Cable Firestopping Installation Guide

Author: IPVM Team, Published on Mar 06, 2019

Installing cables through firewalls is a critical installation issue. Failing to properly seal a penetration can cause smoke and fire to spread, which can be deadly in an emergency.

Understanding the parts and methods used to firestop properly can be the difference between spending significant time and money rerouting cables and creating a serious safety issue.

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In this guide we examine:

  • Firestop basics
  • AHJ approvals
  • System vs. single product approach
  • Applicable UL listings
  • Caulk and putty
  • Prefabricated plugs
  • Engineered sleeves
  • Engineered grommets
  • Blocks/sheets for large openings

********** ****** ******* ********* ** * ******** ************ *****. ******* to ******** **** * *********** *** ***** ***** *** **** to ******, ***** *** ** ****** ** ** *********.

************* *** ***** *** ******* **** ** ******** ******** *** be *** ********** ******* ******** *********** **** *** ***** ********* cables *** ******** * ******* ****** *****.

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** **** ***** ** *******:

  • ******** ******
  • *** *********
  • ****** **. ****** ******* ********
  • ********** ** ********
  • ***** *** *****
  • ************* *****
  • ********** *******
  • ********** ********
  • ******/****** *** ***** ********

[***************]

Firestop ****** *** *******

* ******** ** * ******* **** ** ******** ************ ** prevent *** ****** ** **** *** ***** *** * ***** period ** **** (*** ** ** ******** **** *** ******** of ******* ******* **** *** ***** **** **** **** ****). Firewalls *** ***** *********** **** ******* ******** ********* **** ** concrete *****, *******, ** ******** "**** **" ******. **** *** given * ******** **** ****** **** **** *** ** ******** in ******* **** **** **** *** ***** ****** ***** ***********.

** ****** ************, ********* *** ********* ***** *** * ** 4 *****, ****** ** ****** ******* *** ***** ********** ** many *****. **** **** *** ***** **** ** * ******** is * **** ****. ** ** ****, *** *********** **** Code ******** ***** ***** ** ******* ******* **** ******* ******** their ******, ** ***** ***** **', *** *******:

***** *** **** ****** ** ***** ** ********* ****, *** hole, **** * ***** **** * *** ****** ** ******** used *** * ***** ******, ***** ******** ** *** ****** for *****, *****, ** **** **** ** ****** ** * facility.

******* ** ****, ************ **** *** *****, ********, ** ***** systems *** *********, *** ***** ************ **** ** ******** ****** to **** *****, ****, *** ***** **** *********, **** * system ***** ** **** ** ****** *** ****** ** *** wall.

Firestopping ** *********

** **** ******, ************ ** ******** ** ****. *** **** is ** * **** ****** *****, *** ** ** **** typically *** ***. ******* ** ******** ***** ******* ****** ** seal ************ ***** *** ****, **** ******** *** ***** **** been ******, *********** ********** *****, ** ****** ** ***** *** subject *** ********** **********(*) ** ******** ********* ** **** ** damage **** ****.

Fire **** ****** ******** ******

********** ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********** ** ************, **** as************* **** ****, *** ***** ***** ******* **** *********** ** ********, *** which ******** ****** ** **** ** *** **** ****** ** installed. ******* ** ****, ** ** ********* ****** ** **** approval **** ** *** **** ** ******* ** ********* *** apply ***** ***** ** ***** *************.

***** **** *** **** ******, ********, ** ****** ********* *************** of ***** ***** *** ****** ** **** **** ** ********* material ****. ************, **** ********** **** ******* "** ************ *** any ******" ****** **** **** ** ********, **** ** *********** appropriate ********* *****.

*** ***** *********, ********* ********* ** **** *********** *** **** approved ******** ************ ********* **** **** ** ****, ** **** must ** ********* ** ******, ******* ***********. ** ***** ********* requirements *** ** *****, ********** *** *********** ***** ** **** regardless ** ****, ***** ***********, ** **********.

System ********

************ ******** ***** ***** * "******" **** ******* ******* *** parts ** *** ***********. ********** **** *** **** ** *** hole, ** *** ***** ** ********/********** ******* ** *****, ** how **** ***** ** ******* ** ****** ** *****. ********** cannot ****** *** *** ***** *********, **** **** ***** *********, and **** * ********* ********.

