Thread: Firestop requirement Texas

Hi - We built our house in 2006, and have a Direct Vent Gas Fireplace, one story, which vents straight up, through the roof.

We had an inspection recently for sale of our house, and he found we do not have a firestop installed at the joist between our first floor an attic.

My questions are: 1) is it required if we built in 2006? 2) if required, is the only solution to have someone take apart the pipe, and put the SK8 firestop around the pipe and re-attach the pipe, or 3) can my husband just install some sheet metal up against the pipe all the way around that comes in contact with the pipe so there are no gaps?

The firestop kit will not make it here by monday, so I am looking for an alternative solution. 4) Can we use non-combustible sheetrock a certain width surrounding the whole pipe instead of a custom part, and pass an inspection?

Any suggestions or facts would be greatly appreciated. Having a hard time finding this 2006 part available for shipping overnight. Work to be done Monday, and due to Thanksgiving, now we are in a close crunch on time. Thank You!


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Originally Posted by Melinda McGee

Hi - We built our house in 2006, and have a Direct Vent Gas Fireplace, one story, which vents straight up, through the roof.

We had an inspection recently for sale of our house, and he found we do not have a firestop installed at the joist between our first floor an attic.

My questions are: 1) is it required if we built in 2006? 2) if required, is the only solution to have someone take apart the pipe, and put the SK8 firestop around the pipe and re-attach the pipe, or 3) can my husband just install some sheet metal up against the pipe all the way around that comes in contact with the pipe so there are no gaps?

The firestop kit will not make it here by monday, so I am looking for an alternative solution. 4) Can we use non-combustible sheetrock a certain width surrounding the whole pipe instead of a custom part, and pass an inspection?

Any suggestions or facts would be greatly appreciated. Having a hard time finding this 2006 part available for shipping overnight. Work to be done Monday, and due to Thanksgiving, now we are in a close crunch on time. Thank You!

I would have to say that you need the approved kit from the manufacturer since prefab fireplaces are a manufactured system with specific components. Explain that if the want it repaired properly the will need to wait for the part! Not everything can be controlled by a Realtors deadline! It is what it is.....

Originally Posted by Melinda McGee

Hi - We built our house in 2006, and have a Direct Vent Gas Fireplace, one story, which vents straight up, through the roof.

We had an inspection recently for sale of our house, and he found we do not have a firestop installed at the joist between our first floor an attic.

My questions are: 1) is it required if we built in 2006? 2) if required, is the only solution to have someone take apart the pipe, and put the SK8 firestop around the pipe and re-attach the pipe, or 3) can my husband just install some sheet metal up against the pipe all the way around that comes in contact with the pipe so there are no gaps?

The firestop kit will not make it here by monday, so I am looking for an alternative solution. 4) Can we use non-combustible sheetrock a certain width surrounding the whole pipe instead of a custom part, and pass an inspection?

Any suggestions or facts would be greatly appreciated. Having a hard time finding this 2006 part available for shipping overnight. Work to be done Monday, and due to Thanksgiving, now we are in a close crunch on time. Thank You!

Yes, yes,no,no

Originally Posted by Melinda McGee

Any suggestions or facts would be greatly appreciated.

Patience ... breathe in deeply ... hold it ... breather out slowly ... repeat as necessary until the part comes in.

The other option, as the seller, is to offer your buyer money so they can do the repair at their schedule and thus remove the rush-rush-hurry-up-and-do-it-wrong problem you are having.

Throwing money to buyers for repairs typically makes things go much smoother as now the buyer has the option of doing the repair or using the money for a big screen TV and the buyer can then select their own contractor for the repairs.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Patience ... breathe in deeply ... hold it ... breather out slowly ... repeat as necessary until the part comes in.

The other option, as the seller, is to offer your buyer money so they can do the repair at their schedule and thus remove the rush-rush-hurry-up-and-do-it-wrong problem you are having.

Throwing money to buyers for repairs typically makes things go much smoother as now the buyer has the option of doing the repair or using the money for a big screen TV and the buyer can then select their own contractor for the repairs.

Everybody is right - and I just saw that the original inspector who will be doing the reinspection just read the email I sent him. He has to decide what he will allow - if he doesn't allow us to do our own thing, which would be a fabricated metal joinable two part circular fire block/fire stop/draft stop then we'll be throwing money to the buyer, and be done with it. It's strange, that all day as I mulled this over, I ended up thinking, what the heck - let's pay more and just drop the subject for all this aggravation. I know there is logic to using the manufacturer's part, and doing it to their specifications, however, if teh inspector is okay with it, since it is after that company no longer sells that fireplace, I can't see why there couldn't be a compromise here. Material is material, and requirements are requirements. Thanks everybody for helping with sane responses... better than the lack of my expertise rigging some idea of what to do!

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Patience ... breathe in deeply ... hold it ... breather out slowly ... repeat as necessary until the part comes in.

The other option, as the seller, is to offer your buyer money so they can do the repair at their schedule and thus remove the rush-rush-hurry-up-and-do-it-wrong problem you are having.

Throwing money to buyers for repairs typically makes things go much smoother as now the buyer has the option of doing the repair or using the money for a big screen TV and the buyer can then select their own contractor for the repairs.

I always suggest that the buyer get compensation for issues and then do it with their own choice of contractors. Then the warranty will be in their own name.
The seller is going to look for the least expensive solution "almost" every time.

Originally Posted by Melinda McGee

I know there is logic to using the manufacturer's part, and doing it to their specifications, however, if teh inspector is okay with it, since it is after that company no longer sells that fireplace, I can't see why there couldn't be a compromise here.

The best response I can think of is ... The Fire Marshal and Fire Investigator going through the charred remains of the house will best be able to answer your question.

May have to be a listed component.

Originally Posted by Melinda McGee

Everybody is right - and I just saw that the original inspector who will be doing the reinspection just read the email I sent him. He has to decide what he will allow - if he doesn't allow us to do our own thing, which would be a fabricated metal joinable two part circular fire block/fire stop/draft stop then we'll be throwing money to the buyer, and be done with it.!

What he allows?? Real estate inspectors don't have the authority to allow or not allow anything.....in my opinion.

Originally Posted by George Russell

What he allows?? Real estate inspectors don't have the authority to allow or not allow anything.....in my opinion.

They do if it is for an FHA compliance inspection/report.