| When you think of fire protection in a building, what comes to mind? Fire extinguishers? Smoke alarms? Sprinkler systems? Chances are that window glass wasn't at the top of the list. While fire-rated glass has been an important component in building safety for decades, most professionals in the industry know relatively little about it. As a result, it isn't difficult for the incorrect product to be specified, installed and approved - potentially putting lives and property at unnecessary risk. |
 We'll begin with some basic definitions. Just what is fire-rated glass? As the name implies, it is glass that has proven to offer a certain degree of protection in the face of fire. That may sound like a strange task for glass to perform. Obviously, glass can't extinguish a fire or warn a building's occupants that there's any danger. But fire-rated glass can help keep flames and smoke from spreading from one room to another. The official term for this is compartmentation, and it means that glass can play a vital role in restricting fire damage to a limited area. To the casual observer, it would seem that any glass could do that. After all, fire-rated glass looks deceptively similar to its non-rated counterparts. However, in reality, most glass offers little, if any, fire protection. For instance, standard window glass will break when the temperature reaches approximately 250° F. Tempered glass can last until about 500°F. In contrast, fire-rated glass can typically survive heat in excess of 1600° F. That's a marked difference in performance. With structural fires capable of reaching extremely high temperatures very quickly, the need for this specialty glass is easy to recognize. To earn its stripes, fire-rated glass must pass a battery of tests established by national test standards. Independent laboratories (such as U.L.) run the tests, then assign an appropriate rating based on the results. The ratings are time increments, reflecting the duration of testing the product endured. That duration is intended to correspond to the length of time the glass should be expected to perform reliably in a fire. So if a product has a 45 minute rating, theoretically you could count on it containing flames and smoke for the first 45 minutes of a fire. |
Arctic Construction - Blog
An Introduction To Fire-Rated Glass
| When you think of fire protection in a building, what comes to mind? Fire extinguishers? Smoke alarms? Sprinkler systems? Chances are that window glass wasn't at the top of the list. While fire-rated glass has been an important component in building safety for decades, most professionals in the industry know relatively little about it. As a result, it isn't difficult for the incorrect product to be specified, installed and approved - potentially putting lives and property at unnecessary risk. |
| We'll begin with some basic definitions. Just what is fire-rated glass? As the name implies, it is glass that has proven to offer a certain degree of protection in the face of fire. That may sound like a strange task for glass to perform. Obviously, glass can't extinguish a fire or warn a building's occupants that there's any danger. But fire-rated glass can help keep flames and smoke from spreading from one room to another. The official term for this is compartmentation, and it means that glass can play a vital role in restricting fire damage to a limited area. To the casual observer, it would seem that any glass could do that. After all, fire-rated glass looks deceptively similar to its non-rated counterparts. However, in reality, most glass offers little, if any, fire protection. For instance, standard window glass will break when the temperature reaches approximately 250° F. Tempered glass can last until about 500°F. In contrast, fire-rated glass can typically survive heat in excess of 1600° F. That's a marked difference in performance. With structural fires capable of reaching extremely high temperatures very quickly, the need for this specialty glass is easy to recognize. To earn its stripes, fire-rated glass must pass a battery of tests established by national test standards. Independent laboratories (such as U.L.) run the tests, then assign an appropriate rating based on the results. The ratings are time increments, reflecting the duration of testing the product endured. That duration is intended to correspond to the length of time the glass should be expected to perform reliably in a fire. So if a product has a 45 minute rating, theoretically you could count on it containing flames and smoke for the first 45 minutes of a fire. |
Comments (14300)
Norma -
24-Jun-2015 06:14 AM
Thanks extremely beneficial. Will share site with my buddies.
mujeres hermosas Cosarmelindo
Warren -
24-Jun-2015 06:48 AM
You've got awesome knowlwdge at this point.
mujeres hermosas Cosarmelindo
Jasmine -
24-Jun-2015 08:09 AM
You've gotten probably the greatest webpages.
Feel free to surf to my blog post ...free dating sites
Rosa -
24-Jun-2015 08:14 AM
thank so considerably for your web site it aids a lot.
my site ...best free dating sites no fees
Phillip -
24-Jun-2015 08:19 AM
Your tips is amazingly unique.
My blog post: free online dating sites with no fees
Johnathan -
24-Jun-2015 10:17 AM
Sustain the excellent work !! Lovin' it!
My web-site -free online dating sites with no fees
Harlan -
24-Jun-2015 12:19 PM
Exceptionally individual pleasant site. Immense information readily available on couple of gos to.
Here is my blog post:quest bars
Felicitas -
24-Jun-2015 01:19 PM
I value the data on your web sites. Cheers!
My web blog ::quest bars
Madison -
24-Jun-2015 06:56 PM
Many thanks very practical. Will certainly share website with my good friends.
Feel free to visit my web-site:free dating sites
Deb -
24-Jun-2015 06:57 PM
Many thanks really practical. Will certainly share website with my pals.
Also visit my websitefree dating sites
Devin -
24-Jun-2015 07:52 PM
You're a very helpful website; couldn't make it without ya!
My webpagequest bars
Soon -
24-Jun-2015 08:04 PM
I adore this site - its so usefull and helpfull.
my homepage -free online dating sites with no fees
Eleanor -
25-Jun-2015 01:11 AM
Really want to tell you Now i'm grateful that i happened upon your web site.
Feel free to surf to my website -free dating sites no fees
Antonetta -
25-Jun-2015 05:16 AM
Your knowledge is really intriguing.
Feel free to visit my blog post ::match.com free trial
Anneliese -
25-Jun-2015 05:19 AM
Thanks with regard to providing this sort of superior knowledge.
My site ...match.com free trial
Madison -
25-Jun-2015 05:56 AM
You have got astonishing info on this website.
Also visit my blog post;match.com free trial
Kennith -
25-Jun-2015 06:10 AM
Sustain the good job and producing in the group!
Here is my homepage;match.com free trial
Rod -
25-Jun-2015 08:26 AM
Much thanks! This a remarkable web-site.
Here is my blog post;diet plans for women to lose weight
Ernestine -
25-Jun-2015 08:28 AM
thank so much diet plans for women to lose weight your internet site it assists a whole lot.
Daniella -
25-Jun-2015 10:16 AM
Keep up the awesome work !! Lovin' it!
Feel free to surf to my website ::diet plans for women to lose weight
Foster -
25-Jun-2015 10:48 AM
Very good content you've in here.
my web site :: diet plans for women to lose weight
Thalia -
25-Jun-2015 12:19 PM
Especially enlightening, look frontward diet plans for women to lose weight coming back again.
Sophie -
25-Jun-2015 02:25 PM
Love the website-- very user pleasant and lots diet plans for women to lose weight see!
Kristian -
25-Jun-2015 02:40 PM
You have wonderful stuff here.
Feel free to visit my blog ::diet plans for women to lose weight
Chloe -
25-Jun-2015 03:26 PM
Wow, such a good websites.
my homepage - diet plans for women to lose weight