Fire Stopping

Fire-Stopping and Fireproofing: What’s the Difference?

We often hear our clients using the two terms fire-stopping and fireproofing interchangeably. While both achieve similar goals of protecting your building’s inhabitants and stopping/slowing fire damage, they differ in function. Fireproofing protects the various structural components of your building, while fire-stopping focuses on the spread of smoke and fire. Mid-Illinois Companies offers both services, and you can learn more about fireproofing here.

On the other hand, commercial construction fire-stopping refers to using specialized materials and systems to seal openings and joints in a building’s fire-rated walls, floors, and ceilings. Openings created for mechanical, electrical and plumbing penetrations act as pathways for fire and smoke to travel through. Fire-stopping products are designed to fit into these gaps and openings, ensuring that fire and smoke are contained to specific areas in a fire emergency. This containment strategy gives building occupants crucial time to evacuate safely and helps limit property damage during a fire emergency.

Why Fire-Stopping is a Must for Your Commercial Construction

One too many tragic events caused by the spread of fire in commercial structures have led to the passive fire control system requirements for all new and existing construction. With the goal of stopping the spread of fire, fire-stopping systems help minimize damage and ensure a safe and orderly evacuation of your facility. Here are some additional reasons you’ll need fire-stopping systems:

• Compliance with Building Codes & Regulations – Fire-stopping systems are required by local, state, and national building codes to ensure all safety standards are met. Compliance with these standards helps your business avoid fines and other legal issues.
• Meeting Insurance Requirements – Insurance providers will also mandate or incentivize using fire-stopping systems to reduce the risk your business may incur. With fire-stopping systems, you may be eligible for lower insurance premiums and better coverage terms.
• Enhanced Safety – By containing fire and smoke in specific areas of your building, fire-stopping systems provide more time for occupants to evacuate safely during an emergency, reducing the risk of injury or loss of life.
• Minimized Property Damage – Limiting the spread of fire also protects critical structural elements, equipment and valuable property, thus reducing the restoration cost after fire incidents.
• Reduced Disruption to Business – While restoring sections of your building impacted by fire may take time, containing the damage helps your business recover and resume operations more quickly after a severe fire incident.
• Improved Reputation & Trust – Demonstrating a commitment to safety through fire-stopping installations reflects positively on your business, fostering trust among employees, clients, investors and stakeholders.

Quality Assurance Minimums

You should insist that all fire-stoping components on your project are installed by a single-source Fire-stop Specialty Contractor that meets the incredibly high standards of UL Certified Fire Stopping.

Fire-stopping has become a critical part of the construction industry. Owners, architects, engineers and/or fire marshals now require certified companies and their employees to properly install fire-stopping materials on their projects.

We are members of the Fire-stop Contractors International Association (FCIA) and are certified to install all the major fire-stop manufacturers’ products, i.e., Hilti, Specified Technologies (STI), and more.

It is imperative to have correct and properly installed fire-stop systems for the safety of your building. We specialize in fire-stopping of:

• Top and bottom walls
• Curtain wall and edge of slabs
• Masonry and concrete floor and wall joints
• Plumbing penetrations
• Mechanical penetrations
• Electrical penetrations
• Telecommunication cable trays
• Cable
• Fire sprinkler penetrations

Mid-Illinois Companies can fire-stop your whole building from top to bottom.

Some of Our Fire-Stopping Products

Mid-Illinois Companies specializes in the installation of all types of unique fire-stopping products. From collars and sleeves to sealants and barriers, we incorporate fire-stopping systems that make the most sense for your facility. Examples of these products include:

• Fire Sleeves – Protect cables and pipes passing through fire-rated walls and floors. These sleeves expand under high temperatures, sealing openings and preventing the spread of fire and smoke.
• Fire Collars – Similar to sleeves. Collars are installed around a pipe’s penetration point. These sleeves also expand when exposed to extreme heat.
• Fire Covers – Protective solutions for fixtures like recessed lighting or ceiling installations.
• Fire Walls – Structural barriers designed to resist fire and compartmentalize buildings. Fire walls help limit the spread of fire between building sections.
• Fire Sealants – Versatile materials applied to gaps, joints, and penetrations in fire-rated walls or floors. When exposed to heat, the sealant expands to create a barrier that prevents fire and smoke from penetrating.

For Fire-Stopping Solutions, Call Mid-Illinois Companies

When your business needs help developing a proper fire protection system and requires the best fire-stopping services available in Peoria, Springfield, Bloomington, and Central Illinois, rely on Mid-Illinois Companies’ expertise. Call us today at 309-674-0717 (Peoria Office) or 217-685-5486 (Springfield Office) to request a proposal from our team.