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612.0 Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems
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Where residential sprinkler systems are required in one and two-family dwellings or townhouses, the systems shall be installed by personnel, installer, or both, certified in accordance with ASSE Series 7000 in accordance with this section or NFPA 13D. This section shall be considered equivalent to NFPA 13D. Partial residential sprinkler systems shall be permitted to be installed in buildings not required to be equipped with a residential sprinkler system.
This section shall apply to stand-alone and multipurpose wet-pipe sprinkler systems that do not include the use of antifreeze. A multipurpose fire sprinkler system shall provide potable water to both fire sprinklers and plumbing fixtures. A stand-alone sprinkler system shall be separate and independent from the potable water distribution system. A backflow preventer shall not be required to separate a standalone sprinkler system from the water distribution system where the sprinkler system material is in accordance with the requirements of Section 604.0.
Sprinklers shall be installed in accordance with Section 612.3.1 through Section 612.3.7.
Sprinklers shall be installed to protect all floor areas of a dwelling unit in one and two-family dwellings or townhouses.
Exceptions:
- Attics, crawl spaces, and normally unoccupied concealed spaces that do not contain fuel-fired appliances do not require sprinklers. In attics, crawl spaces, and normally unoccupied concealed spaces that contain fuel-fired equipment, a sprinkler shall be provided to protect the equipment; however, sprinklers shall not be required in the remainder of the space.
- Clothes closets, linen closets, and pantries that do not exceed 24 square feet (2.2 m2) in area, with the smallest dimension not exceeding 3 feet (914 mm) and having wall and ceiling surfaces of gypsum board.
- Bathrooms and toilet rooms that do not exceed 55 square feet (5.1 m2) in area.
- Garages; carports; exterior porches; unheated entry areas, such as mud rooms, that are adjacent to an exterior door; and similar areas.
- Covered unheated projections of the building at entrances/exits provided it is not the only means of egress from the dwelling unit.
- Ceiling pockets that meet the following requirements:
- The total volume of an unprotected ceiling pocket does not exceed 100 cubic feet (2.83 m3).
- The entire floor under the unprotected ceiling pocket is protected by the sprinklers at the lower ceiling elevation.
- Each unprotected ceiling pocket is separated from an adjacent unprotected ceiling pocket by not less than a 10 feet (3048 mm) horizontal distance.
- The interior finish of the unprotected ceiling pocket is noncombustible material.
- Skylights not exceeding 32 square feet (2.97 m2).
Sprinklers shall be listed residential sprinklers and shall be installed in accordance with the sprinkler manufacturer's installation instructions.
Sprinklers shall have a temperature rating of not less than 135°F (57°C) and not more than 170°F (77°C). Sprinklers shall be separated from heat sources in accordance with the sprinkler manufacturer's installation instructions.
Exception: Sprinklers located close to a heat source in accordance with Section 612.3.3.1 shall be intermediate temperature sprinklers.
Sprinklers shall have an intermediate temperature rating of not less than 175°F (79°C) and not more than 225°F (107°C) where installed in the following locations:
- Directly under skylights, where the sprinkler is exposed to direct sunlight.
- In attics and concealed spaces located directly beneath a roof.
- Within the distance to a heat source in accordance with Table 612.3.3.1.
| HEAT SOURCE | DISTANCE FROM HEAT SOURCE1 | |
|---|---|---|
| MINIMUM DISTANCE2 (inches) |
MAXIMUM DISTANCE (inches) |
|
| Fireplace, Side of Open or Recessed Fireplace | 12 | 36 |
| Fireplace, Front of Recessed Fireplace | 36 | 60 |
| Coal and Wood Burning Stove | 12 | 42 |
| Kitchen Range Top | 9 | 18 |
| Oven | 9 | 18 |
| Vent Connector or Chimney Connector | 9 | 18 |
| Heating Duct, Not Insulated | 9 | 18 |
| Hot Water Pipe, Not Insulated | 6 | 12 |
| Side of Ceiling or Wall Warm Air Register | 12 | 24 |
| Front of Wall Mounted Warm Air Register | 18 | 36 |
| Water Heater, Furnace, or Boiler | 3 | 6 |
| Luminaire up to 250 Watts | 3 | 6 |
| Luminaire 250 Watts up to 499 Watts | 6 | 12 |
For SI units: 1 inch = 25.4 mm
Notes:
1 Distances shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest edge of the heat source to the nearest edge of the sprinkler.
2 Sprinklers shall not be located at distances less than the minimum table distance unless the sprinkler listing allows a lesser distance.
The piping system shall be protected in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 3. Where sprinklers are required in areas that are subject to freezing, dry-sidewall or dry-pendent sprinklers extending from a non-freezing area into a freezing area shall be installed.
The area of coverage of a single sprinkler shall be based on the sprinkler listing and the sprinkler manufacturer's installation instructions. The area of coverage of a single sprinkler shall not exceed 400 square feet (37.16 m2).
The water discharge from a sprinkler shall not be blocked by obstructions unless additional sprinklers are installed to protect the obstructed area. Additional sprinklers shall not be required where sprinkler separation from obstructions is in accordance with the requirements of Table 612.3.6, or the minimum distances specified in the sprinkler manufacturer's installation instructions.
TABLE 612.3.6
MINIMUM SEPARATION FROM OBSTRUCTION
| PENDENT SPRINKLERS | |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE FROM DEFLECTOR TO PLANE AT BOTTOM OF OBSTRUCTION (A) (inches) | MINIMUM DISTANCE TO OBSTRUCTION (B) (feet) |
| 1 | 11/2 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 7 | 41/2 |
| 9 | 6 |
| 11 | 61/2 |
| 14 | 7 |
| SIDEWALL SPRINKLER SIDE OBSTRUCTION | |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE FROM DEFLECTOR TO PLANE AT BOTTOM OF OBSTRUCTION (A) (inches) | MINIMUM DISTANCE TO OBSTRUCTION (B) (feet) |
| 1 | 11/2 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 7 | 41/2 |
| 9 | 6 |
| 11 | 61/2 |
| 14 | 7 |
| SIDEWALL SPRINKLER FORWARD OBSTRUCTION | |
|---|---|
| DISTANCE FROM DEFLECTOR TO PLANE AT BOTTOM OF OBSTRUCTION (A) (inches) | MINIMUM DISTANCE TO OBSTRUCTION (B) (feet) |
| 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 10 |
| 3 | 11 |
| 4 | 12 |
| 6 | 13 |
| 7 | 14 |
| 9 | 15 |
| 11 | 16 |
| 14 | 17 |
For SI units: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm
Pendent sprinklers located within 3 feet (914 mm) of the center of a ceiling fan, surface-mounted ceiling luminaire, or similar object shall be considered to be obstructed, and additional sprinklers shall be provided.
Sidewall sprinklers located within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the center of a ceiling fan, surface-mounted ceiling luminaire, or similar object shall be considered to be obstructed, and additional sprinklers shall be provided.
Sprinklers shall not be painted, caulked, or modified. A sprinkler that has been painted, caulked, modified, or damaged shall be replaced with a new sprinkler.
Sprinkler piping systems shall be installed in accordance with Section 612.4.1 through Section 612.4.5.
Sprinkler piping shall be installed in accordance with the requirements for water distribution piping. Sprinkler piping shall comply with the material requirements for cold water distribution piping. For multipurpose piping systems, the sprinkler piping shall connect to and be a part of the cold water distribution piping system.
Nonmetallic pipe and tubing, such as CPVC, PEX-AL-PEX, PE-RT, and PEX, shall be certified for residential sprinkler installations and shall have a pressure rating of not less than 130 psi (896 kPa) at 120°F (49°C).
Nonmetallic pipe and tubing systems shall be protected from exposure to the occupied space by a layer of not less than 3/8 of an inch (9.5 mm) thick gypsum wallboard, 1/2 of an inch (12.7 mm) thick plywood, or other material having a 15-minute fire rating.
