Fire resistant walls slow the spread of fire, smoke, and heat during emergencies, giving occupants more time to exit safely. Walls have a specific rating based on their ability to prevent fire spread. Building codes require fire resistant walls, which can be made of concrete, masonry, or drywall with special plaster products. All components must have proper fire classification and be sealed to prevent gaps.
A fire resistant wall is a structure designed to slow the spread of heat, smoke and flames during an emergency. Properly constructed firewalls give occupants more time to safely exit the building during a fire and can help reduce total property damage. By slowing or preventing the spread of fire, these walls give firefighters more time to save the building and its contents, or perform rescues.
It’s important to understand that a fire resistant wall is not designed to be completely fire resistant. Instead, each wall of fire is given a specific score based on the amount of time it can prevent the fire from spreading. In buildings that are very close to each other, a fire resistant exterior wall can have a lifespan of three hours, meaning it can prevent the spread of fire for up to three hours. Some interior walls may only have a 20-minute rating, depending on the fire risk, number of exits, and occupant load of the structure.
Many cities require the construction of fire resistant walls as part of local building codes and standards. In the United States, fire-related codes are often based on standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA and similar organizations specify how fire walls should be built, tested, and maintained to withstand high temperatures, smoke, and flames. The duration of the fire rating is often based on the types of materials used in the building or the functions performed within the structure.
A fire resistant wall can be made of concrete or masonry, as these materials offer natural resistance to fire. To build a drywall fire wall, builders must include special fire-resistant plaster products designed to slow the spread of flame or heat. Fireproof drywall can also be used as sheathing to protect unfinished walls or insulation in unoccupied areas of the building. When steel is included in a fire resistant wall, it may be sprayed with a cementitious coating designed to help the metal withstand high temperatures.
When constructing fire resistant walls, all components used to construct the wall must include proper fire classification. For example, any windows, doors or glass included in the wall must be fire resistant. These items are typically made from special materials in order to ensure the right level of fire resistance. All ducts or pipes penetrating the wall must be of the same fire resistance class and special mastic must be used to seal all cracks, gaps and openings around these penetrations.
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