Do Standpipe Penetrations in Stair Require Seal?

10/27/2020

We have a project where the general contractor is stating that the vertical penetration in the stairwell landing, where the standpipes are located, need to be sealed.

They are not asking for it to be a fire-rated seal, but they say some sort of seal will be required. I know on past projects this typically was never a requirement. I have searched NFPA and the IBC with no luck on finding something that would insinuate that no seal is required for the vertical standpipes openings within the rated stair.

Is a seal required for these stair landing penetrations?

Any input is much appreciated.

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8 Comments

Dan Wilder

10/27/2020 09:16:16 am

There is no code based requirement for a seal of any pipe or duct that passes through a landing within an stairwell that I have been given. Any smoke, heat, or liquid will just follow the stair treads around the landing.

The only thing that has ever been a "justifiable" answer is to prevent liquids from running down the pipe (like a spill or a wet mop) and to possibly prevent out of conduit wiring from being threaded through the hole.

Kenneth Wymer

10/27/2020 10:16:58 am

Dan Wilder's comment is correct. I have installed one job for Texas A&M were sealing vertical sandpipe penetratrions were in the job spec's.

Todd Wyatt

10/27/2020 10:26:24 am

The fire-resistance rating (FRR) of the stair enclosure will either be a 1-Hour Fire Barrier (1FB) or a 2-Hour Fire Barrier (2FB) depending on the number of stories it connects and/or the FRR of the floor construction it penetrates. Any penetration of the stair's FRR enclosure must meet the applicable code requirements for "penetrations".

The construction of the stairs are only required to be of noncombustible construction if located in a building of Type I and/or a Type II Type of Construction. The stair construction is not required to have a FRR so penetrations of the nonrated landings would not require a FRR sealant.

Justin Milne

10/27/2020 10:43:24 am

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe that there may be one instance where sealing the landing area of the stairwell would be required. If the floor slab to the building the stairwell is serving somehow relies upon the landing structure via rebar or some alternative method of interconnection, the stairwell landing would be, in some affect, a part of the fire rated assembly and therefore would require the same rating as the floor slab itself, meaning penetrations too.

Manny Rios

10/27/2020 11:02:46 am

As long as the penetrations are within the shaft enclosures for the stairwells and not penetrating the shaft enclosures, sealing of penetrations from floor to floor is not required. IBC Chapter 7 Sections 713 and 714 address the what and how. This could be something that is addressed in the contract specifications for the said project. Sealing of penetrations.

Steve

10/27/2020 08:46:07 pm

Is this a low rise wood frame? Or a scissor stairwell in a tower? If it's a tower scissor stairwell there is definitely a requirement for a seal due to smoke. It's referenced in part 3 of the BC building code. If it's a low rise wood frame I haven't encountered this other than penetrations from the parkade and vestibule itself.

Mike

10/28/2020 01:34:18 am

When contractors do this, I always request a code/standard reference.

Usually it is some sort of misinterpretation.

GC's never change.

Jason

10/30/2020 09:39:39 pm

If the stair is a scissor stair the penetration needs to be sealed as they are separate protected areas. A regular does not

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