Fire Curtains: How Do They Work?

 Safety

Fire-rated doors improve occupant safety by forming barriers that prevent the fire from spreading or obstructing the evacuation path. The location of fire-rated doors is entirely dependant on the specific home architecture and fire escape locations. In the case of a fire, every residence must have a clear escape path that is unobstructed.

IQ Glass offers a variety of fire-rated systems with simple designs, but a fire curtain is a wonderful alternative for the most minimal design. By including a fire curtain, any interior glass system, fire-rated or not, may be utilised safely. When not in use, a fire curtain can be fully hidden inside the ceiling finishes, only exposing itself when activated. It operates by being linked to a house's fire alarm and immediately shutting off if a fire is detected.

Advantages

The primary benefit of a fire curtain is the flexibility it provides for surrounding interior glazing. Architects and specifiers no longer have to make compromises on glazing design, shape, or size since the installation of a fire curtain assures that any glazing specification meets or exceeds fire safety requirements.

A fire curtain can be selected to go with slim framed or frameless glass systems, or as a stand-alone system that can fill an archway to form a barrier between rooms. The MIRO series of aluminium framed interior glazing systems, part of the Sieger portfolio, is ideal for specifying alongside a fire curtain due to its simple design.

Specification

When specifying a minimally framed internal glass door, whether sliding or pivoting, you want to keep the designs clean and bring attention to the narrow framing that distinguishes these door systems. Although built with simplicity in mind, fire-rated glass will always have longer sightlines and thicker frames than the MIRO series. 

Fire Curtains: How They Work and How They’re Made

 Whether it's to safeguard the safety of office, school, or hospital occupants, investing in flame retardant curtains can help create a more secure work environment. By partnering with the proper furnishing specialists, you can ensure that your consumers receive only the best. If you're considering buying in fire curtains, here's all you need to know about their operation and manufacture.

Materials of the Future

As you may have guessed, the most critical component of a fire curtain is the fire cloth. After weaving, chemical engineers cover the fire cloth to ensure the maximum level of safety. Each curtain is then assigned a fire resistance rating and deployed for installation.

High-Performance Features

Similar to the metal shutters that are used to close stores for the day, fire curtains descend vertically and unroll from the top. Automatic versions of these curtains can be deployed manually and automatically retract in response to a fire alarm system in a structure. They can also be deployed remotely in some instances.

Unlike metal shutters, fire curtains are flexible and compact, allowing them to be more precisely fitted into a given space, improving compartmentation and minimising negative visual impact. Additionally, they incorporate fail safes into their design, which allow gravity to pull the curtain back into position in the event of a power outage or motor failure.

Applications for Fire Curtains

Fire curtains are ideal for both large and small spaces, as well as open-plan settings. They can be installed on cubicle curtain tracks or even hospital curtain tracks. When integrated into a building's design style, they can simply be recessed into walls or ceilings, out of sight of guests and staff.

Retrofitted curtains blend well into their surroundings and can even be customised to complement historic and heritage structures.

The Awe-Inspiring Evolution of Fire Curtain Design

Blinds and curtains have been made to accommodate unique solutions and requests since the late 1800s. However, fire curtains did not become a widespread concept until the 1970s. Engineers then created the first mechanical smoke curtain in an attempt to establish a non-invasive means of regulating hot smoke. Known as a Gravity Fail-Safe System, this type of device has become a worldwide standard.

Curtain manufacturers have been more committed than ever to developing high-performance fire protection systems that are suitable for all types of environments. Designed to protect residents, defend buildings, and mitigate the damage of flames, incorporating fire curtains into your structure can prove to be the ultimate precaution and the safety solution you require.

Conclusion

If you haven't considered installing fire curtains on your office walls yet, better late than never! They're a fantastic way to save money on insurance and avoid calamities altogether.

We stock flame retardant curtains for schools, workplaces, hospitals, and all types of buildings at Direct Fabrics. Are you looking for something that complements your aesthetic? We stock an extensive selection of curtains in every style and pattern, and we even specialise in roller blinds, blackouts, and sheer fabrics! We also stock smoke curtains