Fire-rated glazing is one of the products that has been developed to provide a certain duration of protection during an event of fire. As people are trying to build secure and safer households and businesses, fire-rated glazing has surely become one of the most common choices. Fire-rated glazing has been designed in such a way that it is able to withstand and contain both smoke and fire which allows more time for people to safely exit through buildings. It also keeps people and other items safe from fire.
What is fire-rated glass
Fire-rated glass plays a very important role in enhancing the safety of buildings by providing transparent barriers that tend to resist the spread of smoke and fire. There are lots of varieties of fire-resistant glass that are available which offer various levels of protection. Three commonly used fire-resistant glass types are E, EW, and El glass. These different types of fire-rated glass find a lot of diverse applications in buildings, which prioritizes fire safety and allows natural light transmission and visibility.
They are not just used for fire safety but are also commonly used for aesthetic features. Unlike concrete and corrugated steel or any other fire-rated materials, fire-rated glazing consists of open luminous interiors that allow people to enter and exit the space. This transparency also allows the fire team to check for safety plans.
How does fire rated glazing system work
The fire-rated glass which is manufactured usually consists of layers of toughened glass that has been interspersed with an intumescent layer. In the event of a fire, the heat from the fire will cause the outer layer of the glass to break; however over here the broken pane will be held together due to the presence of an intumescent layer. These layers then tend to rapidly swell and provide insulation which reduces the level of heat from the fire which radiates into the surrounding room. It also helps stop smoke from passing through the openings and going into the fire exit routes. Some of the fire-rated glass also turns intumescent layers opaque in the heat of fire which then stops the vision through the glass. This helps reduce the level of panic while exiting the building.
Importance of fire resistance glazing
It doesn’t matter whether you are renovating an existing property or designing a new home, if your house consists of more than three storeys then fire-rated doors are one of the essentials needed. It is usually located between the stairwell and the habitable room located off the stairwell. Fire-rated doors in homes are also required in those which have two-storey residential properties where there is presence of a garage leading to the main house.
The purpose of such fire-resistant glazing is to protect the exit ways from a building for a certain amount of time such that everyone can escape safely when there is fire. These fire-resistant glazing systems also help to slow down the process of spreading out of the fire in the surrounding areas. This in turn provides more time for the fire service to reach the site and attend to the fire before it spreads out too much.
Fully glazed fire doors also offer the benefit of fire protection while ensuring there is proper light being passed through which results in a more light and open living space even if they are compartmentalized.
Fire safety glazing Standards
According to the Building Regulations for England and Wales, Approved Document B tends to highlight the areas where fire resistance glazing products must be installed and at which level should it be installed. However, these regulations only provide a guideline and do not cover all of the situations that are possible.
Approved Document K of the Building regulations mainly highlights collision, impact, and falling. It also states that certain parts of internal and external walls need impact glass along with side panels and doors with either class 2 classification (if the width is greater than 900 mm) or with class 3 classification (if the width range is between 250 to 900 mm). In addition, if there are any panes that have a thickness of more than 6 mm and an area of less than 0.5 square meters along with a width of less than 250 mm then it is not important to install an impact-rated glass.
It is important to adhere to BS EN 1363 fire testing standards in order to comply with the UK regulations and the European CE marking requirement. Apart from this, BS EN 13501 – 2 tends to highlight various classifications of levels of fire resistance glazing. Radiation control glass is for specific applications while it is yet to be acknowledged by UK Building regulations. On the other hand, integrity-only glass is restricted and is used only in certain European countries since it is less safe to use.
BS EN 12600 highlights the impact safety requirements for glass in buildings and also suggests a pendulum impact test method to classify the product into three main types. Each of the types is represented by a three-figure classification such as 1B1, 2B2, or 3B3. Among these three figures, the first figure indicates the weight that was dropped onto the glass and it has passed the impact test where 1 will be 1200 mm, 2 will be 450 mm and 3 will be 190 mm. The letter is usually used to understand the glass type. A indicates annealed glass, B indicates laminated glass, and C is toughened glass. Lastly, the final digit indicates the height at which the glass does not break.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, fire-rated glazing is very important especially when it comes to preventing potential life loss during an event of fire or for the safety of the people living there. It is also a significant development in the fire safety building industry which allows architects and designers to develop innovative solutions for fireproofing a building without having to give up on the aesthetic value.
Fire-rated glazing could also provide higher passive fire protection and may even reduce any further requirements for fireproofing measures. Through fire-rated glazing, building occupants can surely feel secure without having to worry about the dangers of fire.
FAQs
- How fire-rated glazing is different from regular glazing?
A regular glazing product can only withstand temperatures up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit whereas fire-rated glazing products can easily withstand a temperature of up to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit.
- How can I identify certified fire-rated glazing products?
There are certain specific markings or certifications with standards such as EN14449 or the impact rating e.g. 2B2 written over it. With the help of these ratings, it is possible to identify fire-rated glazing products.
- What are the common applications of fire-rated glazing in buildings?
There are multiple applications when it comes to the use of fire-rated glazing in buildings and a few of them can be provided as follows:
- Opening protective assemblies
- Door vision panels
- Exterior facades
- Are there any specific maintenance requirements for fire-rated glazing?
Here are a few tips you need to follow to maintain fire-rated glazing products for a long time:
- Clean regularly for optimal clarity
- Consider inspecting the glass for any damages occasionally
- Check whether the installation has any fault