The Importance of Firestopping in Construction

Fire is one of the prospects that can take many lives and bring down your business if treated casually. It is one of the most important aspects to be considered while constructing a building. Fire stopping in construction is very essential to ensure a safe and risk free-living or working atmosphere.Firestop solutions need to be given attention and implemented properly to ensure your and your business’ safety and protection.

In this blog let us look further into the importance of fire stopping in constructions and tips on effectively making use of the firestopping products and firestop sealants available in the markets. 

What is fire stopping and why is fire stopping in construction necessary?

The safeguards followed inorder to slow down or prevent the spreading of fire in a building are called fire stopping solutions. Firestops help to preserve as much of the building as possible and buys the fire and safety officers more time to perform their duties. Fire stopping also enables the residents to exit easier and safer during  a fire.  Fire stopping comes under the passive method of fire protection unlike the active fire protection methods like sprinklers. 

Fire stopping in construction helps to compartmentalize the building into smaller sections and hence if fire breakouts happen, the compartmentation helps lessen the faster spread of fire and gives you more time to safeguard your assets. 

Firestopping in construction is very important and should be done after proper study and under expert guidance. If the firestopping in construction is done correctly, it can hold the spread of fire upto 4 hours. It will give you enough time to evacuate the building as well as lessen the amount of injuries. Firestopping can be of great help for individuals as well as organizations alike. There are multiple firestopping products that can assist you in setting up a proper firestopping method. Basically, what these products do is that they seal any openings present in the walls, floors and ceilings by which fire, smoke and dust can spread. 

Some of the fire stopping products that are most commonly used are:

• Fire Collars

Fire collars are fire resistant products that are fitted around ducts, pipes or cables that go through the walls and ceilings to protect them from catching fire. The material used in fire collars will swell when exposed to extreme heat and thereby stops the fire from entering through any ducts and pipes present around them. 

• Fire Sealants

Fire sealants are used to seal the gaps amidst the rooms and areas through which the fire and smoke can travel through. Depending on the area in which you are using the sealant, the type and form of fire sealant will change as well. Some of the most common types of fire rated silicone sealants , and  acrylic can be used to protect the walls, floors and ceiling joints. 

• Fire Sleeves

Fire sleeves sleeve-like tubes that are designed in a way that it fits around the pipes and hoses that pass through walls and ceilings. What this does is that they protect the things that are inside them from fire and hence result in saving the other parts of the building from being caught by fire as well.

Whichever the project is, make sure to use firestopping in construction to keep them safe and secure.