# Sprinklers in townhouses.



## rktect 1 (Nov 13, 2009)

So, the village I work in had adopted the 2006 IBC and IRC.  In our ordinance they amended the 2006 IBC, section 903.2 to include sprinklers in every building except bascially single family homes and detached garages/accessory structures.  Something wasn't sitting right with me about this though.  A while back I had a townhouse come in and we told them they needed to put in sprinklers based on what we amended.  That went fine.  They are putting in the sprinklers. I got a call the other day asking if a duplex was required to have sprinklers.  I did a little research and it finally dawned on me.  We amended the 2006 IBC, not the IRC.  Townhouses, based on the IBC scope section 101.2 provides exceptions.  Those exception to the IBC are detached one and two family dwellings and multiple single family dwellings (townhouses).......shall comply with the International Residential Code.

Soooo,  I suppose we have been enforcing something we should not have been, yet.

Now we are in the process of adopting Appendix P of the IRC and amending it so that detached single family homes are not listed.

"AP101 Fire Sprinklers.  An approved automatic fire sprinkler system shall be installed in new two-family dwellings and townhouses in accordance with Section 903.3.1 of the  2006 International Building Code."

So the question is, does this sound correct now so that everything except single family detached homes is required to have sprinklers or will I have to instead list all the exceptions such as accessory structures, carports, etc.?


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## pyrguy (Nov 13, 2009)

Re: Sprinklers in townhouses.

In a former  AHJ the Fire Marshal had an ordinance passed about 20 years ago requiring sprinkles in just about every building with the exception of SFRs. There was a big stink made but he held  his ground and it passed.

The last Christmas season I worked there there were more than a dozen apartment fires in surrounding communities that made the news because of the extensive damages. We had 4 that didn't even make the local paper.


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## cda (Nov 13, 2009)

Re: Sprinklers in townhouses.

Those exception to the IBC are detached one and two family dwellings and multiple single family dwellings (townhouses).......

sounds like a townhouse today does not require sprinklers, unless there is some other section that may kick them in,,,,

if I am following what I think the current code adopted says.


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## TJacobs (Nov 14, 2009)

Re: Sprinklers in townhouses.

Since the IBC requires sprinklers in all R's, I think you should have amended the IRC only.  The IBC didn't need amending.


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## rktect 1 (Nov 16, 2009)

Re: Sprinklers in townhouses.



			
				TJacobs said:
			
		

> Since the IBC requires sprinklers in all R's, I think you should have amended the IRC only.  The IBC didn't need amending.


I believe that the section 903.2.7 for group R in the 2006 IBC would then be refering to those R's that the IBC does cover.  And the IBC specifically shows in section 101.2 the exceptions for group R. Those exceptions to the IBC are detached one and two family dwellings and multiple single family dwellings (townhouses).......shall comply with the International Residential Code.


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## TJacobs (Nov 16, 2009)

Re: Sprinklers in townhouses.



			
				rktect 1 said:
			
		

> TJacobs said:
> 
> 
> 
> > Since the IBC requires sprinklers in all R's, I think you should have amended the IRC only.  The IBC didn't need amending.


I believe that the section 903.2.7 for group R in the 2006 IBC would then be refering to those R's that the IBC does cover.  And the IBC specifically shows in section 101.2 the exceptions for group R. Those exceptions to the IBC are detached one and two family dwellings and multiple single family dwellings (townhouses).......shall comply with the International Residential Code.

As long as they comply with the underlined:

R101.2 Scope.

The provisions of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-family Dwellings shall apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, removal and demolition of detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above-grade in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures.

If they have to build under the IBC because they are 4 stories or stacked townhouses or share egress, etc., then they are IBC R-3's and get sprinklered.


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## mtlogcabin (Nov 16, 2009)

Re: Sprinklers in townhouses.

TJacobs is correct ammending the IBC does not effect structures built under and complying with the IRC . You would need to ammend the IRC to require sprinklers in two family dwelling units and townhouses.

http://www2.iccsafe.org/cs/committeeAre ... _50_07.pdf

Q: In accordance with the provisions of Section 310.1 of the International Building Code, is a use Group R-4 residential care/assisted living facility that is constructed in compliance with the provisions of the International Residential Code subject to the technical provisions of the International Building Code?

A: No. A Group R-4 residential care/assisted living facility, as defined in the International Building Code, is permitted to comply with the construction requirements of the International Residential Code. When a detached single-family residential care/assisted living facility is regulated by the International Residential Code in accordance with Section 101.2 of the International Building Code, the International Residential Code shall govern. The requirements of the International Building Code and the International Residential Code are not permitted to be mixed and co-applied to the construction of a single facility. Either one or the other, but not both, shall be used. However, the technical provisions of any International Code are applicable to the extent referenced in the International Residential Code._____________________________________________________________________________________________


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