Author Topic: Pipe boxes  (Read 10355 times)

Graeme

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Re: Pipe boxes
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2009, 01:31:04 PM »
Thanks All


Kurnal it's in a Castle that's let for private functions with rooms for overnight stays. 3 floors,very big rooms and open corridors.

Offline kurnal

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Re: Pipe boxes
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2009, 01:56:41 PM »
In those parts of a building used for sleeping accommodation the normal expectation is that all floors should be compartment floors or at least to a fire resisting standard. 

Offline Fishy

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Re: Pipe boxes
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2009, 01:45:24 PM »
Fire rated Expanding foam is idea for this, just make sure the cable sheaths are not going to be affected.

Under a certain size the riser can be ignored as long as it is fire stopped as per Kurnals reply

I have never yet seen a fire resisting expanding foam that is able to offer a good degree of fire resistance around pipes.  The metal heats up and degrades the foam (I've even seen this happen around heating pipes, never mind in a fire)!  All those that I have looked at (and there have been many) are only tested as fillers of reasonably small gaps in masonry.

I've obviously not scrutinised every single such product on the market, but I'd urge anyone specifying this stuff to have sight of the relevant fire resistance test evidence (as detailed in the AD B etc) before doing so, to make sure that it's got the right evidence of performance.

Just the benefit of my experience - if anyone's got positive evidence of anything different I'd be genuinely interested to know!

Offline GregC

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Re: Pipe boxes
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2009, 02:01:58 PM »
http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/024a/0900766b8024abac.pdf

This is the expanding foam we used, it worked well but I don't remember any heating pipes though.

Davo

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Re: Pipe boxes
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2009, 02:58:57 PM »

Offline Fishy

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Re: Pipe boxes
« Reply #20 on: June 22, 2009, 12:57:51 PM »
No evidence that either of the above products is suitable for filling around metallic pipes, I'm afraid!  In my experience, once you do any digging these foams are almost always tested in narrow, deep gaps in masonrywork - sometimes with a rockwool backing; not a very challenging application from a fire resistance point of view!  As I said, hot metal tends to degrade the foam and reduce its fire resistance significantly.

I'd want to see positive evidence of fire resistance (see Clause 1, Appendix A in the England & Wales Approved Document B for the sort of evidence we should be looking for - basically fire test reports or independent assessments).  Manufacturer's data sheets are routinely either incomplete or very misleading about things like fire resistance performance.  I well remember a "4 hour" fire-resisting mastic that I discovered was actually tested applied over a gap that had been completely stuffed with compressed ceramic fibre (the stuff they line furnaces with).  Frankly, chewing gum would have been no less effective!