Other companies that conduct a majority of their work in commercial spaces rarely see water meters as a component in their calculations. These design firms and contractors generally have a good grasp of requirements and potential additional components, such as setters and yokes, which can cripple a fire protection system. Depending on the components used and the manufacturer, a 3/4-inch meter setter can lose as much as 25 psi of pressure at standard residential sprinkler system flow demands.Ĭompanies that deal exclusively or conduct a majority of their work in dwelling and townhome installations understand the common components of these systems water meters are part of every design. The purpose of meter setters or yokes in a meter assembly is to elevate the meter to a height that makes it more convenient for reading and servicing.
#Fire sprinkler system design cost how to#
Understanding how to talk to water purveyors about meters and other flow-restricting devices, such as meter setters and meter yokes, is critical to an accurate design. Its report titled, “Residential Fire Sprinklers - Water Usage and Water Meter Performance Study,” published in February 2011, concluded it is perfectly acceptable to exceed the maximum flow rate during the control of a fire event, as long as the appropriate amount of pressure loss is factored into the hydraulic calculations. The Fire Protection Research Foundation of the NFPA has researched meters’ capabilities of flowing well beyond their published maximum rate of flow. In this instance, designers would need to keep sprinkler spacing to a maximum of 12 feet by12 feet apart.Īlso, using the standard system demand of 26 gpm could cause issues where the 5 gpm addition puts the total demand at 31 gpm, exceeding most 3/4-inch meter maximum flow rates. This additional 5 gpm puts the total system demand through the meter at a bare minimum of 21 gpm, exceeding the 5/8-inch meter’s maximum allowed rate. Shared supplies require the additional gpm at the point between the water source and where they split the state of California requires the entire supply. These situations require an additional 5 gpm applied to the underground supply. However, in some cases, such as two or more dwelling units sharing a supply line and a meter - or throughout the state of California - a problem arises. In many parts of the country, this is a great solution as long as the increase in the number of sprinklers is not excessive. One solution would be to use low-flow sprinkler heads to lower the system demand at or below 20 gpm. To find the perfect balance of cost and effectiveness, let’s play out a scenario.Ī typical fire sprinkler design requires 26 gpm, which is fine for 3/4-inch and 1-inch meters, but exceeds the maximum flow for 5/8-inch meters.
![fire sprinkler system design cost fire sprinkler system design cost](https://brigadefire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/brigade-fire-design.jpg)
These can reduce necessary required flow to as little as 16 gpm, but can often require more sprinklers, adding to the cost of the system.
![fire sprinkler system design cost fire sprinkler system design cost](http://millbrookfireprotection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/FireSprinklerInspection.jpg)
There are also low-flow sprinklers with smaller k-factors to protect 12-foot by 12-foot or 14-foot by 14-foot areas with flows as little as 8 gpm and 10 gpm, respectively. Of course, this can vary depending on system requirements and the designer, and increasing sprinkler spacing or using sidewall sprinklers can increase the flow demand significantly beyond 26 gpm. Hence, the most common demand for two sprinklers flowing is 26 gpm. The minimum pressure and flow for these sprinklers is 7 psi at 13 gpm for spacing up to 16 feet by 16 feet. The most commonly used residential sprinklers are 4.9 k-factor pendant sprinklers. The National Fire Protection Association 13D Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes requires system sizing to provide flow for up to the two most hydraulically demanding sprinklers located in the same compartment.
#Fire sprinkler system design cost professional#
Christoph Lohr: Professional Development Pipeline.John Siegenthaler: Renewable Heating Design.
![fire sprinkler system design cost fire sprinkler system design cost](https://www.facilitiesnet.com/resources/editorial/2018/17760-Fire-Extinguish.jpg)
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