Prevention Is Better Than Cure: Fireproofing Backdrop!

Fireproofing is the act of protection done to prevent a substance, or a building from catching fire in case of any natural calamity or any disaster that may strike. This renders combustible material temporary properties to make then non-combustible.  Fireproofing is of a preventive nature to avoid damage to either men or materials.

Fire retardant materials are used in the process of fireproofing any material or buildings. Fire retardant materials burn slowly, and hence, prevents damages. Some of the fire retardant materials are Rock wool, Gypsum boards, Modacrylic, Asbestos cement, Perlite boards, Proplex Sheets, Calcium silicate boards, Kevlar, Treated lumber plywood, Carbon Foam,  Twaron, Treated vegetable fiber ( for e.g. Jute, Cotton,  Kenaf, Flax, Hemp, etc..), Arselon (Khimvolokno trademark), M5 fiber, Brick, Fire-retardant-treated wood, Technora, Cement render, Concrete, glass, Intumescent paint, PBI, Buren stop, Nomex (DuPont trademark), Pyrovatexfr Cotton, Wool, coated nylon, etc.

Fire proofing is done basically in buildings and for textiles on a large scale since these things are very combustible and can add to a great loss.

Making the buildings fireproof

The wood which is used in the building to give the infrastructure a framework and support is not much affected in fire since it comes in the inner part. Thus, to retail this framework, the wood used in construction is treated with special materials so as to prevent or slow down its combustion in case of fire break out. They are treated with special mastics, stucco, ammonium phosphate solution or other incombustible facing before or during the construction itself. Though in modern constructions we find the use of concrete and steel, they also tend to burn and cause damage. Therefore, stringent rules have been put in place to fireproof them. The concrete construction should be reinforced and protected steel is advised to be used to classify the buildings as fire resistive. To protect steel, it advised to cover it with bricks, tile or concrete, but they add to the existing weight of the building and make the foundation bear a lot of weights. To avoid this mineral fiber gypsum, vermiculite, and Perlite are used. They are light weight as well as give adequate fire proofing properties. Water circulation is also one way to stop the meltdown. Fire proofing is to be done equally on the outside of the building as in the inside, to protect the surrounding buildings.

Textile fireproofing

Many types of fabrics are used in the building and they tend to catch fire more easily. It is the second most reason for fire catching after electrical short circuits. To prevent this from happening, fabrics are soaked in different materials to make them fire resistant. But this is a very small measure since the chemicals can be washed off or evaporates, and again make the fabrics combustible. Some of the chemicals used to make textile fire proof are boric acid, borax, chlorinated paraffin, chlorinated synthetic resins and chlorinated rubber. To make them more permanent in mature, latex is added which gives them a high fireproofing ability. Textiles may also be sprayed and brushed with fireproofing chemicals at regular intervals to maintain already existing fireproofing for a longer duration.