Unfortunately, most people do not find out if their firewalls were correctly designed or installed until there is a fire. Firewalls are intended to stop fire, smoke and super- heated air from moving from one part of a building to another. Firewalls must be built with special materials. In some cases a single layer of material is sufficient. In other cases, double walls, installed in a staggered fashion, are required by the building.
Firewalls are generally a combination of vertical walls between sections of a building.
These vertical walls are attached to horizontal walls that line the underside of the roof. This system of walls is intended to create a barrier, without openings, between sections of a building. There should be no opening in the wall. Seams between sections of wall board should be properly taped or sealed. All boards of directors and condominium property managers should inspect the condition of the firewalls in the attics spaces of their properties.