Intumescent fire collars are a great way to protect your home or property from fire damage. Fire collars are used to reinstate the fire resistance of the opening created in a wall or floor by a plastic pipe.
Fire collars work by their intumescent material expanding when exposed to extreme heat.
The metal band surrounding the intumescent material means that it’s unable to expand outwards, and the pressure is then contained within the space. The pipe will collapse under this pressure, sealing the hole and preventing any further spread of fire and smoke.
In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what intumescent fire collars are and how to fit them properly.
You can find some more information about how fire collars work in our blog.
Installation
- Before you start make sure that you have selected the correct fire collar for your pipe. This Pyroplex Intumescent Pipe Collar will seal 110mm flammable pipes and can be face fixed in a wall or floor structure. Once you have selected the correct size pipe collar it is advisable to read through the instructions thoroughly.
- Ensure that the area surrounding the pipe is flat and free from obstructions.
- Once the pipe and surrounding area are ready for installation, release the retaining pin and position the pipe collar around the pipe.
- Slide the tab through the slot in the pipe collar and fold back 180˚ to secure.
- Secure the pipe collar by drilling holes in the structure by using fixing lugs as a template. Do not use plastic rawl plugs and or plastic sleeve anchors when fixing the fire collar.
- When the collar has been securely fitted into place any remaining gaps between the collar and the surroundings can be filled using an intumescent acrylic sealant. It's important to note that the sealant must be the same brand as the pipe collar for a tested solution.
Conclusion
Walls that have been penetrated by a pipe are vulnerable when it comes to fire and smoke spreading through a building. Using a fire collar will reinstate the wall's integrity and provide fire protection for up to four hours.
The use of a fire collar is an important part of fire protection that should not be overlooked. Fire collars require no maintenance but we recommend that all firestopping materials are checked on a regular basis to ensure that the product remains integral.
If you need help selecting the right fire stopping materials for your project then please contact our team who will be happy to help you.
