In short: Fire rated construction is only as good as its worst penetration, and penetrations are made by trades who are not thinking about fire ratings.
Every pipe is a hole in the rating
A fire rated wall or floor is rated as a system. Cut a hole through it for a pipe or a cable and the rating is gone unless that penetration is sealed with the right product, installed the right way. We have recorded fire rated sealant findings at service penetrations in Schofields.
Why it is missed
The plumber makes the hole, the electrician makes another, and the person responsible for fire sealing may come afterwards or may be assumed. Once the ceiling is up, nobody sees any of it again.
Attached dwellings raise the stakes
In a detached house this is a compliance matter. In an attached dwelling it is the barrier between your home and someone else's. The Blacktown growth corridor has a lot of attached product, which is why this appears in Schofields reports more than elsewhere.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Schofields. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
