A sprinkler system has been installed with 100 sprinklers. What is the minimum number of spare sprinklers to be provided?

According to NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, a stock of spare sprinklers must be maintained on the premises. The required quantity is based on the total number of sprinklers installed in the system. For a facility with fewer than 300 sprinklers, the standard mandates that a minimum of six spare sprinklers be provided. Since the system in question has 100 sprinklers, it falls into this category, making six the correct minimum number of spares required.

A. 3: This is incorrect because NFPA 13 establishes an absolute minimum of six spare sprinklers, regardless of how small the system is.

C. 9: This is an arbitrary number not specified in the NFPA 13 spare sprinkler requirement table for any system size.

D. 12: This is the minimum number of spare sprinklers required for systems with 300 to 1000 sprinklers, which is a larger system than described.

1. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). (2022). NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. Section 16.2.7.3 and Table 16.2.7.3, "Number of Spare Sprinklers."

2. SFPE. (2016). SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering (5th ed.). Springer. Chapter 21, "Automatic Sprinkler Systems," Section 21.5.1.2, "Spare Sprinklers." (This section discusses and confirms the requirements outlined in NFPA 13). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2562-421