Table of Contents
What Are Draft Curtains? According to the NFPA, a draft curtain is a non-combustible barrier. It may be permanently or temporarily fixed in place, or it may be deployable upon detection of smoke or flame. It’s meant to hang or protrude from the ceiling, where it can help to block and channel smoke migration.
Where are smoke baffles required?
Smoke baffles are also known as “draft stops,” “draft curtains” and “curtain boards.” They are generally required by code where moving stairways, staircases or similar floor openings are unenclosed.
What is a smoke curtain?
Fire and smoke curtains are installed to ensure safe evacuation in the event of a fire. This allows the safe evacuation of people from buildings, whilst reducing fire damage by preventing smoke logging, which enables fire-fighting, reduces temperatures and ultimately delays the spread of fire.
Where are elevator smoke curtains required?
The IBC requires buildings with elevator hoistways connecting three stories, to have a 1-hour fire-resistance barrier at the elevator shaft on each floor. When the elevator hoistway is connecting four or more stories, the barrier needs a 2-hour fire-resistance rating.
What are water curtains?
A water curtain is defined as a line of closely spaced sprinklers (or a single sprinkler) in combination with draft stops that are intended to retard the passage of fire through an opening.
What is smoke baffles?
The purpose of smoke baffles is to contain smoke during a building fire and prevent the smoke from spreading to other areas. Smoke baffles must be flame- and fire-resistant for a minimum of one hour and can help give building occupants time to exit a building during a fire.
What is draft stop?
Draftstop: A material, device or construction installed to restrict the movement of air within open spaces of concealed areas of building components such as crawl spaces, floor/ceiling assemblies, roof/ceiling assemblies and attics.
Is fire curtain same as smoke curtain?
Smoke Curtains don’t descend to ground level (ceiling to floor). They are generally set above head height, so as not to interfere with the means of escape. A fire curtain, on the other hand, is used to provide fire separation between two spaces.
What are the 2 types of smoke curtain?
There are four main styles of smoke curtains: Elevator, Vertical, Draft and Perimeter.Each style of curtain is compatible with other fire safety systems and can be installed to automatically deploy when a fire or smoke sensor is tripped. Elevator Smoke Curtains. Vertical Smoke Curtains. Draft Curtains. Perimeter Curtains.
What is the difference between a fire shutter and a fire curtain?
In summary, a fire curtain is less obtrusive and offers good fire protection but does not incorporate physical security. If you need a higher level of closure, then a fire shutter is the better option.
What is elevator smoke curtain?
An elevator smoke curtain is a protective barrier that traps smoke from entering an elevator shaft. Elevator smoke curtain installation can be used to eliminate the IBC elevator lobby requirement.
Why do elevators have curtains?
They are protective drapes that are hung up temporarily while a passenger lift is being used to transport goods. The padded drapes protect the cosmetic interior of the lift from dents and scratches.
What is a zero clearance elevator door?
INTRODUCTION. The RMEP Zero Clearance door frame allows installation of a hoistway door with minimal intrusion into the hoistway for maximum clearance from car sill to hoistway sill. This will allow the hoistway door and the cab gate to comply with the new 0.75” rule under section 5.3. 1.7.
Are water curtains effective?
First, though, an update on the myth example used in the introductory column, water curtain nozzles. In an appropriate turnabout, this same firefighter from Down Under requested that I cite the research that showed that water is not effective in blocking radiant heat.
What is a glass baffle?
Glass Smoke Baffles are noncombustible curtains that hang from the ceiling and work as smoke barriers between slab openings, level changes, or divisions. Smoke baffles are there to limit the spread of smoke and provide means of egress during evacuation situations.
What are fire curtains made of?
A safety curtain (or fire curtain in America) is a fire safety precaution used in large proscenium theatres. It is usually a heavy fibreglass or iron curtain located immediately behind the proscenium arch.
Is Fireblocking required?
Fireblocks are required between floors, between a top story and a roof or attic space, in furred spaces or the cavities between studs in wall assemblies, at connections between horizontal and vertical spaces created in floor joists or trusses, soffits, drop or cove ceilings, combustible exterior wall finishes and.
Can you escape through a fire curtain?
A fire curtain with a vision panel is perfect for lift openings and lobbies, as well as escape routes incorporating doorways and corridors.
What is a smoke shutter?
SmokeStop is an automatically deploying smoke curtain designed to control the spread of smoke in a building. The SmokeStop Active Smoke Barrier is an automatic smoke curtain which comprises of technologically advanced fire-resistant fabric roller barriers encased in a compact steel housing.
What are fire shutters?
Fire shutters are metal, roll-up shutters that are fastened on exterior windows and doors. They’re designed to cover single windows and doors in the event of a fire, to help prevent the flames from spreading to the exterior of the building and to other buildings nearby.
