When considering ceiling cover options for manufacturing, distribution, or cultivation facilities, fire-retardant poly sheeting or fire-retardant radiant barrier insulation films are excellent choices. Fire-retardant polys and reflective insulation films are self-extinguishing barriers perfect for large facility structures. These economical choices lower square footage costs on warehouses, airplane hangars, pole barns, growing rooms, museums, and even smaller garages. In some cases the use of fire retardant materials can reduce your insurance premiums. Fire-retardant insulating ceiling covers like Dura Skrim 6WW, Dura Skrim 2 & 10FR, Super R Plus® Radiant Barriers and TempShield® Double Bubble Reflective Insulation save you money on energy while potentially reducing property loss in the event of a fire.
Importance of Fire-retardant Sheeting and Insulating Ceiling Covers
Manufacturers treat fire-retardant materials with special additives so the materials self-extinguish. That slows the spread of fire. When added to polyethylene sheeting or poly insulating materials, these additives interrupt the natural combustion process. Fire-retardant additives in poly sheeting and radiant barrier insulation films create materials that are poor fuel sources for fires. Even under controlled test conditions when fire-retardant films ignite, combustion rates take longer and heat ranges are significantly lower than similar poly products without fire-retardant additives.
Fire-retardant additives don’t mean fire proof. The best fire-retardant poly film products and poly insulating materials have additives engineered into the poly film products rather than sprayed on after production. This method adds to the longevity of the fire retardancy. Any product used for this purpose should be National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 701 tested in certified laboratories. For a more comprehensive explanation of NFPA codes and test methods, we urge you to refer to All About Fire Tests, Certifications, and More.
Drop Ceilings and Suspended Ceilings
Americover’s Dura-Skrim® Fire Retardant Reinforced Plastic Sheeting is suitable for drop ceilings and suspended ceiling covers. Consisting of two sheets of high-strength fire-retardant virgin film laminated together with a third layer of molten poly, this heavy-duty sheeting resists tears for an increased service life. Dura-Skrim® Fire Retardant Reinforced Plastic Sheeting meets or exceeds NFPA’s 701 test, method 2 for large scale requirements as well as ASTM E-84. This poly sheeting is ideal for debris protection during roof or ceiling repairs. It can also serve as a heavy-duty ceiling liner for longer durations.
Tuff Scrim™ Antistatic Fire-Retardant Reinforced Poly Sheeting
Another fire-retardant (and antistatic) option for suspended ceiling covers is Tuff Scrim™ Antistatic Fire-Retardant Reinforced Poly Sheeting. This option is especially suitable for ceilings in data centers, telecom facilities, and critical environments. Tuff Scrim™ Antistatic Fire-Retardant Reinforced Poly Sheeting is a top choice of contractors where dust control is a paramount concern.
Tuff Scrim™ Antistatic Fire-Retardant Reinforced Poly Sheeting is lightweight yet highly puncture and tear resistant. It passes NFPA 701 Large Scale and has a Class A/Class 1 flame spread rating per UBC-42 and ASTM E-84.
Ceilings in Pole and Metal Buildings
The fire-retardant barrier insulation, Super R Plus® Radiant Barrier Insulation, is ideal for ceilings in pole and metal buildings. The insulation’s reinforced scrim reflects radiant heat for roofing systems, and its double-sided reflective metalized film with polyester scrim reinforcement has a Class A/Class 1 fire rating. Super R Plus® Radiant Barriers are lightweight, easy to handle, and require no maintenance. Plus, this insulating film passes ASTM Method E84-10 and ASTM C1313 standard specifications for sheet radiant barriers in building construction applications.
Tempshield® Double Bubble Reflective Insulation
The ceilings of large industrial and agricultural metal buildings can be difficult to insulate. Metal buildings radiate a lot of heat through roofing in summer months and lose heat in the winter. Other types of insulation can become problematic due to condensation and costs. Tempshield® Double Bubble Foil Reflective Insulation is a cost-effective solution that acts as an insulator, reflector, and vapor barrier. It reflects 95% of radiant heat out in the summer and retains 95% of a building’s radiant heat in the winter. Moreover, this insulation film is fire retardant with a Class A/Class 1 fire rating.
TempShield® Double Bubble Reflective Insulation is available in double foil and duel sided foil/white. The double foil insulation film is two layers of 1/8″ barrier bubble film laminated between two layers of metalized film. TempShield® Double Bubble Reflective Insulation increases energy savings when installed in attics, crawl spaces, and basements. The product also comes in a Single Bubble version with both Reflective and White/Foil options.
We Can Help with Custom Ceiling Solutions
Americover’s fire-retardant poly sheeting and radiant insulation barrier films can provide excellent ceiling cover options for many facilities. If you need a custom ceiling solution or have some questions on our fire-retardant products, call us at 760-388-6294.
