How Do Building Renovations and Expansions Affect Fire Protection Systems?
Building renovations and expansions can change the dynamics of a facility. Some of the building’s original spaces designated for a different use may cause fire and life safety systems to fail code compliance regulations. As a building undergoes changes so must the fire and life safety systems that protect the facility and its occupants.
Fire Alarm and Sprinkler Systems
When an existing area’s space changes often times the original placement of fire alarm and fire sprinkler system’s devices fail to meet code requirements. Sprinkler heads obstructed by a wall or furnishing are some of the most common issues. This impacts a sprinkler’s spray pattern. Unfortunately, the obstruction doesn’t allow the sprinkler to spray the designated area with water during a fire. This may give the fire a chance to intensify and spread. Similarly, smoke detector’s airflow may become blocked in the same type of manner, delaying their ability to detect smoke. Even fire alarm pull station’s locations may change causing them to no longer exist near exit doorways or on an evacuation route. During an emergency, people will struggle to find a pull station because no one reevaluated its’ placement.
Fire Pumps
Another aspect of an expansion to recognize is whether the fire pump can continue to provide adequate protection for the facility. Fire pumps are selected based on their ability to provide enough water to the fire sprinkler system throughout the facility. When there is an addition to the sprinkler system one has to know that the fire pump can still meet the facility’s water pressure demands during an emergency. Otherwise, why bother to have a fire sprinkler system if no one does anything to ensure it operates as designed?
Fire and Smoke Barriers
Both renovations and expansions can alter fire and smoke rated walls, floors, and barrier’s effectiveness. This construction requires pipe and wiring run through these fire and smoke barriers. Contractors must take additional steps to complete this properly. They fill these areas with a special material that maintains the barrier’s rating. Without this, the fire and smoke barriers won’t be able to withstand the fire and smoke for their designed length of time.
It’s clear that renovations and expansions can impact just about every fire and life safety system in a facility. A facility may be code compliant prior to construction. But that doesn’t guarantee the facility will meet requirements after the project is complete. Be sure to carefully consider how fire protection systems are affected during the planning stage. Then reevaluate each system after construction is complete to ensure your facility is code compliant.
Categorized in: Education, Fire Alarms, Fire Damper, Fire Pumps, Fire Sprinklers, Fire Suppression, General