Draft curtains are commonly used in warehouses, aircraft hangars, and large industrial plants to control and slow down the spread of smoke that rises to the ceiling during a fire. Draft curtains can be manufactured of several materials, including flame-retardant fiberglass, glass smoke baffles, or sheet metal panels.

UL 10D evaluates Fire Protective Curtain Assemblies that provide supplemental, passive fire protection as part of an engineered fire protection system. These methods are intended to assess the ability of fire-protective curtain assemblies to remain in a horizontal or vertical opening during a predetermined test exposure.

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.

How long does a fire curtain last? The life expectancy of a fire curtain is 15-20 years before any significant degradation. It is recommended to test and inspect all fire-protective curtains once a year. Proper testing and maintenance will keep fire curtains operating effectively and avoid motor failures, side rail obstructions, and other problems. Testing […]

Since fire and smoke curtains have small, light headboxes, they can be installed “hidden” above the ceiling and offer more architectural freedom than traditional solutions, like doors or walls. Fire curtains are often used in open-plan situations where the building’s aesthetics matter the most, like atria, stairwells, and lobbies of all types of buildings, from […]

Fire curtains and Fire shutters work to stop the spread of smoke and fire in a fire event. A fire alarm system can automatically trigger both. Both are there to minimize property damage and save lives. Despite their similarities, there are some things to consider before choosing the right option for your project. What is […]

In the event of a fire, an unprotected elevator shaft acts like a chimney, spreading smoke through the subsequent floors. For that reason, per 2018 IBC §3006, elevator hoistways connecting more than three stories must comply with the smoke and draft control door assembly requirements and be tested in accordance with UL 1784.

Smoke protective curtain for elevator doors. UL 1784. UL 263 Complies with IBC §3006.2

A Fire Curtain and a Smoke Curtain are similar in appearance and operation, but they have different functions. A smoke curtain is used as part of a smoke control system. It is there to either stop smoke from reaching another zone or channel it through a particular route. Smoke Curtains don’t descend to ground level (ceiling to […]

Louvered ventilators and UL listed fail-safe window operators allow windows and doors to be used as make-up air and exhaust in atrium smoke exhaust systems.  Operable windows and air-intake louvers can supplement make-up air volume. Fail-safe motorized windows connect to the fire alarm control panel with position monitoring and endpoint feedback.  Please contact Fire Curtain Technologies for more […]