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FAQs

We’ve answered some of our most frequently asked questions about our products, our certifications and general questions about passive fire protection. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, please contact us.

Fire protection basics

Passive fire protection is a form of fire safety provision that remains dormant or inert during normal conditions but becomes active in a fire situation. It is an integral component of structural fire protection in a building and is designed to contain fires or slow their spread.

The purpose of passive fire protection is to contain the spread of fire for sufficient time to permit:

  • The safe evacuation of all occupants of the premises
  • The arrival of the fire services

An intumescent product contains a substance which swells as a result of exposure to heat. The swelling of the substance leads to an increase in volume and decrease in density.

Fire resistance is the property of a material that prevents the passage of gases, smoke and flames.

Passive fire protection provision is required in all buildings, whether domestic or non-domestic, with the purpose of containing and retarding the spread of fire. There are several methods and products available that will achieve the required standard of fire resistance in existing buildings, some of which may be more appropriate than others.

E – Integrity,

the time it takes for fire to physically spread through a fire seal. At the point of failure one can see the glow of the fire through the seal, flames coming through or via a cotton pad which catches fire when held close to the seal by the test technician.

I – Insulation,

the temperature, measured on the non-fire side has increased by 180°C on either the fire seal or the services. This is measured through many thermocouples placed in strategic locations. The intention is to replicate the lowest possible temperature that can actually start a fire, even though the fire itself has not passed through the fire seal. This is the more difficult classification to achieve.

The letters are followed by a number, which is how long in minutes the integrity and insulation were maintained. For instance, the classification E 60 is integrity for one hour, whilst EI 120 is both integrity and insulation for two hours.

Can I substitute or mix manufacturers’ products?

No, this is not recommended. Substituting and mixing different manufacturers products will compromise the integrity of the firestop system, risking life and assets.

The person responsible for fire safety also has a duty of care towards any members of the emergency services, e.g. fire fighters, who may have to enter the premises during the course of a fire. Slowing the spread of flames, smoke and hot gases, passive fire protection also serves to ensure the building remains as safe as possible for entry in this situation.

Firestopping basics

Firestop is a fire protection system that seals openings to prevent the passage of gases, smoke and flames from passing through compartments walls and floors

Is firestopping compulsory?

Yes, firestopping is compulsory in the UK.

Penetration seals are a passive fire protection system that prevent the passage of gases, smoke and flames between walls and floors where services such as cables, pipes or ventilation ducts pass through them.

Protecta FR Board

1200mm high by unlimited width

 How many services can you have in one opening?

The total amount of cross sections of services (including insulation) should not exceed 60% of the penetration area.

100mm if penetration seals are to EN1366-3 and 200mm if penetration seals are to other standards.

25mm to from edge of the opening to service or insulation for insulated services.

Services within the system FR Board seal do not require a minimum separation, except where FR Pipe Wraps are used, which should be a minimum of 30 mm from other services in the aperture.

Yes if there is no deflection. FR boards should not be used in an aperture with deflection.

FR Board seals may also be used in the situation where the services penetrate one side of the wall only and the remaining side of the wall is not penetrated at the same point

Penetration seal with cables, conduits, cable trays, bus-bars, metallic pipes, composite pipes and plastic pipes, with and without insulation, with mixed services within the same seal/aperture.

Services in floors shall be supported at maximum 450 mm from the top face. Services in walls shall be supported at maximum 270mm from both faces of the wall.

Yes, services through the system Protecta FR Board may be used in all angles between 90° and 45° in all directions, subject to metallic pipes only.

Protecta FR Acrylic

For fire stopping of service penetrations, the test standard used is EN 1366-3 in conjunction with EN 1363-1. For fire-stopping through linear joints, the test standard used is EN 1366-4 in conjunction with EN 1363-1.

With Protecta FR Acrylic, a minimum seal width of 10mm is advised, but can it be less?

Minimum seal width should be 10mm to allow for correct fitting of backing and seal depth. Where the sealant is designed to close a gap, for instance around plastic pipes, 10mm would be the minimum width.

Yes, the Protecta sealant will give better fire resistance than the stonewool backing material so if the total depth is the same or greater this is ok.

No. With a double sided fire seal the fire has to effectively ‘start again’ when it meets the second seal. As a fire stopping solution it is better to do a single sided seal on both sides resulting in a higher fire resistance.

Yes, the Protecta backing is made of AES fibre which has greater fire resistance than stonewool. However, if Protecta Backing is stated, you cannot use stonewool backing.

Yes, in most cases we have tested variations of the plastic pipes. Please refer to the installation instructions or our UKTA and ETA for the plastic pipe variations.

Yes. Alupex is a term for composite aluminium pipes consisting of an aluminium core covered on the inner and outer sides with plastic. Please refer to the installation instructions or our UKTA and ETA for variations.

No, it is not allowed. Please see our handbook for timber constructions.

When used in circular openings, a minimum 30mm separation is permitted between openings.

Minimum 10mm annular space or 10mm from the edge of opening to service required.

Protecta EX Mortar

No. But where a 50mm depth of mortar on a 50mm stonewool is mentioned, you can use a 100mm depth of mortar instead and with no stone wool.

Do I need to remove a shuttering stone wool board when the shutter is not shown as part of the approval for EX Mortar in a floor?

No, the shutter will only increase the fire resistance, and will not hinder any pipe wraps expanding normally.

This includes any PVC – U and PVC – C pipes or similar. This is providing the pipe is according to EN 1329-1, EN 1452-2, EN1453-1 and EN1566-1.

This includes any PP-MV, PP-H, PP-R or similar. This is providing the pipe is according to Annex A, EN1451-1 or DIN 8077/8078.

This includes any PE-LD, PE-MD, PE-HD, PE-X or simliar. This is providing the pipe is according EN1519-1, EN12201-2, EN12666-1.

This includes any SAN+PVX or ABS according to EN1455-1 or EN1565-1.

Yes, no part of the penetration seal may be closer than 100 mm to a stud, the cavity must be closed between the penetration seal and the stud, and a minimum of 100mm of insulation of class A1 or A2 according to EN 13501-1 must be provided within the cavity between the penetration seal and the stud.

2400mm wide by 1200mm high.

Services should be a minimum of 20mm from the seal edge and combustible services must be 30mm from other services.

Services in floors shall be supported at a maximum of 450mm from the top face. Services in walls shall be supported at a maximum of 270mm from both faces of the wall.

Approvals, Certifications & Training

The Protecta® fire stopping range has ETA certifications and the CE-marks for Europe and Africa, UL-EU International certifications for Asia and South America and local certifications for the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and Australia.

What is a CE mark?

CE mark stands for ‘Conformite Europeenne’ which is a French phrase but required by the European Union. A CE mark is a verification by a manufacturer that their product meets EU regulations in safety, health and environmental requirements.

Most Protecta products are CE marked, excluding Steel Paint FR-1, Mineral Fibre Bio and FR Damper.

The Construction Products Regulation requires manufacturers to supply a Declaration of Performance for each product they sell which outlines how the product performs when they are CE marked.

An ETA is a European Technical Assessment which is an approval received on testing to agreed European requirements.

We are able to offer our customers a range of different training options, from online, to on-site assistance.

All product documentation including technical and safety data sheets, certifications, declaration of performance (DOP) can be downloaded from the relevant product pages

Please contact us  and we will assess if we can make an engineering judgement.

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