Carlon Structured Cable Management Systems Handbook - Low Res - Manual (Page 43)

41
is penetrated, such as when an electrical box for a
termination device or a plumbing drain exists on a
single side of a wall. The latter is characterized as a
membrane penetration and electrical boxes in ceilings,
walls and floors are typical examples.
In all of these cases, the penetrating element should be
installed tightly with provisions being made to install
smoke and fire stopping materials as needed. Where
raceways go from room to room or floor-to-floor –
especially out of sight in wall or ceiling cavities – detailing
installed is important as without proper detailing a wall
or floor ceiling expected to remain intact for intended
periods of up to three hours may fail significantly sooner
creating unexpected and undesirable life and property
safety hazards.
The model codes also address sizes of openings permitted
as well as detailing required to insure that penetrations
made meet local, adopted criteria. It is important to
review local requirements before proceeding with a
project so that correct detailing is installed.
Smoke and Draft Stops – Too frequently, when
structured cable management components are run,
little attention is paid to the way in which they are
installed at fire and smoke barriers. While some of
these are actual through penetrations (as discussed
above) compromising of code mandated smoke
barriers – as in attics – leads to unwanted smoke
spread in the case of fires. This must be avoided.
Flamespread and Products of Combustion –
Occasionally, misinterpretation of the flamespread
requirements in the code occurs and an installer may
be asked about the flamespread of products such as
Resi-Gard raceways and accessories. Because these are
not finish materials – materials not used to line rooms
– and they are generally not exposed in room areas,
their flamespread properties are not generally applied.
In fact, there is no convenient way to even measure
this variable for any type of raceway!
Gross Automation (877) 268-3700 · www.carlonsales.com · [email protected]