
+
+### A hanger omitted near an end sprinkler to clear another trade's work shall be relocated to adequate structure, not eliminated.
+
+### The end-of-line rules exist because a discharging sprinkler pushes the pipe upward, and a branch line hung too far from its end sprinkler swings and can lift the sprinkler out of its listed position under the ceiling. {note}
+
+## Seismic Bracing Policy {toc}
+
+### Seismic bracing of the sprinkler system shall be provided where [[parameter: seismic-design-category]] requires it under NFPA 13 Chapter 18 as invoked by the adopted building code, as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Seismic Bracing of Sprinkler Piping
+type: radio
+derived: "[[parameter: seismic-design-category]] under NFPA 13 Chapter 18 as invoked by the adopted building code"
+options:
+ - "Required"
+ - "Not required"
+default: derived
+```
+
+### Where bracing is required, the seismic load basis shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Seismic Load Basis for Sway Bracing
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "NFPA 13 Chapter 18 seismic coefficient from the site short-period spectral acceleration"
+ - "Engineered design under ASCE 7 Chapter 13"
+default: "NFPA 13 Chapter 18 seismic coefficient from the site short-period spectral acceleration"
+```
+
+### Where bracing is required, lateral and longitudinal sway bracing, branch line restraint, flexible couplings, and clearances at penetrations shall be provided in accordance with NFPA 13 Chapter 18, with the brace hardware, spacing, and attachments furnished under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### Seismic bracing calculations shall state the seismic coefficient used, the brace spacing, the load on each brace and attachment, and the listing of each brace assembly, and shall be submitted before bracing is installed.
+
+### The bracing requirement is keyed to the seismic design category the building code assigns to the site, not to a perception of local risk; Seismic Design Category C is common outside the recognized seismic regions and triggers the full bracing chapter. {note}
+
+### The NFPA 13 prescriptive method delivers a seismic coefficient from the site spectral acceleration and a set of tabulated brace capacities that the layout can be checked against without a structural engineer; an engineered design under ASCE 7 is used where the Authority Having Jurisdiction requires it, where the piping is attached to a structure the tables do not cover, or where the prescriptive method produces bracing the structure cannot carry. {note}
+
+# Sprinklers {toc}
+
+## Sprinkler Types {toc}
+
+### The sprinkler types permitted on the project shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Sprinkler Types Permitted
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Standard spray pendent"
+ - "Standard spray upright"
+ - "Standard spray sidewall"
+ - "Recessed pendent"
+ - "Concealed pendent with cover plate"
+ - "Flush pendent"
+ - "Extended coverage pendent"
+ - "Extended coverage upright"
+ - "Extended coverage sidewall"
+ - "Residential"
+ - "Institutional tamper-resistant and ligature-resistant"
+ - "Dry-type pendent and sidewall"
+ - "Attic sprinklers"
+ - "Window sprinklers"
+default:
+ - "Standard spray pendent"
+ - "Standard spray upright"
+ - "Standard spray sidewall"
+```
+
+### The sprinkler type installed in each area shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### Each sprinkler type is listed for a coverage area, a spacing, a deflector position, and a range of ceiling constructions, so the type decides the sprinkler count and the branch line layout of every area it serves: {note}
+
+- A standard spray sprinkler covers up to 225 sq ft in light hazard and 130 sq ft in ordinary and extra hazard under a smooth flat ceiling, and less under obstructed or sloped construction.
+- An extended coverage sprinkler covers up to 400 sq ft within its listing and reduces the sprinkler count on a large flat ceiling, at the cost of stricter obstruction, clearance, and ceiling slope limits.
+- A sidewall sprinkler discharges away from the wall it is mounted on and serves a corridor or a small room without running pipe across the ceiling.
+- A recessed, flush, or concealed pendent sits partly or entirely above the ceiling line and is selected for appearance, with the cover plate of a concealed sprinkler carrying its own listed release temperature.
+- A residential sprinkler is listed for a wall-wetting pattern that keeps a fire in a dwelling unit from reaching flashover and is permitted only in the dwelling and sleeping units its listing covers.
