Fire Resistance
Fire resistance indicates how well a building component - for a stated period of time - can hold back the fire and prevent it from penetrating from one room to another. Does it work as a fire shield or not? Fire resistance is an extremely important characteristic, for instance for a wall element separating two hotel rooms or a ventilation duct penetrating a firewall.The basic criteria used to characterise the fire resistance of a product are:
| R | load-bearing capacity (to provide strength and stability of the building) |
| E | Entegrity (to keep the element intact ) |
| I | insulation (to keep the temperature low on the unexposed side of the element, expressed in minutes) |
A product fulfilling all these basic criteria for 45 minutes will be classified REI 45.
In addition to these basic criteria a number of other safety properties can be evaluated: radiation (W), mechanical actions (M), self-closing ability (C ), smoke leakage (S), continuity of power and/or signal supply (P or PH), heat resistance (V), soot fire resistance (G), classification for natural smoke and heat ventilators (B), classification for powered smoke and heat ventilators (fans) (F).
Rockwool stone wool withstands more than 1000°C
The major difference between stone wool and other types of insulation materials is that Rockwool stone wool withstands temperatures of more than 1000°C. Glass wool insulation will melt at a lower temperature (600°C). Most foamed plastics will decompose, burn and/or disappear at temperatures below 300°C. Rockwool insulated constructions will thus have a higher fire resistance than constructions insulated with any of the other materials. This can provide vital extra time for people to escape the fire, and for fire fighters to extinguish the fire - before the building becomes completely engulfed in flames and collapses.
