City, county and states vary with there code requirements for a justifiable answer to ” what is a fire wall”. And exacts are not always given. In a multi-family dwelling these codes will fluctuate as well, depending on what year they were constructed. Ultimately this system of constructing a building that has a definite form of separation is in fact where the fire wall(s) are located, between units of habitable space. Condo’s may have them and some apartment structures may have them as well. Most likely a true fire wall can be noticed from the street the building is on. And knowing how to spot them is the key to a successful venture into managing your CADS. ![attic firewall construction [condo] attic firewall construction [condo]](http://www.my-diy-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/thumbnail-2.jpg)
A one hour wall typically consists of a single layer of 5/8″ drywall [gypsum board] for meeting code requirements. If a building has an attached garage, the the inside of the parking garage area must comply with a minimal fire rating of drywall with any proper electrical components involved. A two hour fire wall may often require a double layer of 5/8″ drywall or sheetrock on the garage side to accomplish this rating. Drywall compressed gypsum is considered to be fire resistant and allows ample time for the UBC safety laws, to extinguish any flames before moving [burning] through to the next area, therefore lessening the damage, it can potentially cause. Are you a CADS manager?