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How HoldRite HydroFlame Pro Firestop Sleeves Reduce Installation Costs

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holdrite firestop sleeve installation

HoldRite has been improving on traditional and outdated methods used in the field for four decades, and there are a number of reasons pros have been longtime users of HoldRite HydroFlame cast-in-place firestop sleeves. For starters, they’re lab-tested and UL Listed, rising above the average standard for cast-in-place solutions. They provide outstanding safety enhancements for the end-user, too, with features like a safety cap and locator whiskers.

But one of its key benefits is its quick and streamlined installation. When it comes to the cost of a job, labor will always outweigh materials. Explore some of the key features of HoldRite firestop sleeves that make them quicker to install than traditional methods and see how the savings stack up in a cost analysis.  

HoldRite Firestop Sleeve Features that Reduce Installation Costs

Watch HydroFlame Pro Series Firestop Sleeves - Product Highlight | HoldRite on YouTube.

HydroFlame cast-in devices offer several unique features that help cut costs by reducing the amount of labor required.   

Interlocking Telescoping Outer Sleeve 
No need to cut sleeves onsite anymore. The interlocking telescoping outer sleeve design on HydroFlame Pro firestop sleeves allows a height range of up to a full foot. They accommodate various pipe, conduit and cable types in a wide variety of sizes, too, so you don’t have to source separate options for each penetration type.  

Inner Sleeve Measurements 
You don’t have to worry about manually measuring sleeve height either. The inner sleeve includes an easy-to-read measurement index with both U.S. and metric measurements to help you quickly set your firestop sleeve to the desired height. 

Built-in Firestop Materials 
You can get HoldRite firestop sleeves with intumescent fire wrap built in, so you don’t have to make separate trips to the sleeve to add mineral wool and sealant individually. The wrap does the key work of preventing the spread of fire and smoke. 

Locator Whiskers 
Quickly locate buried firestop sleeves after a concrete pour, or quickly identify plastic pipe (red whiskers), metal pipe (black whiskers) and electrical penetrants (green whiskers) using the included locator whiskers, which poke out of the slab to let you know where your sleeves are.  

Integrated Threaded Cap 
No need to spend additional labor time popping the cap off your firestop sleeves from the underside of the concrete slab. Enjoy the convenience of secure, non-destructive removal while meeting OSHA hole cover requirements for additional on-site safety.

Read More: Inside a HoldRite HydroFlame Pro Firestop Sleeve

Cost Savings Analysis with HoldRite HydroFlame Firestop Sleeves

HoldRite firestop sleeves offer superior craftsmanship, industry-exceeding regulatory compliance, and perhaps most surprisingly, significant cost savings over the outdated methods many installers still rely on.   

The Cost of Traditional Firestopping Installations  

A typical field-devised method for installing the sleeve and firestop materials for a 2 in. pipe through an 8 in. thick concrete slab on a wood-form deck might include these steps: 

1. Select 4 in. sleeve, measure and mark for saw cutting ($3.00, 1 minute of labor)

2. Cut firestop sleeve, in prep for re-assembly to slab height of 8 in. (1 minute of labor) 

3. Build sleeve to height with screw gun screws and tape ($.50, 3 minutes of labor) 

4. Nail firestop sleeve to form deck (2 minutes of labor) 

5. Remove sleeve out of the hole (5 minutes of labor) 

6. Buy material, cut, build and install firestop hole cover ($1.00, 2 minutes of labor) 

7. Clean-up sleeve debris (1 minute of labor)

8. Remove firestop hole cover, install pipe with riser clamp (2 minutes of labor) 

9. Collect, store and redistribute firestop hole cover upstairs (1 minute of labor) 

10. Remove riser clamp for access to annular space (1 minute of labor) 

11. Install and compact mineral wool material into annual space ($.50, 2 minutes of labor) 

12. Install fire caulk to the proper thickness and trowel level ($1.00, 2 minutes of labor) 

13. Reinstall riser clamp (1 minute of labor) 

14. Clean debris, hands and tools, and store for reuse (2 minutes of labor) 

Approximate Material Costs: $6.00
Time: 26 minutes (Labor costs of $21.67 at $50/hour rate)
Total Installed Cost: $27.67

The Cost of HoldRite Firestop Sleeve Installation 

Compare this lengthy, expensive list to the list of steps and materials required to install a HoldRite HydroFlame Pro firestop sleeve: 

  1. Select sleeve size and nail it to form deck ($9.00, 2 minutes)
  2. Remove cap and install pipe with riser clamp (2 minutes)

Approximate Material Costs: $9.00
Time: 26 minutes (Labor costs of $3.33 at $50/hour rate)
Total Installed Cost: $12.33

In this example, you could save over $15 per installation over a traditional and outdated method — profit that you can put in your pocket. 

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holdrite firestop sleeve installation

The Bottom Line 

Using field-devised methods might feel like a smaller investment at the moment, but you’ll find that the exact opposite is true if you add up your total investment and then multiply that cost by every installation your team performs. As this example shows, the smarter move is to evolve your process to incorporate an engineered firestopping solution that provides both a better product and a surprising cost-savings benefit. HoldRite manufactures the HydroFlame in the United States with a process that exceeds building code requirements so you can feel good about this safety-enhancing, time-saving firestop solution. 

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