# Sprinklers in a bed room



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

I am doing the plumbing at what's turning out to be a fairly big Reno. They need to put a bigger window in basement bedroom ( which is difficult) or I am told if we install fire suppression in there...

I have never done this... Is it feasible? What kind of work involved? Totally seperate lines off main??


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## dclark (Dec 12, 2010)

From the building code..

9.9.10.1. Egress Windows or Doors for Bedrooms 
1) Except where the suite is sprinklered, each bedroom or combination bedroom shall have at least one outside window or exterior door openable from the inside without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge and without the removal of sashes or hardware. (See Article 9.5.1.2. and Appendix A.) 


My understanding is that the entire suite or dwelling unit needs to be protected, not just the bedroom in question.

In BC, you’d need a sprinkler TQ to pull the permit and an approved design (NFPA 13D design here is about $500 min), appropriate backflow prevention.. complete system installed. or an approved (designed) multi purpose combined system.

13D covers one and two family dwellings, and mobiles, with the intent of perhaps extinguishing, perhaps holding.. or hopefully limiting the expected spread of fire for 10 minutes, *giving people time to escape*, and for the fire department to attend.

It may put the fire out, but by design does not have to.. just ring the bells so people can escape.. put some water on the fire to limit property damage.. and hope that the fire department arrives soon if there is more fuel/heat/air than the design water can deal with.

So that is one of my big issues with this exception.. 13D is (by design and intent) NOT guaranteed to put the fire out.. but if you have that system installed, you MAY allow bedrooms without a 2nd way out.

Going to this expense to avoid enlarging one window seems questionable to me..
As always, consult with the AHJ

That being the case.. my opinion on this new exception..

Picture some time in the future.. fire In the adjacent area.. your child waking up in that bedroom, black deadly smoke from the now almost extinguished fire outside the door, unable to escape through the undersized window, doesn't know enough to stay put.. opens the door to find mom and dad.... 

Safe from the flames.. perhaps.. but no safe way to escape from the smoke..

Allowing sleeping rooms to be constructed without 2 egresses is one change to the building code that I think is a big mistake, sprinklers in place or not. Save the homeowner a few dollars (maybe) but potential tragedy.


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Great response dclarke, thanks. It helps your in Canada as well...

I also think having the window is the way to go... I was thinking cost only.... But you raise a GREAT point.

Thanks again


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Here is the States a 13D system was not mandated in the I.R.C. until 2009 edition. No one in my area has adopted it because of this section. Although the AHJ here may amend that code section as the municipality sees fit.

This code does not designate whether you have a code approved egress window in a bedroom or not, this is a whole system period.

A whole house system under new construction here runs around $2.50 a square foot for all floors including the basement, whether it is finished or not.

All the way back to the 2003 I.R.C. when a finished basement whether a bedroom was present or not required at least "one" egress widow, or one in every bedroom no matter what floor.

Another new code section if floor protection,
R501.3 Fire protection of floors. Floor assemblies, not
required elsewhere in this code to be fire-resistance rated,
shall be provided with a 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wallboard
membrane, 5/8-inch (16 mm) wood structural panel membrane,
or equivalent on the underside of the floor framing member.
Exceptions:
1. Floor assemblies located directly over a space protected
by an automatic sprinkler system in accordance
with Section P2904, NFPA13D, or other
approved equivalent sprinkler system.
2. Floor assemblies located directly over a crawl space
not intended for storage or fuel-fired appliances.
3. Portions of floor assemblies can be unprotected
when complying with the following:
3.1. The aggregate area of the unprotected portions
shall not exceed 80 square feet per
story
3.2. Fire blocking in accordance with Section
R302.11.1 shall be installed along the perimeter
of the unprotected portion to separate
the unprotected portion from the remainder
of the floor assembly.
4. Wood floor assemblies using dimension lumber or
structural composite lumber equal to or greater than
2-inch by 10-inch (50.8 mm by 254 mm) nominal
dimension, or other approved floor assemblies demonstrating
equivalent fire performance.

In my jurisdiction we dropped the 13D but kept the floor section, most opting to cover with drywall, we are looking into an applied material that can be applied to the "I-Joist" which will not allow a fire to take hold.

If you get a chance look up some U-tube videos about "I" joist burning, They are failing in as little as 4.5 minutes, then the floor above fails. So floor protection makes sense, 13D maybe not as long as you have egress windows.

We are seeing retrofit installs of egress windows in basement starting at around $3,000.00 and up for a fancier one & it's window well.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

redbeardplumber said:


> Great response dclarke, thanks. It helps your in Canada as well...
> 
> I also think having the window is the way to go... I was thinking cost only.... But you raise a GREAT point.
> 
> Thanks again


Redbeard... Flames still sucks.. you won't need any sprinklers to put them out~


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

You know RJ, maybe It was better when you were banned. Lol


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

redbeardplumber said:


> You know RJ, maybe It was better when you were banned. Lol


That had me cackling!!! Luckily nobody else is home to hear me.


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## Paddy (Sep 2, 2011)

*Plumbing-based sprinklers*

The posts in this thread cite the high costs of escape windows, but do not describe how plumbing-based sprinklers are a cost-effective alternative - and how they are plumbers work. See my posts about plumbing-based sprinklers at www.fdexcellence.com.


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Paddy said:


> The posts in this thread cite the high costs of escape windows, but do not describe how plumbing-based sprinklers are a cost-effective alternative - and how they are plumbers work. See my posts about plumbing-based sprinklers at www.fdexcellence.com.



In the IRC, the installation of residential sprinklers does not negate the requirement of an "Egress or Fire Escape" window in every sleeping room. So the cost will be above and beyond.

I have not seen any municipality, in my area drop a requirement for egress windows, but have seen them drop section "P2904" requiring sprinklers in their residential code adoptions, while still requiring section "R501.3 "Fire protection of floors" by installation of drywall and some are starting to accept applied fire retardant coatings as an acceptable practice to comply with this section.


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