FAQ
DOUBTS? PERPLESSITY? ASK FIAMMETTA, OUR EXPERT AT YOUR SERVICE.


It is common to believe that reactive products (intumescent paints) used to protect structures for fire resistance purposes, have a time limit beyond which the cycle must be redone. This erroneous conception often leads to discard this technical solution, preferring others, such as plasters or fireproof plates. Incidentally, today the only regulatory reference that indicates a maximum time duration of 5 years from the time of application of the cycle is the Ministerial Decree 6/3/92 "Technical and procedural standards for the classification of reaction to fire and approval of fire retardant paints applied on wood materials". ATTENTION, this specification concerns only fire REACTION class 1 paint products (according to Italian classification), not envisaged in the European classification. (n.d.a.) So it has nothing to do with the paint products used in the FIRE RESISTANCE field. It is therefore useful to clarify some aspects: 1. An intumescent cycle does not lose its effectiveness and efficiency over time, the performance remains such unless there are problems related to third party agents, such as water infiltration, shocks or anything else that could cause damage. In these cases it will be necessary to intervene with localized restorations. 2. It is advisable to provide for periodic checks and adequate maintenance plans, similarly to what is foreseen in other areas. In this regard, the supplier of the product makes available to the professional a series of "technical tools" or rather "guidelines" useful for fulfilling this, also providing indications and support during the certification phase. 3. Duration or durability? It is not possible to define a "duration" value in absolute terms, instead a "durability" is indicated, understood as the time between application and the first major maintenance intervention. For intumescent paints, an assumed minimum useful life of 10 years is indicated, provided that the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance are respected. The useful life indications should not be interpreted as a "guarantee", the durability should therefore be understood as a useful indication in drawing up a maintenance program. In conclusion, based on our many years of experience, if the structures treated are placed indoors and have not been subjected to particular mechanical or chemical aggressions and have been subject to the scheduled maintenance, the durability will go well beyond the minimum, coming to equal that of life. usefulness of the structure on which the paint was applied.