Do all interior walls have fire blocks?

[HavasuHank]

I already hung up the TV on the wall in our bedroom. I am going to run the power cord and HDMI cable inside the wall to hide them because I'm too anal about having them hang down in plain view or behind a plastic cover.

Before cutting any holes into the wall, I wanted to check and make sure there wouldn't be anything from blocking the passage of the cables. My stud finder picked something up in between 2 studs roughly 3 feet down from where i want to cut a hole. The stud finder beeps whenever it finds something. The beeping lasted for approximately 3 inches (aren't fire blocks usually 1 inch thick?).

On the opposite side of the wall in the same location, the beeping lasted only about an inch going down the wall. That threw me for a loop. Why would it beep for 3 inches on one side and 1 inch on the other?

The master bedroom is on the second floor of our home. I don't understand why a fire block would be put in 5 feet from the ceiling. My house was built in 2004 if that helps or matters.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Cole Trickle]

Is there a vaulted ceiling room adjacent to the master? I know in my living room running speaker wire sucked because I had 2x4's running perpendicular. I ended up having to notch a 2x4 in my master closet for wire and patch a hole.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Drill in with a small drill bit and see if you hit wood

 

[HavasuHank]

Drill in with a small drill bit and see if you hit wood

That is something that I will end up doing, but a couple of things still throw me for a loop

1. why would one side register being bigger than the other?

2. if my bedroom is on the second floor, what is the purpose of having a fire block 5' from the ceiling?

 

[Cole Trickle]

That is something that I will end up doing, but a couple of things still throw me for a loop

1. why would one side register being bigger than the other?

2. if my bedroom is on the second floor, what is the purpose of having a fire block 5' from the ceiling?

Is your bedroom wall touching the garage?

 

[HavasuHank]

Is your bedroom wall touching the garage?

Nope ... completely other side of the house.

 

[whiteworks]

1. there should be a fire block in every stud bay.
2. stud finders are not the most reliable devises in the world.
3. take a 16 penny nail and start poking around, your gonna have to do some patch/texture/paint work anyways so commit your self to the project LOL

dont puss out and let the wires hang

 

[HavasuHank]

1. there should be a fire block in every stud bay.
2. stud finders are not the most reliable devises in the world.
3. take a 16 penny nail and start poking around, your gonna have to do some patch/texture/paint work anyways so commit your self to the project LOL

dont puss out and let the wires hang

True on the stud finder, but it did find something.

I'm probably going to take a small drill bit and poke around the area. I was hoping there wouldn't be anything there. I don't want to make any more holes that I already will be.

I hate seeing the wires hanging when I walk into the room. ... it's gonna get done.

 

[NicPaus]

No not all interior walls have fire blocks.

 

[IN AWE]

Fireblocks are not necessary unless the stud length exceeds 10 feet. That being said I put fireblocks in most of my walls because it keeps the studs straighter and from going to shit so much. It adds a little labor to the framing, but saves a little labor in the pickup and straight edge process. Could also be a let-in brace that was cut in to fix a bowed stud.

Also it was/is standard practice to put blocks 3 bays from a corner and 2 bays from a window or door. Some of the blocking has carried over from the days before shear walls (plywood) when the lathers would string piano wire on the exterior walls before the paper. The constant pulling and tension of the wire would pull the corners inward.

So to answer your question, who knows what the framer had in mind while it was being built. Good luck. I would use a finish nail and poke around where your stud finder went off.

 

[CampbellCarl]

Is there attic space above? Most sparky's have drill bits 4-5' long. Drill thru the fire block (but don"t tell your fire insurance carrier)

 

[LB247XS]

Go to home depot or Lowes and get yourself a st of the long drill bits that are made for what your doing I just hung our new 60" and that what I used all wires are hidden they work great

 

[IN AWE]

Is there attic space above? Most sparky's have drill bits 4-5' long. Drill thru the fire block (but don"t tell your fire insurance carrier)

Go to home depot or Lowes and get yourself a st of the long drill bits that are made for what your doing I just hung our new 60" and that what I used all wires are hidden they work great

Yep and yep, and a set of fiberglass pull rods.

 

[jsquaredgc]

That is something that I will end up doing, but a couple of things still throw me for a loop

1. why would one side register being bigger than the other?

2. if my bedroom is on the second floor, what is the purpose of having a fire block 5' from the ceiling?

This would be refered to as." Production Framing."......as IN AWE stated who knows what the framers were thinking. Not a huge deal just go with any one ofthe suggestions given and you will be fine.
"

 

[SummitKarl]

fire blocking yes, normally by double top plate (and dbl bottom plate 2 story)

actual blocking can be done several ways,
1) normally is done with staggered 2x's running horz in the wall
2) another blocking method is to run 1x for 4" wall or 2x for 6" wall diagonal across the studs

the short answer is unless you saw them build it you don't know what method they used, till you open up the wall, but most times it's No1.

IRC and IBC details

 

[DrHW]

My buddy had a right angle adapter and drilled holes through the 2' x 4' piece of cake.

 

[McRib]

Aren't the fire chingasos in all 2 story houses in every wall half way up the second story? Old houses not so much but 10 yrs and newer I think its the case. Right??

