Passive fire protection question

[Foras Noir]

Absolutely right. Pay attention to this post. It is exactly right. Consultants on these issues are cheap and pay off huge.

OK - now the hard part. If you are 100% transparent and legal, then ask your insurance company for a reference. If you screwed around with your electric or did other non-permitted work, maybe think about it first. In all seriousness, your insurance company will help you if you have been playing a straight game with them (and your building authority).

Join the NFPA. It cost $150 a year. You get a slick publication every month and - way more important - access to people who deal with safety for a living. Real, live, serious people. Not folklore and "catch me if you can" stuff you see on many internet boards.

You are a hero for thinking of the safety of your people, the fire fighters who may well die helping you and, not the least, of your shop.

[Robert Maloney]

Residential sprinklers can be tapped off the domestic water line ONLY if it is 10 heads or less anything else and it has to be on it's own supply. Also be sure to add a backflow preventer to avoid contamination of your potable water supply. Sprinkler systems should definitely be calculated for design density, velocity and GPM requirements, just piping in a couple of heads doesn't mean you have proper fire protection. If your thinking about installing one have an engineer design the system for you. Way too many codes and hydraulic calculations for the DIYer. As for the install anybody could really do it, but check your local building codes. I know by me if you want the insurance break the system has to be inspected and signed off. Also if you do buy the material all sprinkler piping, fittings, valves, etc(basically everything) has to be FM and UL listed