Wall or floor structures that have been penetrated by pipes are vulnerable when it comes to fire and smoke spreading throughout a building. Using a Pipe Wrap will reinstate the wall’s integrity by containing fire to its area of origin for up to four hours.
Under fire conditions, the intumescent material within the wrap expands inwards against the structure and fills the void left by the burnt out pipe.
They are simple to install and require no maintenance, making them a quick and easy fire protection solution.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at what intumescent fire pipe wraps are, why they are important, and how to install them in different types of scenarios.
What is a fire pipe wrap?
Pipe wraps can be added to pipes within walls or floors so that when activated by extreme heat the intumescent material expands and crushes the pipe to stop the spread of fire and smoke travelling through into an adjacent compartment.
Intumescent pipe wraps offer a simple and more economical alternative to intumescent pipe collars for fire-stopping plastic pipework and electrical trunking.
Pipe collars may be a more suitable solution for your project, discover the differences between pipe wraps and collars in our blog post.
How does a fire pipe wrap work and why are they important?
Pipe Wraps comprise layers of a graphite-based intumescent sheet encapsulated in a polythene cover. The cover sleeve is an integral part of the system and should not be removed.
The product is designed to be wrapped around the outside diameter of the pipework or trunking and is secured by a self-adhesive strip.
The Intumescent Pipe Wrap is then positioned within the compartment wall or floor so that the edge of the product is left exposed at the face of the wall or soffit.
Benefits of using a pipe wrap:
- Simple to install
- Water resistant
- No mechanical fixings
- Maintenance free
- Affordable
- Not visible
Fire stopping is a fundamental part of passive fire protection and should never be overlooked. Without adequate fire stopping materials such as pipe wraps, smoke and flames can quickly travel throughout a building, damaging property and risking the lives of its occupants.
How to install fire pipe wrap
Installation in masonry walls
- Check that the pipe surface is clear of mortar, dust or any other contaminants.
- Ensure that the correct Pipe Wrap is installed to suit the diameter of pipe and fire rating.
- Wrap around the pipe and fix with integral self-adhesive strip.
- Slide the Pipe Wrap into the wall, ensuring that the outermost edge of the wrap aligns with the face of the block work. Important: If this is not carried out, the intumescent material will be insulated and shall lead to a product malfunction.
- Repeat on the other side of the wall if necessary
- Make good around Pipe Wrap with either Firestop Compound or traditional mortar to the full depth of the seal.
For walls it may be necessary to fit two wraps depending on the fire risk areas concerned and if the wall thickness exceeds 150mm.
Installation in floors
- Check that the pipe surface is clear of mortar, dust or any other contaminants.
- Ensure that the correct Pipe Wrap is installed to suit the diameter of pipe and fire rating.
- Wrap around the pipe and fix with integral self-adhesive strip.
- Slide the Pipe Wrap on top of the shuttering being used for the making good. Ensure that the bottom edge of the wrap will be exposed in the floor slab when the shuttering is removed.
- Important: If you are using permanent mineral wool shuttering for Firestop Compound, cut out the shuttering to ensure that the bottom edge of the Pipe Wrap can be viewed from the soffit below. If this is not carried out the intumescent material will be insulated and shall lead to a product malfunction.
- Seal the Pipe Wrap into the structure with Firestop Compound or concrete, ensuring that there is a minimum of 25mm cover over the top of the Pipe Wrap.
How We Can Help
At FireSealsDirect, we stock a range of pipe wraps in a variety of sizes or a continuous wrap.
As experts in passive fire protection, our team is available if you need any help or advice with your fire stopping project or whether pipe wraps could be a solution for you. Contact our technical team at [email protected] or on 02920 857 959 or and they will be happy to assist you with any questions or queries.
