DuPont A2 Fire Rated Non-Combustible System For Weatherproofing and Condensation Risk
Europe has standardised testing and classification criteria for construction products through the European Standard EN 13501-1. Classes are described by letters. The first letter gives a classification based on the combustibility and contribution to fire: A1 and A2 is non-combustible, B till E go from very limited to medium contribution to fire, and F means high contribution and easily flammable. In addition, smoke development and severity of burning droplets falling off the material are determined. The best possible class being s1 for smoke and d0 for no droplets. Hence, a product can be said to perform to for e.g. class B-s1,d0 or class A2-s1,d0 and so forth and so on. Different test regimes of EN 13501-1 standard are described below.
Test regime for reaction to fire classes according to EN 13501-1
Class EN-ISO 1182
Non-combustibility test
EN-ISO 1716
Gross calorific potential test
EN 13823
Single Burning Item test
EN 119225-2
Ignitability test
Main fire properties measured and used for the classification Ability to withstand 750º C in a small furnace Calorific content FIGRA – Fire Growth Rate; SMOGRA – Smoke Growth Rate; Flaming droplets or particles Flame spread within 60 or 20 s.
A1 √ √ – –
A2 – √ √ –
B – – √ √
C – – √ √
D – – √ √
E – – – √
F – – – –
DuPont™ A2-s1,d0 fire rated non-combustible system for weatherproofing and condensation risk is designed to provide maximum fire safety and protection in the construction industry. It’s ideal for use in high-rise and higher-risk building applications.
DuPont™ Tyvek® Trifecta™ is an airtight, vapour permeable membrane that prevents water from penetrating the walls. It is a popular choice for weatherproofing and condensation risk mitigation in many risk-averse construction projects. DuPont™ Tyvek® Trifecta™ is installed on the cold side (outside) of the wall assembly, typically, between the external sheathing and mineral wool insulation.
The DuPont™ AirGuard® A2 FR AVCL provides resistance against water vapour, ensuring that trapping & accumulation of the moisture within walls and thermal insulation is prevented, which otherwise can result in structural damage and ineffective energy use. In addition, coupled with a cavity, it will provide thermal resistance. AirGuard® A2 FR AVCL is installed on the warm side (inside) of the wall assembly, typically, between the internal lining and structure.
Additionally, DuPont™ AirGuard® FR System Tape is used to seal horizontal and vertical laps, joints, junctions, around windows and doors, as well as sealing around penetrations such as pipework, wiring and structural elements.
AirGuard® FR System Tape is A2 fire rated product fully coherent with Tyvek® Trifecta and/or AirGuard® A2 FR AVCL, providing continuous and complete fire-rated system. It is an essential component in achieving the highest level of fire safety and contributes to bettering numerous other building performance aspects, such as airtightness, watertightness and smoke control.
Overall, the use of the DuPont™ A2 fire rated system gathered of Tyvek® Trifecta™, AirGuard® A2 FR AVCL, and AirGuard® FR System Tape is a highly effective, tested & proven, extremely reliable solution for improved fire safety in a wide variety of high-rise and higher-risk construction applications.
Discover more by visiting our website and take advantage of A2 fire rated system for weatherproofing and condensation risk management by using Tyvek® Trifecta™, AirGuard® A2 FR AVCL and AirGuard® FR System Tape for your next project:
Tyvek® Trifecta™ A2 Fire-Rated Breather Membrane (dupont.co.uk);
AirGuard® A2 FR Fire-Rated AVCL (dupont.co.uk);
DuPont™ AirGuard® FR System Tape