Most people know to keep a fire extinguisher on hand for passive fire protection, not to toss water on a grease fire, and to check the smoke alarms installed in their homes regularly to ensure they’re working as part of passive fire protection. These safety measures are part of a system called active fire protection (AFP) in conjunction with passive fire protection.
However, did you know that there are many things you can do to prevent a fire from spreading? Let’s take a look at passive fire protection and how Lloyd Industries can keep your home safe from disaster.
Passive vs. Active Fire Protection
Active fire protection is the system of measures that work to control or stop a fire once it has started. In addition to fire extinguishers and smoke alarms, AFP also includes sprinklers, fire alarms, and firefighters. Active fire protection requires that action be taken to help control the spread of a fire in your home or business.
Passive fire protection works hard behind the scenes to keep you safe. Although many of us think of the danger from the fire itself, the leading cause of death related to fire is the inhalation of smoke and toxic gas. While active fire protection requires action on your part, passive fire protection works immediately without any assistance needed to prevent fire and dangerous gases from spreading. Systems such as firewalls, dampers, and fire doors are all methods of passive fire protection that work with an active fire protection system to protect homes and save lives.
Types of Passive Fire Protection
Understanding the different types of passive fire protection methods will help you determine which ones are best for your home or office. This blog will take a look at a few of the most popular passive fire protection products offered by Lloyd Industries. We’ll also explore how these products work to keep your home and business safe and secure.
- Smoke damper: Like its name, smoke dampers, like these options from Lloyd Industries, work to reduce the amount of air and smoke that spreads during a fire. Their primary function is to prevent the movement of smoke and toxic gases through heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems, as well as across fire-rated separations. Smoke dampers can be triggered when they sense the presence of smoke or in tandem with other smoke and fire suppression systems.
- Fire dampers: Dynamic fire dampers are tested and listed to operate in HVAC systems that continue running in the case of fire detection, static fire dampers are only listed and approved to operate in HVAC systems that shut down airflow in case of fire detection. Because of this difference in application, dynamic fire dampers must have the ability to close against an air stream up to a certain FPM velocity rating which requires a spring assist and in some designs a blade-locking ramp. Static dampers do not need to meet this additional requirement for an operation against an air stream, allowing them to close simply by gravity in most designs.
- Fire doors: The idea of “close before you doze” has long been touted as a way to keep yourself safe should a fire break out while you’re sleeping. Closing your bedroom door at night has been proven to keep dangerous fires from spreading as quickly, but what about the ability of your door to protect you during a significant blaze? Fire doors are constructed from specially made materials and designed to act as fireproof barriers between rooms or structures. When these doors are located at the entrance of your HVAC ductwork, they are more commonly known as access doors. Lloyd Industries manufactures a variety of different styles of access doors to help provide easy access to fire products while also keeping them safe from harm.
Compartmentalization Can Reduce the Spread of Flames
One of the most important things about passive protection is the act of compartmentalization. Passive protection works to slow down or prevent the spread of fire by containing it as best as possible. Slowing down the fire may mean containing it by room, floor, or a combination of both.
Passive protection creates a safer environment by allowing the building’s occupants to either reach a safe area or evacuate the building entirely. Also, passive fire protection can reduce the amount of damage done to the building’s structure and internal components as well. Firefighters depend on the use of both active and passive fire protection systems to make their jobs as safe and effective as possible. It’s much easier to fight a fire when a passive protection system contains it in one location.
Fire Safety First
Neither active nor passive fire protection is enough to keep you safe on its own. Though active fire protection may seem like the best investment, several factors can cause your active fire protection system to fail or not work as planned.
During the winter, people who live in areas that experience temperatures that drop below freezing may struggle to keep their pipes from freezing. Cities can experience similar problems but on a much larger scale. Colder temperatures can cause pipes to freeze, preventing sprinklers and fire hydrants from functioning correctly. Also, icy roads may cause a delay in a firefighter’s response time.
Making the Best Choice
Creating a custom plan for your home or office that involves both active and passive fire protection working together is the best way to stay safe. Whether you’re building from the ground up, renovating an existing property, or making additions to a current structure, Lloyd Industries has a fantastic selection of active and passive fire protection products for you.
From access doors and backdraft dampers to dynamic fire dampers and more, Lloyd Industries has been manufacturing products that keep its customers safe for over 35 years. In addition to a full line of fire protection equipment, Lloyd Industries is also contracted with customer service representatives across the country to answer all of your fire protection questions. For more information or to shop for their products, visit their website, call 215-412-4445, or email them at info@firedamper.com.
