Fire Sealing Compound

Knowing what a fire sealing compound is will help you to have better passive fire protection. These compounds use a mixture of materials designed to fill and seal gaps in openings where cables and pipes go through floors and walls.

Like other types of firestops, fire sealing compounds are used to fireproof sections of a building. This is a process called fire compartmentation.

Fire sealing compounds do this by forming a rigid seal. This seal is designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Unsealed penetrations by pipes or pipe services greatly hinder the ability of a firestop barrier to contain a fire.

Even if your workplace has firestops, there is a much larger chance that a fire will spread throughout the building if they remain unsealed.

What is a Firestop?

Firestops are a form of passive fire protection that aims to contain the spread of smoke and fires by compartmentalizing rooms. Fire stopping is an essential aspect of having adequate fire safety in a structure.

Because of how dangerous fires can be without any form of fire stopping, regulations require all buildings in the UK to have adequate fire-stopping and passive fire protection.

Types of Firestops

There are a variety of methods and products that function as firestops. This includes fire doors, fire barriers, batt and mastic, and fire sealing compounds.

All types of firestops have their own benefits and uses, and each type is more suitable for some types of buildings over others. Fire sealing compounds are often used in conjunction with these other fire-stopping methods. This better seals and compartmentalizes rooms.

This includes sealing unprotected openings in or around a firewall, fire barrier, or fire door.

Firestops are designed to contain fires and prevent them from spreading past their point of origin. This helps slow down the rate at which flames and smoke spread.

By slowing the spread of the fire, those inside have more time to escape the building, and damage to the structure of the building is reduced.

Fire stopping compounds include materials like intumescents, silicone, mineral fibres, and rubber. These compounds are effective firestops because they produce a layer containing a high amount of carbon when exposed to high temperatures.

Fire sealing compounds are used to achieve compartmentation. Compartmentation is an effective way to reduce the risk of a fire spreading throughout a building.

Compartmentation prevents the spread of fire and smoke by sealing gaps and cracks in pipes, pipework services, ducting, and cable trays. By compartmentalizing a building, there is a lower risk of fire and smoke being pushed by air pressure to different areas of the building.

Fire sealing compounds are used to fireproof a wide variety of things. This includes structural, mechanical, and electrical penetrations. These compounds can also seal the sway joints, junctions, and head-of-wall joints in fire-resistant wall and floor assemblies.

Fire sealing compounds are an effective way of fire-proofing a room and making sure it meets fire stopping regulations..

Fire sealing compounds allow a room to have better compartmentation, causing fires to not spread as easily to other areas. This prevents a fire from causing serious damage to a building and helps protect any civilians and fire rescue personnel inside.

Fire sealing compounds provide more support during a fire as they form a high-carbon layer when exposed to high temperatures. Fire sealing compounds also improve the waterproofing and soundproofing of a room.

Fire sealing compounds are also capable of load-bearing. Load-bearing firestops are necessary to fireproof floors and walls.

This also allows them to be installed at a variety of depths, meaning they are capable of being used on multiple floors. This is useful if you are compartmentalising a tall building and need a fire-stopping solution that is both sturdy and flexible.

Now that you know what a fire sealing compound is, you are better equipped to take the proper steps to protect your workplace and those inside it.

Fire sealing compounds are an effective preventative measure that inhibits a fire’s spread throughout a building.

These compounds seal firestops and allow a building to have better compartmentation. This helps prevent a building from suffering severe damage and provides those inside a better chance of escape.

You may also want to consider investing in fire collars and wraps, fire dampers or fire batts in collaboration with fire sealing compounds for maximum protection.

Contact us today if you want to learn more about how to better protect your workplace from potential fires.