Ready, Aim, FireStop! 3M’s Fire Barrier Rated Foam

Moving into your first home often comes with many other firsts: first mortgage, first time working with a real estate agent, first home inspection, and first call to the fire department. Okay, that last one might be wholly original to me.

Late one evening a few weeks after I moved into my house, I smelled a gas-like odor at first and then a sulfurous odor. So naturally my mind jumped to the worst options, and I threw my book down to scoop up my dog and run outside. From there I called the local fire department, who responded immediately. They checked every area of the house, and luckily found nothing of risk. I was relieved but still wondering what those smells were.

My neighbor walked over while I was wrapping up a conversation with one of the first responders. He waited until the conversation about updating some of the blank openings and space around piping in the basement had finished before telling me that the smell was from the skunk he had seen roaming around our neighborhood. So I had called the fire department about a skunk that had probably ducked into my basement and back out again.

Despite my embarrassment, I was glad my house was still standing, though I definitely wish my basement had more protection. Lucky for everyone (but unknown to me at the time), the 3M Fire Barrier Rated Foam FIP 1-Step foam is a great firestop to smoke and flame while covering blank areas. It is not rated for skunks, but adds a layer of protection around blank openings, metal pipe, cables, cable tray, insulated pipe, combination penetrations through concrete floor/wall, and gypsum wall board assemblies.

Whether you are considering it for your home or as an essential tool to bring to any electrical project, 3M has your back with the Fire Barrier Rated Foam FIP 1-Step. This maroon gun-grade foam:

• Expands up to FIVE times during installation and dries to a flexible solid, bonding to most construction substrates like concrete, metal wood, plastic, and cable jacketing
• Is ready to use!
• Becomes tack-free in about 1 minute and is maintenance free when installed properly
• Keeps a tight firestop against smoke and flame during a fire
• Is paintable with primer
• Has a quick cure and eliminates the need for mineral wool and caulk
• Is a fantastic adhesion with these code listings
  • • • Rated Firestop foam that is UL Listed, meets ASTM E 814, and meets the International Building Code for passive fire protection
• Has a 16-month shelf life when stored between 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit
• Yields up to 116 cubic inches

And don’t forget about these other 3M Firestop products:

• October 2023 Product Spotlight: 3M IC-15WB+-10.1OZ Fire Barrier Sealant Yellow Cartridge BARRIER (YELLOW)
• 3M MPP+7INX7IN Fire Barrier Moldable Putty Pads Red 7″ x 7″
• 3M MP+STICK Fire Barrier Moldable Putty Stix Red 1.45″ x 6″ 12/case
• 3M FS-195+ Fire Barrier Wrap Strips 2″ x 24″

~Kristine