While fire retardant tarps are not indestructible, they protect you from much more than actual fire. We’ll dissect their structure and materials and discuss the tarps you already possess and if they’re also fire retardant. There is a lot to them regarding static electricity protection, UV ray protection, and protecting your items/structures from the elements. It’s time to educate you about flame retardant tarps. The following answers are all you need to know about tarps and fire.
1. Are All Tarpaulins Flame Resistant?
Certainly not, not by a long mile. The materials used and the chemical treatments applied to those components determine a tarp’s fire resistance. Cotton canvas, polyester canvas, and mesh tarps would inflate like a hay bale – they are not suitable as fire-retardant tarps.
Having said that, and although doing so would be redundant, you could apply fireproofing chemicals on a canvas tarp and achieve flame resistance, but it would be temporary. When it comes to fire-retardant tarps, polyethylene will always reign supreme.
Polyethylene melts when it becomes too heated instead of bursting into flames and catching fire. It does not catch fire and spread; it requires a steady source of very hot air to melt.
To melt it, you would have to hold a flame to it for a lengthy amount of time, which is unlikely even on your worst day. It would be best to acquire quality fireproof tarps for a reliable and smooth camping experience.
2. Are Tarps Combustible?
It depends on the kind of tarp; however, some are combustible. Tarps can catch fire; they are not more explosive than a sheet of paper; they are just capable of hosting flames that will proceed to devour them.
However, this is not the case with every tarp. Polyester canvas and a few other fabrics may catch fire, but polyethylene remains the greatest choice for chemical bonding and natural flame resistance.
If you have a cotton canvas canopy in your garden, be aware that it is not flame retardant. You can treat it with chemicals, but it will not last as long as a poly tarp.
3. Fire Safety Regulations for Tarps
Even if you are using a fire retardant tarp, you must adhere to normal safety precautions. If you’re using your tarp to cover an outside patio, keep space heaters a safe distance away from the tarp. If you have a six-foot-tall patio heater, the conventional guideline is to have at least three feet of clearance. You’d want to ensure that you use fire proof tarps as your roof is at least nine feet tall.
If you’re using a tarp as a tent, never bring a heater inside unless you’ve bought a heater particularly built for tent usage. These heaters will have safety shut-off mechanisms that remove power if oxygen levels fall too low, the temperature rises too high, or the device falls over. Choose the smallest heater necessary.
Maintain a safe distance between tents and campfires. If there is a gust of wind, sparks and hot ashes may move. To ensure safety, keep the tent far away from the fire. Smoking is not permitted in tents.
Keep your unused tarp away from anything that might catch fire. A tarp should not be placed on or near anything that generates heat. If you see any frayed wire, get it repaired or replaced. Avoid putting extension cables on or under a tarp. Even if the tarp is fire resistant, common sense protects you.
If you’re using the tarp on a building site, position it away from heaters, welding equipment, and anything else that may catch fire. Once again, flame retardant tarps are required. By taking additional measures, the possibility of the tarp catching fire is reduced.
Smoke inhalation from unvented flames beneath a tarp is a significant concern. This is particularly true if and when the wind settles down and smoke accumulates behind an improperly designed tarp. A slanted A-frame tarp arrangement is recommended to counteract this problem most effectively. This design enables natural convection to lift and disperse the smoke and heat. Smoke, sparks, and excess heat are directed away from the tarp, no matter what your tarp material is. It’s always best to be safe and more manageable to avoid catching fire as much as possible.
About The Author: Paul Sebastian