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Fire Protection Performance
Passive Fire Protection Performance
 When
it comes to protecting property and family from fire, active fire
suppression systems (i.e., sprinklers) are an important component
to consider. However, homeowners and building occupants must also
consider other life-saving fire protection components, especially
in case of sprinkler failure.
 Non-combustible
concrete and masonry construction resists fire, does not burn, and
provides fire containment through compartmentation. These passive
fire protection benefits do not change over the life of the structure
and do not require routine inspection and maintenance to assure
proper operation. Automatic fire suppression systems, on the other
hand, require routine inspection and maintenance. Guidance is provided
by the National
Fire Sprinklers Association, Inc. (NFSA).
 Various
components of sprinklers require routine inspection. The National
Fire Protection Association publishes NFPA 25, Inspection, Testing
and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, which
details these components and how to maintain them. For example,
control valves without electronic supervision should be checked
on a weekly basis, just to make sure that they are in the open position.
Frequent full inspections are needed for fire sprinkler systems.
The NFSA recommends that a full sprinkler system inspection should
be performed at least four times a year by a professional. Local
jurisdictions may require more frequent inspection.
Also, owners and occupants need to be aware that fire sprinkler
systems are installed for specific occupancies, and may not meet
requirements if the building occupancy changes. The NFSA notes that:
“Fire sprinkler systems are designed to the conditions which
exist, or are expected to exist, within a building when the sprinkler
system is installed,” and recommends that “After any
changes to the building or the use of the building an analysis should
be done to determine if the sprinkler system is adequate.”
Even if occupancy does not change, the sprinkler system may no longer
be adequate if there are changes in the water supply or changes
to equipment in the system.
The following is a partial list provided by NFSA of when a full
re-evaluation of the fire sprinkler system is needed:
- Change or addition of backflow preventer or water meter
- Change of building occupancy or use
- Change in building (walls, partitions, additions)
- Reduction in public water supplies (sometimes done in areas
for water conservation)
The NFSA also points out that human intervention can cause problems
in sprinkler performance, and gives the following advice:
- Never paint any fire sprinkler.
- Never hang anything from any part of a fire sprinkler system.
- Never stack items close to fire sprinklers (Tops of furniture
should be at least 18 inches below fire sprinklers.).
- Always report damage to any part of a sprinkler system immediately.
- Always make sure control valves are in the open position.
Finally, the NFSA advises the consumer: “Remember! Owning
a sprinkler system without having it inspected is like owning a
car and never changing the oil.”
 Maintenance
of automatic fire sprinkler systems may also include repairing leaks.
The system may be deactivated because of leaks and remain so until
a qualified individual has been contacted and implements the repair.
In addition, while you may take the necessary precautions to keep
your system in working order, you may not know whether your neighbors
have done so as well. Without passive fire protection, building
occupants are unprotected from fire if the fire sprinkler system
is not in service.
Water supply to buildings may be interrupted due to water main
or water line improvements or breaks. WSL News 5 in Utah reported:
“Utah’s recent cold spell caused pipes all over the
valley to freeze. But it warmed up yesterday, and as the pipes thawed,
they cracked and leaked. It’s specifically a problem for businesses
and apartment buildings with fire safety sprinkler systems. Fire
officials say to prevent more leaks – building owners need
to regularly check their sprinkler systems—besides the flooding
problems, if owners don’t find the leaks, and a building catches
on fire—there won’t be any water in the sprinkler system,
to extinguish the flames.”
Non-combustible concrete and masonry construction serving as passive
fire protection will perform without routine inspection or maintenance.
Minimum two-hour fire-resistant concrete and masonry walls between
living units can contain fires and protect other units, and such
walls between units and public spaces will provide structurally
sound escape routes. The building occupants will still need to check
to make sure fire doors that may be part of the fire containment
system do not remain propped open. Inspection of concrete and masonry
elements used as passive fire protection would also be required
if building renovations result in penetrations through the concrete
or masonry systems, which would need to be adequately fire stopped.
For information on fire stopping contact the Alliance
for Fire and Smoke Containment and Control (AFSCC).
When it comes to building construction that provides fire protection
over the life of the building without routine inspection and maintenance,
there is no comparison to non-combustible concrete and masonry construction.
For more information about combining smoke detectors, fire sprinklers,
and passive fire protection visit the Fire
Safety Construction Advisory Council.
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