Fire Resistant Glass is a special type of glass that provides safety and protection from smoke and fire for a certain period of time in case a fire breaks out in a building. It creates a safe zone at the time of the fire. The basic working principle of every fire-resistant glass is to act as a barrier for flames and smoke, thereby blocking their passage to some other part of the building. Every fire-resistant glass is rated and have specific installation parameters for which the ratings are valid.
The common ratings given to the fire-resistant glass are on the following basis:
Integrity period: It is a time duration for which the glass will provide protection. Also known as the integrity period and denoted by ‘E’. For example, E60 implies 60 minutes of protection.
Heat insulation: Some fire-resistant glasses offer heat insulation. Denoted by ‘I’, it is given after the integrity period. This is known as an insulation period. For example, EI 30/30 implies 30 minutes of protection and 3 minutes of heat insulation.
A fire resistant glass provides a lot of benefits. These include:
Facilitating escape during a fire: Our current fire technology is so advanced it allows transparent fire screens and doors made of fire-resistant glass to create segregation for escape routes. By providing up to 120 minutes of integrity or protection from fire, these glass doors allow sufficient time for evacuation in case a fire breaks out.
Preventing fire spread in the lining: A building’s internal lining consists of materials that significantly contribute to the spread and growth of the fire. This is where the fire resistant glass comes to the picture. By providing protection against the spread, it keeps the fire isolated for a sufficient amount of time.
Preventing fire spread in the structure: By slowing down the spread of fires, these fire resistant glasses prevent the formation of a claustrophobic atmosphere. According to studies, a lot of deaths in fire events are due to panic and smoke inhalation rather than direct fire burn. Therefore, by keeping the fire isolated, the fire resistant glass has an indispensable role to play in cutting down on a lot of panics.
Preventing the external spread of fire: Fire resistant glass, if used to make the external walls of the building, can allow for protection against the spread of fire to the neighbouring buildings. Commercial buildings are legally required in many countries to be constructed in such a manner that their external walls and roofs do not allow for the spread of fire to the surrounding environment.
Aestheticism with no compromise on safety: One of the biggest advantages of fire-resistant glass over its wooden fire safety counterparts is the visual aesthetic value a fire resistant glass brings along with the protection. Wooden fire doors or other fire protection equipment and furniture made of wood would disrupt the bespoke design that every commercial building inherently has, which is not a problem with glass. Hence fire resistant glasses are gaining huge surges of popularity in recent times.
Every building has different types of needs and fire resistant glasses should be purchased as per the needs. It is important to buy these glasses from a reputed dealer only. For choosing the right dealer, the best possible method is to do thorough online research about the different types of glasses available and being sure about the type of glass required for your building. Thus, fire resistant glass forms a key component of safety in modern times and is being adopted all over the world at a very fast rate.
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