NFPA 14 STANDPIPE AND HOSE SYSTEMS – DESIGN AND CALCULATION – Q&A

Although the term “adjacent” is not currently defined, the 2023 edition has a revision that, if adopted, will mandate that hose connections at horizontal exits be visible and within 20 feet of the exit.  

 Although more stringent, the International Building Code (IBC) also permits the removal of a horizontal hose connection when the adjacent side of the horizontal exit can be reached by a 30-foot hose stream from a nozzle attached to 100 feet of hose, connected to an interior exit stairway hose connection.

This section will be clarified in the NFPA 2023 edition with new guidelines for supervisory air on all dry systems. The technical committee adopted a position that would call for every manual dry standpipe to be under air supervision.  

Note: Temporary supervisory air on a dry system must meet the standards of NFPA 241 Standard for the Safeguarding of Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations.  

As it provides a channel of least resistance, the centre open space of steps is frequently employed for retrofitting older buildings with standpipes and sprinklers. When it comes to pipe arrangements that satisfy the needs for protection, hanging, and hose valve positions, this application does provide some challenges.  

All standpipes must adhere to the pipe protection standards outlined in NFPA 14’s 2019 edition’s Section 6.1.2 Protection of Aboveground Piping. Hose connections must be provided at the intermediate floor landing (Section 7.3.2), unless the authority in charge (Section 7.3.2.1) authorises installation at the main landing of the evacuation stairs.  

As an illustration, all standpipes must have control valves that enable the isolation of each system, as well as a fire department connection (FDC) on the system side of the isolation valve. It is also necessary to install the isolation control valves between the water supply and the system’s initial hose connection.  

Buildings or structures that are divided by horizontal or vertical firewalls are regarded as independent buildings and are exempt from the need to be interconnected as stated in the standard’s annexe.  

It is not necessary to link standpipe systems in different buildings or structures that are supplied with water from the same source.  

For instance, a building could have a wet standpipe system that is automatically activated, while a nearby parking garage may have a dry standpipe system that is automatically activated and supplied by the same fire pump and water main. Since they are protecting distinct structures, there is no requirement that these two standpipe systems be linked.  

The typical site criteria for fire department connections are another frequent query: In order to ensure that hose lines can be attached to the inlets without being obstructed by nearby objects such as buildings, fences, posts, landscaping, vehicles, or other fire department connections, the installation standards stipulate that FDCs must be located within 100 feet of a fire hydrant, be clearly visible within 50 feet of a fire department access point, and be arranged so that they are visible within 50 feet of a fire department access point.  

The Section 16.12.5 Arrangements of NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2019 version, does provide regulations for sprinkler FDC placements.  

 1.System type, includes the manual wet or dry standpipe configuration.  

2. higher than 150 psi of system demand pressure  
3. When an FDC only provides maintenance for a piece of a building or a group of buildings
4. A fire department connection that supplies standpipe and automated fire sprinkler systems must be identified as a combined system. In 1-inch letters, write “STANDPIPE AND AUTOSPKR” or “AUTOSPKR AND STANDPIPE”.  

Additionally, signs must reflect the pressure needed to meet standpipe system demand when it is higher than 150 psi. 6.4.5.2.2 and 6.4.5.2.2.1 of NFPA 14  

At the FDC, manual standpipes that are “wet” or “dry” must also be marked with signs. (NFPA 14, Section 6.4.5.2, 2019) 

According to the NFPA 25 Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, the system demand must be based on design criteria in force at the time of installation for performing the obligatory 5-year flow test of Class II standpipes.  

*According to Chapter 13, all pressure-reducing valves and pressure-restricting devices on hose valves must be examined, tested, and maintained. Every five years, they must also undergo flow testing.  

Although hose connections must be made at the main floor landing, the International Building Code (IBC) and NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Stations both allow for intermittent landing installation with AHJ or fire code official clearance.  

According to NFPA 14, needed exit staircases must have hose connections at each main floor landing. The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) may order them to be built at the highest intermediate floor landings between floor levels, which is an exception to the requirement in Section 7.3.2.1 (7.3.2.1.1*).  

Section 905.4 Location of Class I standpipe Hose Connection sub section (1) contains the criteria for Class I hose valve positions as stated in the 2021 International Building Code (IBC). Unless otherwise permitted by the fire code official, the IBC mandates hose hookups in every interior exit stairway at the main floor landing.  

For operational usage and tactical coordination, the best hose valve placement should be determined in consultation with the fire department.  

Combined systems are permitted to share the water feeding both the standpipe and sprinkler systems with the standpipe providing the sprinkler system and must be sized in compliance with NFPA 14 Section 7.6.  

Hose connections are permitted under NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, however when a standpipe is needed to comply with NFPA 14, it cannot be provided by the sprinkler system itself.  

The NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of Standpipes and Hose Systems simply calls for caps to protect the hose threads; it makes no mention of their intended function. Even if the local authority with jurisdiction (AHJ) mandated that the caps be made of metal (brass) during installation, there would still be a risk of failure if the valve was to be charged with the cap on for unlisted brass caps. The NFPA 14 technical committee has talked about this matter and is thinking of putting weep holes in caps.  

According to the NFPA 25 Standard for the Installation, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, caps must be examined and replaced if they are broken, missing, or lack gaskets. The sort of material used to make caps is not covered by the standard, therefore a plastic cap is not regarded as lacking in any way.