# Passive Fire Stopping for Metal Pipes ### Issue Image: ## Issue Description: Metal Pipes, including: 1.      Sprinklers 2.      Hydrants 3.      Hose Reel 4.      Gas 5.      Water Pipes With fire sealing of copper / metal water pipe work ‐to simply use a fire rated mastic, such fire rated mastic will achieve the ‐/120/‐or ‐/60/‐rating, however may not achieve the ‐/120/120 or ‐/60/60 insulation rating. In these cases, the copper pipe needs to be either: ## Option 1: Maintained with a clearance of 100mm diameter around the copper pipe for a distance of 2.0m either side of the fire rated wall / floor penetration in which case as per C3.15(a)(ii) of BCA with the copper pipe no insulation rating. This then requires the pipe to be suitably protected by a metal cage from combustibles, or coming within 100mm. Option 1 ‐ Under Clause 3(b), (c ) and (d)  and 7 of Specification C3.15 of BCA where metal pipes filled with water penetrate a fire rated floor or wall and the penetration is greater than 200mm to any other penetration in the element, then the pipe can simply be sealed around the slab / wall penetration with a fire rated mastic such as Promat Promaseal or similar. Where the service penetration is less than 200mm to another penetration through the wall / floor then option 1 cannot be used and so Option 2 below is the next standard of compliance: ## Option 2: ![[Pasted image 20250225141444.png]] The copper pipe is filled with water and the penetration is 200mm clear of any other wall / floor penetrations including being 200mm below the floor slab over so there is a clear 200mm of Hebel wall or concrete floor around the outside of the pipe, or Clause C3.15 (a) (ii) of BCA which requires a metal pipe to not require the insulation value (as radiant heat will not pass through it) provided there are no combustible building elements within 100mm of the service for a distance of 2.0m either side of the fire rated penetration. This clause does not  specify what is in the pipe and as such the pipe could contain water, gas etc. It is based purely on the metal pipe and preventing radiant heat passing through the pipe. To further protect the pipe from combustibles a mesh or cage is required around the pipe. Where you cannot achieve the 100mm diameter of no non‐combustible materials for a distance of 2.0m either side of the penetration, then this option cannot be used and the final option 3 below must be used. ## Option 3 (generally this once can be used!): ![[Pasted image 20250225141419.png]] Using a fully tested system as per AS1530.4‐2005 Clause C3.15 (a) of BCAwhich requires a service to be sealed in accordance with a tested system to achieve the full FRL value being for a floor penetration in a class 2 building ‐ /90/90 or in anon loadbearing class 2 SOU bounding wall ‐/60/60. This clause assumes radiant heat will pass through the metal pipe thus treatment must be made to the pipe to prevent such radiant heat spread. Again this part of the BCA does not take into consideration what is in the pipe being water, gas or the like. It is purely based on the radiant heat passing through the pipe. The compliance of this final option is to use a fully tested system under AS1530.4 to achieve this ‐ /90/90 or ‐/60/60 FRL. In this instance you then need to revert to a Promat FyreWrap or similar system that in itself fully achieves the required fire rating. ## Metal Pipes –Simple Summary In summary Copper Riser pipes should be installed onsite within the common hydraulic riser shafts as follows: Hot and Cold Water Copper riser pipes –at least 200mm clear of any other penetrations through the floor slabs or walls –seal at slab / wall only with fire rated mastic system. Hot and Cold Water Copper riser pipes –less than 200mm apart to any other penetrations through the floor slabs –pipes to be wrapped with insulation tested system such as Promat Fyrwrapor Trafalgar Elite 1.5 Wrap Copper Gas riser pipes –at least 100mm clear of any other penetrations and then 100mm clear for a height of 2.0m of any other combustible materials with a mechanical protection such as mesh cage. Or Gas pipes to be wrapped with proprietary rockwool wrap such as Trafalgar Elite 1.5 Wrap of Promat Fyrewrap ![[Pasted image 20250225144828.png]] ## Actions to Prevent this Issue: - [ ] Builder Install AS1540.4 tested system in accordance with Option 3 above for all metal pipes.