Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Fire Retardants
As you’re learning about fire retardants, you probably have a lot of questions. We’re here to answer them! Some of the most commonly asked questions include:
Do flame retardants make something fireproof?
It doesn’t make an item fireproof, but it doesn’t make them fire resistant. To explain that a bit better, we will use flame retardant furniture as an example. The number of upholstered furniture fires in the home environment dropped by 84 percent from 1980 to 2009. This time frame coincides with the use of flame retardants to meet flammability standards imposed in California in 1976. Because no national requirement was put in place, the California standards were broadly followed by the US furniture industry over the following 20 years. Similar findings have been reported in the United Kingdom.
That being said, even the best fire retardant spray for fabric doesn’t make the sofa invencible. Despite this substantial progress, upholstered furniture remains a significant contributor to home fire deaths. From 2005 to 2009, upholstered furniture was the item first ignited in 2 percent of reported home fires. These fires resulted in 19 percent of the home fire deaths, showing we still have some progress to be made.
It sounds like a lot of chemicals. Are flame retardants dangerous to people’s health?
You’d be forgiven for thinking something with a name like Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) sounds a bit scary. That can’t be healthy to be around, right? In fact, flame retardants are a critical element of fire safety. They are subject to review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other governmental agencies for their health and safety. Flame retardant manufacturers are consistently striving to innovate the industry and make better performing and more sustainable flame retardants.
There’s been many people looking into this for you! The EPA, the Canadian government, and the European Union conduct thorough evaluations. Their evaluations have not identified any health effects regarding Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), and consumer exposure was deemed insignificant.
Do these sprays do anything about fires started from candles or other open flames?
Actually, yes. Candles, matches and lighters were involved in 21 percent of the fires and 12 percent of the deaths. By preventing or slowing the spread of these small flames, flame retardants can provide valuable escape time during a home fire. Nitrogen-based flame retardants are used in nylons, polyolefins, polyurethane foams, and fire-resistant paints, textiles, and wallpapers. Fire retardant spray for paper and paint gives people extra critical minutes to escape a home before the walls literally go up in flames.
What is the best fire retardant spray for fabric?
Let’s say you’re reupholstering an old couch and want to ensure it has the fire resistant properties a new sofa would. Good for you to think of this critical feature! You can and should purchase fire retardant sprays over the internet and spray the fabric yourself. What you’re looking for is something like BanFire. It meets the most common requirements looked for by US Fire Marshals, such as NFPA 701 and Life Code 101, as well as California Title 19 Section 1237.1 (CalFire Reg C-26701) for drapes, curtains, and other fabrics.
Hopefully, this answers all of your questions! If not, keep asking. This information is too important to leave unanswered!