OT - Fire Safety

Roger

There is a class of residential sprinklers called 13-D Multipurpose.

The residential water supply flows through the same plumbing as the sprinklers. They flexible tubing like used in radiant heating -- each head has four supplies to it.

Link to a main manufacturer below:
Supposedly provides excellent water pressure to sinks and showers since each is also fed by multiple lines.

HOWEVER...

I can see how that system certainly depends on the protection of sheetrock or similiar barrier to protect it from direct flame.

And I guess that's the lesson for the PVC feed -- if the piping isn't protected, use metal or protect it with a heat shield of some sort.

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It's a good site on general maintenance & clearance items.

I like the idea of a simple metal yard shed. Kept in an area it's mowed around so you don't have much if anything to burn around it. Also make sure you close off the bottom with chicken wire or lattice work or something similiar to keep dry leaves and pine needles from building up under the building. That's lost people several sheds in my town over the years when a simple grass fire or an ember from burning garbage spread to the nice dry fuel under the shed.

In college when I worked for the State Parks, our flammables (even lubricating oil) where all bulk-stored in a seperate, masonry building about 100' from the nearest structure. But that, IMHO, is probably over-kill for the average homeowner. I guess if I'm a farmer or big time hobbyist buying fuel into 275 gallon tanks, and having 55 gallon drums of oil like the State did, it might make more sense!

And make sure you locate it so it's downhill of buildings you care about -- so if a plastic gas / diesel / kerosene container melts, it doesn't make a flowing stream of gasoline across your driveway and into your garage :)

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Roger