+- An institutional sprinkler resists tampering and ligature attachment and is selected for the areas of a health care, detention, or behavioral facility where either is a hazard.
+- A dry-type sprinkler extends a wet system into a freezing pocket without a second system type, an attic sprinkler is listed for the slope and spacing of a combustible attic, and a window sprinkler provides the wetting that lets a glazed assembly stand in for a rated wall where the code permits it.
+
+### Sprinklers in dwelling units and sleeping units shall be of the type indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Sprinkler Type in Dwelling and Sleeping Units
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Residential sprinklers"
+ - "Quick-response standard spray sprinklers"
+```
+
+### The building code requires either a residential or a quick-response sprinkler in a dwelling or sleeping unit; a residential sprinkler wets the walls high enough to prevent flashover and is designed to the flow its listing states, while a quick-response spray sprinkler is designed to the light hazard density and can be used where the ceiling construction or the obstruction condition falls outside the residential listing. {note}
+
+### Where residential sprinklers are selected, they shall be installed only within the ceiling construction, slope, and obstruction conditions their listing covers, and the design flow shall be the greater of the listed flow and the flow that produces the light hazard density.
+
+### Sprinklers shall not be installed in an application outside their listing.
+
+## Thermal Response {toc}
+
+### Sprinklers in light hazard areas shall be quick-response or residential sprinklers, as NFPA 13 requires.
+
+### The thermal response of sprinklers in ordinary and extra hazard areas shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Thermal Response in Ordinary and Extra Hazard Areas
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Standard response"
+ - "Quick response"
+```
+
+### A quick-response sprinkler carries a response time index of 50 (m·s)^0.5 or less and opens earlier in the fire; a standard response sprinkler carries an index of 80 (m·s)^0.5 or more and opens later with more of the fire developed beneath it, so more sprinklers open and the design area assumption holds. {note}
+
+### Quick-response sprinklers in an ordinary hazard area buy earlier control and the design area reduction where the ceiling qualifies, at the cost of more sprinklers opening in a fast-growing fire than the design area assumed; standard response sprinklers hold the design area assumption in an area where the fuel load can grow a fire faster than early water can control it. {note}
+
+### Quick-response and standard response sprinklers shall not be mixed within a compartment, except where NFPA 13 expressly permits it.
+
+### Where the response class changes at a compartment boundary, the hydraulic calculation for a design area that spans the boundary shall use the more demanding assumption.
+
+## Temperature Ratings {toc}
+
+### The temperature rating classification of sprinklers in general areas shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Temperature Rating Classification in General Areas
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Ordinary (135°F to 170°F)"
+ - "Intermediate (175°F to 225°F)"
+ - "High (250°F to 300°F)"
+ - "Extra High (325°F to 375°F)"
+ - "Very Extra High (400°F to 475°F)"
+ - "Ultra High (500°F to 575°F)"
+default: "Ordinary (135°F to 170°F)"
+```
+
+### The temperature rating in each general area shall be selected for the maximum ceiling temperature that area reaches, in accordance with the temperature rating table of NFPA 13.
+
+### Sprinklers near heat sources shall carry the rating NFPA 13 assigns to the location, including intermediate rating within the stated distances of heating unit outlets, under skylights, in unventilated concealed spaces and attics, and above commercial cooking appliances, and high rating within the stated distances of high-temperature equipment.
+
+### The locations at which a rating other than the general area rating applies shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### A rating set too close to the ceiling temperature opens the sprinkler on a hot day, and a rating set too high delays water while the fire grows; the ordinary rating is the one that fits a ceiling that never exceeds 100°F, and every other rating follows from a measured or expected ceiling temperature rather than from a preference. {note}
+
+### The cover plate of a concealed sprinkler shall carry the release temperature its listing pairs with the sprinkler behind it.
+
+### The frame color or bulb color of each sprinkler shall be the color code NFPA 13 assigns to its temperature rating, and shall not be obscured by the finish.
