# Sprinkler head clearance



## e hilton (Mar 4, 2020)

Commercial retail space.  Client is wanting to relocate a partition wall.  How far away from the wall does the sprinkler head need to be?  
The first version of the plans ignored the existing flush recessed head, and the new partition is shown directly under the head.  That’s not going to work.  So the idea is to put the wall where it won’t interfere with the head.  Considering that the AoR missed the head the first time, I don’t trust them to have the right answer this time.


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## cda (Mar 4, 2020)

e hilton said:


> Commercial retail space.  Client is wanting to relocate a partition wall.  How far away from the wall does the sprinkler head need to be?
> The first version of the plans ignored the existing flush recessed head, and the new partition is shown directly under the head.  That’s not going to work.  So the idea is to put the wall where it won’t interfere with the head.  Considering that the AoR missed the head the first time, I don’t trust them to have the right answer this time.




There are a few variables involved 


Minimum distance off a wall four inches.


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## cda (Mar 4, 2020)

Now with that said 

On an existing building, a wall can be moved and that can throw the maximum distance allowed off a wall,,, offf

Or it can throw off the sprinkler coverage on the other side.

Normally maximum off a wall is 7’6”.
But that is for a standard sprinkler

If extended coverage were installed, than the distance off a wall can be greater. 

Not sure if I answered your question

And with out seeing it hard to give a solid answer


Any pictures????


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## cda (Mar 4, 2020)

Also you say partition wall

Full height?? Floor to ceiling ?


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## e hilton (Mar 4, 2020)

Hmm.  Ok, close enough.  I would have thought a foot or so, so the spray pattern wasn’t obstructed.


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## e hilton (Mar 4, 2020)

Correct, floor to drop ceiling.  The walls of an office.


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## cda (Mar 4, 2020)

e hilton said:


> Hmm.  Ok, close enough.  I would have thought a foot or so, so the spray pattern wasn’t obstructed.




If not a full height wall/ partition,,,,  

How far down from the ceiling is it???


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## steveray (Mar 5, 2020)

Usually if they move it that close to one (12"), it is too far from the other (next one).....


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## e hilton (Mar 5, 2020)

cda said:


> How far down from the ceiling is it???


Its a recessed head with the flush pop-off cover.


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## cda (Mar 5, 2020)

*All standard spray sprinklers have four-inch minimum spacing from walls and maximums that vary with room shape and size*
All standard sprinkler heads—pendent, upright, and sidewall—have the same minimum sprinkler distance from walls: four inches. For sidewall heads, that's the distance from an end wall (10.3.4.3.1). Pendent and upright sprinkler heads keep this minimum distance from all walls (10.2.5.3). In doing so, these heads stay away from sources of cool air that might delay their activation or surfaces that could block the intended spray pattern.






Four inches can ensure heads activate on time. Source: NFPA 13 Handbook


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## e hilton (Mar 5, 2020)

Thats a nice graphic, too bad they don’t show a pendant head.


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## cda (Mar 5, 2020)

e hilton said:


> Thats a nice graphic, too bad they don’t show a pendant head.




You have to turn the picture sideways!!

And it becomes a pendant 



All standard sprinkler heads—pendent, upright, and sidewall—have the same minimum sprinkler distance from walls: four inches.


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## Codeman4 (Mar 5, 2020)

e hilton said:


> Commercial retail space.  Client is wanting to relocate a partition wall.  How far away from the wall does the sprinkler head need to be?
> The first version of the plans ignored the existing flush recessed head, and the new partition is shown directly under the head.  That’s not going to work.  So the idea is to put the wall where it won’t interfere with the head.  Considering that the AoR missed the head the first time, I don’t trust them to have the right answer this time.


4 inches.


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## ADAguy (Mar 5, 2020)

Love these kind of questions, keep them coming.


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## e hilton (Mar 5, 2020)

Sub-question.  4” clearance ... measured to the center of the head, or closest point?


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## cda (Mar 5, 2020)

http://www.westroane.com/content/do...b-fp-2011-35-Sprinkler-Spacing-From-Walls.pdf


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## cda (Mar 5, 2020)

I think it is to deflector


“””Whether that dimension is measured from the line of the sprinkler or the nearest edge of the deflector is subject to the interpretation of the code official.”””


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## James Davis (Mar 12, 2020)

cda said:


> You have to turn the picture sideways!!
> 
> And it becomes a pendant
> 
> ...


sprinkler heads at 4 inches from a wall or ceiling must have a deflector to minimize damage from spraying water


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## cda (Mar 12, 2020)

James Davis said:


> sprinkler heads at 4 inches from a wall or ceiling must have a deflector to minimize damage from spraying water




Do you mind a NFPA 13 reference for that


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## GicleursBG (Nov 18, 2020)

@cda , @James Davis ,Just found this thread. Effectively not clear. All figures in the book are showing distances from center of sprinkler.

