The Best Fire Resistant Curtains

We take a lot of time to secure our homes, to protect our families and to protect ourselves. One way we can improve our home but also protect everyone and thing we love, is to invest in fire resistant curtains. With children in the home, elderly loved ones or smokers, this may be an option to consider. Having a few extra seconds or even minutes, to put out a fire can save lives and property.

The way the fire resistant curtains work is as follows. When a fire starts to burn on the material, the material releases certain chemicals that react to the retardant. The retardant mixes with these chemicals and slows the burning rate drastically down. The same process happens when you use fire retardant sprays as well.

There are two different ways of fireproofing your drapery. You can use a fire retardant spray or you can buy the curtains with the resistant built in. Flame resistant curtains can be substantially more expensive than regular curtains or retardant sprays, but they are more convenient, since you don't have to constantly reapply chemicals.

Fire resistant curtains install like regular ones. They are decorative, durable, fade resistant, and they resist mold and bacteria. As an added bonus fire resistant curtains are also sound absorbing which is great for a home with children. These curtains can usually be found in auditoriums, movies theaters, institutions, conference rooms, and more.

Fire resistant curtains are usually made from a tight weave with a heavy weight, making them take longer to burn. Lighter fabrics with loose airy material, will ignite more readily. These materials aid the fire alarm and smoke detectors by slowing a fire down.

If you decide not to go with fire resistant curtains, you can purchase fire retardant chemical spray, which comes from various companies on the internet. The spray works as a shield against fire and is usually odorless, colorless and non-toxic. It can be used on everything from carpeting, to bedding, upholstery and even your existing drapery. Usage on drapery depends on what material they are made from. You need to check the manufactures instructions before using them on your existing curtains. Usually if you can place a drop of water on your fabric and it rolls off or sits on the surface, it's a good candidate for flame retardant spray. Keep in mind that although this is a great option, you will need to reapply the spray every time you wash anything you sprayed it on.

Lastly research shows that "Fire spreads 1100% in the first 4 minutes and heat rises at 90 feet per second or approximately 60 mph". Research also states that "approximately 90% of fire fatalities are in the home and 90% of the fatalities occur during the sleeping hours 10pm to 6am". Fire resistant curtains may cost more, but they bring additional protection and peace of mind to your home.