+
+## K-Factor {toc}
+
+### The minimum nominal K-factor of standard spray sprinklers on the project shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Minimum Nominal K-Factor of Standard Spray Sprinklers
+type: range
+unit: gpm/psi^0.5
+options:
+ min: 2.8
+ max: 14.0
+ setpoints: [2.8, 4.2, 5.6, 8.0, 11.2, 14.0]
+default: 5.6
+```
+
+### The nominal K-factor of the sprinklers in each area shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]], and shall be not smaller than the minimum NFPA 13 sets for the hazard classification and design density of that area.
+
+### The K-factor relates flow to pressure at the sprinkler orifice, and a larger orifice delivers the design density at a lower pressure, which on a marginal supply is the difference between a system that calculates and one that needs a pump; NFPA 13 requires the larger orifices in extra hazard and at the higher densities because a small orifice at high pressure produces a fine spray that the fire plume carries away. {note}
+
+### Sprinklers with a nominal K-factor smaller than 5.6 shall be installed only where NFPA 13 permits them and shall be provided with the strainer or the piping arrangement NFPA 13 requires for a small orifice.
+
+### The hydraulic calculations shall use the nominal K-factor of the sprinkler listed on the product data, and a sprinkler of a different K-factor shall not be substituted after the calculations are accepted.
+
+## Finish and Corrosion Resistance {toc}
+
+### The finish of sprinklers, escutcheons, and cover plates in finished ceiling areas shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Sprinkler and Escutcheon Finish in Finished Ceiling Areas
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Natural brass"
+ - "Chrome plated"
+ - "White polyester coating"
+ - "Black polyester coating"
+ - "Custom color polyester coating matched to the ceiling"
+```
+
+### The finish of sprinklers in unfinished and utility areas shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Sprinkler Finish in Unfinished and Utility Areas
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Natural brass"
+ - "Chrome plated"
+ - "White polyester coating"
+ - "Black polyester coating"
+default: "Natural brass"
+```
+
+### Where the finish differs between areas of the same finish class, the finish of each area shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### Sprinklers in corrosive locations shall be of the corrosion-resistant construction indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Corrosion-Resistant Sprinklers in Corrosive Locations
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Listed wax coating"
+ - "Listed lead-free polyester coating"
+ - "Listed fluoropolymer coating"
+ - "Stainless steel sprinklers"
+ - "Not applicable, no corrosive locations"
+```
+
+### The locations classified as corrosive shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### Only a factory-applied, listed finish or coating shall be present on a sprinkler, and no paint, coating, or ceiling finish shall be applied to a sprinkler, an operating element, a deflector, or a cover plate in the field.
+
+### A wax coating is the oldest corrosion protection and softens in a warm location, a polyester coating holds up in most chemical and coastal atmospheres, a fluoropolymer coating resists a wider range of chemicals, and a stainless steel sprinkler is used where any coating would be attacked; each is a listed construction, and the listing rather than the atmosphere name decides which one fits a location. {note}
+
+### A field-painted sprinkler is a disabled sprinkler, because paint bridges the operating element and the frame and holds the sprinkler closed past its rating; a painted sprinkler found at inspection is replaced, not cleaned. {note}
+
+## Sprinkler Position and Coverage {toc}
+
+### Sprinkler spacing, the coverage area per sprinkler, the deflector distance below the ceiling, and the clearance from obstructions shall comply with NFPA 13 for the sprinkler type, the hazard classification, and the ceiling construction of each area, and shall not exceed the limits of the sprinkler listing.
+
+### Sprinklers shall be provided throughout the building, including concealed combustible spaces, except in the locations where NFPA 13 permits sprinklers to be omitted.
+
+### The concealed spaces and other locations in which sprinklers are omitted under NFPA 13 shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### A clearance of not less than 18 in. shall be maintained between the deflector of a standard spray sprinkler and the top of storage, shelving, or any other object below it.
+
+### The Contractor shall state the 18 in. clearance on the general information sign at the riser and in the operation and maintenance manual, so that the Owner is informed of it before the building is occupied.
+
+### The clearance lets the discharge pattern develop before it strikes anything, and it is the rule most often broken after occupancy, when shelving goes in under sprinklers that were positioned for an empty room. {note}
+
+### Where a sprinkler is exposed to mechanical damage, it shall be protected by a listed guard, and the locations requiring guards shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### Sprinkler positions in finished ceilings shall be centered in the ceiling tile or aligned with the ceiling pattern as the finished ceiling layout requires, within the position the listing and NFPA 13 permit.
