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I am a sales engineer responsible for selling trench drains. We endeavor to assist when we can. I have heard (and seen) that elevator hoistways are to be protected by trench drains. All I can find are these code sections from the 2015 VUSBC.
3007.3 Water Protection
Water from the operation of an automatic sprinkler system outside the enclosed lobby shall be prevented from infiltrating into the hoistway enclosure by an approved method.
and
3008.3 Water Protection
Water from the operation of an automatic sprinkler system outside the enclosed lobby shall be prevented from infiltrating into the hoistway enclosure by an approved method.
Are trench drains the “Approved Method”
Take a look at Section 301.6 of the 2015 Virginia Plumbing Code which takes you to Section 1003.4. Hopefully that is what you are looking for.
Thank you. 301.6 allows plumbing associated with the elevator hoistway (a sump pump & associated piping) in the elevator hoistway. This has actually been permitted for years. The plumbing I am concerned about is required & not simply “allowed” outside the hoistway (Lobby) & prevents water from entering. Again thank you for your time.
Yea okay, a bit tricky. First “approved” as defined by VCC Chapter 2 is “acceptable to the building official” (sure, the def was taken out of the 2015 VCC by mistake, it should be coming back in the 2018). Every jurisdiction in Virginia will have a building official, so some BO’s will approve a method whereas others will not. They have that authority. Second, the requirements referenced by 3007.3 and 3008.3 are basically applicable to high-rise buildings only (see 403.6 and 3008.1, 120′ and 420′ respectively). Many BO’s will never have to be concerned with this section. Those that do will review any proposed methods that can produce compliance with these sections. If a proposal was to use a trench drain to satisfy this requirement, other details would have to be provided (and approved) such as connection location (sanitary/storm), trap/no trap, trap primer, ADA considerations, waste receptor or emergency floor drain. Any one of these factors inaccurately designed can produce a denial from the BO ……. or an approval.
Not quite what you’re looking for Wesley, but because there can be many alternate methods that could satisfy this requirement, we, as building officials, must remain neutral to these possibilities. If you have an opportunity to introduce this topic again on a specific project in my jurisdiction, I would be happy to further entertain your proposed use of a trench drain to satisfy these requirements.
Thank you, I have been in this business as a designer for about 35 years. Only in recent years did I begin selling trench drains. In the 35 years I designed I did not protect elevator hoistways from sprinkler flow. Perhaps because I did not work on high rises. I had heard this was a requirement but as you say, not on most buildings, & appropriately equipped trench drains & other methods could be considered by the BO to satisfy the requirement.
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