What does this firestopping rough-in checklist cover?

15 items across 3 sections, covering penetration seals, joint systems, identification. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

The firestopping installer or specialty foreman logging each penetration, often sampled by the GC's superintendent or a third party inspector.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Rolling, as each trade's penetrations are complete in an area, and always before ceiling close or wall cover hides the seal.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

11 of the 15 items call for photo evidence, 14 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails a firestopping rough-in inspection?

Sealant smeared over the annulus without the backing or depth the listed system calls for. A penetration sealed with a system listed for a different assembly or penetrant type. Seals installed but never labeled, so nobody can prove which system was used after cover.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Firestopping

Firestopping rough-in inspection checklist

Firestopping rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against the applicable building code, listed system documentation. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Penetration seals

Annular space within the listed system's range
Gap between penetrant and assembly measured against the system listing, not just filled.
Backing material and fill depth per the listing
Mineral wool or backer installed to the specified depth, sealant at the listed thickness, full perimeter contact.
Correct system for the assembly and penetrant
The system number on the label matches the wall or floor type and the pipe, cable or duct going through it.
Sealant, mortar or device matches the product the system lists
Cartridge, pail or device label photographed and matched to the product named in the system listing and the approved submittal, not a substitute brand.
Opening cut clean with the rated assembly intact around it
No ragged or overcut gypsum, broken layers or spalled concrete at the edge of the opening; oversized holes patched to the assembly before sealing.
Seal installed on each face the listing requires
Sealant, backing or device checked on every side the system calls for: both faces at wall penetrations, the top alone where the floor listing seals from above.
Cable penetrations within the listing's fill and bundle limits
Where cables pass through, bundle size, percent fill and cable types checked against the system, with cables separated so sealant reaches the interstices.
No photo
Abandoned cores and unused sleeves sealed as blank openings
Holes left by relocated work or spare sleeves with no penetrant closed with a system listed for a blank opening in that assembly, and labeled.
No photo

Joint systems

Head-of-wall and perimeter joints filled continuous
Joint material continuous with no skips, compression fit or spray thickness per the joint system listing.
Joint movement capability preserved
No rigid material bridging a rated movement joint, spray or sealant tooled to allow movement.
Joint width measured against the joint system's listed range
Gap at the head, perimeter or floor edge measured at its widest point and compared to the maximum width the joint listing allows.

Identification

Every seal labeled with system and installer
Label adjacent to the penetration with system number, date and installer ID, legible after adjacent finishes.
Seal locations logged to a floor or zone map
Each penetration tied to its room, shaft or zone so the closeout package can be assembled without a re-survey.
Engineering judgment on file before sealing an unlisted condition
Any penetration or joint with no matching listed system held until the manufacturer's engineering judgment for that exact condition is on site for the AHJ's review.
No photo
Installer qualification documented as the specification requires
Manufacturer training, contractor approval or qualification record the specification names on file for the crew doing the sealing.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Sealant smeared over the annulus without the backing or depth the listed system calls for.
A penetration sealed with a system listed for a different assembly or penetrant type.
Seals installed but never labeled, so nobody can prove which system was used after cover.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this firestopping rough-in checklist cover?: 15 items across 3 sections, covering penetration seals, joint systems, identification. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: The firestopping installer or specialty foreman logging each penetration, often sampled by the GC's superintendent or a third party inspector.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Rolling, as each trade's penetrations are complete in an area, and always before ceiling close or wall cover hides the seal.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 11 of the 15 items call for photo evidence, 14 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a firestopping rough-in inspection?: Sealant smeared over the annulus without the backing or depth the listed system calls for. A penetration sealed with a system listed for a different assembly or penetrant type. Seals installed but never labeled, so nobody can prove which system was used after cover.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Related checklists

Firestopping Pre-coverFirestopping pre-cover inspection checklistThe hold-point walk before ceilings and shaft walls hide the seals13 items13 photos Firestopping FinalFirestopping final inspection checklistAccessible seals re-sampled and the firestopping package assembled for turnover12 items5 photos

Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 14 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.