Alfa Builders
Unseasonably Low Temperatures Bring Unusual Construction Problems
With the South (and particularly Alabama) experiencing sustained freezing temperatures over the past 10 days, many clients are contacting us with unusual circumstances.
As you might imagine, any piping that contains water and is exposed to freezing temps for a prolonged period of time is at risk.
However, one item that many facility owners and managers rarely consider is their fire sprinkler system.
With the normal balmy temperatures in the southeast, the standard design parameters for fire sprinkler systems don’t require extra freeze preventative measures on “wet pipe” systems. In most winters, this is perfectly fine and the systems operate without a hitch.
But in the past week, we received several calls from clients wondering why their system is having trouble. They are wondering if something was installed incorrectly or should have been more heavily insulated. The answer is most likely “no AND yes”.
No, the system wasn’t installed incorrectly. The fire sprinkler subcontractor designed and installed the system according to accepted practice and code requirements for our region.
But at the same time, yes, there might could have been some additional insulating measures designed into the work to provide some insurance against the unlikely possibility that temperatures in Alabama start to resemble temperatures normally reserved for the Northeast!!
The best answer I can give to help with preventing this from happening on YOUR next project is to work closely with your architect and engineer.
When you are discussing the options related to insulating your facility and protecting mechanical systems like plumbing and fire protection, be sure to discuss what type of fire protection they are recommending and also what steps are designed into the project for freeze protection.
It could be that adding some heat tape or routing the pipe in a different manner could save some headaches down the road. If you have any thoughts on this topic, please leave a comment below. If we can help you in reviewing the design for your next facility, please contact us!! We would be glad to assist you!
