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  • 1.  Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-14-2019 12:41 PM
    Hi everyone,

    I am working on an assignment as part of my Masters of Museum Studies and was wondering if I could get some information about the types of sprinkler systems or fire proofing systems used in your museums, especially in your storage areas. Do you use traditional water based sprinkler systems, a fire suppression system, or something else? Any information you're willing to share is greatly appreciated.

    Thank you,

    ------------------------------
    Rachel Moats
    Masters of Information Archives and Records Management
    Masters of Museum Studies
    Rachelemoats@gmail.com
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-15-2019 07:09 AM
    We have a wet-pipe system (recommended by our insurance company)  Another issue you might consider covering in your research is pipe size.  During a recent construction project to add an Atrium and new collections storage facility, we were forced by the fire marshal to remove existing 2" pipe to replace with 2.5" pipe to conform with current codes.

    Vivian F. Zoë, Director
    Slater Memorial Museum
    108 Crescent Street, Norwich CT 06360
    860-425-5560 vox
    860-885-0379 fax

    "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just show up and get to work," Chuck Close, 2003


    Please note:  The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments hereto is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipients.  If the reader/recipient of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this e-mail and all attachments hereto in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or any of its attachments is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail and destroy the original message received.  Thank You.



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-15-2019 07:53 AM
    i have mixed feeling about having we-pipe system in areas where artwork is displayed or stored. someone could accidentally knock off a sprinkler head and cause significant water damage. Most museum have  Pre-Action systems that require the activation of a smoke or heat detector before the sprinkler pipes are charged with water.

    in our art storage areas we have  FM200 an Halon dry extinguishing agent which much safer for art.

    ------------------------------
    Faiz Mohammad CIPM
    Director of Protection Services
    Portland Museum of Art
    Portland ME
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-15-2019 08:15 AM
    we've gone back and forth in our discussions and deliberations on this.  We settled on wet system (which is, by the way, pre-action) because the damage to objects (though different) is equivalent with dry systems.

    Vivian F. Zoë, Director
    Slater Memorial Museum
    108 Crescent Street, Norwich CT 06360
    860-425-5560 vox
    860-885-0379 fax

    "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just show up and get to work," Chuck Close, 2003


    Please note:  The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments hereto is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipients.  If the reader/recipient of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this e-mail and all attachments hereto in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or any of its attachments is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail and destroy the original message received.  Thank You.



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-16-2019 09:31 AM
    ​An historic house museum I work with has a dry-pipe system installed about 25 years ago.  "Dry" is a misnomer as an air compressor is used to maintain pressure against the water valve and this creates condensation in the pipes.  This, combined with the periodic flooding of the system for a required trip-test of the valve produces significant corrosion in the iron pipes from the inside out.  When the system is filled with water- either from a planned test or the failure of the air compressor- filthy, rusty water leaks wherever this corrosion has compromised a coupling or the pipes themselves.

    ------------------------------
    John Turner
    Archivist
    Tallahassee FL
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-17-2019 04:07 PM
    Are you looking for information about the pros and cons of various fire suppression systems for museums or are you trying to find out what museums actually use (and perhaps why)?    You might get better results for the latter if you create a survey (Survey Monkey works well for this kind of thing) and posted the link here and on various listservs, particularly the Collections Stewardship one.

    ------------------------------
    Janice Klein
    Executive Director
    Museum Association of Arizona
    Tempe AZ
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Sprinkler Systems for Storage

    Posted 05-18-2019 03:39 PM
    I had the same question as Janice.  I would be happy to discuss offline the options for fire suppression for cultural heritage institutions.  Many factors go into making the decisions for fire protection of irreplaceable collections. There are a number of publications and sources that discuss the options for fire suppression for cultural heritage institutions and for collection storage.  I made a short list below.

    In response to Faiz Mohammad CIPM, while FM 200 is still listed as an available clean agent for collections storage, we are not longer specifying it for new projects for the following reason:
    As of October 2016, HFCs like Chemours' FM-200® (HFC-227ea) and FE-25™ (HFC-125), as well as Fike's ECARO-25® (HFC-125), are scheduled for global production phasedown under the Montreal Protocol. FM-200® and other hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are following the path of halon. Although these HFCs are clean agents that do not deplete the ozone layer, they are potent greenhouse gases - more than 3000 times more potent than CO2. The European Union's HFC phasedown started in 2015 under the F-Gas regulations and the HFC phasedown in the United States and other developed countries begins in 2019 under the Montreal Protocol. 
    Because fire suppression systems for cultural heritage institutions are often intended to last for 30 years or more, FM-200® and other HFCs have become unsustainable clean agents. Novec 1230 fluid, or it equivalent, is now specified.  Novec 1230 fluid has no ozone depletion potential and a climate impact less than CO2 and it's not targeted for phasedown or phase-out. 

    Helpful sources include: 
    NPS Museum Handbook, Chapter 9 on Fire Protection (recently revised).
    SAA's Archival and Special Collections Facilities (2009 - under revision for US and Canada)
    NARA 1571S
    Library of Congress guidelines
    Smithsonian guidelines
    NEDCC 3.2
    Government of Canada - Agent of Deterioration: Fire
    NFPA 232

    MICHELE F. PACIFICO
    Archival Facilities Consultant
    PO Box 1490, Jackson WY 83001
    301-908-8720
    martinpacifico@comcast.net
    www.pacificoarchivalconsulting.com




    ------------------------------
    MICHELE F. PACIFICO
    Archival Facilities Consultant
    PO Box 1490, Jackson WY 83001
    301-908-8720
    martinpacifico@comcast.net
    www.pacificoarchivalconsulting.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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