Standard Silicone Teardrop Fire & Smoke Self-adhesive Seal - 188S

These self-adhesive cold smoke seals have been widely used by door manufacturers for many years, particularly steel door manufacturers. All are the shape of a teardrop, hence the name. They are manufactured from silicone which is flame resistant. They are fitted in the frame stop across the head and down both sides of the door. Originally only 188S was available and this was designed to suit frame gaps of 3.2mm (1/8"). However 488S was introduced in recent years in response to the move towards smaller frame gaps. More recently 388S has been introduced to solve the problem of large frame gaps. They are all supplied with double sided backed PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) tape.

FIRE - BRITISH STANDARDS
These seals are manufactured from non-toxic silicone. They were originally developed for use on steel fire doors but they can also be used on timber fire doors. 188S, 488S and 388S may be included on previously tested insulated or uninsulated timber and steel based doorsets without detracting from their achieved fire performance to BS 476: Part 22: 1987 and BS EN 1634-1: 2000. Suitable for use on steel doors up to 240 minutes and timber doors up to 60 minutes. Copies of WFRC Assessment Report Numbers WFRC No. 135275 dated 03.12.2003 and WF Report No. 342807 dated 14.07.2014 available upon request.

SMOKE & AIR LEAKAGE - BRITISH STANDARDS
These products are also designed as cold smoke seals, but for that reason they also display excellent weather-stripping qualities and can be used on pressure doors. The smoke passage and air leakage performance fully meets the requirements of relevant parts of BS 5588 and Approved Document B of the Building Regulations when tested in accordance with BS 476 Part 31.1. "A fire door required to resist the passage of smoke at ambient temperature conditions should, when tested in accordance with BS 476: Section 31.1 with the threshold taped and subjected to a pressure of 25 Pa, have a leakage not exceeding 3 m³/m/h". i.e. 3 cubic metres per metre of frame crack per hour. Copies of WF Test Report No. 134853, 135275, 342807 (BS) and WF 185149 (EN) available upon request.

NEW GLOBAL ASSESSMENT FIRE AND SMOKE LEAKAGE - EN STANDARDS
WF Assessment Report No. 193454 dated 15.06.2010 and Report No. 353065 dated 09.06.2015 present an appraisal of the fire resistance and smoke leakage performance of previously tested timber and steel based doorsets (insulated and uninsulated) when incorporating 188S, 388S and 488S smoke seals, if tested in accordance with BS EN 1634-1 and BS EN 1634-3. It refers to WF Test Report No. 185149, WF Assessment Report No. 135275 (reviewed and revalidated by WF Report No. 342807) and WF Test Report No. 184780 Issue 2. Copy of WF Assessment Report No. 193454 available upon request (reviewed and revalidated by WF Assessment Report No. 353065 dated 09.06.2015).

It concludes that should the recommendations given in the report be followed, all three seals may be fitted to previously fire tested, insulated and uninsulated timber and steel based doorsets, if tested to BS EN 1634-1 to satisfy the insulation and integrity performance requirements. Furthermore it also concludes that all three seals may be fitted to doorsets required to satisfy the smoke leakage requirements of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations.

Approved Document B of the Building Regulations requires that fire resistant doorsets which are additionally required to provide a smoke sealing function shall either:

(a) have a leakage rate not exceeding 3m³/m/ hour (head and jambs only) when tested at 25 Pa under BS 476 Fire tests on building materials and structures, Section 31.1 Methods for measuring smoke penetration through doorsets and shutter assemblies, Method of measurement under ambient temperature conditions; or
(b) "meet the additional classification requirement of Sa when tested to BS EN 1634-3: 2001 Fire resistance tests for door and shutter assemblies, Part 3 - Smoke control doors."

The classification requirement of Sa is specified within EN 13501-2: 2003 and is determined as "when the maximum leakage rate measured at ambient temperature, and at a pressure of up to 25 Pa, does not exceed 3m³/h per metre length of gap between the fixed and moveable components of the doorset (e.g. between the door leaf and door frame), excluding leakage at the threshold."

The smoke leakage evidence refers to tests on timber door constructions but the report confirms it also applies to steel doors. It includes single acting single leaf timber and steel based doorsets, but also single acting double leaf steel doorsets (pairs) with teardrop fitted to the astragal at the meeting stiles. Frame gaps are very important and should not exceed those measured in the original smoke leakage tests.

SOUND
For the same reason these seals perform well in cold smoke and air leakage situations, they also have good acoustic properties. They have been tested in the UKAS laboratory at Salford University and 188S achieved 31 Rw and 388S achieved 36 Rw when used in conjunction with our 564A threshold. All sets independently tested to BS EN ISO 140-3: 1995 sound insulation tests by UKAS accredited laboratory. The University of Salford Test Report No. 132-1 dated 12.08.2010 refers.

TEMPERATURE RANGE
These seals have a functional operating range between -40°C to +80°C. Rebound is excellent when both hot and cold.

RESISTANCE
Silicone seals have a good resistance to acid, oil, gasoline, animal/vegetable oils and water absorption. They also have excellent resistance to ultraviolet rays, sunlight ageing, oxidation, ozone, heat ageing, heat, cold and flame.

ADHESION
These seals are supplied with double backed self-adhesive tape. Provided the installation instructions are carefully adhered to, these seals have excellent adhesive qualities.

COLOURS
188S standard and 488S mini are available from stock in black, dark bronze, white and light grey. 388S large is currently only available in dark bronze. If you require a non-standard colour, for example beige, these may be available to special order if there are sufficient volumes.