Garage Sprinkler Systems?

[speedminded]

I recently started working in mechanical design with a fire sprinkler company and just curious if many on here have installed sprinkler systems in their shops/garages? (yeah, i did a search!) Before going mechanical I did architectural design for 3 years and civil engineering for 4 so i'm always coming up with garage/shop plans & ideas but this new job has opened up a whole new area I knew little about before. I'd like to see what people done and if anyone needs help or suggestions might be able to work something out

 

[OldCarGuy]

Over the years I have considered a fire sprinkler system. Though the cost wouldn’t be out of hand if I installed it myself, however I was told that you need to be a state licensed fire sprinkler system contractor. Consequently I have never given it any thought since.

 

[DIGGER_DAVE]

Speed, although the idea of a sprinkler system in my shop might add that extra piece of protection; it scares me to think of the damage it might cause if the whole system went off at one time.

My shop is too small to divide into zones; so an accidental discharge - or an intentional one - would cause MORE damage - especially exposed engine and electrical parts - than a small fire.

It's a hard call; stop a small fire in it's tracks - but soak everything in the proccess; or just have lots of fire extinguishers, and keep my insurance up to date.

My insurance company actually indicated that they would classify my shop as FLOOD prone if I DID install a sprinkler system.

 

[speedminded]

Over the years I have considered a fire sprinkler system. Though the cost wouldn’t be out of hand if I installed it myself, however I was told that you need to be a state licensed fire sprinkler system contractor. Consequently I have never given it any thought since.

That's true and not sure what it would cost to install a small non-commercial system.

Speed, although the idea of a sprinkler system in my shop might add that extra piece of protection; it scares me to think of the damage it might cause if the whole system went off at one time.

My shop is too small to divide into zones; so an accidental discharge - or an intentional one - would cause MORE damage - especially exposed engine and electrical parts - than a small fire.

It's a hard call; stop a small fire in it's tracks - but soak everything in the proccess; or just have lots of fire extinguishers, and keep my insurance up to date.

My insurance company actually indicated that they would classify my shop as FLOOD prone if I DID install a sprinkler system.

Good points but I wouldn't really be concerned with a fire while in the shop, like you said a fire extinguisher should be able to put one out instantly...the main issue is while being away. There is no way a "whole" system will go off either, only the heads in the area of the heat and normally one will be more than enough to extinguish a fire before the heat makes it to another head. Nearly an infinite number of head sizes and heat variables are available.

My neighbors house just burned up yesterday and being in this field it really got me thinking about protecting my detached shop/garage. I understand the concern of water vs. electronics, parts, tools, etc. but I try to organize everything and put things away when at all possible.

 

[DIGGER_DAVE]

There is no way a "whole" system will go off either, only the heads in the area of the heat and normally one will be more than enough to extinguish a fire before the heat makes it to another head. Nearly an infinite number of head sizes and heat variables are available.

My neighbors house just burned up yesterday and being in this field it really got me thinking about protecting my detached shop/garage.

I understand the concern of water vs. electronics, parts, tools, etc. but I try to organize everything and put things away when at all possible.

I understand how sprinkler systems can be designed to "pin point" a possible fire; (I worked for an engineering design and construction company for a couple of years) but after having an overhead water line freeze and spring a leak last year, (very small) and soaked a lot of my electronic and automotive parts - carefully stored away in metal drawers - I tend to be a bit shakey on the idea of a sprinkler system.
And I should add; the water line that DID pass through my shop, DOESN'T anymore!!

I'm NOT saying that a sprinkler system isn't any good; just that for me, I'll stick to SAFE practices around my shop. With a shop that's ONLY 24 feet by 17 feet, there aren't too many sprinkler systems that would work in my case.
I can see your your point of, "when your away"; but I seldom am.

Plus, because of frequent power outages around here, even a dry charged sprinkler system would make me nervous about possibly freezing if my furnace was out of commission for any length of time.
(we can get -40 deg. temps in the winter)

And THEN there is the COST! Outside my budget!

 

[Tyson]

What I am personally worried about isn't a fire when I'm in there.

It's the thought of parking my car in the garage and having it light up while I'm inside the house.....by the time I realized it, there's no way in hell I'd be able to put it out.

I've been thinking about a sprinkler system for a while as well.

