NEW FIRE-SAFETY PAINT CODE, P.2

 

"Can you have the staff paint the piping? Of course you can," says Bellini. "But it's very, very important that paintwork is done correctly. I'd highly recommend a professional painting company because of the degreasing that has to be done. Pipes are installed with oils and that oil drips down the pipe, so preparation of the piping is very important. There's degreasing, there's cleaning dust and debris, if there's any rust on the pipe then the pipe has to be sanded and buffed, and then it has to be primed for paint."

Generally, you use a primer specifically designed for steel. But complicating matters on the painting side, Bellini says, is that "if any portions of the system are galvanized steel or [a standard type of plastic called] CPVC, then the preparation requirements are much more involved in order for the red paint to adhere."

Stamp Collecting

Another cause for concern is to paint carefully and to mask off sprinklers and — a little-known fact that trips up many co-op and condo boards and building managers — any factory markings on the pipes. First off, any splattered paint that dries on a sprinkler head is considered foreign matter and has to be removed, often making it simpler and less time-consuming to simply replace the sprinkler head rather than chipping at and stripping dry paint.

Even more importantly, however, cautions Bellini (at right), "is that any factory markings on the pipe" — which indicate things like material composition and pipe specifications — "have to be masked off before painting. They can't be painted over." These marking are generally ink-stamped on, and not stamped on as in indenting the metal.

The upside-down issue there, he notes, is that co-op and condo boards "who have done a good job of keeping their building maintained through the years will have more troubles than those who've just left the pipes unpainted. In my experience, I've never seen a case where the factory marking were masked off. So if you've painted over the pipe markings, you may have to strip the paint first and paint it again."

Bellini says, the factory markings should be OK if you strip the paint. "My understanding is they cannot be removed with standard stripping solvent." But if they do disappear, he wonders, "Would you have to replace the pipe? I don't know." In the unlikely event this becomes an issue, check with your co-op or condo board's attorney.

Worst-Case Scenario

Another unlikely event — but one you should acknowledge and consider — makes it preferable to use an outside company rather than in-house staff to do the painting. " God forbid there's an injury or a loss and [your staff] mispainted," Bellini says. With an outside professional, the liability lies with them. But if your staff made the mistake, then it's the co-op or condo's responsibility.

The final step after all this is certification that the job was done to the city's requirements. Certification must be done by one of four types of professionals you hire to do it:

• Licensed master plumbers
• Licensed master fire suppression piping contractors
• Registered design professionals, such as an architect or an engineer
• People with the appropriate Fire Department Certificate of Fitness

The caution against mispainting is the same for miscertifying. One of your staff may have an Fire Department City of New York (FDNY) certificate, which allows him or her to certify for your building only, but for reasons given above, it might be better to have an outside professional do it.

Can all this really be done by June 2 in every building in New York City? "There are not enough contractors" available in order for this be done, Bellini maintains. Given that, "I find it hard to believe that if people are not in compliance by June 2 that they city is going start issuing mass violations. There aren't enough inspectors for that. I believe what's going to happen is when you get your regularly scheduled FDNY inspection, that that is when violations and fines will come."

Ultimately, uniform coding will almost certainly help save lives and reduce fire damage. But as Bellini notes, "One law with good intentions opens up a tremendous amount of questions that have to be answered" — which, hopefully, we did here.