Understanding The T Rating

Taking the mystery

out of firestoppings
misunderstood and
often misapplied
rating.
FIRestop systems tested
to AstM e814 (UL1479)
have two ratings. the F Rat
ing represents a minimum
amount of time that an instal
lation has been tested and
shown to prevent the propa
gation of fire. Most people
can readily understand this
portion of the rating. the t
Rating, however, is a differ
ent and more complicated
story. the t Rating is often
disregarded or overlooked.

Putting The T Rating To Work

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Low System:
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By definition it is a measure of the time it takes

for any thermocouple on the unexposed side (the
side of the assembly away from the fire) to reach
a temperature 325F above the temperature of this
thermocouple prior to the start of the test. thus it is
a measure of thermal conductivity.
AstM e814 was developed in the early 1980s to
address the need for a test to specifically address the
needs of firestopping. Prior to this standard, unofficial
variations of AstM e119 were used to evaluate
firestop methods and materials. This test however,
was designed to evaluate the fire resistive properties
of walls and floors and if followed to the letter of the
lawtended to be too restrictive in its requirements
concerning thermal conductivity. the limitations it
prescribed made it practically impossible to penetrate
a rated barrier with a metallic penetrant.
E814 Made T Ratings Optional: AstM e814 was
written in a fashion that would let the question of
thermal conductivity become an option. temperatures
would be monitored and recorded but would be
reported separately from the F rating. thus the t
rating was born. What the members of this AstM
committee couldnt address in this standard, was the

Technology Update

method of utilizing this useful bit of information. It has become

a political football in code circles being punted back and forth
by special interests groups.
The Intent of the T rating: It is important to understand the
intent of the t rating. AstM e119 requires a random placement
of thermocouples but specifically requires in addition to these, the
placement of thermocouples at any point which might logically be
a point of excessive heat transfer. thus a metallic fastener or a
steel beam penetrating on the unexposed side would require a
thermocouple. the standard in most cases, provides a limiting
temperature rise of 250F on average but provides an additional
75F margin for any single thermocouple. thus that wall with the
beam mentioned above, could have a 250F rise on the wall itself
and 325F on the beam. this was the logic being carried over
into AstM e814.
the e814 committees essentially recognized that penetrants
could and would run hotter than the 250F rise and applied
the e119 exception language to the penetrant. the requirements
were intended to create some breathing space for the penetrant,
not for the firestop seal or the surrounding construction. Thus, if a
6 steel pipe is penetrating a 12 hole, the intent is to allow
some margin for the pipe itself.

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Consider the Firestop Without the Penetrant: It is

easier to consider the issue without a penetrant. Many
codes used firestopping language that required walls
that were penetrated to be restored to their previous
rating. While many people might consider this wording
to be vague, it is actually very explicit, if considered with
regards to the applicable standards. If a rated barrier
had an opening without a penetrant (where one had
been removed or not installed in the first place) the
sealing requirement would be more obvious. It wouldnt
make sense to permit this gap in the wall to have any
lesser rating than the wall or floor itself.
penetrants themselves (and not the surrounding
opening) are thus the intended exception to the rule.
Firestops should be constructed so that the removal of
the penetrant or the decision to omit a penetrant, leave
the wall or floor and its required rating intact.
Weak Firestop T Ratings Increase the Potential
for the Spread of Fire: Frequently, we see openings
created that are far larger than required for the penetrant
that has been installed. this may be done to allow
expansion of building services at a later date, other
times its a matter of poor planning or workmanship.
For whatever reasons, it is a common occurrence. It
is important to minimize the heat conducted through
the barrier and to minimize the amount of hot surface
areas. This minimizes the potential of the fire spreading
due to conduction and also reduces the potential
for combustibles to come in contact with these hot
surfaces. Firestop systems that inadequately reduce
the heat transfer in the area surrounding the penetrant
greatly increase the potential for the spread of fire by
the conduction of heat and the increased amount of
radiating surfaces.
Testing the Complete System: thus a properly
designed firestop system must not only have the
demonstrated ability to perform as a fire barrier with
the intended penetrants, but must also have the
demonstrated ability to provide the same level of fire
resistance including thermal resistance properties as
the wall or floor itself. Some special interests groups
advocate testing of the sealant only and claim that pen
etrants that are noncombustible need not be included
in firestop testing. Since these penetrants themselves
have the potential to thermally damage the sealing
material or may expand and fracture more brittle sealing
materials, their inclusion is a must.