+
+## Flexible Sprinkler Connections {toc}
+
+### Whether flexible sprinkler hose connections are permitted between the branch line and a ceiling sprinkler shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Flexible Sprinkler Hose Connections
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Permitted within the listing"
+ - "Not permitted"
+```
+
+### A flexible connection lets the sprinkler be placed in the ceiling tile after the branch line is hung and absorbs the offset between the branch line and the tile center without a fabricated drop; it adds a friction loss that the calculation has to carry, a bracket that has to be attached to the ceiling grid as the listing requires, and a bend radius that is violated when the hose is forced into a short offset. {note}
+
+### Where flexible connections are permitted, they shall be listed to UL 2443, and where the datasheet requires FM Approval they shall additionally be approved to FM 1637.
+
+### Each flexible connection shall be installed within its listed length, minimum bend radius, and number of bends, with the bracket the listing requires attached to the ceiling grid or structure, and with the hose supported so that no weight bears on the sprinkler.
+
+### The equivalent length of each flexible connection shall be included in the hydraulic calculations at the value published in its listing.
+
+### Where seismic bracing is required, flexible connections shall be installed in accordance with the provisions NFPA 13 Chapter 18 makes for them.
+
+# Riser, Valves, and Zoning {toc}
+
+## Wet-Pipe Riser Arrangement {toc}
+
+### The riser of each wet-pipe system shall be arranged as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Wet-Pipe Riser Arrangement
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Alarm check valve with retard chamber and trim"
+ - "Riser check valve with vane-type waterflow switch"
+ - "Backflow prevention assembly serving as the riser check valve, with vane-type waterflow switch"
+```
+
+### An alarm check valve detects flow by the lift of its clapper and can drive a water motor gong with no electric power, at the cost of a retard chamber and trim that need periodic service; a riser check valve with a vane switch detects flow electrically and is the simpler assembly where the building has a fire alarm system; and where a backflow prevention assembly is already required on the supply, NFPA 13 permits it to serve as the riser check valve so that a third check is not stacked into the riser. {note}
+
+### The riser location shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### The riser nominal size shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection riser diagram]].
+
+### Each riser shall be provided with a listed indicating control valve at its connection to the supply, supervised open, together with the check valve, waterflow device, main drain, and pressure gauges furnished under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### The main drain shall be sized under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]] for the riser size and shall discharge where the full drain flow can be received without damage.
+
+### Where the riser is a combined sprinkler and standpipe riser, the standpipe portion shall comply with [[sync/standpipe-systems]], and each sprinkler connection from the riser shall be made through a floor control assembly under this standard.
+
+## Floor and Zone Control Assemblies {toc}
+
+### The sprinkler zoning arrangement shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Sprinkler Zoning Arrangement
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Single system without floor or zone control assemblies"
+ - "Floor control assembly at each floor"
+ - "Zone control assemblies"
+```
+
+### Where zone control assemblies are selected, the extent of each zone shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection riser diagram]].
+
+### A floor control assembly shall be provided on each floor of a high-rise building and wherever else NFPA 13 or the adopted building code requires one, whatever the datasheet selects.
+
+### A control assembly per floor or zone lets one portion of the building be impaired for a tenant fit-out or a repair without shutting off the rest, and it identifies the floor of a waterflow at the fire alarm panel; the cost is a valve, a switch, and a test connection at each assembly and a shaft or closet to house them. {note}
+
+### Each floor or zone control assembly shall include the components indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Floor and Zone Control Assembly Components
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Listed indicating control valve with supervisory switch"
+ - "Check valve"
+ - "Vane-type waterflow switch"
+ - "Combined test-and-drain assembly with sight glass"
+ - "Pressure gauge on the system side"
+ - "Pressure-reducing valve where the static pressure exceeds 175 psi"
+default:
+ - "Listed indicating control valve with supervisory switch"
+ - "Check valve"
+ - "Vane-type waterflow switch"
+ - "Combined test-and-drain assembly with sight glass"
+ - "Pressure gauge on the system side"
+```
+
+### The control assembly for each floor or zone shall be located where it is accessible without entering a tenant space, as indicated on [[drawing: the fire protection drawings]].
