A good business owner who operates out of a brick-and-mortar location is proactive and practical about fire safety, no matter what time of year it is. Having an automatic sprinkler fire suppression system plan in place is one of the most important elements of a premise liability and asset protection program. As a commercial building owner, it is vital that you understand your building code requirements for automatic sprinkler fire suppression system upgrades, especially when planning a remodeling or renovation.
Continue reading to learn when you might be required by law or municipal code to upgrade your automatic sprinkler systems, as well as who to call when it’s time to schedule the project.
Automatic Sprinkler Fire Suppression Systems for Commercial Buildings and Businesses
There are several deciding factors to consider when planning a commercial renovation in a building that is equipped with an existing automatic sprinkler fire suppression system. For many, building codes require the commercial buildings upgrade their automatic sprinkler fire suppression systems if the renovation entails a certain scope of work.
Fire Suppression Building Code Requirements for Construction
Automatic sprinkler fire suppression systems are vital for public safety and investment protection. For this reason, they are often required by local, state and federal law in commercial buildings and public spaces. When it comes to building codes for commercial sprinkler systems, the requirements will differ depending on the type of construction.
New construction builds will require a separate set of building codes compared to existing buildings that are having renovation or remodeling work done. It is important to know the difference between the different building code requirements for automatic sprinkler fire suppression system upgrades and expansions.
Talk to your Indiana commercial general contractor for expert guidance and up-to-date information, as such codes are subject to change at any time.
Commercial Building Renovations
Commercial building renovations require automatic sprinkler fire suppression system upgrades and/or installations under very specific circumstances, including the detailed specifications of the construction and the location of the building itself.
For instance:
If a commercial construction project will expand a building’s fire area square footage by 5000 ft.² or more, building codes require that the facility install an automatic sprinkler fire suppression system.
If a single tenant expansion project that requires a new certificate of occupancy results in expanding a building’s fire area square footage by 12,000 ft.² or more, building codes require that the facility install or upgrade their automatic sprinkler fire suppression system.
All automatic sprinkler fire suppression systems, whether installing them new or upgrading an existing system, are required to extend throughout the entire commercial building in order to be compliant under local, state, and federal building codes.
Are you wondering if you should upgrade or expand your commercial building’s automatic sprinkler fire suppression system or similar mechanical systems? Contact BAF Corporation at 317-253-0531 for professional commercial general contractor services in Indianapolis Indiana. We serve clients all throughout the state.
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