Anybody found a specific reference specifying if it is from side or center? We have a pendant head in a closet with a 4 in. distance to the wall and the fire department is challenging us... For now the only thing we can refer to are the images showing the center of heads...


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## cda (Nov 18, 2020)

New system or existing ??

How many sq ft is the closet ?

I believe it is measured to the fusible bulb or metal 
Will check


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## cda (Nov 18, 2020)

GicleursBG said:


> @cda , @James Davis ,Just found this thread. Effectively not clear. All figures in the book are showing distances from center of sprinkler.
> 
> Anybody found a specific reference specifying if it is from side or center? We have a pendant head in a closet with a 4 in. distance to the wall and the fire department is challenging us... For now the only thing we can refer to are the images showing the center of heads...




Some opinions 

I think most slant to the element






						Minimum distance from walls - NFPA (fire) Code Issues - Eng-Tips
					

The 2007 NFPA 13.8.6.3.3 says that sprinklers shall be located a minimum of 4 (102mm) from a wall. My state's architect responsible for Life Safety has said tha




					www.eng-tips.com


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## cda (Nov 19, 2020)

From the good book Chapter 8


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## e hilton (Nov 19, 2020)

My opinion ... if you can measure 4” to any part of the head, it should be ok.  The difference is ... what ... an inch max?   Clearly they are complying with the intent of the code.  

Having said that ... we used to install the heads on a double 90 drop arm so they could be easily adjusted to fall in the center of a ceiling tile.  Adjusting it to gain the half inch or so would be simple.


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## cda (Nov 19, 2020)

I have also heard, so you can but a wrench on it, to replace it or other.


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## GicleursBG (Nov 19, 2020)

This is the way they installed the the new heads. Center of sprinkler to wall is exactly 4". I think we're struggling with a power trip right now. It is in a small closet. But from all the references and opinions above, I would continue to think that the bulb is the center of the detector and it is the center of the detector that must be at 4" of the wall. The distance of the deflector is not that important as NFPA talk consider the dead-air space and operation time


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## cda (Nov 19, 2020)

GicleursBG said:


> This is the way they installed the the new heads. Center of sprinkler to wall is exactly 4". I think we're struggling with a power trip right now. It is in a small closet. But from all the references and opinions above, I would continue to think that the bulb is the center of the detector and it is the center of the detector that must be at 4" of the wall. The distance of the deflector is not that important as NFPA talk consider the dead-air space and operation time




How many sq ft.???????????????

If in a closet, even medium size, what ever that is, and fire starts,, heat goes up, and banks down, so at some point the element will be saturated with heat and activate. 

And when the closet door is opened, gallons and gallons of water will come out, at least that is what I saw in the movie.


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## cda (Nov 19, 2020)

I see now if you go by "mm" you are ok, isn't Canada on the metric system??


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## cda (Nov 19, 2020)

GicleursBG said:


> This is the way they installed the the new heads. Center of sprinkler to wall is exactly 4". I think we're struggling with a power trip right now. It is in a small closet. But from all the references and opinions above, I would continue to think that the bulb is the center of the detector and it is the center of the detector that must be at 4" of the wall. The distance of the deflector is not that important as NFPA talk consider the dead-air space and operation time




How are you connected with this??  Owner, architect, contractor, sprinkler person or ??


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## GicleursBG (Nov 19, 2020)

We're the engineers behind the conception. Yes in Canada. Closets are 2'1"D X 5'4"W X +/- 8' H


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## cda (Nov 19, 2020)

GicleursBG said:


> We're the engineers behind the conception. Yes in Canada. Closets are 2'1"D X 5'4"W X +/- 8' H




Boy one second delay, is going to take out the entire closet.......

Suggest seek intelligent life, go up the food chain, till you find someone with common sense. 

Is the fire sprinkler company that designed it and installed it, helping you with this.


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## e hilton (Nov 19, 2020)

cda said:


> Boy one second delay, is going to take out the entire closet.......


It’s the gallons of paint thinner and such they are storing in the closet ...


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## Teeshot (Nov 19, 2020)

It is my understanding that the intent of the separation of fire sprinklers is so that the pattern of the spray is not compromised. Fire sprinklers are measured center to center when spacing them from one another so it would be practicable to measure from the head center to a wall. Also, there are many types of heads on the market with different dimensional widths that would make it inconsistent to measure to their side faces, instead of their center points.


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