If you’ve ever experienced a fire, you know first-hand what a terrifying experience that is. But how did that fire event start? While the catalysts for fires can be many different things, a few elements need to be in place for that fire to turn into a blaze. It may seem like extra information you may or may not be interested in knowing, but understanding how a fire works and grows can add an extra bit of equipment for your fire prevention arsenal.
For a fire to ignite and remain burning, the equation is heat + oxygen + fuel. If any of those elements is missing, the fire will die out. Think of starting a campfire. A match gets the fire started (heat). Then the fire needs to be fed with material to burn (fuel) - like logs, paper, and kindlings. When you’re ready to put the fire out, you remove the oxygen by putting water or sand on it. That’s the simple explanation of a fire.
Given the right situation, a fire can easily burn out of control. After the ignition state of a fire, the next stage is flamespread, when the flames rapidly travel over the nearby surface areas. As the fire gains strength, the burning objects give off more violate gas, which actually provides fuel to the fire.
After the flamespread stage, flashover is what happens next. That’s when gas and air reach their tipping point and the flames explode out in every direction. At this point, the fire isn’t localized to whatever was initially burning.
After this, the fire consumes everything in its path in a steady burn, which is the last stage - total combustion.
Flameproofing does a lot to prevent some of the tragic results of fire. When a person has items treated with fire retardants, 2 of the 3 parts of the fire equation are eliminated (fuel and oxygen). When the fire (heat) comes in contact with the flameproofing objects, nitrogen and carbon dioxide are emitted. As this happens, carbon dioxide makes a carbon char, which makes a non-combustible barrier. This serves to keep the oxygen separated from the objects (fuel). The nitrogen also plays a role by displacing the oxygen, which smothers the fire.
When this insulated space is made between the carbon char and the object, the object is protected and cuts off the fuel for the fire. In this safety zone, not only is there space between the objects and the flames, but the toxic gases that contribute to smoke inhalation injuries are trapped in that space as well.
Knowing how a fire starts and is fueled is not a sure guarantee that one won’t ever occur; however, it creates a strong case for the need for flameproofing in fire prevention. When objects and materials are treated with fire retardants, the devastating outcomes from a fire are greatly minimized.
If you would like information about having your business site treated with fire retardants, please call us today. Certified Flameproofing would be happy to offer our services to you. Please give us a call today to discuss your needs and to receive a free, no-obligation estimate: 800-590-5530