A significant factor that is often considered when debating fire safety in buildings is the question of if fire doors or fire curtains would be a better choice. In fact, each of these available alternatives safeguards both people and materials, albeit for different purposes. Knowing their differences is the key to making the right choice for your project.
Fire Doors: Reliable but Restrictive
Fire doors have always been among the most traditional ways to fight fires. They do little to hinder the spread of the fire, but they provide a fixed barrier that helps in the containment of both flames and smoke.
Nevertheless, fire doors are constantly visible, they also require a constant clearance, and they often break the architectural flow of a building. Moreover, they have to be kept closed or have automatic closers, which in turn makes accessibility in areas with a high rate of traffic more difficult.
Fire Curtains: Flexible and Unobtrusive
Fire curtains operate on a different principle. They are hidden in the ceiling or wall until alarms or detectors are triggered. In a similar way to a fire door, they hinder the passage of both flames and smoke; however, the difference lies in their function of being a fire-resistant barrier that is easy to deploy.
The main feature of fire curtains is their invisibility until the moment of use, thus not interfering with the openness of the space and the original design. They are more convenient in terms of weight, and less construction material is needed.
Furthermore, compared to doors, which some argue are impractical, they are better suited for integration into complex architectural designs.
Comparing the Benefits
- Design Integration—The introduction of fire curtains has no significant impact on regular floor plans, unlike fire doors, which are always visually accessible.
- Space Saving—Fire curtains in general require less floor area as compared to these fire doors that require certain clearance in front of swinging sides.
- Safety Performance—Both options undergo stringent safety tests before being certified as fire-resistant installations, but with bigger spaces, open areas offer additional freedom to deploy curtain barriers in different locations, thus increasing total configuration flexibility without compromising safety levels.
- Accessibility—Fire curtains enhance comfort during normal arena use because they do not impede traffic, unlike fire doors, which remain barriers even when open and obstruct the free flow of users, negatively impacting accessibility.
Conclusion
The location and purpose of the building are decisive factors for choosing fire curtains over fire doors or vice versa. The rooms where doors are still indispensable, notwithstanding, have modern designs that aspire to be more and more flexible without losing their charm, calling for fire curtains. Thanks to experience accumulated over the years, A1S Group is able to offer you the best solutions by designing fascinating systems according to your needs and then helping you in certifying your installation.
To learn more, visit a1sgroup.com.
