Ch06 standpipe and hose systems

Chapter 6Standpipe and Hose Systems

Objectives • List and describe the different types of

standpipes and the different standpipe classifications.

• List and describe the different standpipe system components.

• State when and where standpipes and hose systems are required in buildings.

Objectives • Reference the design and installation

standards that apply to standpipes. • State the minimum standpipe system

design pressure and flow requirements.

Objectives • Reference the inspection, testing, and

maintenance requirements. • Recognize the possible impairments to

standpipe systems.

Introduction • A standpipe system may be a structure’s

only fire protection equipment.– Allows for rapid engagement with a fire– Essential for firefighting in tall buildings

Introduction • A standpipe systems is a network of piping

and components that transports water through a structure for manual firefighting.

• Many fire protection strategies combine standpipe and automatic sprinkler systems.– Standpipes provide support to automatic

sprinkler systems when manual intervention is needed.

Types of Standpipe Systems • The different types of systems are defined by

their operational and configuration features.• Operational = water availability

– Immediate– After activation permits water to enter pipe– Manually supplied through FDC

• Configuration = whether or not it ordinarily has water in the pipe

Types of Standpipe Systems • Wet standpipe

– Water is in the pipe at all times.

• Required to support manual firefighting

– Environmental temperature must be at least 40ºF for installation.

– Found in internal stair towers of mid- to high-rise buildings © A. Maurice Jones, Jr./Jones & Bartlett Learning

Types of Standpipe Systems • Automatic dry standpipe

– Contains pressurized air in the pipe– Environmental temperature must be at least

40ºF for installation.• System piping and hose valves can be stored at

lower temps.– Found in residential multi-family mid-rise

buildings

Types of Standpipe Systems • Semiautomatic standpipe

– Contains pressurized air or atmospheric air in the pipe

– Water enters pipe through activation of remote control device.

– Environmental temperature must be at least 40ºF.

– Found in industrial complexes or public areas where features are exposed to varying weather

© A. Maurice Jones, Jr./Jones & Bartlett Learning

Types of Standpipe Systems • Manual wet standpipe

– Contains water in the pipe at all times, but water is supplied from the building’s domestic system

– Domestic supply line usually not more than ¾ or 1 inch in diameter

• Serves as priming water to reduce time it takes for water to reach the hose valve

– Found in older mid- and high-rise buildings• Rarely newly installed in buildings due to arrival of

combined standpipe systems

Types of Standpipe Systems • Manual dry standpipe (cont’d)

– Does not have an attached water supply

• Fire fighters must connect a water source to the fire department connection.

– Common in remote or freestanding structures such as parking garages where environment is hard to monitor


Types of Standpipe Systems • Combined standpipe

and sprinkler systems– Designs will try to use the

standpipe system as the sprinkler supply line.

– Common in old buildings with existing standpipes and new buildings where standpipe design provides outlets for sprinkler system


Types of Standpipe Systems • Combined standpipe and sprinkler systems

(cont’d)– Benefits to contractors/developers are

manageable designs, better use of space, cost savings

– Benefit to the fire department is ready access to sprinkler control valves and manual hose valves

– The NFPA formally adopted the combined system in 1971.

• NFPA has certain requirements for these systems

Classification of Standpipe Systems

• NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems– 3 general categories of systems


• Class I– Designed for use by

fire fighters or brigade personnel trained to handle heavy streams



• Class I (cont’d) – Common in high-rise buildings, open parking

garages, covered malls, underground buildings– System must deliver sufficient water at high

pressure to support manual firefighting.– Hose connections must have 2½-inch threaded

connections.• Hose valves may be fitted with smaller diameter

reducing caps.


• Class II– Equipped to give

occupants, fire brigade members, or fire fighters access to water supply through a hose system

– Lower pressure and volume than Class I or III



• Class II (cont’d)– Fire departments use only if absolutely

necessary.• Maintenance history is unknown.• Water supply cannot control fire past the incipient

stage.• Hose locations are in open areas.

– Careful consideration should be given to installing these systems.


• Class III– Incorporates Class I and II

requirements to provide equipment that can be used by fire department, fire brigades, and trained occupants



• Class III (cont’d)– Water and pressure requirements are same

as Class I, but safety issues are similar to Class II.

– Authorities may require Class I instead of Class II or III.

Standpipe System Components

• Fire department connections overview– If the building has a standpipe or sprinkler

system. first responders will connect hose lines to the FDC.

• FDC is a coupling device on a building’s exterior.• Provides primary or secondary water source

– Check valve prevents water from leaving system.

– Protective caps or plugs prevent FDC from clogging with debris.


