Fire wall in condo 1980"s

**Sam Morris** · 10-13-2010, 07:58 PM

Inspected a condo today and when i inspected the attic i noticed penetrations in the fire wall and also noticed the styrofoam material that was used. Was this acceptable in the 1980's..

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**Steven Turetsky** · 10-13-2010, 08:15 PM

I really wouldn't call that a fire wall, although that might be what the person who built it may have named it. As per SCOPES, a fire wall is constructed of non combustible materials. Although it is slow burning, EPS is not non combustible, also I think I see plywood behind it and wood framing on top of it, and below. In a class 1 structure, the fire wall must separate the roofs and any other portion that is wood (or combustible material). That home, along with any other homes connected in the same fashion, compile a single fire division.

A firewall in a class 1 or class 2 structure must pass through the roof. If the front and rear walls (class1 ), eaves or whaterever are wood, they must extend beyond those too.

If I had to consider that anything, I may consider it a party wall, or a sound barrier.

**Sam Morris** · 10-13-2010, 08:37 PM

Not even a fire wall.. Correct

**Jerry Peck** · 10-14-2010, 03:16 PM

One could call that a 'fire wall' of sorts ... as in 'if that thing catches on fire it could become a wall of fire' ...

Not to mention the potential of deadly fumes ...

Bruce Adams · 10-15-2010, 05:49 AM

Sam
This is not a fireblockl. This is a death wall. As the foam will put out a deadly gas if on fire. This type wall has never been allowed. There should be a thirty minute fire break between the condos. I would call this one out. See R602.8 in the I.R.C.
Bruce Adams

**brian schmitt** · 10-15-2010, 08:25 AM

this is probably a draftstop which is required between apartments etc... what was this condo originally called when it was built and did it comply with the code of that time?

**Jerry Peck** · 10-15-2010, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by brian schmitt

this is probably a draftstop which is required between apartments etc... what was this condo originally called when it was built and did it comply with the code of that time?

A good point that it might be a draft stop wall in stead of a fire wall as he did say condo, however, that is not even approved for a draft stop wall.

Typically, a fire wall will have one or more layers of 5/8" Type X gypsum board, taped and sealed with staggered joints from side-of-wall to other side-of-wall, and staggered between layers.

Likewise, typically, a draftstop wall will be one layer of 1/2" gypsum board, no requirement for being Type X, and - at best - the joints will be mudded, but if the joints fall on framing there is no need even for that, not for a draftstop wall, and, the draftstop wall only has one layer of 1/2" gypsum board on one side of the wall, not even on both sides of the wall.

**brian schmitt** · 10-18-2010, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

A good point that it might be a draft stop wall in stead of a fire wall as he did say condo, however, that is not even approved for a draft stop wall.

Typically, a fire wall will have one or more layers of 5/8" Type X gypsum board, taped and sealed with staggered joints from side-of-wall to other side-of-wall, and staggered between layers.

Likewise, typically, a draftstop wall will be one layer of 1/2" gypsum board, no requirement for being Type X, and - at best - the joints will be mudded, but if the joints fall on framing there is no need even for that, not for a draftstop wall, and, the draftstop wall only has one layer of 1/2" gypsum board on one side of the wall, not even on both sides of the wall.

jp,
see ibc 717.3.1 for approved draftstop materials!

**Jerry Peck** · 10-18-2010, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

A good point that it might be a draft stop wall in stead of a fire wall as he did say condo, however, that is not even approved for a draft stop wall.

Typically, a fire wall will have one or more layers of 5/8" Type X gypsum board, taped and sealed with staggered joints from side-of-wall to other side-of-wall, and staggered between layers.

Likewise, typically, a draftstop wall will be one layer of 1/2" gypsum board, no requirement for being Type X, and - at best - the joints will be mudded, but if the joints fall on framing there is no need even for that, not for a draftstop wall, and, the draftstop wall only has one layer of 1/2" gypsum board on one side of the wall, not even on both sides of the wall.

Originally Posted by brian schmitt

jp,
see ibc 717.3.1 for approved draftstop materials!

And???

I stated "typically" "a draft stop wall" ...

There are other draft stopping uses and means, and other materials, but "typically" for "a draft stop wall" 1/2" gypsum board is what will be seen (at least from my experience).

I do not, however, see any EPS foam approved for use in a draftstop wall.