We at the National Cultural History have an aversion to water in
storerooms. In fact it was only after two floods in our old main museum
building caused by faulty fire fighting systems that we got funding for
the new building I mentioned in my last post.
 
We originally specified to the architects that they should install a
`dry pipe' water fire fighting system in the new building (water
sprinkler system, but the pipes in the building have no water unless
there is an alarm, at which time they are filled)
 
The fire inspectors originally agreed to this system, but after the
Johnie Walker warehouse in Scotland, which had a system of this type,
burned down they insisted that the system no longer be `dry', but that
the pipes should be filled with water, but agreed that these should
not be under pressure.
 
They also implied that with this type of system one could expect at
least 25% more fire damage in the event of fire.
 
We wanted to avoid a Halon system (expense and environmental objections)
so we chose the dry system.
 
Does anybody have information on the accepted norms, experience with
these `dry' pipe systems or data on them being less efficient?
 
I look forward to your replies, Thanx.
 
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