Full-scope fire protection planning, installation, and code compliance for commercial and industrial projects. Licensed under T.C.A. § 62-32. NFPA 13 compliant. 35+ years delivering on-time, first-pass AHJ approvals.
Call Now — (931) 360-5262Fire protection is one of the most code-intensive systems in any commercial or industrial building. Getting it wrong means failed AHJ inspections, delayed certificates of occupancy, and serious liability exposure for the general contractor and building owner alike. KJ Fire Protection has spent 35+ years eliminating that risk for project teams across Middle Tennessee and the Southeast.
We bring deep working knowledge of NFPA 1, NFPA 13, NFPA 101, and the International Building Code to every project. Our crews understand hydraulic calculation basis-of-design, system classification by occupancy hazard, and the specific plan review requirements of every AHJ we work under. When you sub fire protection to KJ, it stays off your problem list.
Under the International Building Code, Section 903.2 mandates automatic fire sprinklers based on occupancy type and building size. Understanding these thresholds early in the design process is critical to avoiding costly scope changes:
NFPA 13 classifies occupancies by hazard level, which directly determines sprinkler density, pipe sizing, and hydraulic calculation parameters. Misclassifying a space means under- or over-designing the system — both create problems at AHJ inspection.
Office buildings, hotels, healthcare facilities, schools, and residential occupancies. Lower fuel loads, slower fire growth. Design density: 0.10 gpm/sq ft over 1,500 sq ft or 0.10 gpm/sq ft over 3,000 sq ft depending on design method.
Parking garages, electrical equipment rooms, laundries, refrigerator rooms with incidental storage. Moderate fuel loads. Design density: 0.15 gpm/sq ft over 1,500 sq ft.
Auto showrooms, dry cleaners, feed mills, piers, post offices, stages, warehouse-style retail. Higher fuel loads, faster fire growth. Design density: 0.20 gpm/sq ft over 1,500 sq ft.
Woodworking facilities, aircraft hangars, flammable liquid processing. High fuel load, rapid fire development. Requires higher density calculations and often suppression-class heads.
Every NFPA 13 system requires hydraulic calculations to verify that the water supply can deliver the required density over the design area. The basis of design document — which the AHJ reviews as part of plan approval — must specify the occupancy classification, design density, design area, and the specific hydraulic demand at the point of supply connection.
KJ Fire Protection coordinates directly with licensed fire protection engineers (SFPE-qualified where required) to develop and verify hydraulic calculations before plan submittal. This coordination happens early in the design phase, not after the riser is roughed in — which is how we avoid the costly redesigns that knock projects off schedule.
In Tennessee, fire sprinkler system contractors must be licensed under the Tennessee Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act, codified at T.C.A. § 62-32-101 et seq. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office administers licensing, which requires demonstrated technical competency, insurance, and ongoing continuing education.
All KJ Fire Protection work in Tennessee is performed under our active state contractor license. We carry current license documentation with every bid package and can provide verification on request. GCs and owners who hire unlicensed fire sprinkler contractors face project-level risk — plan approval can be revoked and systems may be required to be removed and reinstalled by a licensed contractor.
The plan review process varies by AHJ across the Southeast, but the fundamentals are consistent: construction documents (including hydraulic calculations, equipment schedules, and riser diagrams) must be submitted to the local building department and fire marshal for review and approval before installation begins. In many jurisdictions, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office conducts an independent review in addition to the local AHJ.
KJ Fire Protection manages the complete submittal package — drawings, calcs, product data sheets, and specification compliance documentation. We know what each AHJ expects to see, and we build our submittals accordingly. Incomplete submittals that bounce back from plan review cost weeks. We don't let that happen.
The earlier the better — ideally during schematic or design development. Early involvement lets us review architectural plans for hazard classification, identify water supply constraints that may require a fire pump, and flag coordination issues before they're baked into the design. Getting fire protection right at DD is infinitely cheaper than correcting it at construction documents or, worse, during installation.
