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Department of Safety and Professional Services
Department of Safety and Professional Services
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Fire Suppression

IBC 717.5.2 

Exception 3 states in part, fire dampers are not required at penetrations of fire barriers where: Such a duct system shall be constructed of sheet steel not less than No. 26 gage thickness and shall be continuous from the air-handling appliance or equipment to the air outlet and inlet terminals.  Does this exception prohibit flex-duct from the air-handling appliance or equipment to the air outlet and inlet terminals?

Yes. The exception requires sheet steel No. 26 gage thickness shall be continuous which precludes the use of flex-duct anywhere in the ducted system.

IBC 509

If a building is completely sprinklered in accordance with NFPA 13, does a laundry room (>100 sf) also require a 1-hour separation per Table 509?

No, the table indicates OR rather than AND. Therefore the 1-hour separation would not be required provided that water is the approved fire-extinguishing agent for the contents of the laundry room.

IBC 903.2.9.1 and 903.2.10.1

When applying the fire sprinkler threshold requirements of IBC Sections 903.2.9, 903.2.9.1, and 903.2.10.1, what are the commercial motor vehicles that are referred to there?

Per the “commercial motor vehicle” definition under SPS 362.0202(c), the following is a listing of the types of commercial trucks or buses being referred to in IBC 903.2.9, 903.2.9.1, and 903.2.10.1.

  • Trucks having a gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds.

  • Passenger vans or buses with seating capacity of 16 or more.

IBC 506.2

Does an automatic fire sprinkler system that complies with NFPA 13R provide a building area increase for sprinklers per IBC Table 506.2?

No. Only an NFPA 13 automatic sprinkler system provides a building-area increase for sprinklers.

SPS 366.0804

This Wisconsin amendment to the International Existing Building Code allows omission of the installation of sprinklers in inaccessible, combustible concealed spaces. Was the intent of this exception to apply to only Level 2 alterations as indicated by its placement, or to any alteration or change of use?

This is a DSPS exception to the requirement in IEBC section 804.2: The installation or extension of an automatic sprinkler system may exclude the protection of combustible concealed spaces that are not accessible in existing buildings. This exclusion is also applicable to sprinkler systems triggered by changes of use or additions.

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