+
+### The test connection at each control assembly shall discharge to a drain sized to receive the full test flow without overflowing.
+
+## Inspector's Test Connection {toc}
+
+### An inspector's test connection shall be provided at the hydraulically most remote point of each system, or at each floor or zone control assembly where the test-and-drain assembly is selected there, with an orifice equivalent to the smallest sprinkler on the system.
+
+### The inspector's test discharge shall be arranged as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Inspector's Test Discharge Arrangement
+type: select
+options:
+ - "To the exterior of the building"
+ - "To a drain sized to receive the full test flow"
+ - "Through a sight test connection to a drain"
+```
+
+### An exterior discharge lets the tester see the flow without a drain but freezes shut in a cold climate and stains the wall it discharges onto; a drain discharge needs a drain sized for the flow of one sprinkler; and a sight glass on a drain discharge shows the flow indoors, which is why the combined test-and-drain assembly with a sight glass is the arrangement most often installed at a floor control assembly. {note}
+
+### The inspector's test connection shall be accessible without a ladder from an area the Owner's staff can reach, and its valve shall be identified as the inspector's test.
+
+## Backflow Prevention {toc}
+
+### Where the water utility or the adopted plumbing code requires backflow prevention between the sprinkler system and the potable supply, the assembly shall be provided under [[sync/backflow-prevention]] and shall be listed for fire protection service.
+
+### The assembly type shall be confirmed with the water utility and the Authority Having Jurisdiction before procurement, because a reduced pressure principle assembly on a supply that a double check assembly would have satisfied throws away 10 psi or more of pressure the sprinkler system needed. {note}
+
+### The assembly shall be installed with the clearances and the test cocks its annual certification requires, and shall be arranged so that its forward-flow test can be conducted at the system demand.
+
+# Alarm and Supervisory Provisions {toc}
+
+## Waterflow Alarm {toc}
+
+### Each wet-pipe system shall be provided with a waterflow alarm device that initiates an alarm within 90 seconds of a sustained flow equal to or greater than the flow from one sprinkler, in accordance with NFPA 13 and NFPA 72.
+
+### The waterflow device on each riser and control assembly shall be furnished under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]], with its retard set under that standard, and shall be connected to the fire alarm system under [[sync/fire-alarm-systems]].
+
+### The local waterflow alarm at the building shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Local Waterflow Alarm
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Electrically operated alarm from the fire alarm system"
+ - "Water motor gong"
+ - "Water motor gong and electrically operated alarm"
+```
+
+### A water motor gong is driven by the water in the alarm line of an alarm check valve and sounds with no electric power, so it needs an alarm check valve on the riser; an electrically operated alarm is driven by the fire alarm control unit from the waterflow switch and is the local alarm on a riser arranged with a vane switch. {note}
+
+### Where the riser arrangement selected has no alarm check valve, a water motor gong shall not be selected for that riser.
+
+## Valve Supervision {toc}
+
+### Every valve controlling water to any portion of the sprinkler system, including the riser control valve, each floor and zone control valve, and the isolation valves of the backflow prevention assembly, shall be electrically supervised in the open position by a supervisory switch connected to the fire alarm system, as NFPA 13, NFPA 72, and the adopted building code require.
+
+### The supervisory switch shall initiate a supervisory signal within two turns of the handwheel or one-fifth of the valve travel from the fully open position, whichever is less.
+
+### The Contractor shall provide the fire alarm Contractor with the location and type of every supervised valve and every waterflow device before the fire alarm shop drawings are prepared.
+
+### A branch riser butterfly valve without a supervisory switch is the supervision deficiency most often written at acceptance, and it is found because the sprinkler and fire alarm shop drawings were prepared from different valve counts. {note}
+
+## Identification Signs {toc}
+
+### A permanent hydraulic design information sign shall be affixed at each riser and at each floor or zone control assembly served by a separate calculation, stating the location of the design area, the design density and area, the required flow and pressure at the base of the riser, the hose stream allowance, the total demand and its duration, and the K-factor and thermal response of the sprinklers in the design area.
