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What is Fire Stopping?

Fire stopping is a form of passive fireproofing. It involves sealing any openings to prevent fire, smoke and heat from moving throughout the building. By creating pockets of fire-resistant areas, such as fire-stopping lifts, you can better control and prevent a fire from spreading. 

Every building should have some form of preventative fire services. Once the system is installed, it should be checked and monitored on a daily basis.

LaLit London

Why You Need a Fire-Stopping Solution

Reports show modern fires in buildings are spreading 5-10 times faster than ever before. The reason for this is that buildings today are built using products and materials which are deemed to be flammable. New buildings include heavy amounts of piping, HVAC ducts and other materials that create weak areas in buildings and can lead to gases, smoke and flames easily spreading when left unprotected. 

This is why it is becoming essential for buildings to have preventions in place. This includes fire stops that are designed to prevent fire and smoke from spreading. Although there is not always enough, especially if the fire is spreading quickly throughout the building. 

Tragically, 80% of fire deaths are due to smoke inhalation and toxic fumes. Using fire-stopping services will help prevent smoke and fire from spreading so the rest of the building remains safe. This will give time for people on the premises to evacuate and recover properly.

Sheridan Lifts were recently published in the Manchester Evening News discussing the importance of fire safety. Have a read of the article here.

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Passenger Lift

Sheridan Lifts – Your Number One Fire-Stop Solution

Not only do we provide a range of lift installation and maintenance services, but we also go the extra mile for our customers, ensuring all of their fire safety needs are met.

So, how do we do this? 

The first thing we do is carry out an inspection, and we will need to take your lift out of commission to do so. So that we don’t majorly disrupt your business or residence, this inspection will be performed at a time convenient for all parties. 

The inspections will be carried out by our level three lift engineers, which means you do not need to have your lift contract provider present at the time of inspection. 

Following the inspection, you will receive a full and detailed fire compartmentation report. The report will include the current state of the insulation and passive fire protection of the lift. 

You receive two versions of the report – one digital copy and one hard copy. To remain in line with the legal requirements under the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order and the updated 2021 Fire Safety Legislation, we advise you to keep your fire safety paperwork in a premises information box. 

A premises information box is a system designed to keep your company’s buildings and assets safe. It should be located at a point accessible to fire crews if needed. 

During our thorough report, we will outline any points of concern to the duty-holder. The duty-holder is the business owner or person responsible for installing the lifts in the building. 

At Sheridan Lifts, we have a 360-degree approach to lift services, meaning our in-house team is able to complete any required specialist lift installations. We are also registered with the Lift and Escalator Industry Association.

Kellogg's - A Case Study

How Fire Stopping Works

The basic premise of fire stopping is compartmentation. Creating compartments restricts the fire from moving beyond where it started. This means dividing the building into smaller units to help restrict the fire. The main structures of a building – floors, walls and ceiling assemblies – are designed to be fire-resistant, but this resistance only lasts for a limited time. 

Service penetrations (the seals designed to maintain the fire resistance of part of the building) run through these structures to maintain the fire resistance of the building. The compartments are connected by joints to increase their functionality.

If the fire is not stopped, the flames, heat and smoke can seep through compartment openings. This is why it is important for fire-stopping solutions to be installed correctly to keep the fire at bay.

Fire Stopping Services

What is Compartmentation?

Compartmentation of your building is a vital way to limit fires and smoke from spreading. Compartmentation involves dividing the space into several smaller sections, or ‘compartments’, so the fire can be contained to the area it started. 

Compartmentation works in tandem with other elements, such as fireproof doors, hatches, partitions, plastic, metal tubes and cables. Each of these elements should be as fire resistant as the structure of the building (in line with the UK Building Regulations).

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Fire-Stopping Methods

Fire stopping (or proofing) can be accomplished using a variety of methods, materials, and products, which will vary depending on the building’s regulations and environment. Here are a few examples of how and when certain fire-stopping products and methods are used.

Fire Sleeves

Pipes and cables pass through different compartments within a building. This means the entry and exit points between compartments can become a gateway for fire to grow. To ensure this doesn’t happen, fireproofing professionals like our team at Sheridan Lifts have a variety of tricks they can use.

Fire sleeves are a type of fire stop used to seal the gaps created by pipes and cables. At the time of a fire, the sleeves will expand to secure the space between the pipes, cables and surrounding materials. In the instance where a plastic pipe is used, the sleeve will diminish the pipe so the gap is fully secured and no smoke or fire can progress into the neighbouring area.

Fire Sealants and Gap Fillers

The use of fire sealants and gap fillers prevents smoke and fire from seeping in-between spaces. Due to the rising temperatures, these fire-stopping materials expand. It is imperative to use the sealant or filler that is most suitable for the substrate and application.

These sealants can be used around any gaps between the doors and door frame. This is done using silicone-based sealing. Most fire-stopping providers will also include intumescent strips, which can be found at the base of the door. 

Fire sealants and gap fillers are not only used for doors. You can use them to fireproof and seal windows. The fire-resistant material will create an additional safety barrier.

How To Ensure You Remain Compliant

If you are due an inspection, here are some things to bear in mind so you have the best chance of receiving a stellar report. 

  • Don’t use unlisted fire-stopping products, and always make sure they are all tested under the correct bodies. For example, joint systems require testing under UL2079 or ASTM E1966
  • Don’t use the wrong fire-stopping materials. Each fire-stopping material has a specific use and using the wrong one means it will not meet the required standards
  • Keep in line with the correct building regulations. Certain regulations will require fire stops to be placed at a certain depth in order to function correctly. If installed by someone who is not experienced in the field, this can be missed. This is why it is worth hiring experts like Sheridan Lifts to make these installations.
Passenger 2

Protect Your Building From Fires Today!

At Sheridan Lifts, our fire-stopping services offer the best possible solution to help you protect your building from damages caused by fires. With over 40 years of experience in the lift industry, we are passionate about supporting all our customers and delivering the highest-quality services possible. 

Request a free quote and find out more about our fire-protection solutions today. We guarantee to blow your socks off.

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Case Studies

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firefighters
Lee Street Circle, Leicester

Following advice from their building control team, our client in Leicester have decided to upgrade the passenger lift we installed for them in November 2018 to a firefighting

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