Georgia Fire Inspectors Association

The sprinkler piping needs to be arranged so that each tenant area is under a separate control valve [note: multiple tenants up to 7500-ft2 may be under a single zone per 120-3-3-.04(74)(z) modification to the 2000 LSC, which added Section 36.3.5.1.1], waterflow switch, and inspector’s test so that upon the activation of any initiating device in that zone, a signal is received by the Fire Alarm serving that tenant indicating the zone (i.e. tenant’s fire area) where the fire is located in accordance with NFPA 72 (1996), Section 1-5.7 requirements. Also, having multiple tenant spaces of appreciable area (i.e. exceeding 7500-ft2) under a single control valve is not good engineering practice and should not be permitted per 2000 LSC, Section 4.6.1.2.

When adjacent tenant spaces have to shut down the system for a new tenant/repairs/etc. and they are all under the same control valve, then this would impair the protection for the existing tenant requiring a fire watch (e.g. if the system is down for more than 4-hours), evacuation, and/or placing them in an unacceptable risk. Additionally, if an adjacent tenant moved-in with a more hazardous occupancy (e.g. high-piled storage, manufacturing occupancy, etc.), this would cause an unjust burden on the existing tenant to have to disrupt their business to accommodate any required modifications of the piping in their area for upgrading the system. Responding Fire Fighters having to shut down the system after a fire for mop-up operations would also leave the adjacent tenant unprotected which is not preferred just after a fire where incipient fires may be brewing. Finally, one tenant area may not require a Fire Alarm yet the adjacent tenant may – or each tenant may wish to use their own separate Fire Alarm system ~ not permitted if the two areas are in the same fire area.