{"id":25049,"date":"2026-11-13T14:46:26","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T11:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/sa\/media-center\/"},"modified":"2026-11-13T14:52:39","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T11:52:39","slug":"archive-room-fire-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/sa\/media-center\/archive-room-fire-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"Archive Room Fire Protection: Sprinklers or Clean Agent for Records"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"25049\" class=\"elementor elementor-25049 elementor-25048 elementor-bc-flex-widget\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bed56ec e-con-full az-el-article e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bed56ec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-498b74b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"498b74b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"az-intro\">Archive room fire protection usually starts with the sprinkler system the code already requires for the building, then adds a clean agent system for rooms that hold records you cannot replace, because the agent leaves no water and no residue on paper. The right choice depends on the code adopted for the project, the value of the records, how tight the room is and how the files are stored. This article compares both options for document rooms in Saudi banks and companies, and links to <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/solutions\/special-fire-suppression-systems\/\">AZEIDK special fire suppression systems<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b500bb4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b500bb4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"az-keybox\"><h2>Key takeaways<\/h2><ul>\n<li>An archive is a high fire load: compressed paper on closely spaced shelving, where fire can keep smouldering deep inside the stacks.<\/li>\n<li>Sprinklers protect the building and its occupants and stop the fire spreading, but their water can damage files close to the fire.<\/li>\n<li>A clean agent (such as HFC-227ea, sold as FM-200) extinguishes without water, but it needs a tight room, early detection and an adequate hold time.<\/li>\n<li>In most buildings, a sprinkler required by the code is not removed just because a gas system is installed, unless the consultant and Civil Defense accept an alternative.<\/li>\n<li>A pre-action sprinkler system is a middle option that lowers the risk of accidental water release over the shelves.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0cb55c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0cb55c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Why do archive rooms need special fire protection?<\/h2>\n<p>An archive is not an ordinary office. Paper, cardboard and files packed on steel racks or mobile compact shelving put far more combustible material into each square metre than any office floor. When the paper is tightly packed, a fire can start on the surface, work its way inside and keep burning slowly without visible flame.<\/p>\n<p>The second problem is that the value of the contents has nothing to do with their price. Customer contracts in a bank, personnel files and a company&#8217;s financial and legal records may have no other copy. So the owner faces two questions at once: how do I put the fire out quickly, and how do I protect the paper from the extinguishing medium itself?<\/p>\n<p>The dedicated technical reference is NFPA 232, Standard for the Protection of Records, which covers records kept in vaults and file rooms. In Saudi Arabia, the legal requirement comes from the Saudi Building Code (SBC) adopted for the project and from Civil Defense requirements. NFPA standards are technical references the designer applies where the code or the project specification calls them up.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a4da4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9a4da4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What are the options for archive room fire protection?<\/h2>\n<p>The table below summarises the options most often used for archive and document rooms, and what each one means for the paper:<\/p>\n<div class=\"az-table-wrap\"><table>\n<thead><tr><th>Option<\/th><th>How it works<\/th><th>Effect on documents<\/th><th>What it needs<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>Wet pipe sprinklers<\/td><td>Water sits in the pipes; each head opens when it reaches its operating temperature<\/td><td>Wets the files near the heads that opened, and only those<\/td><td>A design that suits the fire load and storage height<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Pre-action sprinklers<\/td><td>Pipes stay dry; water enters only after a signal from the detection system<\/td><td>Same as a sprinkler in a fire, with a lower risk of accidental leaks<\/td><td>Detection, a release panel and a pre-action valve<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Chemical clean agent (HFC-227ea or FK-5-1-12)<\/td><td>Agent discharges within seconds and fills the room to the extinguishing concentration<\/td><td>No water and no residue on paper<\/td><td>A tight room, early detection, an integrity test<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Inert gas<\/td><td>Lowers the oxygen level in the room to a point where the fire goes out<\/td><td>No water and no residue<\/td><td>More cylinder space and pressure relief vents<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Sprinklers plus clean agent<\/td><td>The agent acts early; the sprinkler stays as back-up<\/td><td>Water usually operates only if the agent fails or the fire continues<\/td><td>Coordinated design and operation of both systems<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/div>\n<p>For a detailed comparison of the clean agents themselves, see our <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/media-center\/clean-agent-suppression-comparison\/\">clean agent suppression comparison<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0dae672 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0dae672\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Do fire sprinklers ruin archive documents?<\/h2>\n<p>The fear of sprinklers in an archive is understandable, but it is often overstated. A sprinkler head does not respond to smoke. It opens when the air around it reaches its operating temperature, and only the head or heads near the fire open. Water reaches a limited area while the fire is stopped from spreading along the shelving.