Fire Curtains

As they are not as bulky as metal shutters, fire curtains are perfect for installing internally, such as in open-plan spaces and corridors.

There are many places where fire curtains can be installed, including:

• Commercial spaces – Shopping centres, retail units, service corridors, escalator and lift voids
• Healthcare and public buildings – Reception and waiting areas, corridors, offices, equipment storage
• Educational facilities – Classrooms, assembly halls, circulation spaces
• Residential buildings – Open-plan living areas, loft conversions, apartments
• Hospitality kitchens – Back-of-house service areas, kitchen openings and hatches
• Industrial facilities – Warehouse and factory floors, storage areas, laboratories

From restaurants, shops, and hotels to schools, hospitals, government buildings, and more, anywhere there is a high volume of people and/or an increased fire risk due to flammable materials or equipment can benefit from fire safety curtains.

In some cases, they can be configured horizontally to prevent the upward spread of fire between levels in buildings with atriums or mezzanine floors.

When you contact us to discuss your needs, we can help you install fire curtains that comply with your building’s fire strategy, architectural layout, and operational requirements, as well as BS EN 1634 and BS 8524 safety standards.

The cost of a fire curtain depends on your safety obligations and design preferences, influenced by factors such as:

• Fire resistance period (e.g., 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes, 180 minutes, 240 minutes)
• Integrity (E) vs insulation (EI) rating (integrity-only blocks flames and smoke but not heat transfer, while insulation also blocks heat)
• Smoke protection (Sa classification for cold or ambient smoke, or S200 for smoke at an elevated temperature up to 200°C)
• Opening width and height (the larger the dimensions, the more materials used and the higher the cost)
• Structural and access requirements (how much support the system needs and the level of integration)
• Additional specifications (e.g., advanced programmable controls, backup systems, and audio-visual units)

You also need to consider the cost of professional fire curtain installation and maintenance. While installation can be added to the upfront cost, keeping your system legally compliant will require the ongoing cost of regular servicing.

For an accurate cost estimate, get in touch with our team to set out the specifications you are looking for, and we can provide a tailored quote.

When manufactured to the relevant British and European safety standards and installed in compliance with Building Regulations Approved Document B for fire safety, a fire curtain should last around 10 to 20 years, depending on maintenance and environmental conditions.

The fire-resistant curtain fabric will typically last longer, while mechanical components like motors, sensors, and controls may wear out faster.

This is why fire curtain maintenance is essential, ensuring that all parts are fully operational in line with regulatory standards even if the curtain has only been deployed for testing and fire drills. Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is a legal requirement to have fire curtains and shutters professionally serviced every 6 months.

A qualified technician, such as one of our trained engineers, can identify any degraded or faulty parts that need replacing during a fire curtain service and quote the repair and replacement costs to prolong the lifespan of your system.

Of course, if your fire curtain has been exposed to a fire, you must commission a professional assessment as soon as possible. Generally, fire curtains need replacing to restore full compliance after experiencing fire stresses, as compromised materials will no longer meet their certified resistance ratings.

They are both fire safety systems that are often legally required for certain types of buildings, but curtains and shutters are not the same. While specially engineered and tested, fire curtains do not have the higher integrity rating of metal fire shutters, so they cannot be interchanged.

Fire-rated curtains should be capable of enduring a minimum of 600°C–1,000°C heat for around 30 minutes, but if regulations require greater fire protection, you may want to consider our fire shutters instead. These are often better suited to external installation, compared to internal applications for curtains.

The same applies to fire and smoke curtains – while fire curtain systems may include smoke protection, a smoke curtain will only be rated for smoke protection and not fire resistance. This means you need to make sure that you install the right type of shutter or curtain for the specific setting.

To learn more about their differences, read our blogs on how fire curtains work and how smoke curtains work, or contact our team for advice.