Whether it’s a commercial or industrial building, fire safety is essential. While most people think of fire sprinklers and fire extinguishers when considering workplace fire safety, there is actually another essential form of fire protection that business owners must consider: passive fire protection.
Passive fire protection involves utilizing fire-resistant building materials and minimizing fire risk through the proper storage of flammable materials. When passive fire protection is combined with well-maintained and properly installed active fire protection, such as an appropriate fire sprinkler system, a building becomes significantly safer.
Today, we’re going to explain how fire sprinkler systems can be integrated with fire-rated wall panels to ensure fire code compliance and adequate fire safety. We’ll cover how passive and active fire protection can align to keep your business safe. Plus, we’ll highlight ROCKWALL Fire-Rated and Insulated Panels, which can help simplify the entire process, from installation to fire sprinkler integration.
Why Proper Integration Is Important
For fire-rated walls and ceilings to remain effective, there must be no significant gaps that allow thermal bridging. This is why it’s important to install fire sprinkler heads, pipes, and other components correctly.
Additionally, if the sprinkler system isn’t installed correctly, it may leak, which could compromise the structural integrity of the fire-rated materials or even reduce their effectiveness when exposed to the extreme temperatures of open flames.
Additionally, improper installation and integration can lead to non-compliance with NFPA and local fire code requirements. To avoid these issues, consider the following when integrating your fire sprinkler system.
How to Integrate Fire Sprinkler Systems into Fire-Rated Walls
As discussed, proper integration is essential. Here are some best practices you should follow:
Use Approved Firestops
Any gap in a fire-rated wall, whether it’s for fire sprinkler pipes, electrical wiring, or an HVAC system, must be sealed with a tested firestop system that meets all necessary regulations. These are designed to restore the fire resistance rating of the panel, even if there is a hole in it.
It’s also essential to use the right backing for your sprinkler heads and ensure that they are mounted flush, so moisture does not get trapped between the sprinkler heads and the ceiling.
Install the Panels Correctly and Minimize Openings
Keep sprinkler penetrations to a minimum, especially in areas where fire-rated continuity is crucial, such as fire escapes and firewalls. Ensuring the panels themselves are installed correctly, with few gaps and even seams, is also essential.
Always Go with Professional Fire Sprinkler Installation
By working with certified professionals, you can be assured that your fire sprinkler layout and installation are completed correctly. Not only does this enhance the system’s effectiveness, but it also reduces the need for future modifications and code violations. The fewer times you have to work on your fire-rated walls, the more effective they’re going to be. Ideally, once they are installed, they can be left alone.
Consider an Exposed Fire Sprinkler System
Rather than trying to disguise your fire sprinkler pipes and heads, consider suspending them from the ceiling. While this isn’t always an option in more formal environments, such as offices and restaurants, it can be a suitable choice for industrial locations, including warehouses, factories, commercial kitchens, and agricultural buildings.
If you take this route, you do not have to penetrate the fire-rated walls and ceilings nearly as much, which reduces the likelihood that you’ll compromise their effectiveness as fire barriers.
Choose ROCKWALL Fire-Rated and Insulated Panels
While proper installation is essential, it’s also important to choose high-quality fire-rated panels that enhance fire safety. ROCKWALL Fire-Rated Wall Panels were designed with a non-combustible mineral wool core, which provides lasting fire resistance.
With 1-, 2-, and 3-hour fire ratings, depending on the panel thickness, they are also customizable to meet the specific needs of the environment. They’re also ULC S101 and ASTM E119 compliant, so they meet all fire codes. They’re also designed to maintain their structural integrity throughout their entire lifespan, allowing them to withstand high heat exposure and fire sprinkler activations.
On top of all of that, they’re also designed to be easy to install and modify. Since they can be field-cut to accommodate sprinkler pipes and heads, they can be tailored to meet the exact needs of your system.
Beyond their suitability as a fire-rated building material, they’re also CFIA-approved for food and sanitary environments, and they are moisture-resistant so that they won’t degrade after a sprinkler activation.
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