Home Fire Safety Tips – Fire-Stopping & Fire-Sealing Your Home

Most homes lack full fire-stopping and fire-sealing (even many brand new homes). Fires often spread
quickly through buildings through their walls, ceilings and other voids in construction. Pipes, wires, ducts
and other penetrations into the open voids in your home's construction allow fire to pass quickly into these
voids and can allow fire to spread rapidly.

So, What is Fire-Stopping and Fire-Sealing?

Fire-Stopping: Sealing large openings (or walls in garages and other areas) in the framing, open ducts or
other openings which lead to open shafts in walls, ceilings, etc. with fire rated materials (fire rated
sheetrock, sheet metal, 1 ½ inch thick wood, Fire rated fiberglass, or other 1 hour fire rated materials)

Fire-Sealing: Sealing small openings or penetrations (such as pipes, wires, ducts, etc.) with fire rated
caulk or foam – making them air-tight and fire resistant.

Where Do I Need To Fire-Stop?

At all open framing shafts – ESPECIALLY in Balloon Framed buildings.

At all open shafts around chimneys.

At all open shafts around ductwork.

At all open shafts in firewalls (such as garage walls and ceilings, between buildings, etc.)

Where Do I Need To Fire-Seal?

Around all pipe penetrations (in basements, attics, and all living space walls – e.g under sinks)

Around all wire penetrations (in basements, attics, and all living space walls – e.g under sinks)

At open seams or gaps in framing (e.g. seams between walls/floors/ceilings, etc.)

Around all firestopping (to make it air-tight and more fire resistant.

Web Links to Firestopping and Fire-Sealing Information: (including Videos)

Firestop Through Penetrations Training Video (REAL in depth – GOOD source of information and “How-To” tips)

Fireblocking | Firestop a wall for inspection | DIY fireblocking and penetrations VIDEO

International Firestop Counsel - What is firestopping? FIRESTOPPING INSPECTION POCKET GUIDE (PDF)

NOTE: This is a simple guide to help homeowners understand firestopping and fire-sealing and help them to make their
homes more fire-resistant. This guide is NOT all inclusive, and cannot address every situation.
Many states, cities and towns may require that such work be performed by licensed professionals
CHECK ALL LOCAL REGULATIONS BEFORE PERFORMING ANY WORK.
Contact us if you would like an inspection of your home for fire safety. Call 781-334-3830 - Email [email protected]

Tri-Value Consultants – All types of Home Inspections – Maintenance Inspections – Custom Inspections – Full Photo Reports
781-334-3830 Free Home Information and Tips on www.trivalueconsultants.com [email protected]
 Home Fire Safety Tips – Fire-Stopping & Fire-Sealing Your Home

Red circles are areas

typically needing
firestopping
Firestopping in balloon framed houses is typically needed on ALL perimeter walls at the basement, attic,
and at each floor – due to the open design of the framing system. In some houses ( and in the living areas)
these areas will typically be finished and difficult to access for firestopping without opening up wall areas.

(some clients have attempted such methods as – drilling a small hole – the size of a fire-sealing foam spray
can plastic nozzle at the center of the wall's baseboard between each wall stud shaft – and then filling the
void with a whole can of fire-rated foam, but this only works on some types of balloon framing ( such as the
center “Hybrid Blacksburg Framed” homes)– where the sub-floor extends into the wall stud shaft (center image
above) – otherwise the foam will tend to just fall down the shaft)

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 Home Fire Safety Tips – Fire-Stopping & Fire-Sealing Your Home

Behind the finish in living areas – there are open shafts which extend up and down the stud walls ( often
open from basement to attic) AND across ceiling/floor joists (extending wall to wall) which can allow fire to
spread fast. This picture is of a balloon framed house outside wall with the wall and ceiling finishes
removed. Firestopping these areas without opening up walls/ceilings is VERY difficult.

A view of open balloon framing from a living area floor (again with wall finish removed). These open shafts
should be firestopped (e.g. a horizontal stud cut and fastened at floor level with it's edges sealed with fire
rated caulk, sheet metal, or fire rated fiberglass insulation filling the shaft ).
Again – this is difficult to fire-stop without opening up finished walls. If you do not open and fire-stop these
areas, be sure to FULLY fire-seal and fire-stop basement, attic, and all accessible openings at minimum.

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 Home Fire Safety Tips – Fire-Stopping & Fire-Sealing Your Home

Firestop all open shafts through firewalls (e.g. Firestop all open shafts around chimneys and ducts.
between buildings, in garages, hallways, etc.)

Firestop all open shafts for pipes and plumbing (e.g.

Firestop all open Laundry Chutes (laundry chutes under tubs, at water and heat pipe openings, etc.)
should have a fire rated or metal self closing cover These areas should ideally be sealed with REMOVABLE
on BOTH ends to help prevent the spread of fire) firestopping (screwed in) for plumbing access.
Firestop: Fire-Seal:

At all open framing shafts – ESPECIALLY in Around all pipe penetrations (in basements,
Balloon Framed buildings. attics, and all living space walls – e.g under sinks)

At all open shafts around chimneys. Around all wire penetrations ( in basements,
attics, and all living space walls – e.g under sinks)
At all open shafts around ductwork. At open seams or gaps in framing (e.g. seams
between walls/floors/ceilings, etc.)
At all open shafts in firewalls (such as garage
walls and ceilings, between buildings, etc.) Around all firestopping (to make it air-tight and
more fire resistant.

Tri-Value Consultants – All types of Home Inspections – Maintenance Inspections – Custom Inspections – Full Photo Reports
781-334-3830 Free Home Information and Tips on www.trivalueconsultants.com [email protected]
 Home Fire Safety Tips – Fire-Stopping & Fire-Sealing Your Home

Some older buildings (typically 1930s and newer) have brick or concrete
firestopping installed in the open framing shafts over sills and girders.
This is VERY EFFECTIVE firestopping and typically helps prevent fire better
than most “modern” methods of firestopping.

Tri-Value Consultants – All types of Home Inspections – Maintenance Inspections – Custom Inspections – Full Photo Reports
781-334-3830 Free Home Information and Tips on www.trivalueconsultants.com [email protected]