*** ******* ********* *** ******** ********** ** ******** ***** ** "mandatory **********" *** ******** ************ *******:

Common *******

**** ******** *** ** *********** ***** *** ** ******* *******:

  • *****/*****
  • ******/******
  • *****
  • ********** *******
  • ********** ********

***** ****** ******* **** ******** ************* ********* ***** ******* *** recommended *** ***** ***********, ****** ********* **** ******* ** ********* preference, ** **** *** ** **** *********** **** ********* *******.

***** ********* *** ********** ** **** *****:

Caulk / *****

************, *** *** **** ****** ******* ** ************ **** **** using ***** ** *****, ***** *** ******* *******.

*****, ******** ** ******** *** ******* *********** ****** **** *** ***, **** ******* **** * ***** ** caulk ******* **** * *** (*****):

firestop caulk filling large opening

** ***** ** ****** ****** ****** ** *** (***** ****):

firestop putty formed to fit

***** ***** ******* *** **** ******, **** **** *** ***** done *****. ************ ************ *** *** ****** ** **** **** and ********* ** *****/***** ***** *** **** ********. *******, ********* users **** ***** ****** ***** *** ******* *** **** ** "good ******" ** ** **** *** *******, *** **** *** quickly **** ** **** ** * ****. ******* ** ****, we ********* ***** ***-********** ********* (*****, *******, *** ********) ******** possible, ** **** ****** *** *********** ** **** *****.

************, ***** ** *** **-*********. ******* *** ******** **** ** add ****** ******** ***** ** ******* *** ******* **********. ******* may ** ********, *** ***** ****** ***** **** ***** ************, as **** *** *** *** *** *** ****** ********* **** time.

***** *** ***** *** ****** *********, ***** ~$** *** * tube ** ******, ***** ** ****** ** ***** ******* *******, depending ** ****.

Pre-Formed ******* *****

******* ** ***** ***** ** ***** **** **** *** **** error, ************* **** ***** ******** ***-****** ***** ** *** ******* sizes ** *******. ***** ***** *** **** ** *** ***** to ******** ******, **** ****** **** *** ******* ******. ** cables **** ** ***** *****, *** **** *** ****** ** removed *** ***********.

firestop conduit plug

******** ***** **** *** ~$**-** ****, ********* ** ****.

Engineered *******

*** ************* **** ******* ** *** *****, ***** ****** ******** pre-engineered *******. ***** ******* ******* ** * ***** ******* ***************************** (******** ***** ******* **** ******), ********* ********** ** *** various **** ******. ***** ******* *** **** ***** ********, **** to ** ********* **** ** **** ** *** ********** ****** as ******.

************, ********** ******* *** **-**********, **** ***** ****** ******* *** cables ******* *** ****** **** ********, *** ** **-******* ** re-installation ********.

pre-engineered firestop sleeves

********** ******* ***** ** ***** $***-*** *** * *" ******, with ****** *** ****** ** ****** ****** ********** ** $***-***.

Engineered ********

***** ****** ****** *** ******, ** **** ***** *** thick, ******** *** *******. ***** ******* ******* **** * ***** hole ***** ** *** *** *******, ***** ** ******* ****** cable(s) *** ****** **** *** **** ** **** *****. ********** cables *** ** ***** ****** ** ******** *** ******** *** grommet ****** *** *****(*).

pre-engineered firestop grommets

**** **** ** ****** ** ***********, ********* **** **** $** each, *** **** ******** *** ******** ****** ** ******, ********* <4 *****/* *** ******.

Blocks / ******

** ******** ***** ********, **** ** ******* *** ***** *****, options **** ** ****** *** ****** *** ****.

  • ****** *** ****** * ***** ***** ** *********** ******** ***** may ** ******* *** ********** ** *** ******* ** ****** openings. *******, **** *** *** *********** *** ***-****** ******** ** the ****** ** ******* ** *** *** ** ******.
  • ******** ****** *** * ***-********** ***** ** ********, ********* ***** metal, ***** *** *********** ***** ******* ** *** ****. **** may ** *** ***** ***** ****** ** *** ******** ******, such ** *** ***** **** *****.

firestop blocks sheets used on large openings

******** ****** *** ********** ***********, ~$*-* ****. *******, ***-*** ****** are *********, * *** ******* ******* *** **, **** ***** varying ** ****.

Training ************

**** **** ******* ******** ******** *** ** ******** ****** ******** products *** ** ********* *** ********* *** **********. **** ******** are ********* ******, *** ************* *** *** ********* ***** *********** if ********* ** ********* *****. ******** ****** **** **** ********-*****, to **-**** ******** ********* *** ********* * ********* ******* ******* it ** ******, ********* ** *** ******** ************ *** ******* covered.

