Why was my house built with (a tiny) sprinkler system?

[Robert Coats]

My house (brick ranch w/basement, purchased last November) was built here in Metro Atlanta in 2005. The basement has, what some realtors call "a boat door." (a single-car sized roll-up garage door) and opens up to a concrete driveway that 'U-turns" backs to the main driveway and a typical two-car garage.

During the PPI, both the inspector I looked up into the boat door interior space, and saw two sprinkler heads Can anybody tell me why these two sprinklers are required?

The previous/original owners told were the sprinklers were required 'by code'" Really? Why only in the boat door space? Or something to do with that space is the only one unfinished (no finished walls or ceiling)?

Not sure if these other features are related:
* Two HVAC units, one in basement, one in attic
* Central vacuum system
* Basement ceiling is all drywall (not a suspension type).

[Chocaholic]

Can’t tell you why but our house in Fayetteville, GA had the very same thing. We had a single roll-up garage door under the house that was unfinished. Probably is code for garage space located beneath living area.

[sc_rufctr]

Having a sprinkler system in the "garage space located beneath living area" sounds like a good idea to me.

[A930Rocket]

At first, I thought you were talking about in an in ground irrigation sprinkler.

Seems strange but when I first moved to Charleston, we either had to use 5/8” type x drywall or install a sprinkler system in the house if it was so many SF and the closest hydrant had low water pressure.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

“Code” could have been a case of the permitting authority or F.D. simply saying “put one in” and nobody bothering to challenge it or ask for a code citation. Happens all the time. I agree it’s not a bad idea given how you describe it however it’s fairly uncommon to see sprinklers in residential construction. Conventional wet-pipe system I’ll assume? Is there any kind of central fire alarm system?

Two HVAC units is a bit odd but not terribly so (depends on type(s), overall size of building and areas / zones served, etc. Also could’ve been related to not wanting to install a unit over such-and-such size to avoid triggering some requirement (AHJs were starting to tinker with energy codes and establishing new requirements for energy use in the mid-2000s so weird things like that came up sometimes.)

Central vac. is a luxury item - nice when it works, pain in the butt when it doesn’t. Make sure someone changes the filter and empties out the collector occasionally.

Basement ceiling as gyp. is probably a good choice IMHO; lay-in looks pretty tacky / institutional and isn’t a good choice for an area that can see moisture unless you use tiles intended for that purpose - and a lot of contractors (particularly residential) either don’t know the difference and / or are too cheap to actually provide moisture-resistant ones). Could’ve been installed looking ahead to finish it as habitable space or installed later by a P.O... Hard to know for sure.

I wouldn’t say any of those features are necessarily bad. At some point a wet-pipe sprinkler system will need to be replaced (usually 40-or-so years) so you’re good for a while if it was built in 2005.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Having a sprinkler system in the "garage space located beneath living area" sounds like a good idea to me.

That'll be why it's there too by code. If you can park a car, lawn mower,utv... whatever with a gas engine down there and the space is below livable space, a sprinkler would be required by some code. If a garage has a bedroom or bonus room above it, in some areas a sprinkler system is required.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Two HVAC units is a bit odd but not terribly so (depends on type(s), overall size of building and areas / zones served, etc. Also could’ve been related to not wanting to install a unit over such-and-such size to avoid triggering some requirement (AHJs were starting to tinker with energy codes and establishing new requirements for energy use in the mid-2000s so weird things like that came up sometimes.)

Not odd, possibly due to Atlanta's hot climate. Houston is full of homes that if they have multiple floors have separate HVAC on multiple floors.

[URY914]

About the sprinkler heads. Call the building department and ask them about it or a fire sprinkler contractor. Ask an expert or ask Trump.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by masraum

Not odd, possibly due to Atlanta's hot climate. Houston is full of homes that if they have multiple floors have separate HVAC on multiple floors.

Agreed...very common here.

[tcar]

Look to see if the heads have 'fusible links' on them.
Those are links that melt if there is a fire to let the water flow.
They can be liquid (red, usually) or metal.

This would be common with national fire codes if a gasoline burning vehicle can be stored under a living space. Especially if there is not a rated fire separation between the spaces.

[Robert Coats]

Excellent replies, everyone. About 1/2 of the square footage of the master bedroom sits directly above the boat door space. Makes perfect sense now why the sprinklers were required.

And my project for the day to to move my portable generator and lawn mower to my backyard storage shed. And hey, more room in the boat door space!

[fintstone]

Yep...in general, if the garage has living areas above and does not meet requirements for "separation" (not less than 5/8-inch Type X gypsum board or equivalent from all habitable rooms above the garage), the correct automatic sprinkler setup will meet code.

Probably good idea regardless. Might get a break on insurance too.

[MBAtarga]

Well, our home in NE ATL was custom built in 2002. We've got a 3 car garage on the main flloor but also 2 single basement garage doors on the other end of the house directly below our Master suite. No sprinklers here. I can understand why it might be a good idea though.

And as far as multiple AC Units, our house has 4 - Upstairs, Main floor, Master, and Basement.

[LJ851]

I've lived in 3 houses in N Atlanta including our current that have had full basements with garage doors opening directly to the driveways. None of them have had sprinklers so i doubt it is code here, at least in the late 70's era of homes.

Lots of homes built this way around Atlanta.

[fintstone]

It is GA Code...but I would guess for only about the last 20 years. I think this is from the 2012 version. There has been at least one update since this one.


https://up.codes/viewer/georgia/irc-2012/chapter/3/building-planning#R302

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by Robert Coats

The previous/original owners told were the sprinklers were required 'by code'" Really? Why only in the boat door space?

Yep, either a code requirement that particular structure configuration, or possibly a previous renovation/add-on, which required meeting the current code regs at that time.
Your city/county likely has an online planning & zoning site/database where you can search your particular address for previously-issued permits.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by LJ851

I've lived in 3 houses in N Atlanta including our current that have had full basements with garage doors opening directly to the driveways. None of them have had sprinklers so i doubt it is code here, at least in the late 70's era of homes..

It IS code and was then, too, but you can sometimes use a fire-rated gypsum board separation instead. (5/8" drywall fire-rock).

[LJ851]

Originally Posted by tcar

It IS code and was then, too, but you can sometimes use a fire-rated gypsum board separation instead. (5/8" drywall fire-rock).

Thats interesting, there was/is nothing but floor joists and subfloor in the garage ceilings of all three houses.

[cabmandone]

I think the obvious answer has escaped everyone so far. They are there to put out a tiny fire. Sheesh folks!!

[fintstone]

All my houses (starting in 81), including in the Atlanta metro area, that had a garage and living area above have met code with gypsum board on walls and ceiling adjoining all living areas.