Domestic sprinkler systems

good morning,

i'm just about to undertake a rather sizeable attic conversion. I have done several over the years but have not done one for around 7 years now.

for me one of the worst things about a loft conversion (in so much as the negative impact it has on the aesthetics of the house) is the compliance of fire regulations / means of escape etc. Fire doors, self closers, enclosing stairwells and so on.

Anyway, in my research thus far it seems that many people are now turning to using a domestic sprinkler system which (according to the suppliers adverts) means that the 'approved document b' compliance can be all but done away with.

it seems a very vague area and so i wonder if anybody has any experience of installing such a system and if so what parts of the regs it allows you to do away with.

many thanks in advance.

Reply to
dptenancy
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All done for a very good reason.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I don't thinks that's under debate. It's a question of whether a large number measures can be replaced by a single different one.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

A while back, there was a report that a town in the USA made sprinklers mandatory in all properties and were able to disband their fire brigade as a result.

Reply to
Nightjar

I suggest you look at water mist systems. They use less water and so greatly reduce the amount of water damage.

Reply to
Nightjar

Visions of a town with trees full of cat skeletons... ;-)

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

No idea if these people can do a domestic one, but "Mulsifyre" has virtually become the generic name for mist systems used on power stations (usually to suppress fire following oil leaks from large circulating lube oil systems, also fuel or oil leaks from emergency generators.

Probably significantly more expensive than "simple" sprinklers though.

Reply to
newshound

I can see that. But a sprinkler system in a house is something I've never heard of. Could be the risks of it going off when not needed vastly exceed any possible benefits. Water damage could ruin the entire house. And would insurance pay for this?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Domestic sized sprinkler systems were going to be part of muti occupancy letting regs for a bit , but got watered down.

Narrow pipe high pressure AFAIK, if they were installed at time of build, cost would be negligable and potential savings, life and property, huge.

But like decent insulation no one sees point.

Reply to
Adam Aglionby

I think it's now mandatory in Welsh building regs for newbuilds?

Reply to
Tim Watts

I have read, somewhere, that new build houses in Wales have to have sprinklers fitted.

Reply to
charles

Ah. Didn't know that. But a new build to current regs might not be as much hassle as making an old one conform after some form of conversion?

I was quite lucky here. My attic room already had proper staircase going to it. Not sure if it was built that way, or converted many many years ago. So even after enlarging the attic room, didn't have to change to an enclosed type, or fit fire resistant doors throughout. Other similar houses in the street have an open type of stairs to the attic, so had to conform to present day regs if any alterations were carried out. Or something.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Given the inability of some tenants to even notice faults then it seems risky. Near where I work there are about 10 houses with ruined brickwork due to broken or wrongly fitted toilet overflow (Warning) pipes.

Reply to
DerbyBorn

Dave Plowman (News) scribbled

A couple of years ago the Welsh Assembly attempted to make the installation of sprinker systems mandatory in all new houses. The idea was binned.

Reply to
Jonno

Jonno scribbled

I was wrong they have made it mandatory from Jan 1st this year

http://gov.wales/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2015/151123-sprinkler-systems-to-be-fitted-in-all-new-and-converted-housing-from-

2016/?lang=en
Reply to
Jonno

Is that Utopia Tim?

Reply to
Bob Minchin

Can't say I'm surprised. I'll bet it would be an expensive thing to do. And ugly.

Especially given many new house builders don't even fit a door bell.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

It would be for this Tim even if it isn't for that one. ;-)

We had one of those 'Lost cat' circulars though the letterbox the other day staying 'it's an outdoors cat so please check your outbuildings and other places in case it's hurt ...'

So, you let your cat trespass in my garden, and use my garden as a toilet and you expect me to then bother to go and check to see if I can see it ...

If I do find it later I'll hang it's skeleton in a local tree. ;-) [1]

Cheers, T i m

[1] I won't of course and wouldn't want to think of it suffering etc (it's not the cats fault it is bought by someone and then allowed to run ferrule round the neighbourhood) but I haven't been out to 'check my outbuildings either' (as I don't suppose they would put a 'Cat now found' circular though our door ... ).

When we had dogs we always knew exactly where they were and what they were doing.

Reply to
T i m

Dave Plowman (News) scribbled

Imagine the consequences of leak.

Reply to
Jonno

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