Intumescent Pipe Collars

[Suttonfire]

Can anyone confirm when these were first developed and widely used in new builds?

[John Webb]

I recollect that intumescent products, such as duct fire stoppers and the like, were being developed at the Fire Research Station in the 1970s, but it was in a different division to where I worked. I know some of these developments were taken up commercially, but I regret I am unaware of how and when they became widespread.

[Fishy]

They were commercially available when I started out in fire safety in the late '80s - not sure how 'widespread' their use was, though.  If it's important, email a query to the ASFP?

[AnthonyB]

No scientific or accurate answer but my guess would be the 80's, as when visiting older buildings of various ages with original features , stuff like intumescent strips in fire doors and to pipes, etc are usually only apparent in those of 80's build onwards.

70's builds don't appear to feature them in original undisturbed doors or other passive features, just where more recent work is done.

[Suttonfire]

Thanks for the responses. I note that the PBF guide acknowledges that intumescent pipe collars are used in new buildings and also makes reference to installing them in vacant flats.

I?ve recently seen older flats in which soil/waste pipes which pass through floors are boxed in using fire resisting boards, and often wrapped in rockwool insulation.  Would you consider these to be adequate measures to restrict potential fire/smoke spread between floors (associated with the pipe penetration), or would you consider that some form of intumescent material should be in place around the penetration point? In some cases the a destructive inspection would be required to check for the presence of the collars or to install them retrospectively.

[Fishy]

Thanks for the responses. I note that the PBF guide acknowledges that intumescent pipe collars are used in new buildings and also makes reference to installing them in vacant flats.

I?ve recently seen older flats in which soil/waste pipes which pass through floors are boxed in using fire resisting boards, and often wrapped in rockwool insulation.  Would you consider these to be adequate measures to restrict potential fire/smoke spread between floors (associated with the pipe penetration), or would you consider that some form of intumescent material should be in place around the penetration point? In some cases the a destructive inspection would be required to check for the presence of the collars or to install them retrospectively.

Depends - you need to look at the spec of the 'boxing-in' and where the pipe runs.  If the fire-resisting construction around the pipe effectively forms a small protected shaft, then it might be OK.  The thing about pipes, though, is that they normally carry stuff through them, and to get that stuff into/out of the pipe, you'll almost inevitably have to breach the shaft boundaries?  You also don't say what the pipes are made from?  If cast iron, then intumescent collars are pretty pointless.