Some existing systems were never hydraulically calculated. Some were designed around pipe schedules. Some have little or no remaining safety margin. Add a backflow preventer without understanding the available water supply, system demand and device pressure loss, and a system that once appeared adequate may fail to deliver.

As data center construction rapidly expands, project teams must carefully weigh the critical tradeoffs between protection, cost, and operational impact to choose the right fire protection strategy.

The NFPA’s 13, 13D and 13R standards spell out when fire sprinkler systems should include freeze protection. Read on to discover sources to determine an area’s minimum temperature and whether freeze protection is warranted.

Many plumbing and fire protection professionals are familiar with the basic fire pump design standards and requirements stated in NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection.