What are HVAC products?

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. This is a system that provides heating and cooling to residential and commercial buildings. HVAC systems are becoming more popular in newer constructions, as they use air from outside to provide high-quality indoor air.

But these systems are constantly at risk of causing a fire if not properly maintained. It’s therefore important to understand why an HVAC system carries such risks as well as knowing how to prevent a fire and how to protect yourself in the event of one.

At FPC, we work tirelessly in the HVAC industry to create fire protection solutions for our customers. In this helpful blog, we’ve outlined useful HVAC fire prevention products that can help limit the spread of a fire and possibly save your life.

What is an HVAC system?

An HVAC system is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The heart of an HVAC system is the furnace or heat pump. The furnace creates heat by burning fuel, and the heat pumps move heat from one place to another. Both types of equipment come in various sizes to meet the needs of different homes.

HVAC systems work by circulating cooled or heated air through ducts that run throughout a home. Ducts are connected to vents in each room, which allow homeowners to control the temperature of each room independently.

A blower sits inside the furnace or a heat pump and blows air through the ducts and into the rooms. HVAC systems can also include air purification and humidity control features.

However, the heat pumps as well as the furnace itself pose a serious fire risk when overused. It’s therefore important to have preventative measures in place to minimise fire damage and to reduce the spread of a fire.

Flame bar

A flame bar is a fire-retardant solution that can be useful in the event of a fire. When used on fabrics, the retardant solution helps to prevent the spread of flames.

The solution of a flame bar consists of a highly effective economical water-based flame retardant solution and is designed to minimise damage and protect property in the event of a fire.

Flame bar solutions work by creating a barrier between the heat of the fire and the combustible material, such as clothing and other fabrics, allowing for more time to escape or extinguish the flames.

Flame bars are an essential tool for any home or business that has an HVAC system as a precautionary measure to help protect you. At FPC, we offer a bespoke flame bar solution that is easy to use and ideal for use in emergency situations.

Fire extinguisher

A fire extinguisher is a crucial apparatus that is designed to put out fires. There are many different types of fire extinguishers available, but they all work in more or less the same way.

The types of fire extinguishers available are:

• Foam
• Water
• Carbon dioxide
• Dry powder

Fire extinguishers are an important part of any home or workplace safety plan. They can help you put out small fires before they become uncontrollable.

It’s also important to note which fire extinguisher works best for what type of fire:

• A water extinguisher is good for putting out fires caused by combustible materials such as wood, paper, and cloth (Class A fire).
• A foam extinguisher is good for putting out fires caused by flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, or kerosene (Class B fire).
• A carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguisher is good for putting out electrical fires (Class C fire).
• A dry powder extinguisher is good for putting out fires caused by metals such as magnesium, aluminium, or titanium (Class A, B and C fire).

In the event of a fire, be certain to look for a fire extinguisher with the correct class label to match the type of fire it is.

Fire blankets

A fire blanket is a small, portable fire-safety device that can be used to smother a small fire or restrict its oxygen supply, helping to extinguish the flames.

They are often made from materials like asbestos, Kevlar, or fibreglass, and can be stored in an easy-to-access location in your home or office in case of an emergency. A fire blanket is ideal for use in kitchens to help smother flames from cooking, such as those caused by grease or oil.

When using a fire blanket, it is important to first identify the size and scope of the fire as well as the source of the fire, before deciding whether or not to attempt to extinguish it yourself.

Intumescent mastic

An intumescent mastic is a sealant that can help prevent the spread of a fire. When applied to a surface, it forms a barrier that seals off any openings or cracks. This can help slow down the spread of fire and protect you from smoke and heat damage.

Our unique intumescent mastic sealant is composed of a unique blend to help reduce the spread of a fire. As the sealant expands, it creates a foam-like barrier that inhibits the flow of oxygen and smoke.

Intumescent mastics are used in a variety of applications, including commercial and industrial buildings, vehicles, and electrical equipment and are ideal for HVAC systems.

Fire protection expanding foam

Our exclusive fire protection expanding foam created by FPC consists of a one-component polyurethane foam which cures by reacting with the moisture in the atmosphere. Once a reaction occurs, the foam will stick solidly to almost any surface that either contains water or has been sprayed/painted with water.

The foam comes in a handy 750mm aerosol can and is dispensed through a nozzle. Fire protection expanding foam is designed as a sealing foam that’s suitable for filling gaps around door frames, pipes and cables that penetrate a fire-rated structure, also suitable for filling any gaps up to a 60mm width.

Contact FPC

At CSS, we have a range of products that are made to suit all our customers’ needs, designed specifically to help prevent the spread of a fire in HVAC systems.

If you’re looking for more guidance and advice on what we can offer to help increase the fire safety of your HVAC system, please do not hesitate to contact us.