# shower valve in fire-rated wall?



## Yikes (Aug 16, 2010)

I have an apartment building design for persons with disabilities, where the accessible shower in each apartment must have its thermostatic mixing valve on the inside face of a 1-hour corridor wall (2x4 studs w/ 5/8" gyp board each side, plus resilient channel for sound).

In my experience, most shower valve installations take out a huge chunk of the fire-rated drywall, about a 6" diameter circle.

Any suggestions on how to keep the fire rating?


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## mark handler (Aug 16, 2010)

Yikes said:
			
		

> ...must have its thermostatic mixing valve on the inside face of a 1-hour corridor wall


Redesign a poor design. or furout the wall

Or firestopping Intumescent Filler

https://www.hilti.com/holcom/page/module/product/prca_catnavigation.jsf?lang=en&nodeId=-16237


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## TimNY (Aug 17, 2010)

The problem i envision is they usually cut a 6" hole but the stem is only 3" in diameter.  If you could find a firestopping listed for that installation I might entertain it.  Hard to tell without actually seeing it _after_ they get done butchering the fire barrier.

Hilti will put something together for you if they don't have an assembly that meets the situation.  If the contractors are all on board, the issue should not be insurmountable.

That being said, I think it would be a better solution (if not easier) to reverse the shower orientation and place the valve in a non-fire-rated partition.  Mark also has a great idea with the furring out; plumbers usually love that.  I have recently had this done so that a electric panel could be mounted on a corridor wall.

Let us know how you make out.


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## Yikes (Aug 18, 2010)

At the request of the owner, we are modifying an existing design to change from 30x60 bathtubs to 30x60 roll-in showers instead.  FYI the California accessibility code requires a 30"x60" roll-in-shower to have its valve on the 60" wall.

Furr-out and replumb may be our most fail-safe solution.

I was just hoping that ya'll knew of some clever manufacturer who had made a 1 hour fire-rated shower valve box, like they've done for washing machines.


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## mark handler (Aug 18, 2010)

Yikes said:
			
		

> a 1 hour fire-rated shower valve box


See the FN-Z-14-14-3 enclosure

http://www.frpsonline.com/uploads/E_Catalog_FRPS.pdf


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## Yikes (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks, Mark!  That's exactly what I need!


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## mark handler (Aug 20, 2010)

Glade I could help


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