During house repairs, one of the worst things that could happen is when you realize that you have to access the wall or ceiling cavity to repair the wiring or plumbing.
No one wants to cut out a hole in their walls or ceiling. This is not only aesthetically disastrous, but can also damage the wall or ceiling, and possibly any tiles that are installed as well. By using an access panel, you can access your wiring or plumbing without damaging the structure of your premises.
Access Panels are removable openings in ceilings and walls, which allow access to building engineering services such as pipes, cables, air conditioning systems etc. These are usually placed near important fixtures. Usually access panels are hinged, so that they can be easily opened.
These are designed in such a way that they can blend with the décor of walls and ceiling. They offer an attractive and discreet solution to access your wiring or plumbing. Some access panels are lockable for extra security. Access Panels are available in two frame options which include beaded frames and picture frames.
Beaded frames have a perforated flange to key into the surrounding membrane. A Picture Frame type of access panel typically has a solid projection that rests on the surface area of the wall / ceiling. This covers the cut edge of the hole in the wall or ceiling.
Access panels come in a variety of materials like wood, metal, plastic, acoustic, fire rated and dry wall/plasterboard. Plastic access panels have become quite popular with many builders these days. They offer high quality and low cost solutions for access to maintenance services in ceilings and walls. Plastic panels are usually used in residential homes for easy access to plumbing.
Since these are light in weight, these panels can be easily fitted to walls and ceilings. Wooden access panels are probably the oldest type of access panels. They have been popular over the ages due to their flexibility, affordability and workability.
Since wood can be easily painted, it has become a preferred choice of access panels in recent past. However, nowadays, use of wooden access panels is extremely rare due to fires and high cost involved. Metal access panels are most commonly used in industrial and commercial scenarios.
They are very versatile due to their strength, durability and fire resistance. Fire rated access panels are usually used for fire resistance.
Fire resistance is the period of time it can withstand a standard fire endurance test. Although these panels are also made from metal, they have the capacity to withstand more heat than normal metal access panels.
Fire rating does not usually affect the appearance of access panels. These days, with the help of innovative design, fire rating can be done without using heavy layers of plasterboard. Finally, plasterboard access panels are made of layers of fiberboard or paper bonded to a gypsum plaster core. The right choice of access panels can prove to be a big blessing, especially when confronted with spotting that leak in plumbing or repair some electricity cable.
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