BLOG: Will your fire safety glass stand up to the weather?
As well as safety classifications, test evidence and multi-functional capabilities, weathering is another factor for consideration when specifying fire safety glass systems. But how can you tell if the glass is up to the task?
Here, Dr Vince Crook, our Technical Development Director, explains…
What is weathering?
Weathering of fire rated glazing, caused by the continued exposure to wind, rain, UV light or heat, is a common problem across the globe and can result in the glass’s striking visual appearance being compromised in as little as a few years. While this is a particular challenge for external applications, including façades and curtain walling systems, internal atriums can also be affected.
The visual effects can vary, from a discolouration (such as yellowing) of the fire safety glass or the presence of a milky-blue hue to delamination of the panels. Rather than the glass itself, it is the fire-resistant interlayers between the individual panes that can (depending on its chemical composition) react to UV light and heat.
While weathering has no impact on the system’s overall fire safety performance, considering that glass is usually favoured for the contemporary architectural designs it can create it’s important that this visual quality is protected.
What do the regulations say?
Fire glass products should be tested to the relevant International Standards for durability: ISO 12543-4:2011. This standard sets out a series of accelerated aging tests that should be undertaken within a controlled laboratory environment, with glass samples placed into chambers and subjected to varying conditions for a set period of time.
This includes a short high-temperature oven exposure at 100˚C, a climate chamber at 100% relative humidity for two weeks and a radiation test, formed of a UV light wall, for 2000 hours.
However, in many respects, these tests don’t always tell the full story of a product’s performance in real-world environmental conditions, with a laboratory never able to truly simulate reactions to real, outdoor settings and its inherent climatic changes.
How can real-world weathering tests offer a truer insight?
Real-world weathering tests are perhaps more commonly associated with coating or painting manufacturers, where there is the need to assess the durability and longevity of a colour or gloss. That said, it can be just as readily applied to the glazing industry.
As its name suggests, real-world weathering involves samples being installed on test sites around the world, exposing them to the radiant energy present in sunlight and other varying conditions, including humidity, dew and rain. There are global benchmark locations for outdoor weathering, with Florida and Arizona particularly renowned due to their extreme conditions of high-intensity sunlight and reliable year-round temperatures.
How should this support or influence specification decisions?
While discussions around product testing within the fire safety industry will (rightfully so) focus on its fire performance, it’s also important to investigate the weathering tests that a product or system has undergone.
The results of this testing will naturally translate into the expected long-term performance, influencing the warranty or guarantee a manufacturer is willing to offer on its portfolio of products. For example, it has been known for some manufacturers to specifically exclude deterioration due to weathering from their warranties.
With this in mind, by first studying the guarantee and having an understanding of what is covered or excluded, as well as asking questions of the types of weathering tests carried out, you can ensure that the glass you are specifying will stand the test of time.
What testing does Pyroguard’s range of solutions undergo?
As a global manufacturer, we need to ensure that our fire safety glass can stand up to all weathers and climates. With the ongoing climate change crisis and increased likelihood of extreme weather events, this is more of a concern than ever before, with heatwaves and severe temperature changes no longer limited to specific regions and continents.
Our comprehensive range of glazing solutions have undergone weathering studies in the Arizonian desert, where the air temperature can reach as high as 46˚C in the summer months. Despite this extreme environment, no discolouration, haze or bubbles have been detected, a testament to our technical expertise and manufacturing prowess.
For further information please contact us.