Wood has been used in construction for thousands of years and is still one of the most widely used building materials. The construction industry has exploited the potential of wood to the fullest and it is now used to build a huge variety of structures. One of the most common uses of wood in construction is for timber-framed buildings. Timber framing has evolved over the years and has advanced beyond the traditional buildings we see with exposed wooden beams to fully enclosed timber structures.
Timber-framed construction has become increasingly popular and is now the dominant construction method in North America and Australia due to the economy of the method and the ability to create a variety of architectural styles at a minimal cost.
Fire is a risk with timber-framed buildings, just as it is with any building. However, the risk of fire with timber-framed buildings is highest during the construction process; before fire alarms and sprinkler systems are installed.
Fire Safety
Fire safety has long been an issue for timber-framed construction sites. Engineered wood burns quickly, faster than traditional wood, and once the lightweight supporting materials fail, roofs and floors collapse quickly.
Multiple, large-scale fires, and the deaths of multiple firefighters over the years, have led authorities to take stock and address the challenges with detecting fires during the construction of timber-framed buildings. As a result, fire marshals, insurance companies, building owners and designers in the US are turning their attention to The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes.
The standard for safeguarding construction, alteration and demolition operations is NFPA-241. This code ensures that fire safety standards are adhered to throughout the building process and requires building owners to create a construction fire safety program and appoint a fire prevention manager.
With fire safety now taking a more serious role in this type of project, construction managers, designers and developers are reaching out to find the best fire detection solution for their timber-frame construction sites.
What is the solution?
Fire detection for this sort of construction needs to be able to accommodate constant changes, yet be robust and reliable. Due to the fast burning nature of engineered wood, fires need to be detected and located as quickly as possible so they can be dealt with before they become out of control. This makes linear heat detection the ideal choice for this type of application.
Linear Heat Detection
Linear heat detection uses heat sensing cable to detect excess heat or fire. Heat sensing cable can detect heat at any point along its length and can be installed around the timber frame. As soon as the cable reaches its rated or predefined temperature, the alarm is raised and the location of the fire is accurately reported back to a control panel.
FyreLine Linear Heat Detection
FyreLine Linear Heat Detection provides a cost-effective fire detection solution for construction sites that meets the requirements of NFPA-241. FyreLine heat sensing cable is available with a range of coatings to protect the cable from chemicals, UV or mechanical abrasion making it safe for use on most sites.
FyreLine linear heat detection cables have the highest most comprehensive set of 3rd party approvals compared to other systems on the market. They are fully approved by the American organisation Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and bear the CE mark of approval.
FyreLine is available in two different versions:
FyreLine Digital
FyreLine Digital offers fixed heat protection at rated temperatures of 68°C, 88°C, 105°C or 185°C. Once the cables rated temperature is reached, a signal is sent to the control panel.
FyreLine Analogue
FyreLine Analogue continually monitors for changes in temperature. Once the cables user-defined temperature is reached, a signal of fire is sent to the control panel. With FyreLine Analogue, it is also possible to define a pre-alarm temperature, which means potential fires can be investigated before the alarm is raised.
Wireless Integration
Given the switch-like nature of FyreLine Linear Heat Detection, Wi-Fyre can be used to wirelessly integrate it with a new or existing hardwired fire detection system.
Wi-Fyre Transponders can be installed into a fire alarms wiring via a compatible interface module and can communicate with up to thirty mixed field devices including the Wi-Fyre Wireless I/O Device. The Wi-Fyre I/O Module can then be used to relay the signal wirelessly from the FyreLine controller to the fire alarm control panel. This means that multiple FyreLine systems can be installed into one central control panel installed in a central location such as the site office. This makes FyreLine an even more flexible choice for multi-building construction sites.
For more information about the FyreLine Linear Heat Detection system, or to discuss any of the other products that Eurofyre have to offer, please feel free to get in touch either by phone on +44 (0) 1329 835 024, by email to [email protected] or via the online enquiry form situated on our contact page.
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