Skip to navigation
Skip to footerSkip to content
FAQ – Passive fire protection
There are two types of ventilated cavity barriers: “open state” cavity barriers and “open state fire resistance rated” cavity barriers.
“Open state” cavity barriers provide ventilation of the façade cavity thanks to a gap that allows air flow. They are commonly either plastic-wrapped intumescent strips, or a combination of mineral wool slab and some intumescent. These can take several minutes to fully close the cavity in case of a fire.
“Open state fire resistance rated” cavity barriers do not let flames nor heat pass at any time in case of a fire, while ensuring ventilation in normal time.
Securo provides “Open state fire resistance rated” cavity barriers are made of arresting elements that will keep flames and heat from entering the air gap during the first couple minutes in addition to some intumescent material that will fully close the cavity during that time.
In a video, Securo has undertaken a comparative test showing 2 cavity barriers, with evidence that there is a performance gap between products on the market.
Overview of all the protected areas and gaps of a facade, https://securonorway.com/advantages-of-the-firebreather-cavity-barrier/
Read articles around Firebreather's technology, https://securonorway.com/technology/
A ventilated façade is a light construction fitted on the external wall of a building.
The façade aims at insulating the building from heat, cold, and unwanted weather events. While ventilated façades are perceived economically and aesthetically advantageous to a growing number of architects and builders, they need special attention regarding risk of fire. Therefore, compartmentation of the façade cavity and the use of ventilated cavity barriers are required.
Securo offers “Open state fire resistance rated” cavity barriers do not let flames nor heat pass at any time in case of a fire, while ensuring ventilation in normal time.
For more detailed information about Securo's Firebreather technology, please visit https://securonorway.com/technology/
Cavity Barriers are passive fire-stopping pieces of fire-stopping material used in building cavities. They are used to close concealed spaces and prevent penetration of flames, thus restricting the movement of fire within a building.
Compartmentation of the façade cavity and the use of cavity barriers are essential to stop fire from spreading to other parts of a building.
Installed horizontally at each floor and vertically at wall level, they prevent the spread of fire accentuated by the chimney effect.
Cavity barriers can be solid cavity barriers or ventilating cavity barriers. In the ventilating cavity barriers category, we find “open state”, and “open state resistance rated” cavity barriers. The key difference is that the latter do not let flames or heat pass at any time in case of a fire, while allowing ventilation in normal time.
For more detailed information about Securo's Firebreather technology, please visit https://securonorway.com/technology/
There are several considerations when selecting a cavity barrier. Depending on the requirements, the cavity barrier should:
- Have integrity (E) and insulation (I) ratings.
- Maintain air gap and vertical ventilation as in open state.
- Provide full closure. Note that the test standard does not test for closure of the air gap until 5 minutes into the test, the product should not let flames pass at any time.
- Withstand direct flame impingement.
- Keep embers from entering the air gap.
- Be mechanically fixed so it will not fall out during a fire.
- Have no loss of expanded intumescent.
- Stop burning droplets from spreading fire downwards in the construction.
- Maintain performance for the life span of the building.
- Have an openly available product documentation and be tested according to a relevant test standard.
- Preferably be third-party tested, by means of a full-scale façade test, for example by cladding producers.
For more detailed information about Securo's FB Cavity Barrier, please visit https://securonorway.com/technology/
One of the most important parts of a cavity barrier is the intumescent that will swell and increase in volume when exposed to high heat.
Intumescent materials are most typically utilised within construction products to maintain or reinstate the fire resistance of buildings. For example, within walls, floors, and ceilings.
In a fire, an intumescent product will swell until completely closing-off the gap or cavity and block further spread of fire in the construction.
Cavity barriers should restrict fire in the air gap so that the only fire strain comes from the outside, instead of both sides of the cladding. This will keep the temperature and the fire load on the facade much lower, and greatly reduce the risk of fire spreading to other compartments.
For more detailed information about Securo's Firebreather technology, please visit https://securonorway.com/technology/
Even if materials in the cavity are non-combustible, the extended lengths of flames enabled by the chimney effect can spread to other storeys and re-enter the building’s windows and penetrations.
Therefore, the use of cavity barriers able to withstand direct flame impingement are crucial to stop the fire from spreading, also in façades with only non-combustible materials.
For more detailed information about Securo's Firebreather technology, please visit https://securonorway.com/technology/
A material's reaction to fire is an indication of how it responds to fire – whether it flares or contributes to the spread of fire. By contrast, a material's resistance to fire measures how well it performs in containing the fire, preventing it from spreading elsewhere.
For more detailed information about Securo's Firebreather technology, please visit https://securonorway.com/technology/