For sprinkler systems, the primary standard is NFPA 13 (Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems). NFPA 1 (Fire Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) establish when protection is required and at what level. NFPA 13R applies to residential occupancies up to 4 stories, and NFPA 13D to one- and two-family dwellings. The IBC, adopted in Tennessee and most southeastern states, mandates sprinkler installation and references these NFPA standards directly.
Hydraulic calculation is the engineering analysis that verifies a fire sprinkler system's water supply can deliver the required flow and pressure at the design area. NFPA 13 requires hydraulic calculations for all systems. The calculation produces a demand point (required flow at required pressure) that is plotted against the water supply curve from a fire flow test. If the supply falls short of the demand, the system design must be modified — typically by upsizing pipe, reducing design area, or adding a fire pump. Catching this shortfall early is critical to avoiding major scope changes.
Yes. KJ Fire Protection is licensed under the Tennessee Fire Sprinkler Contractor Licensing Act (T.C.A. § 62-32). Tennessee requires this license for any contractor installing, altering, or maintaining fire sprinkler systems in the state. We can provide license documentation with any bid package. Hiring an unlicensed contractor in Tennessee creates risk of plan rejection, required removal and reinstallation, and potential project-level liability.
In Tennessee, fire sprinkler system plans must typically be reviewed and approved by both the local AHJ (usually the city or county building department and fire marshal) and in many cases the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office. We prepare complete submittal packages including construction drawings, hydraulic calculations, equipment schedules, and product data sheets. Review timelines vary by jurisdiction — typically 2-6 weeks for first review. We respond to plan review comments and resubmit promptly to minimize delay.
Wet pipe systems have pressurized water in the pipes at all times — when a sprinkler head activates, water discharges immediately. Dry pipe systems have pressurized air or nitrogen in the pipes; when a head activates, air discharges first, then the dry pipe valve opens and water fills the system before discharging. Dry pipe is required where pipes could freeze — unheated warehouses, parking garages, loading docks. Dry pipe adds cost and maintenance complexity vs. wet pipe and has a slightly longer activation time, which affects hazard classification decisions.
Yes. On design-build projects, KJ Fire Protection can lead fire protection scope from concept through commissioning, working directly with the design-build team's architect and MEP engineer. We bring hydraulic calculation capability, code expertise, and AHJ submittal management to the design-build process — reducing the risk that fire protection becomes a scope gap between design and construction.
For new construction commercial projects, we prefer to engage 4-6 weeks before permit submittal to allow time for design review and coordination. For large or complex projects, earlier engagement is better. That said, we understand construction schedules move fast — call us with your project details and timeline and we'll tell you honestly what we can accommodate.
Authoritative references for contractors, owners, and project managers working on fire protection system projects in the Southeast:
The governing standard for fire sprinkler system design and installation. Establishes occupancy hazard classifications, hydraulic design methods, pipe sizing, hanger requirements, and acceptance testing procedures. Required reference for all commercial fire protection projects.
Provides a comprehensive, integrated approach to fire and life safety. Establishes minimum requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of fire protection systems and features. Adopted as the state fire code by Tennessee and many southeastern states.
IBC Section 903 establishes where automatic fire sprinklers are required by occupancy type and building configuration. Section 903.3 references NFPA 13, 13R, and 13D as the installation standards. Critical reading for project teams determining scope early in the design process.
Tennessee T.C.A. § 62-32 requires all fire sprinkler contractors to be licensed by the State Fire Marshal's Office. This page covers current licensing requirements, exam schedules, and contractor lookup for verifying license status.
SFPE is the professional society for fire protection engineers who design fire protection systems and perform hydraulic calculations. On complex projects, coordination with an SFPE-qualified engineer is standard practice and often required by the AHJ for plan approval.
OSHA's standard for automatic sprinkler systems in general industry workplaces. Building owners and facility managers must understand OSHA requirements in addition to NFPA standards — both apply to occupied commercial and industrial facilities.
We respond to all inquiries within one business day. Send us your project type, size, location, and timeline — we'll come back with real answers, not a sales pitch.