 

[thefairlaneman]

If your shop is made with the house I would want some kind of sprinkler or dry chem system at least enough to keep the house from burning down if I used the shop for storing gasoline, or doing projects that produced sparks, etc. A dettached garage would be much better

 

[Ironcrow]

I've had two experiences with sprinkler systems. In both cases a leak caused damage in the absence of any fire. In any case, I'm a DIYer. If I can't install it myself, it isn't happening. Period.

 

[Gummi Bear]

Not all sprinkler systems have water in the pipes at all times. You could look into a dry pipe system. These are used a lot in office and retail.

Sprinklers are worthwhile, and do their job.

I'd rather deal with some water damage than have my shop or house burn down. My next house will have one.

Talk to your local sprinkler man, and see what all of your options are before ruling anything out.

 

[speedminded]

Not all sprinkler systems have water in the pipes at all times. You could look into a dry pipe system. These are used a lot in office and retail.

Normally all indoor systems are wet while any outdoors, under canopies, etc. in climates that have freezing conditions are dry. A wet system with anti-freeze in it once was the normal setup but that's rarely if ever done anymore. The dry system consists of a small compressor that charges all the pipes with air and there is a valve that will open automatically if the pressure reaches below a certain level (10-12psi). The water then rushes into the system forcing the air out resulting in water coming out the effected head within 60 seconds on a large system, say a garden center in your local big name home improvement store.

 

[Gummi Bear]

Normally all indoor systems are wet while any outdoors, under canopies, etc. in climates that have freezing conditions are dry. A wet system with anti-freeze in it once was the normal setup but that's rarely if ever done anymore. The dry system consists of a small compressor that charges all the pipes with air and there is a valve that will open automatically if the pressure reaches below a certain level (10-12psi). The water then rushes into the system forcing the air out resulting in water coming out the effected head within 60 seconds on a large system, say a garden center in your local big name home improvement store.

I hear ya, it's just that the dry pipe systems have gotten popular in this area. I'm seeing them spec'd more and more, especially in retail and office buildings. Industrial applications, healthcare and others are still staying with a traditional wet system (with exception of special procedure rooms), data facilities and the like are all migrating away from the older technologies and heading toward the FM200, in all the applications where they used to use Halon.

What are they doing in your market?

 

[Ken P]

My current house was built in 1991 and is a ranch style with a two car drive under garage. The builder installed two sprinkler heads in what would be the normal parking areas. They run directly off the water main after the turn off valve. When I asked the agent about it she said it was mandatory for all new homes in Georgia with parking directly under living areas.

 

[Willy Victor]

Ever walk through an airport garage in winter, look up, all those are dry until the fire starts. Around here (Chicago area) all new homes must have a sprinkler head next to the furnace.

Willy

 

[chaingang]

My current house was built in 1991 and is a ranch style with a two car drive under garage. The builder installed two sprinkler heads in what would be the normal parking areas. They run directly off the water main after the turn off valve. When I asked the agent about it she said it was mandatory for all new homes in Georgia with parking directly under living areas.

It is not mandatory in Georgia in new construction with basement garages. I built my home myself in 2002 and the three car garage in the basement is under two bedrooms. The only code I had was it had to be fully sheetrocked. I had a very thorough county inspector and he would have caught that if it would have been the case. I do however have a smoke detector and heat detector that is wired into the system so that should a fire occur in the garage, then all the detectors sound, which should give us time to exit the house.
I happen to have very close first hand knowledge of how effective sprinklers can be. We had a twin engine airplane crash into our facility, in Griffin, upon takeoff. Ga members may remember it from the news. It made a vertical dive into the roof and penetrated one of our blast bays also, most of the wreckage remained on the roof but alot of fuel and fire came inside. The sprinklers did their job except where the plane severed one main feeder line.
I did consider sprinklers because at the time I had a crew fixing sprinkler lines due to the crash at work. After talking to the contractor I was under the impression that since I was on a well I could do my own lines at home but it should probably be designed by a professional to be most effective.
I am building a detached garage currently and will definately consider sprinklers when the time comes the extra protection is worth the water risk.

 

[Ironcrow]

When I spoke to a springler installer about the pathetically small diameter lines in the residential system (in comparison to commercial systems I've seen), he said the residential systems are designed to a different code/specification. His explanation was that the residential system was only intended to knock the fire down for a few minutes to give the occupants a better chance to escape. The commercial systems are intended to save the structure. If that's true I'll just go with the idea that I'll be motivated to get out fast enough. Nobody very young or very old at my house. Hopefully, if disaster strikes, we'll get out.

