Fire sealing residential required ?

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ritelec

ritelec

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Jersey
Been a while since I did a house and will start one next week

Has fire sealing become a big requirement if at all in single family homes?

Drilled holes for nm room to room and floor to floor in framing members.
Even through members to attached garage ??

Should I figure for a few cans or drill away like old times?

New Jersey

Thank you
 
Yes. Fireblocking is required by the IRC. See Section 302.11(4) for details.

Keep in mind there is a huge difference between draftstopping, fireblocking, and firestopping. And the materials that can be used for each function are different as well.

Consult your local AHJ for guidance...
 
Has fire sealing become a big requirement if at all in single family homes?
YES -- IF YOU DRILL A HOLE IN A FIREBLOCK YOU MUST SEAL IT WITH FIREBLOCK APPROVED MATERIAL.

Drilled holes for nm room to room -- not necessarily, although some localities do require such

and floor to floor in framing members.
YES, AND FROM CRAWL SPACE EVEN IF NO WIRING THERE, BUT THAT IS BUILDERS RESPONSIBILITY.

Even through members to attached garage ??
ABSOLUTELY AND ESPECIALLY - AND THERE BETTER BE 5/8 FIRECODE WALL BOARD OR 2 LAYERS OF REGULAR WALLBOARD

Also, many states and localities have energy codes which require environmental air leakage sealing

http://www.jlconline.com/how-to/framing/fire-blocking-basics_o

http://www.firestop.org/uploads/2/4/5/4/24544763/pme_firestopping801.pdf


ps: and from what I've read, if you move to Chicago, thanks to Mrs O'Leary's cow, NM is not allowed, everything in conduit.
 
Waiting to hear back from the construction official. If he calls back.

I did talk to the electrical inspector


He says he inspects the electrical. The sealing is done with the insulation company and insulation inspection ????

Oh. Okay. :- )
 
ritelec said:
Waiting to hear back from the construction official. If he calls back.

I did talk to the electrical inspector


He says he inspects the electrical. The sealing is done with the insulation company and insulation inspection ????

Oh. Okay. :- )
Click to expand...

It's my experience that insulation contractors do some of the best firestopping work in the industry.
They get into it because of spray applied fire resistive materials, which is very meticulous and methodical, and from there they get into the rest of it.
 
On jobs we do, every trade is responsible for their own firestopping. Only did one commercial job where all firestop was handled by specialists trained in all manner of fire block, fire stop, etc. Normally we seal vertical penetrations only, and on one side only*. (here) There are a few other building codes that come into play, like not using LV rings in rated walls. For a big house, figure 6-9 tubes of fire caulk and 2-3 hours labor. btw, tho I almost never get stuff on ebay and the like, you can usually find fire caulk for a lot less than supply house prices, if you're willing to put up with a few tubes here and there clogging up.

ps: if you can do the firestopping on a not freezing day/time, take advantage of it. We didnt do it when it was 70*, no, we did the last house when it was 21*. Miserable.

eta: *if you have a 2-story house and go thru top and bottom plates, you will need to seal both sides. Some inspectors may get in a bit of a tiff over annular fill, so drill holes big enough to get the fire caulk all the way around the wiring, and between. Tho not required to use 4 hour rated caulk (more $$$), it's been my experience that inspections go better when you use it.
 
Yes in Chicago which is all emt,we still have to fire caulk all Penetration's top and bottom plates.
Fire caulk any wall returns with a pipe thru it.
No back to back boxes on attached garage walls.

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