The simplest way to describe fire separation is making small boxes out of a bigger box. Think of a building as the bigger box and each different occupancy as the small box. Are you confused yet don’t worry you’re not alone. Different types of occupancies have different requirements for separation in most cases per NFPA 101 it’s either a 1 hour 2 hour or 3 hour separation.
To many building owners and even some code enforcement officers this is a very confusing part of the code. The first thing that must be determined is what kind of occupancy is going into a certain location in a building and what is next to it or even above it. The most common issues here in New England is first floor businesses with residential occupancies above them. This would mean according to the code you would need a 2 hour fire separation which can be difficult to do within old buildings. However sometimes there is alternatives such as adding a sprinkler system or changing the use type. We here coastal code consultants I’ve been working within the code system for many years it has come across many different challenges when it comes to fire separation.
The reason fire separation matters so much is if a fire breaks out in one occupancy if the correct fire separation is applied it should be able to hold the fire in that area prescribed amount of time that that area is rated for. This gives the fire department enough time to respond and hopefully extinguish the fire saving the rest of the property. If you have any issues within the building that you own or you are renting please reach out to us for consultation where we can help you come up with solution that is both safe effective and code compliant in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