**** ** ***** ***** ******** ** ***********, **** ******** ********** ********** ** ******* ** ******** ***** firestop, ** *** ************ ** ********** ******** *** ** ****, with ******** ** **** **** ********.

Comments (7)

Undisclosed #1

03/07/19 12:17am

**, *** *** *** ****** **** ** ***'* **** ** remove ****-******** ****** ***** **********/********/********** ************ ** ***** * **** to *** ***** *** * ******* ***?

Undisclosed #2

03/06/19 06:57pm

**** ** * **** *** **** ****** *****. * ****** ask *** ****** **** *** ***** **** *** **** *** making ************, ****** ** ******** ********. **** **** ** ** the **** ** ***** *** *** **** *** ** ** redone.

Avatar

Kyle Folger

IPVMU Certified | 03/07/19 03:05am

* ****** ** **** *** ** **** ** **** ** penetrations. ** **'* ******* ********, ******* * ****** ******.

*** ******* *****, ** ***** **** **** *** ******* ** seeing *** **** ** ***** *********** **** ****'* ******* **** if ** ***. ***** ** ****** ** ********* ********* ***** there **** ***** **********, *** *** ****** *** *** * small **** *** ****** ***** ***** *** ***** *******. ** always ****** *** ***** ** ****** ** ****, *** ***** pass *** ****** ******* ** ********* **** **** ****** ******** devices. *'** **** *** *** ******** *** ******* **** *****.

* *** ***** *** ******* **** * ******* **** * saw * *** *** *" ****** *** **** *******, *** the ***** *** ***** ***** *** **** *** ** *** cable **** **** ** *** ******. *'* *** **** *** effective **** ***** **. **** *** ** * ******* ******.

Avatar

Ed Robbins

03/11/19 03:17pm

** **** ****** **** ** * **********'* ***. ** **** an ******** ****** ** **** ********?

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Ed Robbins | 03/11/19 03:32pm

**** ** *** *****? ****'* *** *'** ***** ****.

Avatar

Michael Silva

Silva Consultants | 03/11/19 07:00pm

**** ** * ***** ***** ** ***** *** *** **** does *** ******* ****** *********. * **** **** **** ****** including ***** ***** ********** **** *** *** *** **** ********** large (**"* **") ******** ** ****-***** ***** ***** ******** **** to **** *** ******* ** ***** **** *** **** ******.

** *** ************ ********* ****, ********** *** ** *** ******* in *** ***** ** * ******* ****** **** * *** working ****. ***** **' ** ** ****** *** *****, ***** would ** * **** ********** **** **** *** ** ** penetrated. *** ********** ******* *** ** ****** ********** ***** ***** using * ******* ***, *** ********** *** **** *** **** started ******* ***** ** *** ***** **** ***** ****. **** got * *** ******** **** **** ****** ******* *** **** and ****** **** *** *** * ******* ** ******** ******* up ** ****. **** *** * ***** *********, *** ****** the ***** **********, *** * ****** ******* **** **** *** the *** ** ** *** ****.

**** ****** *** ** ** * ****** ******* ** **** now *** ** *** **** ****** *** ***** **** **** that **** *** *******, *** *** ***** ***** **** **** they *** ********** ********** *** ****** ** **** ** ** approved ******.

Avatar

Kyle Folger

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Michael Silva | 03/12/19 05:22pm

********* * **** ******** * **** ** *** **** ******* situation *** *********. ****’* **** **** **** ************ **** **** extended ***** ******** **** ** **** **** ** *** *******.

*** ***** ** **** ** **** *** *** **** *** costly ******* **** *** *******, ** *** ***** **** **** they *** **** ******* ***** ********* ** ** ** ****** a ****.

** **** *****, ****** ***** ***** *** ******* ** ** really ****** ** *** ******* ****** **** *********/******** *** ******** responsibility. **** ****** *********, ** ***** ** ********* ** * project ******* ** ** ******** *** *** ***** **********.

********* * *** ***** **********, ** ****** ** ** *** owner *** ********* **** ******** ** **.

** * ******* ****, *’* ******* ** ** ***** ***** where **** **** ** ************/******* *** ***** ** **********. ** attics, ** *** *** ***** **** *** ** ******** ****** in *-***** *** * **** **** ******* ** ** *** out ** *** *** ** **** *******. ** **** ****, all *** ***** ** ****** ** ******** ****** ** *** trussing. ***** ** ** ***** ** **** ******* ******** * poorly *** ***** *****.

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