The building sector is becoming increasingly safety-conscious, and more people have started to take notice.
This has been shown once again by transformative legislative action made by the government in the United Kingdom, which is to impose a mandatory height threshold of 18 metres for second staircases in all new residential structures.
However, fire safety encompasses more than just construction itself. Investing in materials that are flame-resistant is particularly vital because of the long-lasting consequences of smoke inhalation as well as the devastation that may be caused by fires, which can result in great financial loss and damage to structures.
BlazeMaster® CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride,) is one such material that has achieved extensive usage as a fire safety solution due to its long-lasting strengths and cost-effective installation. Even the most labour-intensive projects benefit greatly from the exemplary flame retardant capabilities that BlazeMaster CPVC delivers.
The European Fire Classification of Bs1d0, which is the maximum rating that can be achieved by a plastic material, has been awarded to BlazeMaster CPVC pipes and fittings.
Fire behaviour 'B' - Very low flammability, and no contribution to flashover.
Smoke development 's1' - Low smoke development
Flaming droplets 'd0' - No burning droplets
Because it is made of plastic, there is a common misconception that CPVC will melt and become ineffective in the event of a severe fire threat.
CPVC is engineered by subjecting polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to a chlorination reaction. While PVC has an approximate total chlorine content of 57%, CPVC has an approximate total chlorine content of 67%. This extra chlorine is what gives CPVC its one-of-a-kind ability to withstand direct flame for extended periods of time.
CPVC has a Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) of 60, which means that in order for a flame to be maintained, an atmosphere that contains at least 60% oxygen is required. As a result of the fact that the oxygen content of the earth's atmosphere is just 21%, the substance exhibits characteristics of being self-extinguishing and will cease burning the instant the flame is extinguished.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an essential authority within the industry that tests and certifies fire prevention goods, carried out an investigation to list BlazeMaster CPVC pipe and fittings to UL1821 which requires large scale fire tests for approval in exposed applications.