FOD-5047 12/99

Composite Panels Offer Weak T Ratings: the UL Fire

Resistance Directory shows a number of systems that utilize
metallic backed composite panels. these panels are bolted
to the top or bottom or both sides of floors or walls in various
systems. While fastening these panels to both sides of walls
or floors improves T ratings, and placing insulation in between
furthers improves the ratings, the fact is that in most field
applications, these panels are applied to one side of floor
applications only. Frequently the installer cannot access both
sides of the installation or simply because of the additional cost,
he elects not to install the additional material. When used in this
fashion, these panels provide little thermal protection and carry
a 0 t rating (about the same as a bare metal sheet).
Combustible penetrants sealed with a single layer of a
composite panel may be exposed to temperatures high enough
to potentially reignite them. Installations involving combustible
penetrants become especially critical in these cases.
Complete System Protection from STI: stI engineered
firestop systems are designed to provide the thermal protection
originally intended by this standard. sealant and mortar base
designs have been engineered to provide a minimum of 2 hour
t Ratings (and in most cases 3 hours) in their base form (when
tested without penetrants). this insures that heat transfer is
for the most part limited to the penetrant itself. It also assures
that these systems can easily be restored if the penetrant is
removed, to the rating of the floor or wall, without the need
to redesign and replace the seal. stI engineered devices for
combustible penetrants provide exceptional t ratings even with
the penetrants in place.
The STI approach to firestopping is to develop base systems
(systems without penetrants) that afford the same level of
protection as the barrier in which they are to be installed. this
method assures that penetrants become the exception just
as the standard intended. It also minimizes the potential for
modifications or retrofits to seriously degrade the seal.
Read the Standards... the committees who developed AstM
e119 and AstM e814 showed great wisdom in the development
of these standards. The challenge for code officials and inspection
authorities is to apply the same wisdom in legislating the interpretation
and application of these standards. The challenge for firestop product
manufacturers is to develop products that support these standards with
safe, logical, economical, and easy to install systems. We encourage
interested parties to review these two standards. It is important to read
ASTM E119 first in order to understand the original intent of ASTM
e814. AstM e814 builds upon the requirements of AstM e119 and
tailors them more specifically to the issue of firestopping.

Specified Technologies Inc. 200 Evans Way, Somerville NJ 08876 Phone: 800.992.1180 Fax: 908.526.9623

Technical Service 1-800-992-1180

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Technology Update

Firestopping Plastic Pipes

The Right Products With The Right
Installation Designs And Methods
Make Protection Of Combustible

A Properly Designed Smoke Seal Stops All The Smoke!

Smoke

Smoke

Seal
Seal
the use of plastic pipes in construction is
increasing with each passing year. Most
people are aware of the economies of
using plastic pipes as well as some of
the benefits... Plastic pipes are easier
to install. They are significantly lighter in
weight and they are durable in that they
wont rust or corrode. the down side is that
these pipes are combustible and can pose
a fire hazard if not properly firestopped!
Understanding The Hazards:
This design places the seal at the top of the
Smoke Seals built into the collar may cut
plastic pipes when exposed to fire
opening, above the area of the pipe that is
off smoke from the room below, but will not
will react differently according to the
burning. This not only prevents the passage
stop the smoke eminating from the burning
type of material they are made from.
of smoke from the room below, but also from
pipe itself.
the decomposition of the pipe itself!
some will soften and then char as the
fire progresses. Others will soften and
melt. If not properly firestopped, these pipes may burn out and surfaces to help fill voids and exert pressure on materials that
leave a passage for fire into adjoining rooms and cause a fire to are softening.
quickly propagate.
Designing Firestops for Plastic Pipes: since in
The Special Hazards of DWV: Vented pipes are more of tumescent materials expand when exposed to heat. It is important
a hazard then supply piping or electrical conduits. With vented to utilize a design that quickly introduces heat into the system as
pipes, the fire is drawn into the pipes and then blown through well as an intumescent material capable of expanding in sufficient
them by what is called the chimney effect. the larger the pipe, volume under the conditions present in the installation. since heat
the greater the airflow. Fire may spread quickly if the pipe is is the key factor, its important to understand that the construction
not quickly constricted by an appropriate firestopping device or that surrounds the pipe is a vital consideration. Intumescent
materials embedded in thick concrete may not heat up quickly
system.
enough to close off burning pipes due to the heat sinking effect
Squeezing Off the Path for Fire: As we mentioned earlier,
of the concrete.
constriction is the key to protecting plastic pipes. Many products
utilize intumescent materials to accomplish this task. Intumescent some test labs use a principle developed in the days of testing
materials expand when heated or burned to many times their foam firestop products for nuclear plants. These materials
original volume. some intumescent materials claim to replace functioned by attrition during a fire and seals in thicker walls and
burning materials and fill the void created by them. There simply floors tended to perform better than the same thickness seal in
isnt enough time to replace burning materials. the key is to thinner walls or floors. Thus it was assumed that firestops tested
squeeze the pipe shut before the fire can burn up the pipe. With in thinner assemblies could be used in thicker assemblies. since
the right products and the right installation designs and methods, intumescent materials require heat to work, systems that are tested
the protection of combustible penetrants can be made safe and for thinner barriers may not be suitable for thicker ones!
easy.
Shutting Off the Pipe is Not Enough! testing has also
How Intumescent Materials Work: Its important to revealed that shutting off the pipe is not enough. A second key is
understand how intumescent materials function when designing to reduce the amount of heat transferred through the assembly.
a firestop system. Intumescent materials contain ingredients some pipes may reignite if the temperature rises too much on
that expand and increase in volume as they are heated. this the unexposed face.
increase in volume is used to exert pressure on surrounding

