Our team here at Firemark are experts in providing a one-stop shop for all services relating to passive fire protection. We are based in Dublin, but work nationwide on engineering fire stopping solutions, installation, surveying, certification and maintenance. One of our services is firestopping and we encourage commercial clients to make sure they speak to our experts about the peace of mind and security investing in firestopping can bring.
What is Firestopping?
Firestopping is an essential component of passive fire protection and involves sealing openings in building structures to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Failure to seal a room or building correctly means that fire, smoke and heat, when given the opportunity to spread vertically and laterally can do so to devastating effect that would be catastrophic for the structure and integrity of the building.
You may not think there are that many gaps or openings in buildings, but you would be surprised how many there are, particularly in commercial properties. These include the openings created in floors and walls for electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, and HVAC ducts. If not properly firestopped, they can allow fire and smoke to spread from one compartment of a room or building to another.
All buildings have expansion joints which are designed to allow for movement in the building structure. These joints can also create openings that allow fire and smoke to spread. Similarly in the construction of a building the area where two sections are joined together (construction joints) present an opening that can be a potential fire hazard and rectified with the firestopping process.
Outside the main construction of a building, design features such as atriums can look fantastic and serve many key purposes for the use of the property such as opening out space or connecting multiple floors, but atrium openings tend to be large and in the centre of a building. Firestopping can be used to protect these openings and prevent fire and smoke from spreading throughout the building.
Finally all buildings need to include means by which to move between floors. Nearly all buildings have stairwell openings and firestopping can be used to protect them and prevent fire and smoke from blocking the escape route or emergency access. Other common features are lift openings which can almost act as a chimney in the event of fire. Firestopping protects from this and prevents the spread of fire and smoke through the building.
The Benefits of Firestopping
Firestopping materials should be installed by qualified and experienced professionals as inadequate installation can compromise the effectiveness of the firestopping and lead to increased fire risk. Below, we explore the numerous benefits firestopping can bring such as enhanced safety, business continuity and financial implications.
Enhanced safety – Firestopping can help to save lives by slowing the spread of fire and smoke. This gives occupants more time to evacuate safely. Firestopping can help to prevent the spread of fire to adjacent compartments within a building which can minimise the amount of property damage caused by a fire.
Business continuity – Firestopping can help to protect critical infrastructure, such as electrical wiring and data communications systems. This can help businesses to get back up and running more quickly after a fire.
Financial implications – The installation of Firestopping measures can have a significant financial benefit on many fronts. One is the impact on insurance cost, many insurance companies offer discounts to commercial property owners who have implemented effective firestopping measures as a precaution.
Depending on your business, effective fire protection measures can be a unique selling point to customers as their products, designs, or intellectual property will be safe. This can help you win more business and boost your income.
Contact Firemark Today to See How we Can Assist you
If you are a commercial property owner in Dublin, contact Firemark today to learn more about our firestopping services. We can help you to choose the right firestopping materials and to install them correctly. We can also help you to develop a firestopping maintenance plan to ensure that your firestopping system remains effective over time. You can contact us and get a quote through our website, by phone by calling +353 01 5394957 or email us at info@firemark.ie for more information.