I will try to not make this self serving......

NFPA 232 has design criteria for File Rooms and that may be of some help.  When we build vault chambers, one thing we do, that always has clients asking “Is this necessary?”  

We build the chamber and then place a water-shield roof deck on top of the room so that any water from pipes over the vault (or room in your case) or plumbing on upper floors is shielded form the vault space. Or in your case a file room.   (Bathrooms or drain lines pouring over your records becomes a hazardous waste condition and can lead to multiple levels of remediation.) 

In large buildings the main water feeds for the plumbing and sprinkler lines can deliver massive amounts of water in a short period of time.

Placing the records on the upper floor was a good start as water can drain away and if your shelving holds the records up off the floor then you can avoid most of the problem.  Shelving should be designed so it is not possible to place things closer than 6” to the floor. Many guidelines only suggest 3” but water can easily build that high. (This also makes it possible to clean under the shelving and avoid contamination build up.)

Shelving can be designed so the top of the shelving has a cap on it. Keeping people from putting boxes up there is always an issue though. Also, placing a metal back on the shelving units is a good idea that most people do not use.  The back of the unit stops water from moving across shelving planes and from one line to the next.

If you build your file room so that it has a water-shield roof deck and make sure that you use rubber wall molding on both sides of the drywall you slow down water migration into the room.  Your door to the room should have a sill plate and this slows water migration into the space. And adding a door sweep on the inside of the door will also slow water migration. This door sweep and sill plate cost about $30.00 at Lowes or Home Depot. You might wish to buy weather seal trim for the door frame and there is another $20.00 but now your file room is 10 times as safe.

I have been in several floor conditions and as yet have not had records affected.  One had 150,000 gallons flow into the basement and water climbed to 6” very quickly until the floor drains in the building became effective.

You might think about asking for floor drains in your most important file areas. This will speed removal of water in the area.

Needless to say, bring in a specialist at water remediation as mold will be a real problem in areas you never would consider.

Building a water shield roof deck over the room will cost about the same cost as the carpet in your Board Room per sq. foot.  ($14.00 per sq. ft. installed. )  

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
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(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM

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