ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area what do you guys use

what do you guys use to reseal a penetrated firewall?

we're stepping into a goodsized commercial job after the previous contractor has been fired. long story short he put a "bid" in for 200000 and in 3 months and he refused to sign a contract yet the owner still brought him in needless to say 600000 and 6months to date and no building completeion yet he's only half way done. he was playing electrician /plumber /HVAC tech /carpenter /mason /steelerector /excavator /GC and found out he bit off more than he could chew. so we're clean-up crew. (just setting the scene)

if it were upto us we would have put the power distribution in different(underground from one end of the building to the other as apposed to breaking through multiple firewalls.

Detubbs, you will have to know what the rating of the walls are before you can find an assembly to meet the requirements.

Typically it would be a fire caulk installed with a backing material if needed, and per a UL assembly design.

Roger

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 11-25-2004).]

For small openings, I use the red stuff that comes in a tube for a caulking gun (and no, I'm not referring to any type of silicone caulk!).
For larger openings, I find myself doing some sheetrock work. If there is a rocker on site, I'll hire him.

While I'm at it, I will often install a stub of pipe (1" or larger) to allow running data, etc., in the future. This pipe is plugged with the red stuff.

It is time to contact 3M or some other outfit that specializes in fire caulking. The consult is free, but the product are pricey. It is one sure way to know you are maintaining the integrity of the fire rated walls. Or, you could look up UL rated assemblies on their web page. Then you still gotta talk to 3M about their caulkings.
By the way, a fire wall would break up a single structure into two buildings, but a fire rated partition breaks a building into two fire areas.

there's a office-rental (concrete block) area outfront then a firewall and then a autobody shop (steel structure)
in the rear. so i guess that would be two buildings

You can check with the AHJ but in concrete structures I have had good luck with quick set concrete around the sleeve and the red caulk stuff in the pipe, I think you can get the red firestop in a block too, like play-dough.

Detubbs, does the design give a rating for the walls you are penetrating? If you can tell me what the wall rating is, I will give you an assembly design # you can use.

Roger

just went in and ooked at the jobsite in person todaya nd it appears teh former contractor put an under ground feed to the shop from teh main service so we should be ok w/o penetrating walls thanks though guys for the help!