Maintenance and inspection of fire and smoke curtains

As a starting point, Protektis advises having fire and smoke curtains checked and maintained by a specialist at least once a year, unless the manufacturer's instructions, product or project documentation, conditions of use or other applicable rules require a different or higher frequency.

A higher checking or maintenance frequency may be necessary or advisable, for example with intensive use, harsh ambient conditions, contamination, moisture, mechanical loading, or where the curtain performs a critical function within the fire safety concept.

We also advise having the installation checked by a specialist after a fault, an unintended activation, an impact, visible damage, or a structural or building-services alteration that may affect the curtain.

The work is tailored to the type of curtain, its design, the control system, the application and the manufacturer's instructions. Depending on the installation, the following points are checked, among others:

• the general condition of the fire or smoke fabric, including visible damage, wear, deformation and fixings;
• side guides, bottom bar, roller tube and other mechanical components;
• the unobstructed closing path and any obstacles in the closing area;
• drive, control system, wiring and relevant electrical components;
• emergency or back-up power supply, where present;
• fail-safe or controlled closing functions, in so far as applicable;
• end positions and the complete opening and closing sequence;
• local operating, reset and signalling functions;
• the curtain's response to the external activation signal intended for it, in so far as this can be tested safely and responsibly;
• visible structural connections and changes around the curtain that may affect correct operation.

The assessment takes account of the original configuration and the available manufacturer, product and project documentation.

One important point of attention is the link between an automatic fire or smoke curtain and the fire alarm system or another activation system.

A fire alarm system may deliver the required control signal correctly, but that does not yet demonstrate that the curtain it drives functions fully and correctly itself.

Checking and maintaining the fire alarm system therefore does not replace the necessary management, functional checking and maintenance of the fire or smoke curtain itself.

For a reliable safety chain, both the activation signal and the curtain's subsequent response and closing function have to work correctly.

Good documentation is an important part of professional maintenance. Findings, work carried out, defects identified, parts replaced and any recommendations are recorded, so that the installation's maintenance history remains traceable.

Extra care is needed when parts are replaced or modifications are made to a fire or smoke curtain. The demonstrated fire or smoke performance relates to a particular construction, configuration and the corresponding field of application.

Not every replacement part and not every technical modification can therefore simply be applied. With any modification it must be assessed whether it falls within the manufacturer, product, classification and other relevant documentation applicable to the curtain concerned.

Do you already have fire or smoke curtains from another manufacturer in your building? In that case too you can approach Protektis for an assessment of the options for inspection and maintenance.

On the basis of the manufacturer, type, age, available documentation, control system, technical design and condition of the installation, among other things, it can be assessed which work can be carried out in a technically sound way.

With older installations, or curtains for which essential product or manufacturer documentation is missing, a technical survey may be needed first. That prevents modifications or replacements being carried out without sufficient technical basis, which could affect the original fire or smoke performance.

Protektis works with a network of specialised partners. Through this Protektis dealer network, fire and smoke curtains can be inspected, functionally checked and preventively maintained locally.

Where technically sound and consistent with the available product and manufacturer documentation, our partners can also carry out repair work.

This gives building owners, users and managers a local point of contact for the periodic maintenance of their installations, backed by the product knowledge and technical expertise within the Protektis network.

Depending on the installation, periodic maintenance arrangements can be made, including reporting on the work carried out, defects identified and points requiring attention.

A fire or smoke curtain must not only be present. It has to work correctly at the decisive moment.

Do you have one or more fire or smoke curtains in your building and would you like to know which inspection and maintenance suit them? Get in touch with Protektis. We will assess the situation and can put you in contact with a specialised partner from our dealer network.