UPVC Windows

[Clive]

Can anyone give me any firm documented evidence/guidance or point me in the direction of it, for 'Fire resistance of' in relation to UPVC windows and frames etc. eg. under an external escape.

I have my own views, but I am being given conflicting guidance,  but I would like firm evidence please not opinions or hear-say if possible.

[nearlythere]

The onus is not on you to show that they are not FR. If they can provide sufficient documentary evidence that the glazed elements including the framework meets the minimum standard of FR then problem solved.

[Midland Retty]

Can anyone give me any firm documented evidence/guidance or point me in the direction of it, for 'Fire resistance of' in relation to UPVC windows and frames etc. eg. under an external escape.

I have my own views, but I am being given conflicting guidance,  but I would like firm evidence please not opinions or hear-say if possible.

Its a difficult one Clive

I went through a similar excercise a few years back regarding this issue.

The simple answer was that I didnt get very far.

As Nearlythere says you will need to ask the manufacturer if they have any doumentation to confirm its FR

If you are just asking generally if UPVC fire resisting then the answer is it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer but I believe it is possible to get fire resisting UPVC doors and frames, but as standard they are rarely FR

[kurnal]

Its highly unlikely that they will be FR. I have never seen any that are but have been told that there are some available on the market- but I think that was just hearsay.

Just been involved in a large 6 storey old mill building where all the glazing below the external escapes had been replaced with UPVC and georgian wired glass. Standard rubber glazing gaskets had been used so that gave it away - the installer said it was fire resisting because he had used wired glass but could not give any written evidence of the performance of the frames. That one is still ongoing.

[nearlythere]

Its highly unlikely that they will be FR. I have never seen any that are but have been told that there are some available on the market- but I think that was just hearsay.

Just been involved in a large 6 storey old mill building where all the glazing below the external escapes had been replaced with UPVC and georgian wired glass. Standard rubber glazing gaskets had been used so that gave it away - the installer said it was fire resisting because he had used wired glass but could not give any written evidence of the performance of the frames. That one is still ongoing.

Only glazed elements I would accept adjacent to external escape routes are those from WCs containing no fire risk and then only if the WC had min. 1/2fr between it and the rest of the building.