Sleeves for Pipes passing through walls or ceilings. 1

[mechanical3010]

Pipe Sleeves that are two diameters bigger than pipe are provided during construction of walls to enable subsequent piping work without breaking or coring. The gaps or space between the sleeves and pipes are then closed with sealants suitable for fire or non fire rated walls. The fire rated expandable or other fire sealants usually become very hard after they dry. In other words they grip the pipe such that there does not appear to be left any flexibility to allow for pipe expansion, etc. So once the piping is done, why don’t we simply plug the gaps between metal pipes and sleeves with mortar as that is ways cheaper than fire sealants.

 

[walkes]

The fire sealant is usually part of a listed assembly that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction as it has been tested for the use. The mortar installation would have to be part of a tested assembly that ensures the continuity of the fire separation. If there is an accepted detail that meets your AHJ's requirements then you can.

 

[mechanical3010]

What about walls that are not fire rated nor part of fire zones? If ordinary mortar is used there would be no issue with the Authority Having Jurisdiction. However, mortar will fix the pipes rather rigidly in the wall. Would such afixation defeat the purpose of sleeves that are two diameters larger than pipes passing through it?

 

[cry22]

The 1st answer is money.
It takes many more hours of labor to pump concrete (plus board framing around the pipe) than using a foam injection. You will need concrete in liquid form to truly seal the space.

Non-rated walls with sleeves (for CMU walls) need sleeves to allow pipe insulation over the pipe through the wall.

Pipes should not be fixed to the structure the way you describe, they will transmit vibration from the pump to the building structure.

Read "Execution part" of green pages masterspecs. Piping installation procedures.

Sleeves are good, sleeves are our friends.

 

[mechanical3010]

Above response (from cry22)implies that in fire rated walls there is no insulation. We were planning to provide expandable fire protection jacket that is intended to fill the void created by burning out of insulation during fire. But if there is no code requirement we will certainly omit this costly item?