Sprinklers Removed
We will convert a four-family house into two. On the drawings, the architect is not including the existing sprinkler system since we want to remove it anyway. He is drawing the plans under the 1968 code, not sure what does it mean. He is absolutely convinced that when we do the renovation we can remove…
We will convert a four-family house into two. On the drawings, the architect is not including the existing sprinkler system since we want to remove it anyway. He is drawing the plans under the 1968 code, not sure what does it mean. He is absolutely convinced that when we do the renovation we can remove the sprinklers without calling anybody besides the licensed and insured contractor. Is it true? Do we have to notify any city department that we will be removing the sprinklers. Again, we are converting the house into two families. I really appreciate anybody who can shine a light on this one.
http://prtl-drprd-web.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/firecode/faq.shtml
Chapter 5
Question 6
“An existing building on a public street of substandard width that undergoes alteration or a change in use or occupancy is required to install a sprinkler system throughout such building, when:…..
By reason of alteration or otherwise, there is a change in the “main use or dominant occupancy†of the building, as determined by the New York City Department of Buildings for purposes of assigning a single occupancy classification to the building, including any change from a one-family or two-family dwelling (Occupancy Group R-3) to three or more dwelling units (Occupancy Group R-2), but excluding a change in use or occupancy that is limited to restoring a building that was originally constructed as a one-family or two‑family dwelling to its original one-family or two‑family use and occupancy;”
They are just so ugly, get rid of them and do as your architect suggests. Sprinkler systems are NOT required for a two family house.
Funny issue but you should bring it to your architects attention.
When changing the existing use or occupancy group of a building then the fire code and the 2008 building for fore safety apply as well.
Since a 4 family is a j-2 and a 2 family a j-3 or equivalent of r-3 the new building and fore code kick in so you need a sprinkler.
when converting from a 4 to a 3 then you dont
Does the NYFD have a record of your system? Don’t they supervise the yearly testing?
I can’t see the down side to having the public hall sprinkled… Residential heads go off at 160 degrees. Only those heads near the fire will go off. That’s a lot less water than the fire dept. generally will use to put out a fire.
I would not remove the system either. Keep in mind, depending upon the cost of work sprinklers may be required in any type of construction. You could look into converting the system to a dry pipe so if you lose heat then the pipes will not burst.
to answer your question, you don’t need a sprinkler system for 2 family – just hardwired smoke alarms.
The sprinkler process was all buried in the big renovation process….but I don’t think it was a huge cost, but we had walls and ceilings open. When they are recessed they also don’t collect the dust that exposed horizontal pipes collect!
Denton-How did their sprinkler pipes burst? Did they turn their heat off?
To take the opposite pov, I know of a family that went skiing last winter for a few days, when they came back one of the sprinkler lines had frozen. They may have been better off if the joint burned down and collected the insurance, based on what they came home to.
130 Liberty really has no context with a 2 fam home.
PHFamily,
I’m curious how much it costs to recess the sprinkler pipes and heads. Does the plumber simply file this work or do you need to go through a big deal permitting process? Did you get an estimate per floor?
I, probably like many people, really don’t like the pipes running around the ceilings. When they’re recessed, it is a huge improvement.