Cable Firestopping Installation Guide
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.
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
Firestop ****** *** *******
* ******** ** * ******* **** in ******** ************ ** ******* *** spread ** **** *** ***** *** a ***** ****** ** **** (*** to ** ******** **** *** ******** of ******* ******* **** *** ***** name **** **** ****). ********* *** often *********** **** ******* ******** ********* such ** ******** *****, *******, ** concrete "**** **" ******. **** *** given * ******** **** ****** **** they *** ** ******** ** ******* with **** **** *** ***** ****** being ***********.
** ****** ************, ********* *** ********* rated *** * ** * *****, though ** ****** ******* *** ***** recognized ** **** *****. **** **** not ***** **** ** * ******** is * **** ****. ** ** 2015, *** *********** **** **** ******** rated ***** ** ******* ******* **** signage ******** ***** ******, ** ***** every **', *** *******:
***** *** **** ****** ** ***** to ********* ****, *** ****, **** a ***** **** * *** ****** in ******** **** *** * ***** sleeve, ***** ******** ** *** ****** for *****, *****, ** **** **** to ****** ** * ********.
******* ** ****, ************ **** *** cable, ********, ** ***** ******* *** permitted, *** ***** ************ **** ** properly ****** ** **** *****, ****, and ***** **** *********, **** * system ***** ** **** ** ****** the ****** ** *** ****.
Firestopping ** *********
** **** ******, ************ ** ******** by ****. *** **** ** ** a **** ****** *****, *** ** is **** ********* *** ***. ******* to ******** ***** ******* ****** ** seal ************ ***** *** ****, **** ceilings *** ***** **** **** ******, drastically ********** *****, ** ****** ** fines *** ******* *** ********** **********(*) to ******** ********* ** **** ** damage **** ****.
Fire **** ****** ******** ******
********** ****** ** ******** **** ***** applicable ** ************, **** *************** **** ****, *** ***** ***** ******* **** performance ** ********, *** ***** ******** should ** **** ** *** **** should ** *********. ******* ** ****, it ** ********* ****** ** **** approval **** ** *** **** ** attempt ** ********* *** ***** ***** codes ** ***** *************.
***** **** *** **** ******, ********, or ****** ********* *************** ** ***** which *** ****** ** **** **** or ********* ******** ****. ************, **** facilities **** ******* "** ************ *** any ******" ****** **** **** ** followed, **** ** *********** *********** ********* exist.
*** ***** *********, ********* ********* ** fire *********** *** **** ******** ******** firestopping ********* **** **** ** ****, or **** **** ** ********* ** select, ******* ***********. ** ***** ********* requirements *** ** *****, ********** *** essentially ***** ** **** ********** ** cost, ***** ***********, ** **********.
System ********
************ ******** ***** ***** * "******" that ******* ******* *** ***** ** the ***********. ********** **** *** **** of *** ****, ** *** ***** of ********/********** ******* ** *****, ** how **** ***** ** ******* ** sealed ** *****. ********** ****** ****** mix *** ***** *********, **** **** rated *********, *** **** * ********* solution.
*** ******* ********* *** ******** ********** by ******** ***** ** "********* **********" for ******** ************ *******:
Common *******
**** ******** *** ** *********** ***** one ** ******* *******:
- *****/*****
- ******/******
- *****
- ********** *******
- ********** ********
***** ****** ******* **** ******** ************* regarding ***** ******* *** *********** *** their ***********, ****** ********* **** ******* on ********* **********, ** **** *** be **** *********** **** ********* *******.
***** ********* *** ********** ** **** chart:
Caulk / *****
************, *** *** **** ****** ******* of ************ **** **** ***** ***** or *****, ***** *** ******* *******.
*****, ******** ** ******** *** ******* with******* ****** **** *** ***, **** ******* with * ***** ** ***** ******* with * *** (*****):
** ***** ** ****** ****** ****** to *** (***** ****):
***** ***** ******* *** **** ******, they **** *** ***** **** *****. Manufacturer ************ *** *** ****** ** wool **** *** ********* ** *****/***** layer *** **** ********. *******, ********* users **** ***** ****** ***** *** opening *** **** ** "**** ******" if ** **** *** *******, *** this *** ******* **** ** **** of * ****. ******* ** ****, we ********* ***** ***-********** ********* (*****, sleeves, *** ********) ******** ********, ** they ****** *** *********** ** **** error.
************, ***** ** *** **-*********. ******* the ******** **** ** *** ****** requires ***** ** ******* *** ******* afterwards. ******* *** ** ********, *** users ****** ***** **** ***** ************, as **** *** *** *** *** not ****** ********* **** ****.
***** *** ***** *** ****** *********, about ~$** *** * **** ** either, ***** ** ****** ** ***** several *******, ********* ** ****.
Pre-Formed ******* *****
******* ** ***** ***** ** ***** with **** *** **** *****, ************* have ***** ******** ***-****** ***** ** fit ******* ***** ** *******. ***** plugs *** **** ** *** ***** to ******** ******, **** ****** **** the ******* ******. ** ****** **** be ***** *****, *** **** *** simply ** ******* *** ***********.
******** ***** **** *** ~$**-** ****, depending ** ****.
Engineered *******
*** ************* **** ******* ** *** exist, ***** ****** ******** ***-********** *******. These ******* ******* ** * ***** housing ***************************** (******** ***** ******* **** ******), generally ********** ** *** ******* **** depths. ***** ******* *** **** ***** gangable, **** ** ** ********* **** by **** ** *** ********** ****** as ******.
************, ********** ******* *** **-**********, **** users ****** ******* *** ****** ******* the ****** **** ********, *** ** re-sealing ** **-************ ********.
