Commercial Firestopping in Orlando, FL
Providing Superior Fireproofing Solutions Since 1982
Commercial firestopping confines or compartmentalizes the spread of fire throughout a commercial property. It includes sealing openings in commercial buildings to prevent fire from spreading throughout the property. This passive fire protection also confines heat and smoke to one area before life-threatening damage can occur in others.
Firestopping systems use various components:
- Cables/cable trays or conduits
- Fire-rated walls, partitions, floors or ceilings
- Materials and methods for sealing penetrations
Orlando fire codes follow NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards. All structures and projects must meet the specifications for:
- Emergency lighting
- Fire department access
- Fire flow
- Fire protection systems
- Occupant egress
Structures and projects include:
- Additions – Existing structures and/or security measures
- Building change of use
- Construction – New buildings and structures
- Installation, modification, alteration (any security gate)
- Modifications/alterations that impact egress (existing structures)
- Occupancy classification change
Types of Firestopping Systems for Orlando and Orange County
A commercial firestopping system aims to contain a fire in one area long enough to evacuate the building. They are passive, penetrative or fire-resistive joint systems.
When Orlando commercial properties are under construction, the engineers and contractors strive to maintain safe wall ratings using fire barriers. Sometimes cables, pipes and wiring must pass through walls to traverse the building.
Penetrating firestops are used to block the spread of fire via cables (electrical, data, etc.), plumbing pipes and any other appliance, application or materials that travel from room to room behind ceilings, floors and walls.
Fire-resistive joint systems are used to protect spaces installed between fire-rated areas. An example is where a wall meets the ceiling, which is also the floor of the room immediately above.
Why Commercial Firestopping Is Needed in Orlando
Fire protection and prevention are important to every commercial construction project. They can be influenced by materials, building usage and how well the property is maintained.
Florida is below the national average for the number of non-residential structural fires. We are also below national averages for fire-related deaths and casualties.
Orlando base fire codes include:
Necessary components for fire protection are:
- Detection/warning systems
- Containment systems
- Suppression systems
U.S. commercial multiple perils and fire losses fell 20.9% from 2018 to 2019, but gathering places like churches and nightclubs are especially vulnerable. There are approximately 7,410 structure fires in eating and drinking establishments each year.
Passive vs. Active Fire Protection
Active fire protection is an action-oriented solution to preventing or minimizing a fire. A kitchen employee slamming a lid on a pan’s grease fire is active fire protection. Active systems include fire extinguishers, fire alarms, smoke detectors, sprinklers, etc.
Passive fire protection divides the property into compartmentalized spaces to reduce the spread of fire, heat and smoke throughout the building. Commercial firestopping systems are passive fire protection. Sometimes a commercial property needs a combination of active and passive fire protection systems.
Alpha Insulation & Fireproofing: Commercial Firestopping Contractor in Orlando
Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing has the experience and trustworthy reputation that can only come from many years of commercial fireproofing throughout the U.S.
For almost 40 years, our team of professionals has been the go-to for industrial and commercial fireproofing and fire prevention as well as:
Your time is valuable to us. We’ll quickly provide the pricing you need for Orange County construction bids. Just take the time to call 407-379-9300 or contact us to learn more about commercial firestopping in Orlando, FL.
