30/06/2021
Blog

Designers and specifiers working on residential buildings have always had to be armed with the latest technical knowledge and understanding of regulations. Recent regulatory changes – not to mention media scrutiny – means that specifiers will be keeping an even closer eye on projects to ensure that stringent safety standards are being met or surpassed.

Passive Fire penetration and liner seals

Designers and specifiers working on residential buildings have always had to be armed with the latest technical knowledge and understanding of regulations. Recent regulatory changes – not to mention media scrutiny – means that specifiers will be keeping an even closer eye on projects to ensure that stringent safety standards are being met or surpassed.

As ever, contractors and specifiers are in the hands of product manufacturers and their salespeople to guide them to the correct solution – which is why, when it comes to passive fire protection, Sika aims to offer a level of service that is second to none.

We understand that each project’s needs differ considerably, and that it is impossible to adopt an ‘off the shelf’ solution for what can be a complex and nuanced decision-making process. With good reason, specifiers can be wary of manufacturers coming to them with a hard sell: which is why we instead offer potential customers guidance and support to enable them to make an informed decision on the suite of passive fire protection products that match the needs of their project.

Products with purpose

The starting point for any project needing passive fire protection is, of course, finding the right product for the job. At Sika, we have developed a comprehensive collection of passive fire protection solutions which can restore the fire resistance of walls and floors disrupted by linear seals, cavity barriers or penetration services, helping to contain and control the spread of fire.

As a European headquartered company, we’ve built our expertise across the world – but our UK-based team means we possess in-depth understanding of the situation here in Britain as well.

Our range comprises fire-resistant sealants, coatings, wraps, collars, fire boards, compounds and ablative pads for both linear and penetration seals – and all are compliant with UK and international standards including EN 1366 and EN 13501, giving specifiers confidence in the performance of the products. Crucially, the range is suitable for use across a variety of settings – such as tall residential buildings, and other settings that require the strictest adherence to fire protection standards, including hotels, hospitals, and schools.

Closing off knowledge gaps

As well as offering a comprehensive product range, we pride ourselves on our levels of service offered to clients. Our knowledgeable technical team are available to respond to queries and provide guidance to specifiers and installers to help them select and fit the right product for the job.

We work with clients to help them create a fully compliant passive firestopping strategy: this includes offering a detailed technical evaluation for more complex joint specifications, so that installers and specifiers can be fully confident that the system they employ will work in a real-world setting.

Completing this process means that our clients have a legal document which provides building owners with the reassurance that their project is fully compliant with the relevant building regulations.

This is an important step in the specification process – which is why we offer this service free of charge, and why we commit to a speedy turnaround of just one working week (provided we receive all the necessary information from the client, of course). Our evaluations cover the classification of the passive fire protection system in terms of its integrity (E) and insulation (I), for a specified period of time.

The ever-evolving world of fire protection

As methods of construction change, and new regulations are introduced, we believe that it is vital for manufacturers and their sales and technical teams to become passionate lifelong learners about this specialist area.

We invest heavily in training, and encourage our customers to do the same – we will always offer our time to specifiers to help them gain a greater understanding of our systems and how they can provide safe and effective passive fire protection solutions.

To keep up with the very latest news from Sika about our passive fire protection product range, follow us on social media or email us on [email protected].