Fire Glass
Fireglass for integrity and insulation - performance, performance, performance
Life and death situations require products which have been tested to their limit, Carey Fireglass has the certification and acreditation required to give peace of mind to architects, developers, fire officers and the occupants or visitors to any structure where our fireglass products have been installed.
Planning on the ease to evacuate any building is foremost in architects and authorities minds and Fireglass products give an easy and economical answer to a problem which has been associated with mankind since.
The increased use of glazing in buildings, together with building code requirements in the fire-rated glass sector which have seen rapid changes, have lead to the development of new types of fire glasses.
Detailed Description
Generally, any type of glass that can withstand the fire test and therefore resist passage of smoke, flames and hot gases, is considered "fire-resistant glass". These glasses are then further categorized and rated according to special criteria. Typically, the rating is based on how long a particular type and size of glass will withstand fire.
Classifications range from 20 minutes up to 3 hours.
Ordinary flat glass cannot withstand extreme temperatures, and breaks at around 120° C. Fire-resistant glass must be able to withstand 870° C for a selected period of time and remain in its frame. Testing can include using water to rapidly cool the hot glass to test its ability to withstand thermal change. The purpose of this test is to test a real situation in which water from a sprinkler system shatters glass intended to function as a barrier, and thus permits smoke and fire to spread and escalate to the next level.
The three most important factors in connection with the choice of fire-protection glass are:
- type of protection (class E - and class EI)
- duration of protection (e.g. 15, 30 or 60 minutes),
- frame construction to be used (wood, aluminum or steel).
Class E involves protection against smoke and flames while class EI also offers protection against fires spreading heat radiation.
- Integrity is described as the ability of glass to contain the spread of flame and smoke and prevents collapse, holes and cracks or sustained flaming on the unexposed side for a set time.
- Insulation blocks the passage of radiated heat and surface heat rise to an average of 140oC for a set time. In stairwells, computer rooms, evacuation routes in large office buildings, hospitals, shopping centres and other heat-sensitive areas, extremely high temperatures transferring through the glass can be just as devastating as the fire itself.
Primary Uses
Fireglass products come in a variety of thicknesses and styles, their use and application is as part of a system which has been tested to achieve the correct rating. Steel and Hardwood systems are available all harnessing the benefits of Fireglass to allow easy exit from a building or area by passive protection if the worst should ever happen. All our Fireglass products are etched stamped with the details of the type and rating a specific thickness has been tested to and we can advise on the best use of fireglass in specific situations. The trend for fire doors and screens is definitely toward incorporating more glass in new ways, there are many new clear glass options available in addition to traditional wired glass.
Specially toughened glasses and clear laminated units have transformed the way architects think about fire protection in doors and screens as open plan and frees pace planning is the way of modern life.
We stock a wide range of Fire Resistant Glass, classified by levels of integrity and insulation to contain the spread of flame, smoke and heat. By using our Fireglass in contemporary fire door solutions, architects, specifiers and their customers have an extended range of options from which to specify - addressing both protection levels and appearance.
Contact Us
If you have any queries or need any further information, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Tel: +353 67 50700
Benefits
- restricts spread of flames, smoke and hot gases
- maintains integrity when fractured or sprayed with water
- proven real-life performance
- available in clear and textured versions
- in the event of a fire the appearance of the clear and wire versions remains unchanged, allowing sight of any potential fire hazard.
- cost effective fire resistant solution
- tested in widest range of sizes and applications
- suitable for internal and external applications
- suitable for use in many different framing systems
- readily available and easily cut
- accepted by Fire and Building Control Authorities
- acts as deterrent to would-be intruders