Sprinklers

Lois Price <lprice [at] winterthur__org> writes

>After decades of grandfather status with Halon, our library is faced
>with installing sprinklers in its five stack levels as well as the
>rest of the building.  Most of the collections are rare/special
>collection materials. The sprinklers will be installed down the
>center of each aisle adjacent to the existing fluorescent lights. It
>will be a wet pipe system with quick response heads set at 155 F and
>schedule 40 steel pipe.  All pipe will be cut and cleaned in an
>outside shop.
>
>Our consulting engineers doing the design work noted that it was
>possible to protect collections in-situ by constructing temporary
>"walls" on either side of the aisles to protect the collection
>during installation.  Obviously, this is an attractive alternative
>since it would eliminate the need to move the collection.  Does
>anyone have experience with this installation scenario?  Can you
>recommend any vendors?  (Please reply to me directly if necessary)

You may want to check out products made by
<URL:http://www.zipwall.com/> to create temporary protection walls
during construction. They specialize in dust control systems, but
they most likely have provided systems to address your type of
concerns as well. Request their catalog.

Also ask your consulting engineers about "smart" sprinkler heads
that turn on with high temperature, but also turn off when the
temperature drops. With conventional heads, the water flow must be
turned off at the main valve. You know the one that is chained and
locked to prevent tampering, the one that only the maintenance
department has the key to, and OH Jack will be along in 20 minutes
as soon as he can get through traffic. As you are probably aware,
most damage will be caused by water, not by the fire itself. The
extra cost for this type of head will be minimal relative to cost of
the entire project.

David Wexler


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 17:34
                Distributed: Thursday, October 16, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-17-34-007
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