Sprinkler Monitoring

Old exisitng building has sprinkelrs, but no sprinkler monitoring. They had a fire, and the sprinklers did their job.

Fire department came to inspect the dameg and told them they have 7 days to get their sprinklers monitored.

I'm pretty sure it is grandfathered as not requiring them to be monitored, but all that beig said, how do you get an electrical enginer to rubber stamp a set of plans and pull a permit and get it installed all in seven (7) days?

I don't believe there is any grandfathering when an AHJ wants something. A sprinkled building usually falls under central station service as required, but than again I just ran across one last week that had a system but not connected to any flows. The new owner had the local AHJ in for an inspection before he bought the building and got a clean bill of health, but it is not up to code on several issues. Go figure. In Florida, you do not need an engineer stamp on anything under $5,000. Have the sprinkler company add the flow and tamper. You are only adding a couple of modules or connecting a couple of wires, which ever the case, and programming them in. Shouldn't be over 5 grand if the same rules apply. I would have the fire department put the time frame in writing, do the work, and apply for the permit as, work in progress under instructions from the fire department. Let one city department work it out with the other city department if they have a problem with it.

Grandpa don't count if AHJ wants something done. I dont think you'll need an engineer for a waterflow..I never did even in Snotsdale...just submit on your own.

I just dealt with an inspector yesterday and he wanted both, although he admited the chain and lock were not required if tamper was monitored.

Chain and lock are first line of defense (protection) and the tamper is backup (detection).

If your state has adopted ICC like Pa. then an engineer archetectct or similar state registered profesional must sign off on plan. and AHJ has final authority under ICC existing buildings code on the monitoring , which is not grandfathered which includes the shut off valve being monitored too. were a chain and lock was Ok before.

Once your municipality adopts the I-codes (IBC, IFC, IMC, et al), the act of grandfathering stops. IFC 907.3 is where you will find fire protection requirements for existing buildings.

The IBC requires all sprinkler water flow and valve position switches (that may be tamper resistant) to be monitored. The only exceptions being R-3 and limited sprinkler systems (fewer than 20 heads).

Several Arizona cities accept drawings submitted by a NICET III certified technician.

Good luck!

Mike

-- Michael B. Baker, SET Michael Baker & Associates, Inc. PO Box 737 Gladstone, OR 97027-0737

Bob La L> Old exisitng building has sprinkelrs, but no sprinkler monitoring. They had