********** ******* ***** ** ***** $***-*** for * *" ******, **** ****** for ****** ** ****** ****** ********** to $***-***.
Engineered ********
***** ****** ****** *** ******, ** fire ***** *** are *******. ***** ******* ******* **** a ***** **** ***** ** *** the *******, ***** ** ******* ****** cable(s) *** ****** **** *** **** on **** *****. ********** ****** *** be ***** ****** ** ******** *** snapping *** ******* ****** *** *****(*).
**** **** ** ****** ** ***********, typically **** **** $** ****, *** also ******** *** ******** ****** ** cables, *********
Blocks / ******
** ******** ***** ********, **** ** entries *** ***** *****, ******* **** as ****** *** ****** *** ****.
- ****** *** ****** * ***** ***** of *********** ******** ***** *** ** stacked *** ********** ** *** ******* in ****** ********. *******, **** *** not *********** *** ***-****** ******** ** the ****** ** ******* ** *** gap ** ******.
- ******** ****** *** * ***-********** ***** of ********, ********* ***** *****, ***** has *********** ***** ******* ** *** side. **** *** ** *** ***** metal ****** ** *** ******** ******, such ** *** ***** **** *****.
******** ****** *** ********** ***********, ~$*-* each. *******, ***-*** ****** *** *********, a *** ******* ******* *** **, with ***** ******* ** ****.
Training ************
**** **** ******* ******** ******** *** be ******** ****** ******** ******** *** be ********* *** ********* *** **********. Many ******** *** ********* ******, *** manufacturers *** *** ********* ***** *********** if ********* ** ********* *****. ******** ranges **** **** ********-*****, ** **-**** costings ********* *** ********* * ********* trainer ******* ** ** ******, ********* on *** ******** ************ *** ******* covered.
**** ** ***** ***** ******** ** not********, **** ******** ********** ********** ** trained ** ******** ***** ********, ** the ************ ** ********** ******** *** be ****, **** ******** ** **** loss ********.
**** ** * **** *** **** needed *****. * ****** *** *** photos **** *** ***** **** *** guys *** ****** ************, ****** ** existing ********. **** **** ** ** the **** ** ***** *** *** work *** ** ** ******.
* ****** ** **** *** ** foot ** **** ** ************. ** it's ******* ********, ******* * ****** hammer.
*** ******* *****, ** ***** **** from *** ******* ** ****** *** work ** ***** *********** **** ****'* trained **** ** ** ***. ***** in ****** ** ********* ********* ***** there **** ***** **********, *** *** easily *** *** * ***** **** can ****** ***** ***** *** ***** through. ** ****** ****** *** ***** of ****** ** ****, *** ***** pass *** ****** ******* ** ********* area **** ****** ******** *******. *'** used *** *** ******** *** ******* with *****.
* *** ***** *** ******* **** a ******* **** * *** * big *** *" ****** *** **** cabling, *** *** ***** *** ***** stick *** **** *** ** *** cable **** **** ** *** ******. I'm *** **** *** ********* **** would **. **** *** ** * college ******.
** **** ****** **** ** * competitor's ***. ** **** ** ******** method ** **** ********?
**** ** * ***** ***** ** cover *** *** **** **** *** receive ****** *********. * **** **** many ****** ********* ***** ***** ********** have *** *** *** **** ********** large (**"* **") ******** ** ****-***** walls ***** ******** **** ** **** the ******* ** ***** **** *** wall ******.
** *** ************ ********* ****, ********** had ** *** ******* ** *** attic ** * ******* ****** **** I *** ******* ****. ***** **' or ** ****** *** *****, ***** would ** * **** ********** **** that *** ** ** **********. *** installers ******* *** ** ****** ********** small ***** ***** * ******* ***, but ********** *** **** *** **** started ******* ***** ** *** ***** with ***** ****. **** *** * big ******** **** **** ****** ******* one **** *** ****** **** *** saw * ******* ** ******** ******* up ** ****. **** *** * music *********, *** ****** *** ***** classrooms, *** * ****** ******* **** went *** *** *** ** ** the ****.
**** ****** *** ** ** * costly ******* ** **** *** *** to *** **** ****** *** ***** room **** **** **** *** *******, but *** ***** ***** **** **** they *** ********** ********** *** ****** to **** ** ** ******** ******.
********* * **** ******** * **** of *** **** ******* ********* *** described. ****’* **** **** **** ************ that **** ******** ***** ******** **** an **** **** ** *** *******.
*** ***** ** **** ** **** had *** **** *** ****** ******* that *** *******, ** *** ***** know **** **** *** **** ******* later ********* ** ** ** ****** a ****.
** **** *****, ****** ***** ***** get ******* ** ** ****** ****** on *** ******* ****** **** *********/******** and ******** **************. **** ****** *********, it ***** ** ********* ** * project ******* ** ** ******** *** all ***** **********.
********* * *** ***** **********, ** report ** ** *** ***** *** generally **** ******** ** **.
** * ******* ****, *’* ******* in ** ***** ***** ***** **** work ** ************/******* *** ***** ** everywhere. ** ******, ** *** *** cable **** *** ** ******** ****** in *-***** *** * **** **** cabling ** ** *** *** ** the *** ** **** *******. ** this ****, *** *** ***** ** laying ** ******** ****** ** *** trussing. ***** ** ** ***** ** step ******* ******** * ****** *** alarm *****.
*** ***** ** ******** ** ****-**** and ******** ** *** **** *** nice ***** ****** ** *** ******
**, *** *** *** ****** **** it ***'* **** ** ****** ****-******** around ***** **********/********/********** ************ ** ***** a **** ** *** ***** *** a ******* ***?