 

[ultgar]

When I spoke to a springler installer about the pathetically small diameter lines in the residential system (in comparison to commercial systems I've seen), he said the residential systems are designed to a different code/specification. His explanation was that the residential system was only intended to knock the fire down for a few minutes to give the occupants a better chance to escape. The commercial systems are intended to save the structure. If that's true I'll just go with the idea that I'll be motivated to get out fast enough. Nobody very young or very old at my house. Hopefully, if disaster strikes, we'll get out.

Sprinkler system is not too expensive for larger garages compared to some of the clean agent alternatives.

....but you will have to upgrade the water supply

 

[Ken P]

I was only going by what the neighborhood sales agent / relator told me. After I had moved in and started adding flourescent lights did I really notice that the feeder lines to the sprinklers are the grey plastic kind. Seems to me they should have been copper for safety and strength?

 

[DynoDave]

Several years ago, one of the "car" catalogs (Eastwood, Griots, California Car Cover, ???) used to sell ceiling mounted dry extinguishers. Seems to me they were Halon. But I haven't seen them advertised recently...they were something like these, thought lower profile, and larger in diameter.

http://www.terraponicseurope.com/fire.htm

http://ncfhk.trustpass.alibaba.com/product/10903121/Auto_Dry_Powder_Fire_Extinguisher.html

 

[DIGGER_DAVE]

Sprinkler system is not too expensive for larger garages compared to some of the clean agent alternatives.

....but you will have to upgrade the water supply

Well ... that much additional "hardware" is worth MORE than my garage!
Then add the fact that the city supply (water) for our whole BLOCK doesn't even come close to that size!!

Nice stuff; but WAY out of my budget!!

 

[Randall Edge]

Well ... that much additional "hardware" is worth MORE than my garage!
Then add the fact that the city supply (water) for our whole BLOCK doesn't even come close to that size!!

Nice stuff; but WAY out of my budget!!

LOL, that's enough water for a serious sprinkler. Most residential sprinklers use the domestic water supply. So 3/4" or 1" plumbing is all that's needed.

 

[chaingang]

LOL, that's enough water for a serious sprinkler. Most residential sprinklers use the domestic water supply. So 3/4" or 1" plumbing is all that's needed.

Most of what you see in the picture is prevention equipment. You are now required by law to have double back flow check valves on any water line that enters a property. These are to prevent any contamination from entering a public water system. Not very likely from residential but from businesses that use water in a process any chemicals could end up being syphoned back. Since alot of sprinkler systems are on unmetered lines due to extra size requirements the secondary smaller pipe is a detector check. The county/city will use this to determine if water is being used from a fire line, since this is fairly simple to do if you bypass the flow alarm switches. We are required to have this detector check certified once a year.

 

[Randall Edge]

Most of what you see in the picture is prevention equipment. You are now required by law to have double back flow check valves on any water line that enters a property. These are to prevent any contamination from entering a public water system. Not very likely from residential but from businesses that use water in a process any chemicals could end up being syphoned back. Since alot of sprinkler systems are on unmetered lines due to extra size requirements the secondary smaller pipe is a detector check. The county/city will use this to determine if water is being used from a fire line, since this is fairly simple to do if you bypass the flow alarm switches. We are required to have this detector check certified once a year.

That is still some big plumbing. Waaayyyy overkill for an average house. Most home fire sprinklers are connected to the domestic water supply which is usually pretty small. The basic components are the same, just smaller and less expensive. I was surprized to find out that it only adds about 1% to the cost of new construction to install a sprinkler system.

 

[Akuhead]

I recently completed a new detached shop on my property: 24 X 32. Because we are located in a heavily forested area in the foothills in Norcal, I installed an automatic indoor sprinkler system and an outdoor roof sprinkler system that is manually controlled. The cost wasn't much more than $ 150.00 for both systems and I think gives me great peace of mind. The incoming water feed line is 3/4" copper as are all the lines in the building.

 

[Willy Victor]

Several years ago, one of the "car" catalogs (Eastwood, Griots, California Car Cover, ???) used to sell ceiling mounted dry extinguishers. Seems to me they were Halon. But I haven't seen them advertised recently...they were something like these, thought lower profile, and larger in diameter.

http://www.terraponicseurope.com/fire.htm

http://ncfhk.trustpass.alibaba.com/product/10903121/Auto_Dry_Powder_Fire_Extinguisher.html

Dave the problem with Halon is it takes all the oxygen away, not a good thing in residential building.

Willy