What Is A Riser Room; Components and Setup Requirements

Fire Emergency is one of the most frequent emergencies recorded. According to National Safety Council; In 2022, 1,504,500 fires resulted in 3,790 civilian deaths and 13,250 injuries. In addition, there were 96 on-duty firefighter deaths.

This fatal injury count is higher than recent years and the highest since 2013, when 98 on-duty deaths were reported. This increase is largely due to the inclusion of deaths occurring within 24 hours of duty. These deaths were previously not counted unless there was a specific physical complaint while on duty.

Although the number of fire-related deaths has decreased by 42% since 1980, 2022 marks a 33% increase from the record low number of deaths recorded by NFPA in 2012 (2,855). The 2022 civilian fire death toll of 3,790 is only slightly down from the 3,800 total in 2021.

This shows why every building (Structure) needs a strong fire emergency plan; part of this plan is the need to have a Riser Room. So in subsequent paragraphs, we will explain what a riser room is, and other things you need to know about a riser room.

What Is A Riser Room?

A Riser Room is a technical room (a control room) where the fire riser/sprinkler is set-up and controlled from. It is also said to be a room in a building where the fire pump and automatic sprinklers are located.

So a when we talk about a riser room, we can say it is the engine room where fire emergencies are managed

 Read Also: What is a fire riser

According to Daniel Coelho, Senior Business Systems Analyst at Infogroup; this room contains the beginnings of the buildings fire suppression system. Municipal water comes in here if available, and it comes in a big way. This is also where pressure detection and flow detection is. These link to the buildings alarm system to indicate if there is water flow generally indicating a fire. You will also find cut off valves (never touch these) with tamper alarms, again linking to the fire detection system. This is also where if the system is “dry”, meaning the iron pipes are not pre filled with water but are actually pressurized with air (generally to prevent freezing), there is a large clapper valve that holds the water back from the large pipe that feeds upward which is called the riser. This is also where the outside FDIC leads to so that the fire department can use a truck to boost the fire suppression system pressure if needed.

Components of a Riser Room

Some components you could find in a Fire Riser Room includes:

• Sprinkler system risers

This is the pipes connecting the main water supply and the sprinkler’s cross pipes; if the building is large enough to require multiple sprinkler systems and risers, all should be located in one place

• Piping

Piping which connects the system’s risers to a fire department connection (FDC), allowing emergency responders to supplement the sprinkler system’s water supply

• Primary sprinkler system water input

This is the main water supply feeding sprinklers for fire protection in buildings or landscapes.

• Sprinkler system valves 

This valves function to drain, test, and isolate the system

• Backflow prevention devices

The backflow prevention device ensure that water flows one direction into the system, preventing contamination and pollution from flowing back out of the system into the municipal water supply

• Pressure gauges

Pressure gauge measure water pressure, air pressure (in dry sprinkler systems) to determine if a sprinkler system is in service and has sufficient pressure

• Water flow switch 

Water flow switch is a switch that activates an alarm to alert authorities that the fire sprinkler system has been activated

• Water motor gong

Water motor gong is a device, usually placed on the outside wall of a riser room, that sounds when water is flowing through the sprinkler system

• Tamper switch

Tamper switches is the switch which signal a warning should the system’s fire protection valves close partially or fully.

• Fire alarm control panel

The fire alarm control panel will sometimes be installed within the riser room. A fire alarm control panel is a centralized unit that monitors and manages connected fire detection devices, such as smoke detectors and heat sensors, providing alerts and control during emergencies.”

• Fire Pump

Fire pumps may also be kept within the riser room, though the room will then have to meet the more robust construction requirements for pump rooms as set by NFPA 20

• Fire protection storage cabinet

Fire protection storage cabinet often serves as an ideal location to store spare sprinkler heads, compatible sprinkler wrenches, copies of relevant NFPA codes, and inspection logs

How the system works

What Does a Fire Riser Do?

A fire riser is like a silent guardian that springs into action when it detects the heat from a fire without expecting you to do anything. When the system detects a rise in temperature probably due to a fire, the sprinkler closest to the heat activates, releasing water to extinguish or control the flames.

The primary purpose of a fire riser is to contain the fire and prevent its spread until emergency responders arrive. It’s like having a rapid-response team within the building itself, ready to tackle a fire before it becomes out of control. The automatic nature of fire risers ensures a quick and effective response, providing invaluable time for occupants to evacuate and minimizing property damage.

Exceptions for Automatic Sprinkler System Riser Room

1. Where approved by the fire code official, where systems are controlled by wall-mounted Post Indicator Valves (PIV), and where exterior access is provided to the monitoring panel that is located in a conditioned room, an automatic sprinkler system riser room is not required.
2. When approved, where a single system serves the building and the system is controlled by a PIV, a riser room is not required.
3. In multi-story facilities, floor control risers are permitted to be located on each floor level in an exit stair enclosure.
4. Systems designed in accordance with NFPA 13D do not require an automatic sprinkler system riser room.
5. Systems designed in accordance with NFPA 13R shall have an automatic sprinkler system riser room/closet that is large enough to facilitate access to all the necessary fire sprinkler and fire alarm valves and devices. This area shall be accessible from the outside with either a door or an access panel large enough to allow for testing and maintenance of system. The area shall also maintain a minimum temperature of 40° F and a maximum temperature of 100° F.
6. Fire pump rooms complying with Section 902.1

What is the size of a riser room

The riser room shall have a minimum area of 16 square feet (1.49 m²), with a minimum dimension of 4 feet, for the first sprinkler riser, plus an additional 9 square feet for each additional riser contained.

Requirements for a sprinkler riser room

Source

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