Mind the Gap

Double safety for your fire-rated installations

Choosing the correct fire-rated downlights from the numerous options available on the market today can be challenging. At best each manufacturer uses the correct combination of materials to ensure that the fitting reacts as it should during a fire; at worst the fitting is claimed to be fire-rated but little or no information is provided to support this claim. It is vital to check that your choice of fire-rated fitting has been fully tested to pass Building Regulations Part B Fire Safety, which states that the ceiling integrity will not be compromised in the event of a fire, regardless of its construction.

Fire-rated ceilings will be compromised as soon as a hole is cut in them, as this creates a weakness that can lead to ceiling collapse in the event of a fire. To prevent this breach of ceiling integrity, most certificated fire-rated fittings use a single piece of intumescent material somewhere within their construction that expands in the event of a fire and creates a seal that stops oxygen and flames from escaping through the hole.

It is also important to ensure that the fitting has been installed correctly to avoid any gaps around the bezel and to create a tight, flush fit to the ceiling. But how can you be sure that the installation remains safe once you have handed over to your client? Gaps can appear over time as a result of various activities; from redecoration of the ceiling or movement from the floor above to simply re-lamping the product. Some manufacturers use a non-intumescent material to provide an additional seal against the ceiling; however this non-intumescent material does not act as a fire barrier in the same way as JCC's intumescent material does.

Fireguard, JCC's range of fire-rated downlights, combines two areas of intumescent material, rather than one, to offer the highest protection and reassurance to the installer and end-user. Fireguard's design includes a piece of intumescent material in the top of the can itself and an additional piece that sits flat inside the bezel. In the event of a fire, Fireguard will not only seal the void created by installing the downlight but will also seal the fitting tightly against the ceiling as the extra band of intumescent material expands against the two surfaces. The intumescent material used in the design of the Fireguard range swells to many times its original size and provides double insurance that air will not be able to pass through to the floor above.

Ensure your installations are safe by always requesting the best. With full certifications available for all three ceiling types and its added features, why install anything but Fireguard?

Further Information

Mind the Gap

Double safety for your fire-rated installations

Further Information

Fire rating

Fire safety in the home

Why you need Fireguard

Testing, testing…

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