Fire retardant chemicals have many different uses. These uses range from fire retarding wood, to retarding forest ranges. The fire retarding of furniture and drapes can greatly decrease the chance of a house fire. The fire retarding of clothing can be used for safety of fire fighters, stuntmen, police, and rangers. Also, the fire retarding of plants and forest ranges is very helpful in the fight against forest fires. Fire proofing wood decreases fires in industrial and residential areas. The search for new fire retardants is on going. Some fire retardants give a harmful smoke, and others may have dangerous effects on wildlife. Halogen fire retardants may give off toxic or corrosive combustion products. Phosphorus based fire retardants may give off carbon monoxide and smoke. Most current fire retardants lose their effectiveness at high temperatures. Scientists are constantly working on safer, more efficient, and higher heat tolerance fire retardants to make everything safer for people.
Introduction.
Fire retardants have many uses, commercially, industrially, residentially, and agriculturally. They make the world safer, while at the same time scientists are always working to invent safer and more efficient fire retardants.
History.
In the late 1980's a single formula was developed and used for fire retardants. It worked so well that it caught the attention of the television show "That's Incredible", hosted by John Davidson. The first public display was televised showing how houses could be fire proofed. Two similar houses were shown, one treated with the fire retardant chemical the other not. Five gallons of gasoline was doused on both houses and set on fire. In minutes the fire treated house when the flames died down other than a few scorch spots no apparent fire damage, the other house was a raging inferno. Also a demonstration using clothing was used to show how well fire retardants work.