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Selecting the Appropriate System: Now that

we have acquainted you with some of the critical factors
affecting these installations, well provide some help in
selecting an appropriate system.
Choose the Fastest System: Where possible
always choose the fastest system that is appropriate for
a given application. For example, testing has shown that
externally mounted devices or collars react faster than
systems that mount internally. this is logical since heat
can get to them more quickly. our experience shows
that t Ratings are a pretty good indicator of speed in a
given application. Usually faster reacting systems will
produce higher t Ratings.
Use the Right Amount of Intumescent
Material: Always use the amount of intumescent
material shown in the system that you have selected. too
little may mean a pipe that cant be completely closed.
too much may cause a similar problem. Remember...
speed is critical! Using more wraps may sound like a
good idea, but in reality it may mean more intumescent
material to heat up and this may slow the reaction down
too much. An indication of this reaction may be found in
some published systems. some systems for 4 pVC pipe
have a 2 hour F and t Rating using 3 wraps. these same
systems have a 3 hour F Rating and a 0 t Rating when
using 4 wraps. this is clear evidence that increasing the
mass for this type of material slows its performance.
Appropriate Fasteners... Keeping it All
Together! the right materials and the right design
may all be for naught if everything doesnt stay where it
belongs. this means using the right fastening methods.
surface mounted collars should be secured to the wall
or floor using a non-melting, non-burning fastener that
is suited to the construction of the wall or floor. Since
burning or melting pipe may sag, some stress may be
applied to the fastener. Also aggressive expansion of
the intumescent material will apply some stress as well.
thus, we do not favor the use of screws in gypsum
board. We recommend toggle bolts or mushrooming
steel anchors. In concrete, we recommend wedge type
anchors over pin and shot. Remember... all fasteners
must hold in order to do the job. When in doubt, put
additional fasteners in. We are often asked if a particular
fastener may be used. Were not the fastener experts.
that question rightfully should be directed to the

FOD-5048 12/99

manufacturer of the fastener. the questions to ask: Will

every fastener hold every time? Will the fastener induce
stresses that might crack the concrete? Will the fasteners,
continue to hold during a fire?
Collar Mounting Tabs: Did you ever see a stool with
two legs? Its easy to see that two legs arent enough.
the same is true with collars. We mentioned the stresses
applied to the assembly. Good sense tells us that even
on the smallest collars, 3 mounting tabs are the minimum
required to be sure the device will not rock, or be pushed
ajar by the forces that are being exerted on it.
Smoke Sealing: A few collars have appeared on
the market that claim to incorporate a smoke seal into
the device itself. The smoke in a fire will come from two
sources. smoke will be produced in the room that is
afire, so there is the need to block the passage of this
smoke. Many mounting surfaces are not uniform enough
to count on such builtin seals. An example of this is core
drilled concrete.
the second source of smoke will be the burning of the
pipe itself. Builtin seals do not stop the passage of smoke
from the decomposition of the pipe within the wall or floor
cavity itself. For this reason, we always recommend a
caulked seal. the seal should be applied on both sides
of walls and floors. Minimally, we recommend the top
surface of floors, if both surfaces cannot be reached.
STI SpecSeal Products & SystemsSafer,
Easier, More Economical! the issues that we
have raised here are complicated and difficult to
understand. the important thing to remember is that
we have considered these issues as we have designed
these products and engineered our systems. Various
combinations of specseal products have been tested
and approved for pVC, CpVC, ABs, ABs Foam Core,
and FR polypropylene pipes. systems have been
designed and tested for vented (DWV) and unvented
(supply) applications in most common forms of construc
tion.

Specified Technologies Inc. 200 Evans Way, Somerville NJ 08876 Phone: 800.992.1180 Fax: 908.526.9623

Technical Service 1-800-992-1180

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Technology Update