What? Another Automatic Sprinkler Trade-Up!
There are many design advantages to installing automatic fire sprinkler in a building, but did you know that the International Building Code (IBC) allows class I standpipes as an alternative to class III standpipes in buildings protected by automatic fire sprinklers?
Read MoreConflagration -Say It Three Times Fast
Conflagration is defined as, a large disastrous and destructive fire that threatens human life, animal life, health, and/or property. We have started to hear words like this, along with new ones like Megafire, a large fire devastating areas of 100,000 or more acres. Only three percent of fires reach the Megafire level, but they are responsible for fifty percent of the total burned areas on the planet. Today, we also talk in terms of Giga fires, these fires are typically classified as fires greater than one million acres. While the terms are often being used to describe wildland fires, this cannot distract from the destructive nature of these large-scale fires.
Read MoreWhere is the Connection? Horizontal Exit Hose Connection = Outlet locations
It is easy to confuse Horizontal Exits and Horizontal Standpipes, while they often exist in the same space, they are two different animals. Horizontal exits provide a similar level of protection as an exit stairway. They are used to decrease the amount of egress stairways required in a building or joining two separate buildings by using fire barriers to provide areas of refuge or safety for exiting occupants from fire and smoke.
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Up On The Roof
We often encounter areas within the codes and standards that need interpretation. The standpipe roof hose connection is an example of an often debated and misunderstood section found in earlier editions of NFPA 14.
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