Fire Flow Studies
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PE-stamped fire flow engineering for California. CFC Chapter 5, Title 24, DSA schools, and commercial projects. Fixed-fee proposals, quoted before work starts.
Need a fire flow study? Call us today.
Get a Fire Flow Study Proposal
Tell us about your project. Tell us about your project and we’ll send a fixed-fee proposal.
What Is a Fire Flow Study?
A fire flow study calculates the volume of water required to suppress a building fire while maintaining minimum hydrant pressure. It’s the foundation for ensuring a project’s water system can meet fire protection codes and insurance requirements.
We perform fire flow analysis for developers, municipalities, school districts, and commercial projects across California. Our work includes hydrant flow tests, system modeling, design recommendations, and PE-stamped reports ready to submit to fire marshals and building departments.
Fire Flow Requirements by Project Type
CFC Chapter 5 — Commercial and Residential
California Fire Code Chapter 5 requires fire flow calculations for most new buildings. The required flow depends on occupancy classification, building size, and construction type. For a 50,000-square-foot commercial building, typical fire flow requirements range from 2,000 to 3,500 GPM.
What we provide: Hydrant pressure surveys, fire flow modeling, system upgrade recommendations, and a PE-stamped report. Turnaround depends on scope and site access.
DSA School Fire Flow — Appendix BB and NFPA 24
California’s Division of the State Architect (DSA) and Title 24 Energy Code impose strict fire flow requirements for school projects. The base requirement for schools is 1,500 GPM at 20 PSI, though high-rise buildings and specific occupancies may require higher flows. We ensure your school project meets DSA standards and passes Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) review.
Typical scope: Fire flow test, pressure validation, riser design, thrust block sizing, and DSA-compliant stamped drawings. Fixed fee, quoted on scope.
Title 24 Compliance and System Upgrades
Many projects don’t have enough existing fire flow. We analyze your water system, identify constraints, and provide design options: hydrant relocations, booster pumps, storage tank upgrades, or municipal main improvements. We coordinate with water utilities and recommend the most cost-effective solution.
The Fire Flow Process
1. Site assessment — We review the project location, building footprint, and water system.
2. Hydrant flow test — We measure actual flow and pressure at the nearest hydrants. Most sites: 1–2 hours on-site.
3. Analysis and modeling — We calculate required fire flow per code and model the system under demand.
4. Recommendations — System upgrades, riser design, depth/velocity/thrust block sizing per DSA standards.
5. Stamped report — PE-stamped fire flow analysis ready for permit submittal.
Turnaround: Scoped per project, from site test to stamped report. Same PE from scope through deliverable.
What’s in the Fire Flow Report
The deliverable is a PE-stamped fire flow report you can hand to the fire marshal or building department. Reports we issue carry the same core sections.
Hydrant flow test data
Static and residual pressure, flow at the test hydrant, and the hydrants used, recorded per NFPA 291 practice. We show the raw field readings, not just the derived numbers, so a reviewer can follow the arithmetic.
Required fire flow per code
The demand your project has to meet, calculated from occupancy, construction type, and floor area under CFC Chapter 5 and Appendix B, with any reductions taken for automatic sprinkler systems shown as a separate line.
Hydraulic model results
We build the distribution system in EPANET and run it under fire flow demand plus maximum day, then report available flow at the required residual pressure. Where a project sits at the edge of the system’s capacity, the model is what tells you by how much.
Available versus required, and what to do about it
A direct comparison of what the system delivers against what the code requires. When the site falls short, the report carries options with the tradeoffs stated – hydrant relocation, a looped main, a booster pump, storage, or an offsite main improvement – so you can price them before committing.
PE stamp and submittal package
The report is stamped by the engineer who performed the analysis. CaliChi issues fire flow reports for projects throughout California, and the same report format carries to the other states where our engineers hold licensure.
Why CaliChi?
- 7 State PE Licenses: Licensed in CA, OR, WA, HI, AZ, CO, NM. We can stamp your fire flow study wherever you’re building.
- 400+ Projects: Fire flow studies for schools, commercial buildings, multifamily, and industrial facilities across California.
- Fixed-Fee Pricing: Every study is quoted as a fixed fee before work starts. No surprises.
- Same PE Throughout: Your engineer from initial scope through final stamped report. No handoffs.
- Turnaround: Scoped up front. We know time matters on your schedule.
- ENR Award Winner: Recognized for engineering excellence and client service.
- Key Projects: OUSD schools, BART transit, JPMorgan facilities, and Bay Area’s largest developers.
Service Areas
Primary: Bay Area (Oakland, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, East Bay)
Statewide: California-wide via field test coordination
Multi-State: Licensed in 7 states — we can help if you’re building in Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, or New Mexico.
Markets We Serve
Local fire flow requirements vary by AHJ and water purveyor. See our market-specific guides:
- Fire flow analysis in Oakland and the Bay Area
- Fire flow analysis in Sacramento
- Fire flow analysis in Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County
- Fire flow analysis in Portland, Oregon
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a fire flow study for my project?
Most California buildings require a fire flow calculation. The exception is very small buildings (under 3,500 sq ft) with low hazard occupancy. When in doubt, ask your fire marshal or AHJ — they’ll tell you if it’s required.
How long does a fire flow study take?
It depends on scope and site access, and we give you a schedule with the proposal. Simple projects may be faster. Complex schools or system upgrades may take 7–10 days.
What if the existing water system doesn’t have enough fire flow?
We provide options. Often we can reroute pressure, relocate hydrants, or recommend a booster pump. For major deficiencies, we coordinate with the water utility on main upgrades. We help you find the most cost-effective path to compliance.
How much does a fire flow study cost?
Every fire flow study is quoted as a fixed fee, set by scope: the project type, whether a field flow test is required, and whether the work extends into distribution modeling or a design solution. The fee covers the site test, the analysis, our recommendations, and the stamped report, and it does not move unless the scope changes. Send us the project and we’ll quote it.
Can you stamp fire flow studies in other states?
Yes. We’re licensed in CA, OR, WA, HI, AZ, CO, and NM. If you’re building outside these states, we can advise, but you’d need a local PE to stamp.
Related Services
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