Topping Off Our One-Hour Fire-Rated Containment System: FireblockCap

Following last year’s successful launch of FireblockWall™, the first-of-its-kind, one-hour fire-rated reusable temporary containment system, STARC Systems has introduced a clever new accessory that eliminates the need for facility managers and contractors to build through the spaghetti above the ceiling – or construct a soffit to the deck – in order to meet code requirements during occupied renovations in healthcare settings.

Customers First

Released in August, FireblockCap™ was developed in response to feedback from early adopters of our FireblockWall panels, who wanted a fast-and-easy ceiling option for creating a fully fire-rated enclosure.

Recalling a recent renovation project, Bruce A. Nelson, President of NelsonHPS, said, “By using FireblockWall, we were able to provide a cleaner and far less disruptive experience to Sharp HealthCare’s patients, clinicians, care givers and employees. FireblockWall was also a more sustainable solution, which eliminated the need to tear down and dispose of non-reusable plastic sheeting, or the dumpster full of debris that typically accompanies the demolition of fire-rated drywall and metal stud sections.”

By partnering with customers such as NelsonHPS, STARC was able to innovate a solution that solved for a time-consuming and labor-intensive challenge: the need to build through the ceiling, or create a soffit to the deck, in order to meet building requirements. And since alternative HVAC, sprinklers, alarms, signage, and more often have to be installed behind the fire barrier, the arrival of FireblockCap negates these issues as well.

Bruce Bickford, Vice President of Product Development, describes FireblockCap as a game-changer in the fire protection world of NFPA 101, enabling full compliance to building and fire codes to create a one-hour rated assembly quickly and very cost effectively, without the disruption of traditional construction activities.

"Projects will be able to phase much more quickly with this new capability, while meeting the new ICRA 2.0 standards to the letter,” Bickford said.

Advantages At-A-Glance

If your project calls for fully compliant one-hour fire-rated containment, and your goal is to get it set up fast with minimal hassle, the FireblockWall system offers distinct advantages. In fact, with the addition of FireblockCap, some customers report it’s getting harder and harder to make the case for traditional containment options.

Some of the advantages to using FireblockCap include:

• Stops fires, keeping patients, staff, and visitors safe in healthcare environments.
• Simple and fast installation, a 12-ft. run of FireblockWall panels with the FireblockCap can be set up in as little as two hours with only two people.
• Meets NFPA 101 or IBC code stipulating a fire-rated wall must be constructed from the floor to the deck above. FireblockCap meets this requirement and can be constructed on any FireblockWall panel or extension, fitting under an 8 ft ceiling (96" minimum).
• The panels are 2" thick and create an assembly 2-ft. deep from the wall.  This allows a 20" deep space behind FireblockWall and preserves the requirement for a 6-ft. passage in an 8-ft. corridor.
• Meets ICRA Class IV & V standards for infection control and exceeds ASTM E119 and ASTM E84 requirements.
• Superior noise-blocking, with an STC rating of 40, making it 65% quieter than any other temporary containment system.
• Cost effective: the panels and FireblockCap are durable and can be used job after job. The system typically pays for itself after just 3-5 uses and generates on-going cost savings.
• Lower carbon footprint – the sleek, reusable walls and FireblockCap save on the waste and debris normally created by building and tearing down drywall.
• Easy air management. This system includes a negative air panel to discharge air, keeping dangerous dust off the ground, and automatically closes the damper when temperatures exceed 165 degrees. Also includes an air monitor panel that's compatible with all common manometers and has a 2" rated pass through for wiring.

Other common scenarios FireblockCap can be used for are: protecting a wall that has been partially penetrated to preserve the desired rating of the wall during renovation, and using the FireblockCap to simplify door replacement projects. It's easy to include the FireblockCap and create a temporary fire-rated door outside an existing door frame.

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