Did you say fire?! (week 2)

 

Who knew that there are cables that are fire rated?! While there is a plethora of different types of cables… there are cables that are designed and or rated for different types of environments. This is designed to reduce the risks of producing toxic fumes/smoke. These cables are plenum-rated cable and PVC-rated cables, the primary difference is that plenum cables produce fewer toxic fumes and less smoke compared to a PVC cable. When installing new cables, it is important to decide which cable is better rated for your project and location.

For instance, when installing a cable in a drop ceiling, using a plenum cable is your better choice as it has a protective coating that has the ability to withstand a higher temperature. This means that in the event of a fire there will be considerably fewer toxic fumes vs a PVC rated cable. On the other hand, if you need to install a general-purpose cable that is not going through an area that has active air flow (near or around HVAC) you can use a PVC rated cable.

 

*Disclaimer: This is not designed to be professional advice, if you need help or advice on installing network cables or which fire rated cables to use, please contact a professional*