The sealant that looks identical and does nothing
Rated or not rated, and no way to tell by eye.
In short: Fire rated sealant at a service penetration on a Schofields build.
The problem a penetration creates
A fire separating wall works because it is continuous. Every pipe or cable through it is a hole in that continuity.
What reinstates it
A sealant tested and rated for the assembly, applied to the required depth. Nothing else does the job.
What we recorded
Fire rated sealant at a service penetration on a Schofields lock-up inspection, at the stage where it can still be verified.
Why this is hard for owners
Rated and unrated products look the same once applied. The only practical check is at the time, against the specification.
What is at stake
The fire resistance the wall was approved with, on a wall shared with someone else's home.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Schofields. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