Exceptions:
- Pipe protection shall not be required in areas that are not required to be protected with sprinklers in accordance with Section 612.3.1.
- Pipe protection shall not be required where exposed piping is permitted by the pipe third party listing.
The solvent cementing of fittings shall be completed, and threaded adapters for sprinklers shall be verified as being clear of excess cement before the installation of sprinklers on systems assembled with solvent cement.
Shutoff valves shall not be installed in a location where the valve would isolate piping serving one or more sprinklers. Shutoff valves shall only be permitted for the entire water distribution system.
The sprinkler piping beyond the service valve located at the beginning of the water distribution system shall serve only one dwelling unit.
A 1/2 inch (15 mm) drain for the sprinkler system shall be provided on the system side of the water distribution shutoff valve.
Sprinkler piping systems shall be sized in accordance with Section 612.5.1 through Section 612.5.3.2.2.
The sizing of the sprinkler piping system shall be based on the flow rate and pressure of each sprinkler in accordance with Section 612.5.1.1 and the number of sprinklers in accordance with Section 612.5.1.2.
The minimum flow rate and pressure for each residential sprinkler shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's published data for the specific sprinkler model based on the following:
- The area of coverage.
- The ceiling configuration.
- The temperature rating.
- Additional conditions specified by the sprinkler manufacturer.
The flow rate used for sizing the sprinkler piping system shall be based on the following:
- The flow rate for a room having only one sprinkler shall be the flow rate required for the sprinkler in accordance with Section 612.5.1.1.
- The flow rate for a room having two or more sprinklers shall be determined by identifying the sprinkler in the room with the highest required flow rate in accordance with Section 612.5.1.1 and multiplying that flow rate by 2.
- Where the sprinkler manufacturer specifies different criteria for ceiling configurations that are not smooth, flat, and horizontal the required flow rate for that room shall be in accordance with the sprinkler manufacturer's instructions.
- The flow rate used for sizing the sprinkler system shall be the flow required by the room with the largest flow rate in accordance with Section 612.5.1.2(1), Section 612.5.1.2(2), and Section 612.5.1.2(3).
- For the purpose of this section, it shall be permissible to reduce the flow rate for a room by subdividing the space into two or more rooms, where each room is evaluated separately on the required design flow rate. Each room shall be bounded by walls and a ceiling. Openings in walls shall have a lintel not less than 8 inches (203 mm) in depth, and each lintel shall form a solid barrier between the ceiling and the top of the opening.
The water supply for a multipurpose or stand-alone sprinkler system shall be provided by the public water main, private water main, private well system, or storage tank. The water supply required shall be determined in accordance with Section 612.5.1.2 at a pressure not less than that used in accordance with Section 612.5.3.
The water supply shall have the capacity to provide the required flow rate to the sprinklers for a period of time as follows:
- Seven minutes for one story dwelling units less than 2000 square feet (185.8 m2) in area.
- Ten minutes for multi-level dwelling units and one story dwelling units not less than 2000 square feet (185.8 m2) in the area.
Where a well system, a water supply tank system, or a combination thereof is used a combination of well capacity and tank storage shall be permitted to meet the capacity requirement.
The sprinkler piping shall be sized for the flow rate in accordance with Section 612.5.1. The flow rate required to supply the plumbing fixtures shall not be required to be added to the sprinkler design flow for multipurpose or stand alone piping systems. The sizing of the water supply to the plumbing fixtures shall be determined in accordance with this chapter. For multipurpose piping systems, the largest pipe size required based on either the sprinkler piping calculations or the water distribution piping calculations shall be installed.
The sprinkler pipe shall be sized using the prescriptive method in Section 612.5.3.2 or by hydraulic calculation in accordance with NFPA 13D. The sprinkler pipe size from the water supply source to a sprinkler shall be not less than 3/4 of an inch (20 mm) in diameter. Threaded adapter fittings at the point where sprinklers are attached to the piping shall be not less than 1/2 of an inch (15 mm) in diameter.
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