 

[fmo24]

Or if you don't want to go buy long drills cut the wall from where ever your going into wall with a drywall saw down to block. Drill your hole and put the piece you cut back in. More work I realize but if you don't have the tools it is a quick and dirty way.
By the way I just went thru this same thing this afternoon.

 

[NicPaus]

Aren't the fire chingasos in all 2 story houses in every wall half way up the second story? Old houses not so much but 10 yrs and newer I think its the case. Right??

One of the framers can answer this better, but no the houses I just built did not have them but interior walls were under 10' in this case I believe the top plate serves as fire block

 

[HavasuHank]

Or if you don't want to go buy long drills cut the wall from where ever your going into wall with a drywall saw down to block. Drill your hole and put the piece you cut back in. More work I realize but if you don't have the tools it is a quick and dirty way.
By the way I just went thru this same thing this afternoon.

I was just talking with my wife about 30 minutes ago, and this is what I came up with. I'll cut the drywall out at the block, cut a piece of the block out for the cord and cable, then reattached the drywall piece with screws into the block. Patch, paint, done.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Fucking watered down Mexican wants to hide wires and make things look nice and shit.

 

[McRib]

One of the framers can answer this better, but no the houses I just built did not have them but interior walls were under 10' in this case I believe the top plate serves as fire block

I under stand the 10' deal. I was just under the impression that all 2 story homes (and higher buildings) after a certain year were required to have the entire first level fire blocked and half the second story or all the second story and half the 3rd and so on. The purpose of them is to slow the upward progression of a 1st floor fire. Right??

 

[28Eliminator]

Lol... They're not FIREBLOCKS... A mid span block is only there to keep studs straight, and is really not even needed anymore. But it continues to be practice. A fireblock has a specific duty, and if it's in the middle of a wall, there would be a ceiling or possibly floor adjacent on the opposite side.

If there's nothing on the other side Hank, your not doing anything bad by drilling or cutting through it to get the wires down. Drywall repair and paint is like putting a wax job on your car.. Not that tough..

 

[HavasuHank]

Fucking watered down Mexican wants to hide wires and make things look nice and shit.

Gotta represent and keep up wit da whities

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

I under stand the 10' deal. I was just under the impression that all 2 story homes (and higher buildings) after a certain year were required to have the entire first level fire blocked and half the second story or all the second story and half the 3rd and so on. The purpose of them is to slow the upward progression of a 1st floor fire. Right??

Isn't supposed to be exterior walls only too?

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Gotta represent and keep up wit da whities

As long as you use duct tape on your electrical connections in the walls, you'll balance it out.

 

[28Eliminator]

As long as you use duct tape on your electrical connections in the walls, you'll balance it out.

Lol....

 

[NicPaus]

I under stand the 10' deal. I was just under the impression that all 2 story homes (and higher buildings) after a certain year were required to have the entire first level fire blocked and half the second story or all the second story and half the 3rd and so on. The purpose of them is to slow the upward progression of a 1st floor fire. Right??

The houses are 3 stories.

 

[IN AWE]

Lol... They're not FIREBLOCKS... A mid span block is only there to keep studs straight, and is really not even needed anymore. But it continues to be practice. A fireblock has a specific duty, and if it's in the middle of a wall, there would be a ceiling or possibly floor adjacent on the opposite side.

If there's nothing on the other side Hank, your not doing anything bad by drilling or cutting through it to get the wires down. Drywall repair and paint is like putting a wax job on your car.. Not that tough..

Technically any bay or cavity that is over 10 feet in length is to have a draftstop, whether it be vertical or horizontal. Draftstop is not really a fireblock, but can be at the same time. I assume it depends on the state, county and adopted building codes also. You are correct about the fireblock having a specific purpose (floor, soffit, roof,etc.).

For years we used to leave the mid-span / draftstop blocking out of floors, it is one of the main causes of squeaky floors.

 

[28Eliminator]

Technically any bay or cavity that is over 10 feet in length is to have a draftstop, whether it be vertical or horizontal. Draftstop is not really a fireblock, but can be at the same time. I assume it depends on the state, county and adopted building codes also. You are correct about the fireblock having a specific purpose (floor, soffit, roof,etc.).

For years we used to leave the mid-span / draftstop blocking out of floors, it is one of the main causes of squeaky floors.

Gee, thanks for confirming my 33 year suspicion... :rolleyes

 

[IN AWE]

Gee, thanks for confirming my 33 year suspicion... :rolleyes

Wasn't for you, sorry I quoted you. I could tell you knew what you were talking about. My 34 years in the trade told me that.

 

[Vmjtc3]

Draft stops are no match for a 5' flexible wall bit. We use them all the time to run wires through walls :thumbup:

Cut a hole where your cut in box is going to go, then insert the bit, use the guide to center it in the draft stop and drill, cut your top whole behind the tv and attach a pull string to the bit, then pull the bit back out and you have two holes with a pull string between them.
[video=youtube;zZp3o6LyR0s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZp3o6LyR0s[/video]

 

[28Eliminator]

Wasn't for you, sorry I quoted you. I could tell you knew what you were talking about. My 34 years in the trade told me that.

No worries bud... Sorry if that came across wrong..

 

[IN AWE]

No worries bud... Sorry if that came across wrong..

Thanks, I was just trying to help out the O.P. All is good.:thumbup: