Sprinkler Requiirements

[ndtolearn]

Hi All,

I'm looking for input on an apartment building with attached garages and sprinkler requirements. The building is arranged like row homes except there are 4-units below and 4-units above with garages attached to the front side of the building. Each apartment would have its own 2 stall garage. We have determined the units do not meet the definition of a townhome and therefore the building will need to built under the IBC (2009) and sprinkled. Section 903.2.8 requires a sprinkler system to be installed throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area. Do they typically sprinkle the garages or can they separate them by fire barriers thus creating a separate fire area? Or would they need to be a separate building separated by fire walls? How do most people handle this? We are in a cold climate so sprinkling garages would not be easy. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[RLGA]

I think the phrase "shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area" explains it. Whether a building has separated occupancies or not, if there's a Group R in the building, then a sprinkler system is required.

Therefore, to consider the garages in a building that does not have a Group R, then a fire wall would be required.

 

[FM William Burns]

I would concur or detach the garage.

Edit: Adding a dry system for the garage is not a big deal from a separate riser served by the existing water supply (if sufficient) provided the space in the riser/mechanical room will allow it. Seek consultation from your fire protection designer.

 

[fatboy]

I concur with my esteemed colleagues above.

 

[FyrBldgGuy]

I concur. The garage area can be covered using a Dry Type Sprinkler.

Even if they separate the garage from the R, I still think you will have to install a sprinkler system.

Also, how many openings can you have in a firewall separating two buildings?

 

[brudgers]

Fire walls can be used to create separate buildings.

So firewalls can be used to place the garages in unsprinklered buildings without a Group R fire area (but they won't).

There is no definition of "townhome" in the IBC or IRC.

 

[RLGA]

You can have openings so long as the aggregate length of openings does not exceed 25% of the length of the fire wall and each opening cannot exceed 156 sq. ft.

 

[ndtolearn]

Thanks all. O-k we've determined the garages will either need to be sprinkled or separated by 2-hour fire walls with protected openings. Assuming they will choose to sprinkle the garages, do the garages only need to be separated from the apartments by 1/2-inch drywall? Section 406.1.4 says "The private garage shall be separated from the dwelling unit and its attic area by means of a minimum 1/2-inch gypsum board...". If a garage also abuts another dwelling do you still only require the 1/2-inch gypsum or is Section 406.1.4 only applicable when separating a private garage from the same renters apartment? Maybe I'm just creating confusion now but do appreciate any advice. Thank you.

 

[brudgers]

I would want to see the design professional's code analysis before I made a determination.

 

[Architect1281]

IMHO Throughout any building containing a Group R FIRE AREA to me means that even if the garage is seperated by a 10 hour concrete bunker

it's throughout the structure. fire rating does not matter?

As Designer or inspector

 

[RLGA]

Architect1281: Remember what the IBC says about fire walls: "Each portion of a building separated by one or more fire walls that comply with the provisions of this section shall be considered a separate building." Thus, with a fire wall, one building has a Group R fire area and the other one doesn't.

 

[brudgers]

IMHO Throughout any building containing a Group R FIRE AREA to me means that even if the garage is seperated by a 10 hour concrete bunker it's throughout the structure. fire rating does not matter?

As Designer or inspector

A structure is not always the same as a building in the IBC.