A: FireSpan™ 90 or FireSpan 40 are the only Thermafiber curtain wall insulations approved for use in UL and Intertek (OPL) tested and listed perimeter fire containment assemblies.
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Q: Can Thermafiber Safing insulation be used with other types of insulation?
A: Thermafiber Safing insulation, in conjunction with Thermafiber FireSpan 90 or FireSpan 40 insulation, provides fire containment at the perimeter of high-rise buildings by confining the fire to the floor of origin. Extensive fire testing has shown that low-melt-point insulations (such as glass fiber and foam plastic types) do not protect the integrity of spandrel panels. Low-melt-point insulations used in combination with Thermafiber Safing insulation negate the fire containment performance of the Safing insulation.
Q: What if the void between the floor slab and the perimeter curtain wall is a width greater than the recommended 2" to 8"?
A: The standard safe-off area width Thermafiber has evaluated through fire tests with standard 3" impaling safing clips is 8". For greater gap widths (up to 12"), Thermafiber provides recommended installation methods for protecting wider safe-off openings.
Q: Can Thermafiber Safing insulation be installed from underneath the slab edge?
A: In assemblies where Thermafiber cannot be installed from the top of the slab edge, Thermafiber Safing insulation can be installed from underneath the slab.
Q: Can Thermafiber products provide fire containment for a precast exterior wall?
A: Thermafiber FireSpan installed to protect the precast panel, with Safing insulation compression-fit within the safe-off area, can provide fire containment for precast wall assemblies.
Q: Does Thermafiber offer a kitchen/grease duct insulating product?
A: Thermafiber no longer offers a kitchen/grease duct insulating product, since we have not tested the most current test standards required for fire-rated kitchen/grease duct assemblies.
Product questions
Q: What happens if Thermafiber insulation gets wet?
A: When the material is wet, the insulating value is reduced. However, if the insulation blanket is allowed to dry and is not mechanically changed in form, the thermal properties will return to their original levels.
Q: Is Thermafiber insulation resistant to mold and fungi growth?
A: Thermafiber insulation is an inorganic material. Therefore, it does not provide a food source, which is necessary for mold growth. Thermafiber has conducted fungi-resistance testing on our blanket products per the ASTM Standard C 1338, which is the test method for determining the resistance of insulation to the growth of fungi. Thermafiber 4.0 and 8.0 pcf density blankets were evaluated. Test results determined the material to have no fungal growth.
Q: What is the density of Thermafiber FireSpan 90 and FireSpan 40 insulation?
A: FireSpan 90 is a nominal 8 pcf density product. FireSpan 40 is a nominal 4 pcf density material.
Q: What is the chemical composition of Thermafiber insulation?
A: Thermafiber is a slag-based mineral wool insulation. Slag is a byproduct of steel production. The slag is melted and spun into fibers.
Q: What is the shelf life of Thermafiber smoke seal compound?
A: The shelf life of Thermafiber smoke seal compound is 12 months from the date of manufacture.
Q: What is the recommended temperature for applying Thermafiber smoke seal compound?
A: Thermafiber recommends a temperature of 50° F or higher during application and drying.
Q: Does Thermafiber insulation provide a vapor barrier?
A: Thermafiber insulation can be purchased with no facing (plain) or with an FSP foil facing applied to the blanket. The foil facing provides a vapor retarder. The FSP foil facing has a 0.02 maximum perm rating.
Q: How much moisture is absorbed by Thermafiber insulation products?
A: Testing per ASTM C1104 resulted in moisture absorption of 0.0022%.
Green, health and safety questions
Q: Is Thermafiber insulation considered a “green” building product?
A: Thermafiber insulation products provide a high recycled content, energy efficiency through high R-Values, and indoor environmental air quality with excellent acoustical performance and low off-gassing.
Q: What is the recycled content of Thermafiber bonded products?
A: Recycled content (post-industrial):
Special “green” fiber......................................................................................90%
Dark fiber mineral wool products................................................................84%
EPA Choice fiber mineral wool product (U.S. govt. projects)……….…75%
Standard fiber mineral wool products…………………………………....70%
Recycled content (post-consumer):
All Thermafiber products...............................................................................0%
Q: Is there formaldehyde in Thermafiber blanket insulation?
A: The only component in Thermafiber blankets that contains trace amounts of formaldehyde is in the binder system (the glue that holds the fibers together to form a blanket). Even with this trace amount, blankets are cured in a high-temperature oven that virtually eliminates the “free formaldehyde.” Thermafiber blankets have been evaluated by an independent testing laboratory for emissions of formaldehyde. Results verified only trace amounts (12 ppb) of formaldehyde.
Q: Do Thermafiber products contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)?
A: Thermafiber products do not contain CFCs or HCFCs. Nor does the manufacturing of our products produce these ozone-depleting substances.
Q: Do Thermafiber products pose asbestos risks or other health risks?
A: Thermafiber insulation products, manufactured since 1934, have never contained asbestos. Extensive research has been conducted on the health and safety of Thermafiber material. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has reclassified slag and rock wool fibers as a Group 3-nonclassifiable product regarding carcinogenicity to humans.
Q: Are there any concerns with Thermafiber products and Deca-BDE?
A: Some of the insulation facings that Thermafiber, Inc. purchases for application to its products contain trace amounts of Deca-BDE. The maximum allowable limit of Deca-BDE pursuant to the statute is 0.1% on a weight basis for finished or component products. Since Thermafiber products are considered a finsihed product, the allowable level is based on the total combined weight of the insulation and facing.
All faced Thermafiber products fall below the threshold limit of 0.1% by weight as set by ORS 453.085(16).
Miscellaneous questions
Q: Can Thermafiber be used in an air plenum area of a building’s HVAC system?
A: Installing Thermafiber insulation blankets in air plenums has been a common practice for many years. Some concerns have been expressed that fibrous products can possibly contribute to indoor airborne fiber levels and degrade air quality. Extensive testing on air samples has shown fibers to be below the limit of detection (LOD).
Q: Does Thermafiber have a certification program for installers?
A: Thermafiber does not have a certification program for any of our products or their installation. We rely on field inspectors and building code officials to determine that the product(s) were installed correctly and that they meet the intent of the original design.