Commercial Firestopping in Atlanta, GA

Keeping a building’s occupants safe during fires and other emergencies is a top priority in any commercial building. In the event of a fire, keeping it contained in a single room or as few rooms as possible gives the people inside more time to evacuate safely. Commercial firestopping is an essential part of this strategy.

At Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing, we offer commercial firestopping services in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding communities and cities throughout the Southeastern U.S. We proudly specialize in commercial insulation, waterproofing and fireproofing systems.

Prevent injuries and unnecessary property damage with commercial firestopping solutions from our team at Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing.

What Is Firestopping & Why Is It Important?

Firestopping is designed to prevent the spread of flames, smoke and gases from one room to another during a fire, giving the people inside more time to escape during an emergency. Firestopping seals critical areas in a building’s structure, such as:

• The interface between walls and floors
• The interface between walls and ceilings
• The curtainwall around a slab foundation
• Floor-to-floor expansion joints
• Interior openings like doors and elevator shafts
• Penetrations through walls and ceilings for pipes, cables, flues and HVAC ducts

Proper firestopping materials and installation can considerably increase the time available for a safe evacuation. To completely protect your commercial building, code requires a combination of active fire protection systems like fire alarms, fire sprinklers and fire suppression systems to fight fire at its source, and passive measures like firestopping to keep fires contained and fireproofing to protect critical structural components like beams and columns.

Call 770-424-8600 or contact us online to learn more about the essential role of firestopping in your Atlanta commercial building.

Types of Commercial Firestopping

To prevent the spread of fire in a commercial building, various firestopping materials are used to seal fire-rated floor, wall and ceiling assemblies. Some of the more common firestopping products include:

• Caulking and sealants: Made from high-temperature acrylic or silicone, these sealants are used around penetrations like pipes, around doors or at joints between adjoining surfaces to prevent the spread of smoke and gases.
• Insulation and fire blankets: Made from mineral wool, fiberglass or high-temperature foam, insulation, fire blankets and foam pillows prevent the spread of heat and flames through wall, ceiling or floor assemblies.
• Mortars: Made from gypsum or cementitious materials, mortars are used to seal wall assemblies to concrete floors, seal between adjoining concrete surfaces, seal expansion joints in concrete slabs and more.
• Intumescent coatings: Intumescent coatings expand with heat to create an insulating barrier on things like exposed beams and columns, protecting the surface underneath from heat and flames.
• Collars: Installed on flues, pipes, ducts and similar assemblies, metal collars are used to contain flames and prevent them from spreading through the opening to another room.

At Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing, we offer a variety of firestopping solutions from Hilti, Specified Technologies, Inc. and other top manufacturers, as well as spray fireproofing, intumescent coatings and more to help commercial buildings in Atlanta create a complete passive fire protection system.

Why Choose Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing for Firestopping Services?

At Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing, we’ve been trained on proper firestopping installation procedures and best practices by top manufacturers like Hilti and Specified Technologies, Inc. We also have six locations that have been evaluated by Underwriters Laboratories for their Qualified Firestop Contractor Program.

With our quality products, superior service and over 800 years of combined experience, you can count on us for professional, code-compliant results.

Commercial Firestopping FAQ

Where is firestopping used?

Firestopping is required by code in most commercial buildings. A firestopping system is used to seal joints, contain fire and prevent smoke or gas from spreading throughout the building. For the firestop to be effective, it should be used to seal every opening, penetration and joint that’s part of the fire-rated assembly.

Can you paint over firestopping?

People often want to paint over firestopping to make it look better with the interior of the building. It’s possible to paint over some firestopping materials, but it depends on the firestopping method and placement. Some firestopping systems include intumescent coatings as a fireproofing layer, and these coatings can be color-matched and applied like paint.

Can fiberglass insulation be used as a firestop?

Yes, fiberglass insulation can be used as a firestop. Fiberglass is not flammable, so it’s often used for fire blankets and other firestopping techniques. An experienced contractor like Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing can install the right firestopping material and make sure it’s up to code.

Call 770-424-8600 or contact us online to discuss the firestopping and fire protection needs for your Atlanta, Marietta or Alpharetta, GA, commercial building.