• Welcome to The Building Code Forum

    Your premier resource for building code knowledge.

    This forum remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our Sawhorse Members and Corporate Sponsors. Their contributions help keep this community thriving and accessible.

    Want enhanced access to expert discussions and exclusive features? Learn more about the benefits here.

    Ready to upgrade? Log in and upgrade now.

Search results

  1. IJHumberson

    Existing Building Fire Access

    Sorry for being "late to the party" on this one, but Chapter 18 of NFPA 1 with regard to FD access roads does not apply to existing buildings. Section 18.2.3.1.1 states "Approved fire apparatus access roads shall be provided for every facility, building, or portion of a building hereafter...
  2. IJHumberson

    Question on sidewall sprinkler obstruction rules

    Looking at the 2019 edition of NFPA 13, for residential sidewall sprinklers (Section 12.1.11) the proposed arrangement would not comply. Section 12.1.11.1.5.3 only allows the sprinkler to be mounted on the same wall that the cabinets are attached to when the sprinkler is at least 3 ft. above the...
  3. IJHumberson

    NFPA 13 7psi minimum

    The 7 psi minimum required in NFPA 13 is the minimum pressure required at the hydraulically remote sprinkler with the required design flowing. This minimum pressure was added into the NFPA 13 standard about 35 years ago, because the sprinkler manufacturer's kept designing sprinklers with lower...
  4. IJHumberson

    Debate with AHJ about omission of sprinklers

    The omission of sprinklers would have to meet the allowances set forth in NFPA 13R. Section 6.6.1 of NFPA 13R (2022 ed.) states that "Sprinklers shall be installed in all areas except where omission is permitted by 6.6.2 through 6.6.7. Then, Section 6.6.5 states "Except as provided for in...
  5. IJHumberson

    Occupancy for small conference/break rooms

    Chapter 3 deals with Occupancy Classification for which the major requirements (fire protection systems, height and area limitations) are determined, whereas occupant load requirements in Chapter 10 (Section 1004) are based on the "Function of Space". If the occupant load were to be based on the...
  6. IJHumberson

    railings onto 1'-2" high stage

    I see several issues with this layout as shown. First of all, it has generally been agreed that the occupant load of the Stage/Music room exceeds 50 persons, so the door at the bottom of the ramp as shown swings in the wrong direction. Even if the steps off the front of the stage were to be...
  7. IJHumberson

    Gypsum Board Area Separation walls as fire walls

    Although there is no code prohibition for use of gypsum wall assemblies such as UL U336, I've always tried to pursuade the design professionals to use CMU walls instead of the gypsum. I do this because, in my experience, the carpenters building wood frame construction are typically not very well...
  8. IJHumberson

    NFPA 13D tank protection in a garage

    If that's a supply for a 13D system, why two tanks?? A K=3.0 sprinkler only requires 8 gpm at 12'x12' spacing, so, for 2 sprinklers flowing at 10 minutes duration, that equates to 160 gallons - that looks like at least twice that much water.
  9. IJHumberson

    Sprinkler flow calculations (head flow + friction)

    Welcome, Coolcat! You are absolutely correct - in a "tree" system such as you've shown, there will only be one sprinkler flowing the minimum flow, and that will be the 'hydraulically remote' sprinkler. All the other sprinklers will be of a higher flow due to the pressure required to drive the...
  10. IJHumberson

    Question re: storage under stair landing on lowest level

    "The stair is not enclosed and the space underneath doesn't get in the way of egress." ... So, there are no walls around the stair? Is this a convenience stair, or perhaps a stair to a mezzanine? If so, what is the occupancy of the 'commercial space'? If the stair is not enclosed, storage may...
  11. IJHumberson

    NFPA 101 - Grab Bars

    Yep, NFPA 101 now requires grab bars in practically every occupancy type in bathrooms! State of Maryland Fire Prevention Code deleted that requirement - we don't agree that the Life Safety Code should start getting into ADA requirements.
  12. IJHumberson

