Metacaulk® Cover Guard™

Metacaulk® Cover Guard is a fire-rated gasket specifically engineered to address the firestopping requirements for electrical boxes installed in fire-rated wall assemblies. Its key features and details include

Key Features

• Fire-Rated Gasket: Designed to maintain the integrity of fire-rated walls when penetrated by electrical boxes. Tested in accordance with UL 263/ASTM E119 and ASTM E814 (UL 1479).
• Highly Intumescent: When exposed to heat from a fire, the gasket expands significantly, forming a char that seals off the opening within the electrical box. This prevents the passage of flames and limits temperature rise on the unexposed side of the wall.
• Easy to Install: Applied by hand to the inside of the electrical box cover plate and installed simultaneously with the cover plate. No additional tools or complex procedures are required.
• Cost-Effective: Offers an economical solution for firestopping electrical boxes.
• Labor-Saving: A direct and faster replacement for traditional putty pads in most applications, reducing installation time and labor costs.
• Does Not Take Up Box Volume: Unlike some firestop methods, the Cover Guard fits under the cover plate and does not reduce the usable space within the electrical box for wiring and devices.
• Reduces Sound Transmission: Tested in a UL 411 wall assembly/section to ASTM E90, achieving an STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating of 54, helping to maintain the acoustical performance of the wall assembly.
• Complies with Environmental Exposure Testing: Meets UL-required Accelerated Aging and High Humidity Testing, ensuring long-term performance.
• VOC Compliant: Meets the requirements of CDPH Standard Method v1.2 for Volatile Organic Compounds.
• Can be Used with Metal and Plastic Cover Plates: UL tested for use with both types of cover plates.
• Available for Various Electrical Box Configurations: Designed for single gang switches, double gang switches, single gang receptacles, double gang receptacles, single decor outlets, and double decor outlets.

Applications

• Meeting the "24-inch Rule": Used when electrical boxes are installed in rated walls facing opposite directions and are horizontally separated by less than 24 inches.
• Addressing the "100 Square Inch Rule": Can be used as a solution for standard electrical boxes when the 100 square inch aggregate opening rule is violated (refer to specific code requirements).
• New Construction: Can be easily incorporated during the initial installation of electrical boxes.
• Retrofit Applications: Provides a safe and simple solution for bringing existing electrical box installations into compliance with fire codes.

Installation

1. Place the aluminum foil side of the Metacaulk® Cover Guard against the inside of the electrical faceplate.
2. Do not remove any material, film, or foil from the Metacaulk® Cover Guard.
3. Install the faceplate with the Metacaulk® Cover Guard over the switch or receptacle and secure the faceplate with screws.

For detailed technical specifications, UL system listings, installation instructions, and safety data sheets for specific Metacaulk® Cover Guard models, always refer to the official product documentation from us.