Fires can be the most serious threat that your building will face. In addition to the immense property destruction and damage that they can cause, it is also possible for a fire to result in serious injury or death for those that are in the structure. Firestops are an instrumental tool in allowing you to minimize the threats that fire will pose to your building.
Know The Role Of The Firestop System
The firestop systems that are used in your building have the important role of being able to slow or stop the spread of a fire once it starts. This is accomplished by incorporate fire-resistant materials into the walls and flooring near the firestop as well as use a door that will be less likely to ignite or let flames spread under or around the door. While a firestop may not be able to completely eliminate the ability of a fire to eventually spread through a building, it will greatly slow the flames so that individuals can evacuate and firefighters can extinguish the flames.
Use A Third Party Firestop Inspection Service
After you have invested in the installation of a firestop system in your building, it is beneficial to hire a professional third-party fire inspector to verify the integrity of the work as well as the effectiveness of the firestop design. You will not want to wait until a fire to discover that there is a flaw with this firestop as this could allow the flames to spread through the structure much more quickly than was originally expected. These inspection services will be able to help you identify potential problems with this part of the building so corrective measures can be taken before a fire starts and potentially exposes these flaws.
Always Treat Repairs To The Firestop As An Urgent Matter
At some point during the time that you own the building, the firestop system may suffer damage. This can be in the form of the door coming out of alignment and creating gaps on the sides, rot developing on the wall, or punctures from accidents. Promptly repairing a damaged firestop needs to be a priority as you will be unable to predict when a fire may start. In some cases, you may be unsure as to whether the firestop has suffered enough damage to warrant repairs, and this can be another benefit of using an inspection service to assess the condition of this part of the building.
Contact a third-party firestop inspector in your area to learn more.
As a small business owner, I have worked with many consultants throughout the years. I have had service providers prepare my taxes and handle all of my accounting, and I have had consultants help me create training materials and business policies. I've even worked with consultants instead of lawyers when I was creating, reading, or signing business contracts. Along the way, many colleagues have come to me for advice and I've been successful at help them find the consultants they need. So, I figured I would help small businesses around the world determine their consulting needs and ensure that their needs are being met as time goes on – which is how this blog came into fruition. I hope the information found here helps your small business as much as it has helped mine.