<\/p>\n<p>The real comparison is not water against no water. It is wet files in one area against a burnt-out archive. Wet paper can often be saved by specialist drying. Burnt paper cannot.<\/p>\n<p>If the main concern is water from a broken head or a damaged pipe over the shelves, the usual answer is a pre-action system. The pipes stay dry until the detectors give a signal, and in some types both a detection signal and an open head are needed before water flows. We explain the differences in <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/media-center\/wet-dry-preaction-deluge-sprinkler-systems\/\">wet, dry, pre-action and deluge sprinkler systems<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-80c5bd1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"80c5bd1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>When is a clean agent (FM-200) the better fit for an archive room?<\/h2>\n<p>A clean agent is a strong choice when the records are valuable or rare and the room has clear boundaries that can be sealed. It puts the fire out at an early stage without any liquid touching the paper, and there is no clean-up after discharge.<\/p>\n<p>Archives in particular raise points the designer must check carefully:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Room integrity:<\/strong> the agent must hold its extinguishing concentration long enough. Gaps in suspended ceilings, around pipes and cables or under doors shorten that time. That is why a <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/media-center\/clean-agent-room-integrity-test\/\">room integrity test<\/a> is done before handover.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deep-seated fire in paper:<\/strong> clean agents are very effective on surface fires. Tightly packed paper can keep smouldering after the flames are out, Consulting-Specifying Engineer notes that deep-seated fires may need a higher concentration and a longer soak time, and that there is no standardised test for their agent requirements. The designer therefore reviews the hold time and decides whether sprinklers stay as back-up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Early detection:<\/strong> the agent works best when smoke is detected before the fire grows, using smoke detectors tied to the suppression release panel.<\/li>\n<li><strong>People safety:<\/strong> a pre-discharge alarm, a time delay, an abort or hold switch as per the approved design, and clear signs on the door.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These systems are designed to NFPA 2001, Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems. Our <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/media-center\/nfpa-2001-clean-agent-standard-guide\/\">NFPA 2001 guide<\/a> covers its main requirements. Systems AZEIDK supplies include the <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/products\/american-afc-fm-200-fire-suppression-system\/\">American Fire Control FM-200 fire suppression system<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ea8a87c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ea8a87c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Is a clean agent enough on its own, without sprinklers?<\/h2>\n<p>This is a regulatory decision before it is a technical one. If the whole building needs sprinklers under the Saudi Building Code, removing them from the archive needs an alternative that the consultant accepts and the approving authority signs off. The owner&#8217;s preference for gas over water is not enough.<\/p>\n<p>On new projects, settle this early, at design and drawing submission stage, not after installation. In an existing building where a room is being turned into an archive, assess what is there first: are the existing sprinklers designed for the new storage fire load, and can the room be sealed for a gas system? This is where <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/services\/engineering-design-calculations\/\">engineering design and calculations<\/a> pay off before any equipment is bought.<\/p>\n<p>Approval goes through <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/services\/civil-defense-approval-support\/\">Civil Defense approval support<\/a>, because any special suppression system needs drawings, technical documents and a functional test that Civil Defense accepts.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3107b16 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3107b16\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>How do you protect bank and company records from both fire and water?<\/h2>\n<p>The suppression system is only part of the answer. These practical steps raise the level of protection whatever system you choose:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A separate room with fire-rated walls and door:<\/strong> separating the archive from offices and corridors limits fire getting in or out. AZEIDK supplies <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/solutions\/fire-rated-doors-emergency-exit-solutions\/\">fire-rated doors and emergency exits<\/a> in Saudi Arabia.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clearance below sprinkler heads:<\/strong> do not stack boxes up to the ceiling, as this blocks the water pattern over the shelves.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Files off the floor:<\/strong> keep the bottom shelf raised so a leak or drained water does not reach the files.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No ignition sources:<\/strong> no electrical panels, heaters or chargers inside the archive.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Early detection even with sprinklers:<\/strong> smoke detectors tied to the <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/solutions\/fire-alarm-systems\/\">fire alarm system<\/a> give time to respond before any head opens.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A digital copy of critical records:<\/strong> no system can guarantee paper survives, and a backup kept elsewhere is the last line of defence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regular maintenance:<\/strong> agent cylinder weighing, detector checks and sprinkler valve inspection under <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/services\/annual-maintenance-contracts\/\">preventive maintenance contracts<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c99034 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1c99034\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What drives the cost of archive fire protection?