Fire curtains are an important element of modern fire safety systems that are used to contain fire and smoke spread with a building. Fire curtains are made of high-performance, fire-resistive fabric, precisely engineered for extreme temperatures.
Most often, the basic type of fabric is heavyweight glass fiber, commonly reinforced with stainless steel wire for strength. Using top quality glass fiber, fire curtains will also have a much lower likelihood of deterioration when a fire occurs, and will usually extinguish flames and smoke.
Moreover, fire curtains are coated in fire resistant, aluminium pigmented diamond polyurethane that will possibly provide even more heat and smoke resistance while being much lighter and flexible for easier routing and placement.
Maintenance and Lifespan of Fire Curtains
Regular maintenance of fire curtains is essential to ensure that they work properly when needed. Since fire curtains have an important life-safety function in the overall fire protection strategy of a building, they need to be checked regularly and serviced by competent personnel.
This is also often a legal requirement of fire legislation, such as the 2005 Regulatory Reform Order. Maintenance includes checking the mechanical components, including the motor, barrel, and side guides for wear and tear, testing the control panel and emergency controls, and checking the fabric to see if there are any signs of damage.
Organizing repairs and servicing in a timely manner means the curtain is less likely to malfunction during a fire event.
How to Choose the Right Fire Curtain for My Needs?
Choosing a fire curtain should be based on a sound understanding of your building’s arrangement, fire safety needs and requirements, and code obligations.
- First, identify the locations where fire curtains are required, such as in atria, open-plan offices, places of egress (stairwells, elevator shafts) or large gathering occupancies (theatres, shopping centres).
- Next, you will want to consider the fire resistance rating of the curtain, which demonstrates how it will control flames and smoke tested to standardized fire testing conditions. The rating represents the time (30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes) that the curtain was able to “perform” during the fire event.
- A vertical curtain will deploy downward from the ceiling, while a horizontal curtain will deploy downwards between floors or outwards across horizontal distances.
- Another consideration is the option of if the curtain would need to integrate/interconnect with existing fire alarm and detection systems.
- Reach out to qualified, certified, fire suppression specialists to get their expertise and advice in assuring the fire curtain you choose is building code compliant and reasonably protects tenants and property.
Different Types of Fire Curtains and Their Fire Resistance Ratings
Fire curtains are available in many types, depending on your fire safety requirements. Vertical fire curtains are commonly used for dropping down to compartmentalise a large open space or obstruction from a route of egress.
Fire curtains receive their fire resistance ratings from stringent standards like BS 8524-1 and BS EN 1634-1, both of which test and rate fire curtains for their fire resistance capabilities.
Typical fire resistance ratings are 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, which specifies the period the fire curtain can act as a barrier during a fire event.
About A1S Group
A1S Group is the UK’s leading specialist manufacturer, installer, and exporter of fire curtains and smoke curtains. A1S Group can offer fire safety services, compliant projects, and high safety standards to a range of sectors including commercial, health care, education, and hospitality with over 35 years of fire safety experience.
Their promise to quality, efficiency, and innovation can be seen in enterprise projects which include Selfridges on Oxford Street and New Scotland Yard HQ.
For more information, https://a1sgroup.com/