+
+### A permanent general information sign shall be affixed at each riser, stating the information NFPA 13 requires, including the hazard classification of each area served, the presence and type of any antifreeze solution, the location of auxiliary drains and low points, the presence of any pressure-reducing valve, and the 18 in. clearance below sprinklers.
+
+### The hydraulic sign is what a later designer checks a tenant change against, and the general information sign is what an inspector reads before draining or refilling the system; a sign that does not match the accepted calculations misleads both. {note}
+
+### Each riser, floor control assembly, and zone control assembly shall be identified with the designation used on the working drawings and on the fire alarm annunciator.
+
+# Installation {toc}
+
+## Routing and Deviations {toc}
+
+### Sprinkler piping shall be routed, sized, and arranged as shown on the working drawings approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
+
+### A deviation from the approved working drawings in pipe routing, pipe size, or sprinkler position shall be documented by a revised submittal or by the Engineer of Record's written acceptance and the Authority Having Jurisdiction's concurrence before the affected work is installed.
+
+### A relocated sprinkler or a resized pipe changes the hydraulic balance of the design area and the coverage of the sprinklers around it, which is why a field change that looks harmless is checked against the calculation before it is made. {note}
+
+### Sprinkler piping shall be arranged to drain to the main drain or to auxiliary drains, and trapped sections that cannot drain shall be provided with auxiliary drains under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+### Penetrations of fire-resistance-rated assemblies shall be sealed with a firestop system listed for the pipe material and the assembly rating, in accordance with [[sync/firestopping]], and the firestop material shall be one the pipe manufacturer's compatibility advisory permits where CPVC is used.
+
+## Sprinkler Installation {toc}
+
+### Sprinklers shall be installed with the wrench the manufacturer lists for the sprinkler, and a sprinkler installed with a wrench that bears on the operating element or the deflector shall be replaced.
+
+### A sprinkler that has been dropped, struck, or overheated, or that shows a damaged bulb, a bent deflector, or a cracked cover plate, shall be replaced rather than installed.
+
+### Sprinklers shall be installed after the piping serving them has been flushed, and shall be protected from paint, overspray, ceiling finish, and debris until the finish trades have completed work in the area.
+
+### Where a sprinkler must be installed before finish work is complete, it shall be protected by a listed protective cap that the heat of a fire removes, and every cap shall be removed before the system is accepted.
+
+### Escutcheons, cover plates, and recessed housings shall be the listed components of the sprinkler they serve.
+
+### A protective cap left on a sprinkler after acceptance defeats the sprinkler under it, and a cap count at the acceptance inspection is the check that finds it. {note}
+
+## Cold Weather Work {toc}
+
+### Solvent-cement joints in CPVC, grooved gaskets, and the other joints and materials whose listing sets a minimum installation temperature shall not be installed below that temperature, and the Contractor shall heat the work area or defer the work.
+
+### The cure time of a solvent-cement joint before pressurization shall be the cold-weather cure time published for the cement where the ambient temperature is below the published threshold.
+
+# Testing {toc}
+
+## Flushing {toc}
+
+### The underground supply shall be flushed under [[sync/underground-fire-service-mains]] before it is connected to the riser.
+
+### The aboveground piping shall be flushed at a flow not less than the total system demand, or at the highest flow the supply can deliver, through open connections at the ends of the mains and cross mains until the discharge runs clear, before sprinklers are installed.
+
+### Cutting chips, scale, and construction debris travel to the sprinkler orifices, and a single blocked sprinkler in the design area breaks the density the calculation depends on, which is why the flush precedes the sprinklers and is recorded on the certificate. {note}
+
+## Hydrostatic Test {toc}
+
+### The aboveground piping shall be hydrostatically tested for 2 hours with no leakage and no drop in gauge pressure, at the test pressure indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Hydrostatic Test Pressure
+type: range
+unit: psi
+derived: "the maximum system static pressure: 200 psi where that pressure does not exceed 150 psi, otherwise 50 psi above it, per NFPA 13"
+options:
+ min: 200
+ max: 400
+ setpoints: [200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400]
+default: derived
+```
+
+### The test shall be applied to the whole system at once, or to portions separated by valves qualified for pressure isolation, and every joint that will be concealed shall be under test before it is concealed.