• Types of fire department connections– Wall mounted: FDC

breaches exterior building wall



• Types of fire department connections (cont’d)– Freestanding: FDC supply

line is buried underground• Extends out of ground to

connect to piping



• Types of fire department connections (cont’d) – Most FDCS are single inlet or double inlet

threaded.– When the FDC has more than one inlet, a

clapper swings between couplings.– “Quick connect” couplings use locks or cams

to couple with the hose.


• Location of fire department connections– FDC must be visible, recognizable, and

accessible.– NFPA 14 lists requirements for FDCs.– Other requirements may exist (e.g., jurisdictional).– Wall-mounted FDCs are preferred over

freestanding.– Freestanding FDCs may be necessary due to

topography, safety, and other factors.


• Fire department connection identification (cont’d)– FDCs must have ID

signs so fire fighters know what kind of system they supply.

– Signs should give information about inlet pressure requirements.



• Pipes and fittings– Components used to install systems must meet or

exceed adopted standards.• American Water Works Association, American Society for

Testing and Materials, American Welding Society, American National Standards Institute

– Materials are chosen considering the pipe schedule, type, and joining method.

– Fittings join piping and components together by various methods.

– Regardless of material, the purpose is to connect pipe and other system components.


• Gauges– Pressure gauges are important and required to

help determine available water pressure in a system.

• Installed at the top of each standpipe• Recommended for pressure-regulating devices• Should not be exposed to freezing temperatures• Must have a shutoff control valve and be able to drain

– Help determine the available water pressure in the system


• Valves– Many different types:

• Check valves• Control valves• Drain valves• Hose valves



• Valves (cont’d)– Pressure-restricting, pressure-reducing, and

pressure-control devices and valves• Allow boost pressure to be high but manageable• Special care must be taken with installation,

testing, and maintenance.• Flow tests must be performed at time of

acceptance and periodically thereafter.• Fire companies should identify properties with

these devices.


• Hose cabinets, hose, hose racks, and nozzles– Cabinet/closet: Mounted to the wall; holds fire

protection equipment– Hoses: Certain requirements for use, length, and

collapsible vs. noncollapsible– Hose racks: May require a listing depending on

size– Nozzles: May require a listing and must be able to

flow at low pressures

Required Installations • Codes determine when to install a

standpipe system.– NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety

Code®

– NFPA 100, Life Safety Code®

– NFPA 1, Fire Code®

– ICC, International Building Code® (IBC®)• Refer to NFPA 14 for how to install

systems.

Required Installations • Factors affecting installation:

– Building height above or below the level of fire department access

– Whether a sprinkler system is installed– Building use and occupancy– Occupant load

• NFPA and ICC consider time it takes for fire fighters to establish water supply for suppression efforts given these factors.

Required Installations • Considerations

– Which adopted model code and referenced standard does the local, state, or other authority use?

– Any hazards that will present special challenges?

– Any exceptions in the code?– Any retroactive code requirements that impact

current work (for existing conditions)?

• Requirements based on building height and levels– Building height above and below grade affects

a fire department’s ability to operate during a fire.

– NFPA 1 requires standpipe installation under certain conditions; NFPA 5000 has similar requirements.

– IBC® has its own special requirements.

Required Installations

• Occupancy requirements– Factors regarding occupancy may generate

additional requirements.– NFPA 1, NFPA 101, NFPA 5000, and IBC all have

special requirements for assembly type occupancy.– Dimensions and open area of a building design of

this kind can affect standpipe requirements.• Performance stages over 1000 sq ft• Airport terminals higher than two stories or 100 ft in

dimension


• Buildings under construction, rehabilitation, or demolition– Create access and fuel load problems for fire

departments– NFPA 1, NFPA 5000, and the IBC have special

standpipe installation requirements for these sites.– Hose connections and clearly marked fire department

connections equipped with plugs and caps are required.

– Temporary standpipes are required during construction.


Design and Installation Standards

• NFPA 14– Most widely recognized document outlining

standpipe and hose design and installation requirements

– Adopted in 1915– Revised 28 times, but basic principles are

essentially unchanged


• NFPA 14 (cont’d)– Cited by NFPA 1, NFPA 101, NFPA 5000,

and the IBC as the referenced standard– Establishes minimum requirements for

components, design, plans, installation, etc.– Discusses requirements for buildings under

construction• Additional requirements exist when using

IBC® model code.


• FM Global’s Data Sheet 4-4N– FM is a leading fire engineering, research,

and risk organization.– Under certain circumstances designers will

use Data Sheet 4-4N as the basis for standpipe/hose system design/installation.

– “N” signifies FM has adopted an NFPA standard, but FM may have made modifications.

