What is the purpose of fire stopping in a building?

Fire stopping serves a critical role in enhancing the fire safety of a building by preventing the spread of fire and smoke between different compartments, particularly between floors. By using materials designed for fire resistance, fire stopping helps to seal openings and joints around pipes, ducts, and other penetrations in fire-rated walls or floors, effectively slowing down or stopping a fire's progression. This containment is crucial for providing occupants more time to evacuate and for mitigating damage to the structure.

While enhancing insulation, providing structural support, and reducing noise transmission are all important aspects when considering the overall design and functionality of a building, they are not the primary purpose of fire stopping. Fire stopping is fundamentally about maintaining the integrity of fire-rated assemblies, ensuring that fire cannot easily move from one compartment to another, which is essential for life safety and property protection.