+
+### The test pressure shall be measured at the lowest point of the portion under test, so that the margin above the working pressure holds at every elevation.
+
+### Components whose rating is below the test pressure shall be isolated or removed before the test and reinstalled after it.
+
+### Where CPVC piping is tested below the temperature its listing names, the test pressure shall not exceed the listed cold-temperature test pressure, and the solvent-cement cure time shall have elapsed before the system is pressurized.
+
+### Piping that leaks under test shall be repaired by remaking the joint, and the portion shall be retested at the Contractor's expense.
+
+## Alarm and Supervisory Device Test {toc}
+
+### Each waterflow device shall be tested by opening the inspector's test connection it serves, and the time from the opening of the connection to the alarm at the fire alarm control unit shall be recorded and shall not exceed 90 seconds.
+
+### Each water motor gong shall be tested by flowing the inspector's test connection and shall sound within the time NFPA 13 allows.
+
+### Each supervisory switch shall be tested by operating the valve toward closed, and the supervisory signal shall be received at the fire alarm control unit within the travel this standard requires, after which the valve shall be returned to fully open and confirmed open.
+
+### Where a low point or auxiliary drain, an air vent, or a pressure-reducing valve is installed, its operation shall be demonstrated as part of the acceptance test.
+
+## Main Drain and Forward-Flow Tests {toc}
+
+### A main drain test shall be conducted at each riser with all supply valves open, and the static and residual pressures shall be recorded on the certificate as the baseline for the annual NFPA 25 test.
+
+### The forward-flow test of the backflow prevention assembly shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Backflow Prevention Assembly Forward-Flow Test
+type: radio
+derived: "whether a backflow prevention assembly is installed on the sprinkler system supply"
+options:
+ - "Forward-flow test at the total system demand through the assembly"
+ - "Not applicable, no backflow prevention assembly on the supply"
+default: derived
+```
+
+### Where a backflow prevention assembly is installed, it shall be forward-flow tested at the total system demand, including the hose stream allowance, through a test connection sized for that flow, and the pressure loss across the assembly shall be recorded and compared with the loss used in the hydraulic calculations.
+
+### A main drain residual well below the design supply, or an assembly loss above the calculated loss, points to a partly closed valve, a supply that has declined since the flow test, or an assembly loss curve that was misread, and each is corrected before acceptance rather than discovered at the first annual test. {note}
+
+## Acceptance Witnesses and Records {toc}
+
+### The acceptance tests shall be witnessed by the parties indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Acceptance Test Witnesses
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Authority Having Jurisdiction"
+ - "Fire department of jurisdiction"
+ - "Engineer of Record"
+ - "Owner's representative"
+ - "Insurance carrier representative"
+ - "Commissioning authority"
+default:
+ - "Authority Having Jurisdiction"
+```
+
+### The Contractor shall schedule the acceptance test with the Authority Having Jurisdiction not less than 10 working days before the test, with the system complete, the water supply at design pressure, and the deficiencies from any preliminary inspection corrected.
+
+### The Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping shall be completed for each system, signed by the Contractor and by each witness, and included in the closeout submittals.
+
+### The system shall not be placed in service, and the fire alarm system shall not be released from test, until the Authority Having Jurisdiction has accepted the system.
+
+### The certificate is the permanent record of the system's condition at installation and the baseline against which every later NFPA 25 result is compared, so a field left blank on it is a gap in the Owner's record for the life of the building. {note}
+
+# Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance After Acceptance {toc}
+
+## Whether the first year of inspection, testing, and maintenance is included in the Contract shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: First-Year Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Quarterly and annual NFPA 25 inspection and testing for the first year included in the Contract"
+ - "Not included"
+```
+
+## The Contractor shall include in the operation and maintenance manual the NFPA 25 inspection, testing, and maintenance schedule for the system, including the quarterly waterflow alarm test, the annual main drain test, the annual inspection of sprinklers, hangers, and bracing, the five-year internal assessment of the piping, and the sprinkler sampling intervals for each response class installed.
