Fire Compartmentation and How to Achieve It

14 April 2023

Most buildings have parts that deteriorate due to repetitive exposure to weather elements like sunlight and rainfall. They can likewise get damaged due to ground movements, pest infiltration, and so on. But the worst thing that may happen to damage properties is fire exposure.

Fire is an element that can easily destroy everything in its path. And if a building does not feature materials that can deter its spread, it can cross rooms and spaces without any difficulties. It can then emit smoke and harmful elements that can hurt or even kill occupants who may be trapped or stuck inside the affected property.

Hence, buildings need to be designed and constructed optimally. One way to make them safe from the harmful and deadly effects of fire is through fire compartmentation.

The Essence of Fire Compartmentation 

Fire compartmentation is a part of the passive fire protection strategy that can protect buildings from fire damage. It ensures that the properties will be structurally sound in case of a fire. It is also essential for buildings as they can ensure their compliance with fire protection regulations and industry standards, preventing property owners from getting penalties. 

These benefits of fire compartmentation are possible since this passive fire protection strategy is implemented by dividing a structure into separate compartments. Each compartment of a building is reinforced by installing fire safety measures like fire doors or cavity barriers. Building compartments can also be reinforced against fire by installing fire-resistant materials.

Upon the installation of the needed fire safety measures and fire-resistant materials, a building can now contain a fire and limit its elements within its specific section, buying some time for occupants to evacuate safely and for fire services to extinguish the flames quickly. They can also ensure that a fire will not reach critical or hazardous parts of a building quickly. 

Achieve Proper Fire Compartmentation

Proper fire compartmentation can be achieved by carrying out numerous things.

For one, each story of a building with a height of 30m should be separated by a fully fire-safe compartment floor. A building should also use compartment walls as a way to separate areas that serve various purposes. So, if a room is intended for storage while the next room is intended for commercial operation, it should be separated by compartment walls. 

Another thing that should be done to achieve proper fire compartmentation is to only allow building openings for fully-compliant fire doors and pipes. These things must be fire-stopped to make sure they can work optimally during a fire. Firestopping beams, joists, and rafters must also be done to ensure they can prevent fire elements from reaching other places on a property.

Contractors can then install fire-resistant ceilings, cavity barriers, and other similar elements to implement a good fire compartmentation strategy. Ideally, they should remain functional for a minimum of 30 minutes during a fire, providing occupants enough time to escape.

Fire Compartmentation with Split Ezy Fire

Now, as part of your fire compartmentation strategy, you may want to maximise Split Ezy Fire as your bracket of choice for your split air conditioning unit. This special innovative split system air conditioner unit wall mount bracket is equipped with an integral fire-rated intumescent penetration seal, preventing a fire and its elements from one room to spread to another easily.

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