<\/h2>\n<p>There is no fixed price for protecting an archive room. The cost depends on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Room volume in cubic metres, since agent quantity is calculated from volume, agent type and design concentration.<\/li>\n<li>Agent type: a chemical agent needs fewer cylinders than an inert gas, and each has a different agent and refill cost.<\/li>\n<li>Room condition: the work needed to seal it (closing gaps, adjusting doors, pressure relief vents).<\/li>\n<li>Whether an existing sprinkler system needs modification or a new pre-action system is installed.<\/li>\n<li>Detection and control requirements, including interface with the fire alarm and HVAC shutdown.<\/li>\n<li>Tests required before handover, including the integrity test.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6339054 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6339054\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"az-faq\">\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>What is the best fire suppression system for an archive room?<\/h3><\/summary><p>No single system fits every case. Sprinklers are the base in most buildings, and a clean agent is added when the records are valuable and the room can be sealed. The designer decides based on the code adopted for the project.<\/p><\/details>\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>Is FM-200 safe for paper and documents?<\/h3><\/summary><p>Yes. HFC-227ea leaves no water and no residue on paper after discharge, which is why it is used in archive and records rooms. It must still be designed and tested to NFPA 2001 and the project requirements.<\/p><\/details>\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>Do all the sprinklers in the room go off in a fire?<\/h3><\/summary><p>Not with wet pipe or pre-action systems. Each head opens on its own when it reaches its operating temperature, so usually only the head or heads near the fire operate.<\/p><\/details>\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>Can sprinklers be removed from an archive once a gas system is installed?<\/h3><\/summary><p>Not without approval. If the code requires sprinklers in the building, any alternative needs the consultant&#8217;s acceptance and Civil Defense approval.<\/p><\/details>\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>What is the difference between wet pipe and pre-action sprinklers in an archive?<\/h3><\/summary><p>In a wet pipe system, water is always in the pipes. In a pre-action system, the pipes stay dry until the detectors give a signal, which lowers the risk of accidental water over the files.<\/p><\/details>\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>What is a clean agent room integrity test?<\/h3><\/summary><p>A test that measures air leakage from the room with a door fan, then calculates how long the agent stays at extinguishing concentration. If the time is too short, gaps must be sealed before handover.<\/p><\/details>\n<details class=\"az-faq__item\"><summary><h3>Which standard covers the protection of records?<\/h3><\/summary><p>NFPA 232, Standard for the Protection of Records. The designer uses it as a technical reference alongside the code adopted for the project.<\/p><\/details>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26f1af8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26f1af8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Archive room fire protection balances two risks: fire that destroys paper and water that can damage it. Sprinklers remain the base the code requires in most buildings, a pre-action system lowers the risk of accidental leaks, and a clean agent adds early, water-free extinguishing for records that cannot be replaced. Start with the code requirements, the value of the records and the condition of the room, then pick the system, and do not forget separation, early detection and a digital copy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ab0357 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0ab0357\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"az-cta\"><strong>Need protection for an archive or records room in a bank or company?<\/strong> AZEIDK reviews the room, proposes the right system and handles supply, installation and testing. <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/contact\/\">Talk to the AZEIDK team<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0f92aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b0f92aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"az-source\"><strong>References:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.standards.ie\/en-ie\/standards\/nfpa-232-2026-829150_saig_nfpa_nfpa_3779638\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NFPA 232, Standard for the Protection of Records (2026 edition)<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.standards.ie\/en-ie\/standards\/nfpa-2001-2025-829874_saig_nfpa_nfpa_3513855\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NFPA 2001, Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems (2025 edition)<\/a>; <a href=\"\/en\/sa\/products\/american-afc-fm-200-fire-suppression-system\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">American Fire Control FM-200 system page on the AZEIDK website<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.csemag.com\/selecting-the-correct-clean-agent-suppression-system\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Selecting the correct clean agent suppression system, Consulting-Specifying Engineer<\/a>.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archive room fire protection in Saudi Arabia: when sprinklers are enough, when to add FM-200 clean agent or pre-action, and how to keep records dry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":24875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[221,323,329,322],"tags":[],"azeidk_region":[223],"class_list":["post-25049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-azeidk-articles","category-systems-guides-en","category-operation-maintenance-en","category-systems-guides-ar"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25049"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25659,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25049\/revisions\/25659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25049"},{"taxonomy":"azeidk_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azeidkgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/azeidk_region?post=25049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}