Features & Benefits
FAQs for Specifiers
- Where should BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems be used?
- How do BlazeMaster® products compare to other fire sprinkler piping materials?
- How do BlazeMaster® products perform under fire?
- What are BlazeMaster® products' Listings and approvals?
- How do BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems stand up to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC)?
- How can the installed cost of a BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler System be lower than metal systems?
- What are the advantages of BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems for retrofits?
Where should BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems be used?
BlazeMaster® CPVC pipe and fittings are Listed by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. for use in wet pipe sprinkler systems:
- Light Hazard occupancies as defined in the Standard for Installation of Fire Sprinkler Systems, NFPA 13.
- Residential occupancies as defined in the Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies up to Four Stories in Height, NFPA 13R.
- Residential occupancies as defined in the Standard for Sprinkler Systems in One and Two Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes, NFPA 13D.
- Air plenums, as defined by the Installation of Air Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, NFPA 90A and model mechanical codes.
- Underground Water Pressure Service, NFPA 24.
- System risers in accordance with NPFA 13, 13R and 13D
How do BlazeMaster® products compare to other fire sprinkler piping materials?
Summation of Variables Affecting Fire Sprinkler Pipe Selection
Table 19 Excerpts from Comparison of Fire Sprinkler Piping Materials: Steel, Copper, Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride and Polybutylene, in Residential and Light Hazard Installations. Published by Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Sponsored by the U.S. Fire Administration. Complete publication is available by contacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Fire Administration, 16825 S. Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD 21727.
| Property | Steel Schedule 40 | Typical Lightwall Steel | Copper Type M | BlazeMaster® SDR 13.5 |
| Color | Black | Silver | Copper | Orange |
| Weight of the DN25 (1 in) size (kg/m) | 2.5 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Melting point (MP) or heat distortion temperature (HDT) | (MP) 1427 - 1538 °C (2600-2800 °F) |
(MP) 1427 - 1538 °C (2600-2800 °F) |
(MP) 1082 °C (1980 °F) | (HDT) 103 °C (217 °F) |
| Damage susceptibility | Low | Low | Low | High with UV exposure & impacts |
| Corrosion susceptibility / design C factor | High / 120 | High / 120 | Moderate / 150 | Low / 150 |
| Occupancy classification - NFPA standards | Not limited | Not limited | Not limited | NFPA 13 light hazard, 13D, 13R, concealed and restricted exposure NFPA 90A (BlazeMaster CPVC is now Listed for exposed installations) |
| Flexibility/hanger spacing for DN25 (1 in) size (m) | Not flexible / 3.7 | Not flexible / 3.7 | Slightly flexible / 2.4 | Flexible / 1.8 |
| Maximum ambient temperature | Not limited | Not limited | Not limited | 66 °C (150 °F) |
| Expansion concerns / solutions | Negligible | Negligible | Negligible | Yes / offsets, direction changes, loops |
| Fitting type | Threaded grooved flanged plain-type | Threaded grooved flanged plain-type | Soldering Brazing Grooved | Primer / solvent cement (Solvent cements have since been developed that do not require a primer). |
| Compatible antifreeze | Not limited (a) | Not limited (a) | Not limited (a) | Glycerine (a) |
| (a) NFPA recommends that only antifreeze solutions of glycerine or propylene glycol be used when the sprinkler system is connected to potable water. | ||||
How do BlazeMaster® products perform under fire?
- CPVC has an LOI (Limited Oxygen Index) much better than wood, PVC or other common building materials. It will not support combustion, therefore, it cannot be the source of a fire or cause a fire to spread.
- Do not contribute to flashover.
- Low smoke generation.
- Toxicity is very low when compared with common building and finishing materials. Equal to wood and less than wool or cotton (University of Pittsburgh protocol).
What are BlazeMaster® products's Listings and approvals?
- UL Listed (UL 1821)
- Can be flush at return air plenums
- Mechanical cut-in tee & crosses concealed with Grinnell figure 730 fittings
- Mechanical cut-in tee & crosses exposed with Grinnell figure 730 fittings
- Exposed system risers NFPA 13D, 13R
- Exposed basement NFPA 13D (solid wood joist)
- Extended coverage (exposed)
- 20' spacing on pendent in lieu of 15'
- 18' spacing on sidewall in lieu of 14' - Use with combustible concealed sprinklers
- Tyco attic sprinkler head (to protect the floor below)
- Tyco attic sprinkler head with wet system piping (feed main and ridge installation)
- Exposed sidewall sprinkler Listing for exposed pipe &
fittings
- 24' extended coverage sidewall sprinkler, 12" drop, 155° F sprinkler head
- 18' extended coverage sidewall sprinkler, 12" drop, 165° F sprinkler head
- 16' extended coverage sidewall sprinkler, 12" drop, 175° F sprinkler head
- 14' standard coverage sidewall sprinkler, 12" drop, 200° F sprinkler head - ULC or CUL Listed
- Factory Mutual Approved*
- Factory Mutual Approval exposed
- Factory Mutual Approval above drop-in ceilings
- Factory Mutual Approval exposed w/ Soffi-Steel soffiting covering system - LPCB Approval
- VdS Approval
- Pressure rated system by Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) both pipe and fittings
- Cell class 23547 CPVC pipe
- Cell class 24447 CPVC fittings
- Size available up to 3" in diameter
*as manufacturered by Harvel, IPEX, and Tyco
The above data is based on UL and FM reported Listings and Approvals as of 11/30/05. Check with UL or FM for future updates on Listings and Approval enhancements.
Other Differentiation:
- World class CPVC R&D center and technical service support departmen
- Problem solving CPVC technical service representatives
- Approved commercial product sold for over 20 year
- Back by over 40 years of CPVC resin and compound manufacturing experienc
- Inventors of CPVC
- CPVC resin & compound from ISO 9001 mfg. sites (85% of finished product is resin, 15% other
- CPVC resin & compound made in United States
- Developed UL approved cut-in procedure
- Chemical compatibility program (ancillary products)
- System tool program
- Pipe exceeds ASTM standards (ID, OD tolerances)
- Universal multi-manufacturer CPVC pipe "Quality Assurance
Program"
- BlazeMaster system requires that all CPVC products are made of BlazeMaster CPVC - mixing other non-BlazeMaster CPVC products results in a lowest common denominator system
How do BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems stand up to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC)?
BlazeMaster® CPVC pipe and fittings are immune to MIC
How can the installed cost of a BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler System be lower than metal systems?
- BlazeMaster® pipe can be cut on site with a simple hand tool, eliminating expensive fabrication.
- One-step, solvent cement joining systems keep labor time to a minimum.
- Pipe and fitting costs are very stable compared to metallics.
What are the advantages of BlazeMaster® Fire Sprinkler Systems for retrofits?
- Allow for higher occupancy rates during the retrofit.
- The system - pipe, hangers and sprinkler heads - can be retrofitted quickly, close to the wall, using common hand tools.
- Easy to install in tight spaces.
- Less mess and less noise mean fewer problems with owners and occupants.
- New decorative cover systems blend with any décor, are modular for easy installation, eliminate the need for dropped ceilings and cover exposed pipes.
- One-step, solvent cement joining systems keep labor time to a minimum.
