GREAT STUFF Fireblock Insulating Foam Sealant is used to resist the passage of flame and smoke in homes by sealing service penetrations between floors and electrical runs through stud walls. An approved fireblocking material, the foam is recognizable to building code officials and can be distinguished from non-fireblock foams through its identifiable orange color.

The Dow Chemical Co. has introduced GREAT STUFF^TM Fireblock Insulating Foam Sealant. The distinctive orange foam is used to resist the passage of flame and smoke by sealing service penetrations between floors and electrical runs through stud walls in residential construction.

Fire protection is an important element for every home. Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined in 2006, according to the National Fire Protection Association. In addition, 81% of all civilian fire deaths occurred in residences.

GREAT STUFF Fireblock is an approved fireblocking material. The 2006 International Residential Code identified fireblocking materials as approved materials to resist the free passage of flame to other areas of the building. Tested in accordance with standard methods for fire tests — ASTM E 84, ASTM E 814 (modified), and UL 1715 — the product meets the relevant code requirements. The foam is recognizable to building-code officials and its orange color distinguishes it from non-fireblock foams.

“GREAT STUFF Fireblock Insulating Foam Sealant provides an added layer of protection for you and your family in the event of a home fire,” said Jeff Fancher, Global Brand manager, Dow Building Solutions. “In cutting off all concealed draft openings (both vertical and horizontal), our insulating foam sealant forms an effective smoke and fire barrier between stories, between the top story and the attic, and in electrical runs through stud walls.”

Enhanced fire and building safety codes in current residential construction mean that homes are built to contain a fire, keeping it from reaching new areas of the building and new fuel sources. The problem occurs when holes are drilled in wood fireblocks to run wires, pipes and mechanical items. Sealing spaces around pipes, cables and conduits will reduce the rate at which fire spreads through these openings from one level of a home to another and within the wall cavity.

In wood-frame construction, fireblocking should be installed in the following locations.

• Penetrations in the stud walls and partitions at the ceiling and floor level.
• Interconnections between concealed spaces that occur at soffits, drop or cove ceilings.
• Concealed spaces between stair stringers at the top and bottom of run.
• Openings around vents, pipes and ducts occurring at ceiling or floor level.
• Cornices of a two-family dwelling at the line of dwelling separation.

GREAT STUFF Fireblock Insulating Foam Sealant is available at home improvement stores.

About Dow

With annual sales of $54 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The company delivers a range of products and services to customers in 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food, and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging, and personal care products. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Co. and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. For more information, visit www.dow.com.

For more information about GREAT STUFF Fireblock, visit www.dowgreatstuff.dow.com/.