HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Fire Chief 05.01.2018Glenwood Springs Fire Department
108 W 8th R.
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
Fire Prevention Bureau
Greg Bak, Fire Protection Analyst
May 1, 2018
This memorandum summarizes a meeting held on April 27, 2018 at 2:00PM at the Garfield County
Building Department between:
Joseph Koronkiewicz, Owner and General Contractor for a residence at 181 Elk Horn Drive;
Andy Schwaller, Building Official, Garfield County;
Greg Bak, Fire Protection Analyst, Glenwood Springs Fire Department
The main point of the meeting was to seek alternatives to the requirement for the owner/ contractor to
install a NFPA-13D fire suppression sprinkler system in the residence.
The under -construction structure is primarily a single -story wood -frame residential building. There is a
bonus or work-out room over the garage, connected by stairs to the living space. The foundation
contains a crawlspace and no living space. Even by the most elaborate count of square footage, the
residence contains 3732 square feet, exceeding the fire code requirement for residential sprinklers by
132 square feet.
An alternative to the Fire Code Sprinkler Requirement was presented by Schwaller to divide the
residence into two "Fire Areas." This compartmentation would divide the square footage, eliminating
the need for the sprinkler system.
The compartmentation would require ONE AND ONE -Ili HOUR separation by addition of the
following:
Construction of a separation wall consisting of double layer 5/8" Type X Sheetrock ON BOTH
FACES from foundation to roof peak between the garage/bonus room.
Protection of wall openings through this wall. Doors and door assemblies shall be FIRE RATED at
1 and %2 hour. HVAC ducts will be protected with fire dampers, installed in a manner that they
can be regularly inspected and serviced for proper operation.
The underside of the floor joists throughout the structure shall be fire protected. Since
installation of sheetrock appears to be impractical in the crawlspace, a FIRE RATED coating
(Intumescent Paint) is the option of choice.*
* The 2015 International Fire Code, Chapter 8, Section 803.4 directs that "such applications shall
comply with NFPA 703 and the required fire -retardant properties shall be maintained or renewed in
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions." NFPA 703 Chapter 5 Fire-Retardant Coatings for
Building Materials discusses general requirements for the application of fire retardant paints.