+
+## The manual shall describe the impairment procedure, including notification of the fire department, the supervising station, and the insurance carrier, the fire watch or alternative protection while the system is impaired, and the restoration steps, in accordance with NFPA 25.
+
+## An inspection tag stating the date of the acceptance test shall be attached at each riser.
+
+# Delivery, Storage, and Handling {toc}
+
+## Sprinklers shall be delivered and stored in their original packaging, indoors, in a dry location where the temperature does not approach the rating of any sprinkler, and shall be handled so that no operating element, deflector, or cover plate is struck or bent.
+
+## Pipe, fittings, valves, and devices shall be delivered, stored, and handled under [[sync/fire-protection-piping]].
+
+## Sprinklers that have been exposed to a temperature above their rating, submerged, or subjected to impact in storage shall not be installed.
+
+## Materials damaged in transit, storage, or handling shall be replaced rather than repaired unless the Engineer of Record accepts a specific repair in writing.
+
+# Warranty {toc}
+
+## The Contractor shall warrant the sprinkler installation, including every sprinkler, valve, device, and sign furnished under this standard, against defects in materials and workmanship and against leakage under the system working pressure for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Sprinkler Installation Warranty Period
+type: range
+unit: years
+options:
+ min: 1
+ max: 5
+ setpoints: [1, 2, 3, 5]
+default: 1
+```
+
+## Where a listed component carries a manufacturer's warranty longer than the period in the datasheet, the Contractor shall assign that warranty to the Owner, and the longer period shall govern for that component.
+
+## Where the contract documents state a longer warranty period than the datasheet, the longer period shall govern.
+
+## The Contractor shall respond to a warranty call that impairs the system within the time indicated in the datasheet, and shall restore the system or provide the alternative protection the impairment procedure requires within that time.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Warranty Response Time for an Impairment
+type: range
+unit: hours
+options:
+ min: 2
+ max: 48
+ setpoints: [2, 4, 8, 24, 48]
+```
+
+## The Contractor shall place the fire alarm system in test with the supervising station before warranty work begins and shall return it to service when the work is complete.
+
+## The Contractor's cost of a warranty correction shall include the repair of finishes, ceilings, and contents damaged by the defect or by gaining access to it.
+
+## Work performed under this warranty shall itself be warranted for a full new term equal to the original period measured from the date the correction is completed, or for the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.
+
+# Spare Parts {toc}
+
+## The Contractor shall furnish a spare sprinkler cabinet at each riser room, stocked with not fewer than the number of sprinklers indicated in the datasheet, representing every type, orifice, temperature rating, and finish installed on the system, together with a wrench for each sprinkler type.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Spare Sprinkler Cabinet Quantity
+type: range
+unit: sprinklers
+derived: "the total number of sprinklers installed on the system, per NFPA 13: 6 for 300 or fewer, 12 for 301 to 1,000, and 24 for more than 1,000"
+options:
+ min: 6
+ max: 24
+ setpoints: [6, 12, 24]
+default: derived
+```
+
+## The cabinet shall be located where the temperature does not exceed 100°F, and a list of the sprinklers it contains, with the type, orifice, rating, and finish of each, shall be posted inside its door.
+
+## The Contractor shall deliver the other spare parts indicated in the datasheet to the Owner before the system is accepted, and shall obtain a signed receipt for them together with the cabinet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Spare Parts to Be Furnished
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Spare cover plates for each concealed sprinkler finish"
+ - "Spare escutcheons for each recessed sprinkler finish"
+ - "Spare gaskets and trim parts for the alarm check valve"
+ - "Spare sight glass for each test-and-drain assembly type"
+```
+
+## Spare parts shall be the same make and model as the installed items and shall be delivered in their original unopened packaging.
+
+## An understocked or missing spare cabinet is a deficiency written at the acceptance inspection and at every annual inspection after it, and a sprinkler that opens with no matching spare on hand leaves that area unprotected until one is procured. {note}