NFPA 13 normative, “Installation of Sprinkler Systems“, supply minimum requirements for design and installation of automatic sprinkler systems and sprinkler systems for fire expose protection, including type and adequacies for water supply, sprinkler, pipe and valve selection.
The purpose of this normative is to provide a reasonable level of protection against fire, preserve human life and property, through normalization of the requirements of design, installation and rehearsal of sprinkler systems, including main service fire protection piping, based on reliable engineering principles, rehearsal data and field experiences.
Sprinkler systems and main service fire protection piping are specialized fire protection systems and require design and installation knowledge and experience.
The normative includes in general but not limited: Requirements for sprinkler systems from over 30 NFPA codes and regulations, requirements for hidden areas, additional criteria to install according specific needs in regards special characteristics (particularly in regards type of roofs), requirements and full design specifications for deposit protection, underground piping including materials , installation and acceptance testing, early suppression fast response (ESFR) table calculations which allow proper selection and design for fire protection systems at any deposit or building, a special section for designs which involved specific risks (e.g. protection criteria for plastic components of vehicle engines), etc.