| Fire protection is one of the most important | | | | combat fire. Intumescents increase in volume and |
| issues ever to be addressed by building owners | | | | decrease in density when exposed to heat, |
| and facility managers. Many facility features can | | | | charring as a result. The char becomes a poor |
| be optional or arbitrarily implemented by facility | | | | heat conductor, denying fire from spreading |
| managers, but a fire protection program is not. It | | | | further. Many fire protective coatings with |
| is so important that no facility can ever be | | | | intumescent properties contain hydrates, sodium |
| operational without it, because it is a part of the | | | | silicates and graphite elements. The hydrates |
| requirements for Building Regulations compliance. | | | | release water vapor when exposed to heat, |
| Fire protection systems are critical to the | | | | inducing a cooling effect and producing the |
| operations of the facility for several reasons. The | | | | fire-retarding char that insulates against fire |
| first and most important is to save lives. Fire | | | | growth. Many hydrates-based low-pressure |
| protective coatings systems should allow for the | | | | intumescents are used in fire protective coatings |
| safe escape of people when fire breaks out. A | | | | that act as fire-proofing, because of this |
| slow spread of fire and its rapid extinguishing also | | | | endothermic property. |
| preserves the structural soundness of the building | | | | At ambient temperatures, intumescent fire |
| and saves assets and the overall infrastructure | | | | protective coatings visibly look similar to ordinary |
| from costly damage. And in the event of | | | | paint finish. It is only during soaring temperatures |
| emergency fire-fighting operations, fire protective | | | | that their real abilities come out. One important |
| systems can also prevent any harm to rescuers | | | | role of intumescent coatings is for protecting steel |
| and firefighters on the job. | | | | structures. When steel's critical point temperature |
| Protecting Facilities from Fire | | | | is reached it causes irrevocable structural failure. |
| A comprehensive fire protection program for the | | | | Fire Protection Coatings Contractors |
| facility involves the installation of active and | | | | Saving lives and assets need the expertise of |
| passive fire protection systems. Active systems | | | | skilled fire protection coatings contractors to |
| are aimed to actively combat fire at its onset, | | | | make the fire protection coatings system work. |
| consisting mainly of extinguishers, water sprinklers, | | | | The right contractors are an essential part of the |
| and fire detectors, among others. | | | | facility's safety planning team, because they bring |
| Active systems detect the presence of fire early | | | | in the experience and knowledge for better fire |
| on, trigger the evacuation of building occupants, | | | | protection. |
| and alert emergency teams immediately. Fire | | | | Their ability to setup the most superior coatings |
| suppressors and ventilators can even manage the | | | | systems that can reduce the rate of spread of |
| spread of fire and starve it out of oxygen. | | | | fire is very critical when the dreaded event |
| Passive systems, on the other hand, act as a | | | | eventually arrives. The right coatings can give |
| form of second-line defense to contain the rapid | | | | occupants time to flee to safety, and lessen |
| spread of fire. Passive fire protective coatings | | | | damage to building structures. Contractors must |
| systems attempt to diffuse the fire and protect | | | | be able to customize coatings systems suitable |
| the building structure from collapse. | | | | for the specific building materials and structures, |
| Intumescent Coatings | | | | as well as meet the requirements of industry |
| Passive fire protection relies for the most part on | | | | standards for fire protection. |
| the unique ability of intumescent substances to | | | | |