NFPA 13D –Myths and Misconceptions

Matt Klaus

Technical Lead –Fire Protection Engineering

Find the Right Standard

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Purpose

• NFPA 13 – Property Protection and Life Safety

• NFPA 13R – Life Safety

• NFPA 13D – Life Safety

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NFPA 13D -Goals and Objectives

• Cost

• Life safety

• Fire control to enable escape (10 min)

• Piping and installation compatible with residential construction

• Sprinklers omitted from certain areas

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Residential Deaths by Fire OriginTable A.1.2(a) Fires and Associated Deaths and Injuries in Dwellings, Duplexes, and Manufactured HomesAreas of Origin: Annual Average of 2005-2009 Structure Fires Reported to U.S. Fire Departments

Area of OriginCivilian Deaths

Civilian Percent Fires Percent Injuries Percent

Living room, family room, or den 540 24 11,300 4 990 11Bedroom 540 24 22,300 8 1,810 20Kitchen 310 14 85,600 32 2,870 32Unclassified function area 240 11 7,900 3 480 5Unclassified structural area 80 4 5,200 2 150 2Crawl space or substructure space 50 2 5,000 2 190 2Unclassified area of origin 40 2 6,500 2 70 1Laundry room or area 40 2 8,900 3 280 3Garage or vehicle storage area* 30 1 8,600 3 420 5Bathroom 30 1 5,500 2 200 2Exterior balcony or unenclosed porch 30 1 4,600 2 140 2Wall assembly or concealed space 30 1 6,400 2 110 1Attic or ceiling/roof assembly or concealed space 30 1 9,000 3 90 1Heating equipment room 20 1 6,000 2 140 2Unclassified outside area 10 0 6,600 2 50 1Exterior wall surface 10 0 8,500 3 90 1Confined chimney or flue fire† 0 0 22,500 8 30 0Other known area of origin 200 9 34,100 13 740 8Total 2,210 100 264,500 100 8,860 100Source: NFIRS 5.0 and NFPA surveyNote: Sums may not equal totals due to rounding errors.*Does not include fires with property use coded as residential garage†NFIRS 5.0 does not have a separate area of origin code for fires starting in chimneys. Any home fire with NFIRSincident type 114 (Chimney of fire originating in and confined to a chimney or flue) is captured here.

Residential Deaths by Heat Source

Table A.1.2(b) Fires and Associated Deaths and Injuries in Dwellings, Duplexes, and Manufactured Homesby Heat Source: Annual Average of 2005-2009 Structure Fires Reported to U.S. Fire Departments

Heat SourceCivilian Deaths

Civilian Percent Fires Percent Injuries Percent

Smoking materials 510 23 11,600 4 760 9Radiated or conducted heat from operating equipment 290 13 46,000 17 1,920 22Arcing 290 13 29,900 11 850 10Unclassified heat source 160 7 22,900 9 500 6Unclassified heat from powered equipment 160 7 39,900 15 1,290 15Spark, ember, or flame from operating equipment 140 6 16,900 6 620 7Lighter 130 6 7,300 3 590 7Candle 110 5 10,000 4 740 8Unclassified hot or smoldering object 100 4 18,600 7 450 5Hot ember or ash 100 4 21,200 8 340 4Match 80 4 9,000 3 240 3Heat from direct flame or convection current 10 1 5,900 2 90 1Lightning 10 0 4,100 2 30 0Other known heat source 130 6 21,200 8 440 5Total fires 2,210 100 264,500 100 8,860 100Source: NFIRS 5.0 and NFPA surveyNote: Sums may not equal totals due to rounding errors.

High Wall Wetting Capability

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Why Are Residential Sprinklers Different?

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UL 1626 –Pass/Fail Criteria

1. The maximum gas or air temperature adjacent to the sprinkler — 3 in. (76 mm) below the ceiling and 8 in. (203 mm) horizontally away from the sprinkler — must not exceed 600°F (316°C).

2. The maximum temperature — 5 ¼ ft (1.6 m) above the floor and half the room length away from each wall — must be less than 200°F (93°C) during the entire test. This temperature must not exceed 130°F (54°C) for more than a 2-minute period.

3. The maximum temperature ¼ in. (6.3 mm) behind the finished surface of the ceiling material directly above the test fire must not exceed 500°F (260°C).

4. Not more than two residential sprinklers in the test enclosure can operate.

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UL 1626 –Test Set Up

13D Application

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Podium/Pedestal Design Approach

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Manufactured Homes

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Townhouse Construction

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New / Old

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Smoke Alarms

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Water Usage

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Installation Costs

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Water Flow Switch

Local waterflow alarms shall be provided on all sprinkler systems in homes not equipped with smoke alarms or smoke detectors in accordance with NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code

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OR

Aesthetics

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Qualifications

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System Components

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Underground Piping

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Water Supply

• NFPA 13D

− 10 minutes

− Pumps NFPA 20

− Water tanks NFPA 22

• NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R

− 30 minutes

− Pumps = NFPA 20

− Water tanks = NFPA 22

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7 minutesone-story home< 2000 ft2 in area

Number of Sprinklers Calculated

• NFPA 13D

− Maximum 2 sprinklers operating (possibly 1)

• NFPA 13R

− Maximum 4 sprinklers operating (inside dwelling units)

• NFPA 13

− Total of 4 sprinklers operating (residential design approach)

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Pump and Tank

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Source –Wells

6.1.4 The stored water requirement of 6.1.2 or 6.1.3 shall be permitted to be a combination of the water in the well (including the refill rate) plus the water in the holding tank if such tank can supply the sprinkler system.

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Multipurpose Piping

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Freeze Protection

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Dry Sprinkler –Exposed Barrel Length

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Attics

Vestibules

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Balcony Closets and Mechanical Closets

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Documentation

• Address (if known)

• Size and type of domesticline and water meter size

• Current static water pressure

• Interior walls

• Model, manufacturer,temperature, orifice size,and spacing requirementsof sprinklers

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ITM Requirements

• NFPA 25 does not address 13D systems

• Limited to keep costs down

• Simplified systems yield simplified ITM requirements

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Resources

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• Document information pages

− nfpa.org/aboutthecodes

• Handbook

• Technical questions (member benefit)

− 800-344-3555

− nfpa.org/aboutthecodes