    Fire Barrier Continuity

    Wouldn't Sect. 707.4 (2018 IBC) require the exterior wall to continue the rating up to the roof? It just seems like, otherwise, you'll have a non-rated wall immediately above and adjacent to a non-rated lower roof, thereby having no separation at all. To rate the wall only up to the lower roof...
  13. IJHumberson

    Fire Resistance V497

    Weird arrangement having exposed steel studs on one side, but UL assemblies will note "Exposure Side" and "Non-exposure Side" when the assembly is rated for exposure from one side, so this one appears to be rated from both sides.
  14. IJHumberson

    What is my professional responsibility???

    Nicole, with all due respect, as an architect, at a minimum it would be your professional obligation to advise the property owner and City officials of your findings. What they do with that information is up to them, but to ignore it and not say anything would not be in accordance with almost...
  15. IJHumberson

    Orange Foam in Commercial Buildings

    It IS! We took a chunk of it outside and did a 'field test' - it burned very well, and produced COPIOUS amounts of black smoke! :eek:
  16. IJHumberson

    Orange Foam in Commercial Buildings

    From the description of the wall (a fire rated wall separating a classroom from the corridor), by the IBC it would be considered a Fire Partition (Section 708), and Section 708.7 requires penetrations of Fire Partitions to comply with Section 714. Section 714.4.1.2 requires through penetrations...
  17. IJHumberson

    Wood framed rated stair shaft - Horizontal Assemblies / Supporting structure

    Steveray hit the nail on the head - the rated envelope of the stair enclosure has to be continuous. The situation described by the OP creates a non-allowed penetration of the exit enclosure. Many architects haven't yet figured this out - it's very difficult to maintain exit enclosure integrity...
  18. IJHumberson

    Is it a dead end corridor?

    cda, what they are referring to is the situation where you may have an 'offshoot' off a corridor to get to the mechanical room(s), elevator machine room(s), or other areas that are not not normally occupied. Even though those areas have no means of egress path of travel from an occupied space...
  19. IJHumberson

    Closers at Unit Entry Doors

    The intent of the self-closer is to ensure the door closes and latches when an occupant leaves in the event of a fire - I typically open the door to what normally would be sufficient for a person to move through the doorway and let it go shut to see if it latches. I normally don't open it all...
  20. IJHumberson

    Exit Quantities and Widths

    Per NFPA 101, no single exit can account for more than 50% of the required exit capacity. Without knowing the overall size of the space, with only 15' between 2 of the 3 doors, it may be best to provide at least 50% of the egress capacity out of the 3rd door. (Which should already be met if the...
  21. IJHumberson

    Splitting hairs on stairs

    I concur with Builder Bob - the area under the stairs gets tabulated with the lower floor and the mezzanine area stops at the top riser of the stair.
  22. IJHumberson

    Dryer Duct in Multi-Family Wood Apartment Project Questions

    With respect to Question #1, so long as your openings are less than 10% of the wall area (which they easily should be), it looks like you'd comply. With respect to Question #2, in the UL L528 Floor/Ceiling Assembly, the references are only to ceiling dampers (which is not what you'd have in a...
  23. IJHumberson

    PIV

    Actually, the requirement for electronic monitoring of sprinkler system control valves usually comes from the building code. (NFPA 13 allows locking them in the open position as a means of supervision). Section 903.4 of the IBC ('15 ed.) requires valves controlling the water supplies to...
  24. IJHumberson

    Dry Hydrant location

    I can see why they would want the dry hydrant to be within 10 feet of the emergency vehicle access lane, but I've never heard of requiring the hydrant to be at least 100 feet from the building - usually one would want it closer to the building so that the same engine pumping from the dry hydrant...
  25. IJHumberson

    Manual fire alarm 5' from door

    Amen to that! And the new(ish) NFPA format of having subsections instead of "Exceptions" causes LOTS of confusion.
Back
Top