Fire-resistant window treatments

August 19, 2021

When buying window treatments for your home, you consider a number of factors, such as style, light control, efficiency, remote control, etc. But what about window blinds or shades that kept you safer from fires or from reaching your furniture? Wouldn't you be all the more excited to have them in place?

Why should you prefer fire-resistant window treatments?

According to NFPA  (National Fire Protection Assosiation), more than 27% of reported fires in 2014-2018 occurred in homes, 77% of civilian fire deaths and almost 73% of all reported injuries were caused by home fires. The top three causes of residential fires are:

• cooking (50% of all fires),
• heating equipment (12.5%),
• electrical malfunction (6.3%).

Since window treatments are usually made of flammable textiles and synthetic fibers, they are fire hazards which will spread flames around the shades and cause the window glass to shatter.

But, there are many ways to make your home fireproof including installing wall materials that resist flames, testing for alarm systems or other devices such as smoke detectors. Adding regular (non-fire resistant) window shades would not be safe enough in case of fire.

A fire-retardant fabric for window treatments could help prevent it from catching on fire and give you the time to intervene before flame propagate around. The question now is what are the best fire-retardant window treatments? If you're in search of safe solutions, then at ShadeMonster you can find window treatment made by certified fire retardant material, making your home safer.

Fire-resistant window shades

Many of the ShadeMonster roller blinds and shades are made of certified fire-retardant material. That means that the fabric passed all the tests of flame propagation required by the standard NFPA 701. These window coverings, in addition to being manufactured in flame resistant material, also are antimicrobial, ensuring a healthier and safer home environment. Of course, these custom window blinds can also control the sunlight coming in, glare, and insulate the room as well.

What is a NFPA-701 test?

NFPA 701 is a standard specifically made for testing flame propagation of textiles and fabric, from how they burn to the safe distance it keeps the fire away. The allowance of inflammability in fabrics are tested through NFPA 401 which could include product certification or classification by flame spread rating as well as confirmation of material properties such as mass, thickness, and heat release rates.

Shade fabric is certified to pass the NFPA 701 test when it is exposed to a flame for 12 seconds and it shows the following characteristics:

• Less than 0.2 seconds after flame
• Less than 6.5inch char length
• The fabric isn’t inflamed when it touches the test chamber floor

Fabric certified as flame retardant is certified to have been tested and passed the NFPA 701 test.

 In Conclusion

With fire-related injuries and deaths occurring every day, homeowners will be looking for ways to ensure their families are safe from fire hazards. Rooms in the house that are most at risk of catching on fire, such as the kitchen, bedroom, and living room, should be equipped with more protective lifesaving devices and fire resistant materials. One such way is by installing window treatments with a higher resistance to flames in any room at risk for fires.  A fire-retardant fabric for window treatments could prevent it from catching on fire and protect furniture against further damage.

If you still have questions, contact us and speak with professionals who will point you in the right direction to get a home that's safe and protected.

Why Trust ShadeMonster with your Window Treatment? 

Still need help deciding on a window treatment?

ShadeMonster’s team of experts are happy to assist. Call now for free consultation: 866-206-8056

 References

 NFPA. (2020). Home Structure Fires. https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/Building-and-life-safety/oshomes.pdf

 

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