The Importance of Fire Rated Glass

Fire rated glass protects a structure by indicating its ability to resist fire. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC sets the standard for fire rated glass in most countries. This is important when purchasing fireproofing for retail stores, because if a window is rated "Flammable" it would be pointless to buy a product that could easily catch fire.

Fire rated glass prevents the escape of smoke and fire from a structure through windows. However it won't prevent radiant heat transfer through a structure from outside. Wired and fire rated glass-ceramic, especially with an aluminum frame, are regarded as fire-rated glass and are usually used in areas where the building code requires an opening for hazardous heat transfer. They can be used in residential and commercial buildings for both cold and hot water plumbing connections.

The glass's thermal resistance is enhanced by using a copper reflector, which has an added tendency to increase conduction of infrared energy. This increases the energy transfer through a structure, but does not eliminate the need for a conventional fire extinguisher or oxygen supply. Some fire rated glass can also be coated with a clear plastic liner to improve penetration into thermal insulation. However clear glass-ceramic and firelight may not penetrate far enough into insulation to be effective.