Gulf Mechanical Contractors Completes Firestopping Faster

When Nicholas Rossi, field production manager at Gulf Mechanical Contractors, and his team were tasked with installing a plumbing system for the 10-story Altis Grand Central Apartments in Tampa, Florida, he turned to HoldRite HydroFlame Pro cast-in-place sleeves for firestopping. As a result, he cut down on installation time and saved on labor costs.

The Need for Reliable Firestops

When selecting a firestop system for the luxury apartment complex, Rossi’s top concern was product reliability. He needed assurance that his team wouldn’t have to come back to the job site to redo their work after the initial install.

So he turned to HydroFlame Pro, which he’s been using for years. Rossi once used a competing firestopping product, but when HydroFlame Pro launched, he made the switch. The cast-in-place firestops were stronger, more durable and easier to install.

HoldRite’s Versatile and Consistent Firestopping Solution

Rossi and his team had work to complete on every floor of the 300-unit apartment complex, taking care of all the plumbing, sanitary storm and domestic water. They used HoldRite firestop sleeves for all PVC penetrations, water riser penetrations and every other penetration in the slabs.

Instead of having to stock multiple pre-cut sleeves sizes, they used the telescoping capabilities of HydroFlame Pro to meet any specification changes. If they didn't have a single sleeve size with multiple capabilities, Rossi's team would have had to pause their work to order other sleeves in different sizes if they ran into changes.

Because HydroFlame Pro already comes with a watertight mid-body seal inside the sleeve, the crew didn’t need to install water dams either.

“We put our pipe through it — we don’t have to worry about it, we don’t have to come back,” Rossi said.

Saving on Labor Costs

Using one sleeve that accommodated every application helped Gulf Mechanical prevent costly delays in their projects.

“That’s what we truly love,” Rossi said. “It’s a labor-savings all around. When we find something that works, we’re going to stay true to that product and use that product day in and day out.”

The sleeves’ versatility and reliability gave him the assurance that his team wouldn’t have to waste time redoing a firestop installation or stop working because they didn't have the right sleeve size on hand. It also allowed them to maintain the fire rating and UL listing on their penetration.

With all these benefits in mind, Rossi considers HoldRite superior to other brands in the same market.

“We would tell anybody to use their product if they want their job to turn out correctly,” he said.

About the Mechanical Contractor

Gulf Mechanical Contractors performs plumbing, HVAC and other mechanical services for commercial projects across the state of Florida. They use their multi-industry expertise to assist clients across a range of industries with various project phases. Their experts are trained and certified in their trades to provide high-quality services.