KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
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Sprinkler covers melting because of hot ceiling  
January 28,  2025
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Sprinkler covers melting because of hot ceiling 
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Ken
     As the Irish say, Oye Vey! This is a synopsis, the call was longer with more information provided.
    I received a call phone from one of our facility managers of a hi-rise nursing home. The call started out as he usually does: “Ah, hello Bruce (my name is Jeff, he has known me for two years) we have a problem, the caps are dropping off the sprinklers, I'm not sure why but the caps are coming unglued and dropping off, how can we glue the back on so they don't drop off?”  I asked where this happening is.   He told me where he is, I asked and where is that? 1st floor by the piano (I do know was happening, I asked what is the ceiling temperature; he replied 135 degrees. I told him that is too hot; the sprinklers are rated for a maximum of 100 degree ceiling temperature and covers drop off 10-20 degrees below what the sprinkler will activate at; the covers are rated for 135 degrees.
     He then asked what we can do so the covers stop falling off,.
I said lower the temperature. He responded, but its cold out.  I said the sprinklers were installed in 1998 and there have been no issues like this before, something must have changed with the heating system, he did not like that answer and wanted to know when I would be there to inspect again. I told him it is not a sprinkler issue, that there is nothing we can do to correct this problem, during an inspection, If we noticed it was very warm in an area we would take a ceiling temperature reading and report it is too hot. He was not happy with my answers and said he wanted to know when we would be there to inspect because he was going on vacation.
      We immediately followed up with an email to both the facility director and the administrator:
      Per our phone conversation, the concealer sprinkler covers are typically set to drop off about 10 degrees less than the sprinkler activates. If you have covers dropping off the heat is excessive and the sprinklers are very close to fusing (activating).  The ceiling temperature is near 130 degrees; the sprinklers are rated for a maximum 100 degree ceiling temperature. These sprinklers have been in the building without issue from the heating system for many years, based on what you mentioned, I presume the heat is higher now than it has been in the past.  We have had colder days and no issues.
      Sprinkler specification page from a typical manufacturer:
https://reliablesprinkler.com/files/bulletins/121.pdf?x28760    
NOTE:  Sprinkler maximum ambient temperature 100 degrees F, cover plate set to drop at 135 Deg.F.
This is a video someone did, the first tested sprinkler is a concealer type like you have at XYX, (note, the one being tested, the cap is set at 135 degrees, the sprinkler is probably a 155 degree sprinkler):
https://www.google.com/search?q=concealer+sprinkler&oq=concealer+sprinkler+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTINCAEQABiRAhiABBiKBTINCAIQABiRAhiABBiKBTINCAMQABiRAhiABBiKBTIJCAQQABgKGIAEMgkIBRAAGAoYgAQyCQgGEAAYChiABDIJCAcQABgKGIAEMgkICBAAGAoYgAQyCQgJEAAYChiABNIBCTExMTgzajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:b340d871,vid:39yxhuS7IcI,st:0
It amazes me that someone is in charge of a large facility, in charge of the building engineers, fails to see a problem for what it is, can't figure out what is wrong then calls someone that explains the problem, the reasoning behind the situation and solution and doesn't want to accept it.
Now waiting to hear we need to go change some sprinklers that fused for no reason.
Jeff
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Response
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          The sprinklers fused for a good reason; the ceiling temperature was too hot. The Fire Protection All in One, which covers sprinkler installation, inspection and repair, has been updated to include first a warning about the need to maintain certain temperature and then an acknowledgement from the customer what can happen if temperature falls beyond the recommended parameters. The Fire Protection All in One already had a provision dealing with freezing temperatures affecting wet sprinkler systems.
          The Commercial Security All in One has a provision requiring certain building temperatures so as not to impede electronic components from operating properly.
          Be careful when designing systems, whether they be alarm or fire protection systems; take into consideration the building, its intended use and range of temperature different areas within the building may experience in normal operation.  I suppose some consideration needs to be given to when buildings experience unusual or temporary building conditions.
          You don’t want to be called upon to “fix” components that are not broken and operating as intended, and you surely don’t want to be held responsible for damage caused by systems that operate properly, even if there isn’t a fire or emergency situation.
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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301
ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
www.KirschenbaumEsq.com