Fire-Rated Sealing: What Property Managers Need to Know
Compliant fire seals are a legal requirement in commercial and strata buildings. We break down AS 4072.1, common gaps, and how to stay compliant.
Fire-rated sealing is one of the most critical — and most commonly overlooked — compliance requirements in commercial and strata buildings. As a property manager, understanding your obligations can prevent liability issues and protect occupants.
What Is Fire-Rated Sealing?
Every time a pipe, cable, duct, or conduit passes through a fire-rated wall or floor, it creates a penetration that compromises the fire barrier. Fire-rated sealing (also called fire stopping) restores the barrier's fire resistance level (FRL) using tested and approved products installed to specific configurations.
The Legal Requirements
In Australia, fire-rated sealing must comply with AS 4072.1 (Components for the protection of openings in fire-resistant separating elements). The Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires that all penetrations in fire-rated construction be sealed to maintain the required FRL. Non-compliance can result in fire orders, fines, and personal liability for building owners and managers.
Common Issues We Find
During inspections, we frequently encounter: unsealed penetrations from recent trades work, degraded or damaged existing seals, incorrect products used (standard caulking instead of intumescent sealant), and installations that don't match the tested system configuration. Any of these can render the fire barrier ineffective.
What Good Fire Sealing Looks Like
Compliant fire sealing uses intumescent products — sealants, wraps, collars, or pillows — that expand when exposed to heat, sealing the gap as the pipe or service burns away. The installation must match a tested and approved configuration exactly, including the type of penetrating service, gap size, and depth of seal.
Getting Your Building Assessed
CaulkTech provides fire-rated sealing audits, remediation, and certification for strata and commercial properties across SEQ. We document every penetration, photograph before and after, and provide compliance certificates for your records. Contact us for a building assessment.