CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES

Code Compliance Issues

To maintain required fire resistance ratings, building code compliance now requires the annual inspection and repair of all exposed sprayed fireproofing in buildings. To restore the code required fire resistance ratings patching compounds MUST have been fire tested with the specific fireproofing product being repaired. Patching with compounds that have not been specifically “approved” for repair of the damaged sprayed fireproofing do not restore the code required fire resistance rating.

Today manufacturers of the major brands of sprayed fireproofing, market patching products that have been evaluated WITH their sprayed fireproofing by Underwriters Laboratories® Inc. Underwriters Laboratories® Inc. has evaluated these patching products have determined that the use of these specific products to patch damaged fireproofing will maintain the fire resistance ratings of the in place sprayed fire proofing products. To maintain the fire resistance ratings ONLY products tested and approved for use with the specific in place sprayed fireproofing may be used. There is no single product that can be used to generically patch “all” in place fireproofing products.

The first step is to determine what in place product exists in the building. Once the product has been determined it is important to source the patching product from the manufacturer of the in place fireproofing. Since the early 1970?s it is estimated that GCP Applied Technologies sprayed fireproofing products, Monokote® (MK-4, MK-5, and MK-6) have been applied to more than 50% of all structural steel buildings in the United States and Canada. Monokote® Patching compound, produced by GCP Applied Technologies has been evaluated and approved by Underwriters Laboratories specifically for patching these products. Monokote patching compound is now available as a convenient “mix in the bucket” package that can be easily ordered in one or more bucket quantities for shipment anywhere in the United States and Canada.