This is the fourth post in our five-part educational series on firestopping and life safety.
A wall can look perfectly ordinary and still be an important part of a building's fire protection system. The time to find out is before anyone drills. Here are five things to do.
1. Check the building plans
Approved architectural drawings and life-safety plans can identify fire-rated walls, fire barriers and fire partitions.
2. Look for identification markings
Look above the ceiling. The Florida Building Code calls for signs or stenciling on fire- and smoke-rated walls where there is an accessible concealed space, such as the space above a suspended ceiling. The suggested wording is along the lines of "Fire and/or smoke barrier, protect all openings," though the code allows other wording.
However, the absence of a visible marking does not mean the wall is not fire-rated. A marking can be missing, hidden or out of sight from where you are standing.
Drywall that continues above the ceiling to the structure is a clue worth checking, not proof. Fire barriers generally run to the deck, but some rated walls, such as certain corridor walls, can stop at a rated ceiling, and walls that aren't rated can run to the deck too.
3. Ask building management
Property managers may have access to original construction drawings, renovation records and fire-protection documentation.
4. Don't judge by appearance
A fire-rated wall may look nearly identical to an ordinary wall. Drywall thickness, paint color or the presence of a metal stud does not, by itself, establish the wall's fire-resistance rating.
5. Verify before making penetrations
- Determine whether the wall is fire-rated.
- Check whether the penetration affects the rated assembly.
- Use the appropriate tested and listed firestop system.
Where cheap can become expensive
A contractor who assumes a wall isn't fire-rated may drill through it and leave an improperly protected opening. That mistake can result in corrective work, additional expenses and potential fire-code violations.
The question to ask
"How do you verify whether a wall is fire-rated before installing cables through it?"
Just because a wall looks ordinary doesn't mean it doesn't serve an important fire-safety function. To see the cabling work we do, visit our computer network cabling page.
Information is provided for general education. It is not a substitute for project-specific design, engineering or manufacturer instructions. Always follow applicable codes and listed system requirements. Project requirements should be verified individually.