Firestopping and understanding of FS20 Firestop Mortar

A Firestop or Firestopping is a fire protection system made from specific mechanism used to seal openings and joints in fire-resistance rated wall and/or floor assemblies, on other word Firestopping is a Passive Fire Protection system installed to prevent the movement of flame or gases to other areas of a building through small concealed spaces in building components such is floors, walls, and stairs.. Firestops are designed to re-establish the fire-resistance ratings of wall and/or floor assemblies by delaying the spread of fire by filling the openings with fire-resistant materials. Unprotected openings in fire separations cancel out the fire-resistance ratings of the fire separations, allowing the spread of fire, usually past the limits of the fire safety plan of a building. Firestops should be maintained in accordance with the listing, approval use, and compliance.

At Fire Security Systems, we supply several Firestopping products dependent on regional applications. We supply the Fire Security Systems Range, specializing in EN and BS476 approvals.

Let’s understand one of the products called FS20 Firestop Mortar compound: (Firestopping)

FS20 Firestop Compound is used to provide a fire rated seal around service penetrations in fire rated walls and floors. Tested in accordance with BS 476, Fire Security Firestop Compound provides approx. up to 6 hours fire protection. Here are some of the benefits of FS20 Firestop compound:

·         It comes with smoke seal & good acoustic insulation

·         Very simple installation

·         Comes with load bearing seal

·         It is suitable to make good around most types of service penetrations

·         It remains unaffected by humidity

·         Compound is completely maintenance free

·         Also comes no smoke emission attitude

Fire protection time varies depending on the application of mortar. If FS20 Firestop mortar’s thickness is 75mm then it offers fire rating of 1 – 2 hours and if thickness is 100mm then, fire rating should be around 3 – 6 hours.

FS20 Firestop Compound is a specially formulated gypsum based mortar, which is mixed with

water to be troweled or poured around service penetrations. Plastic pipework must be protected with either Fire Security Firestop Collars or Intumescent Pipe Wraps. In floors, permanent formwork panel (50mm) is cut and friction fitted between services and the edges of the floor slab. FS20 Firestop Compound is then trowelled over the form work to a depth of 25mm thick. This is allowed to harden. The FS20 Firestop Compound is then mixed to a pouring grade and tops the seal up to the required depth. In walls, FS20 Firestop Compound is mixed into a stiff consistency for trowelling into smaller openings. In larger openings, FS20 Firestop Compound can be cast into blocks which can be built into walls.

Normally most of the newly constructed buildings are being made with fire walls to help protect the buildings from fire. It helps in stopping the fire spread out to other areas of building. It is not guaranteed to stop them though but of course the damage will be less.