Technical library
Penetrations
Fire stopping through walls and floors, and what changes the system.
Penetrations articles
Can different services share one fire-stopped opening?
Sometimes, but only where the supporting system evidence covers the combined arrangement. A mixed-service opening cannot be justified by placing several unrelated single-service products into the same opening.
Scott CunninghamHow do plastic pipe penetrations differ from metal pipe penetrations?
Plastic and metal pipes behave differently in a fire, so penetration systems are selected differently. The pipe material, diameter, wall thickness, orientation and the fire-stopping components used with it are all part of the tested configuration.
Scott CunninghamHow does pipe insulation affect a fire-stopping detail?
Pipe insulation can materially change a penetration detail. Its material, thickness, continuity through the opening, and how the fire-stopping system interfaces with it can all affect which tested or assessed configuration applies.
Scott CunninghamWhat do opening size and annular space change?
Opening dimensions, and the space between the service and the edge of the opening, can change which fire-stopping configuration is supported. A product can be suitable in one geometry and unsupported in another.
Scott CunninghamWhat does AS 4072.1 mean for service penetrations?
AS 1530.4 is the fire test. AS 4072.1 is the standard that governs how a test result is applied — the materials, components and methods used to protect service penetrations and control joints in elements required to have an FRL, and the conditions under which a tested prototype can be relied on for the thing actually built. It is the link between a test report in a folder and a hole in a wall.
Scott CunninghamWhat happens when cables are added to an existing penetration?
Adding cables can change the configuration the original penetration system was tested or assessed for. The new cable loading, bundle size, spacing and any disturbance to the existing seal all need checking against the system evidence.
Scott CunninghamWhat information do you need to select a fire-stopping system?
The minimum useful information is what the separating element is, what service passes through it, the size and shape of the opening, the required fire resistance, and any insulation, sleeve or support condition that changes the tested configuration.
Scott CunninghamWhat is a service penetration fire-stopping system?
A service penetration fire-stopping system is the complete arrangement used where a service passes through a fire-resisting wall or floor. It includes the service, the opening, the separating element, the fire-stopping materials and the installation geometry supported by test or assessment evidence.
Scott CunninghamWhat records should exist for a fire-stopped penetration?
Useful records let the next person identify the penetration, understand what services and system were installed, and connect the physical opening back to the supporting evidence. The exact record set depends on the project and the contract.
Scott CunninghamWhat should a penetration defect report contain?
A useful penetration defect report identifies the opening, records the actual condition, separates observation from assumption, shows the evidence gap, and gives a next action another person can price or investigate.
Scott CunninghamWhy do wall and floor penetrations need different details?
Wall and floor penetrations are different orientations with different construction, support and installation conditions. A detail tested in one orientation is not automatically transferable to the other.
Scott Cunningham
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