Water Pressure and Flow Requirements

• Minimum and maximum pressure– Minimum: 100 psi at the hydraulically most

remote 2½-inch hose valve outlet; 65 psi at 1½-inch valve outlet

– Maximum: Multiple factors at play; fire department hoses are tested at 250 psi.

• Trained personnel may have trouble with over 175 psi.• Untrained individuals have trouble over 100 psi.• Maximum listed pressure for most components is 175

psi.


• Pressure requirements in high-rise buildings– Pressure and flow must overcome pressure loss

due to elevation changes.– Design professionals install pressure-control,

pressure-regulating, and pressure-restricting devices for safety and reliability at high pressure.

– At certain heights, pressure cannot be managed.• Subdivide into upper and lower zones.• Use high-pressure fittings and devices.


• Maximum and minimum flow– Class I and II: Minimum flow of 500 gpm;

another 250 gpm per standpipe riser where building floor areas are < 80,000 sq feet

• > 80,000 sq feet have additional gpm requirements– Class II: Minimum flow of 100 gpm

• No additional flow when more than one hose provided


• Maximum and minimum flow (cont’d)– Buildings with NFPA 13 sprinkler systems:– Maximum flow requirement of 1000 gpm– Buildings with no sprinkler system: 1250 gpm– Horizontal standpipes with 3 or more hose

connections require minimum of 750 gpm.– Minimum duration of water supply to meet

system demand is 30 minutes.

Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Requirements

• Hydrostatic and air test– Hydrostatic

• One of the first and most important tests• System is subjected to 200 psi of pressurized

water for 2 hours and then allowed to drop to zero to ensure valid test.

– Air• Dry standpipe systems are subjected to 40 psi of

air pressure for 24 hours to ensure no leaks.


• Hydrostatic and air test (cont’d)– If weather prevents hydrostatic testing, air test

is interim measure of integrity.– Many jurisdictions require both tests for dry

systems.• 200 psi of water and 40 psi of air pressure• If a dry system is supplied water through a dry pipe

valve, a dry pipe valve test is also needed.


• Visual inspection– Occurs in conjunction with hydrostatic test and is

just as important– Includes:

• Checking for leaks• Verifying components installed correctly• Ensuring components are ones chosen by designer

– Occurs at floor level– Failure to complete can result in system damage,

injury, or fire department delays.


• Flushing– Flush the system to remove dirt, debris, etc.,

before attaching it to a water service.– Inspector observes underground fire service

mains and lead-in connections while they flow water.

• Outlet used to flush matches pipe being flushed.• 10 ft/sec is recommended rate.• Flush until water is clear.


• Flow tests– Tests ensure designed performance is met and

required flow and pressure are available.– Water is flowed from the hydraulically most

remote valve outlet.– Test usually occurs on the roof.– A fire apparatus (pumper) may be needed to

pump through FDC to verify a manual standpipe and system demand.

• Verify pressure-regulating valves if present.


• Main drain test– Main drain is always available in combined

systems or systems with automatic water supply.

• Removes water – As main drain valve is opened fully, system

gauges display static and residual pressure readings.

• Compare these to previous readings.


• Operation of components– All system components capable of manual or

automatic movement must be tested under actual operating systems.

• Usually just requires unscrewing a cap or turning a valve

• Ensures the system will operate when needed


• Periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance– Even if they have never been used, all systems

must be ready for an emergency.– Inspection and testing occur at defined intervals.

• When components sit idle, operational condition is unknown.

– There are many impairments to firefighting, some system related, some not.

• Such as barrier to access

– At a minimum, follow schedules in NFPA 25.

Summary• In many structures, a standpipe and hose

system is the only fire protection system required and available to fire fighters for manual firefighting.

• Generally, the height, area, occupancy, and hazard determine when a standpipe is required in a new structure.

• NFPA 14 is the standpipe design and installation standard referenced by all model code organizations. This standard establishes the three standpipe system classifications; discusses the five different types of standpipe systems; and provides design, installation, use, outlet size, and water supply requirements.

Summary

Summary• Achieving minimum water supply pressure

and flow requirements for a standpipe system is critical because pressures and flows below could render some fire department and standpipe system equipment unusable. This is especially true when dealing with high-rise buildings where loss of pressure due to elevation creates design and operational challenges.

Summary• Fire department connections are a very

important system component; engine companies should be sure they are clearly visible and operational when needed.

• Devices that control pressure are another important standpipe system component requiring identification, documentation, and monitoring for proper inspection, testing, and maintenance.

Summary• Witnessed inspections and tests during the

installation and throughout the life of any standpipe system is critical; failure to inspect, test, and maintain a standpipe system could be extremely dangerous to fire fighters, especially when a problem is discovered too late to solve.

Education

Ch06 standpipe and hose systems