Smoke Guard Articles and Blogs
Friday, Aug 28, 2026
Open circulation and clear sightlines can create coordination challenges at elevator and stairway openings. Different openings may require different levels of smoke and fire+smoke protection, and those requirements can affect framing, housings, side guides, power, fire alarm interfaces, and surrounding construction. Deployable smoke and fire+smoke curtains can provide opening protection while remaining concealed during normal […]
Friday, Jun 19, 2026
Fire+smoke curtain design starts with the opening condition. Before a system is selected, the building condition has to be defined, the required performance has to be confirmed, and the assembly has to be reviewed for installation, activation, inspection, and maintenance. An elevator hoistway, rated wall opening, atrium, horizontal opening, or large open connection between floors […]
Tuesday, Jun 2, 2026
In a data center, smoke can turn a contained fire into a much larger operational problem. It can spread to connected spaces, affect sensitive electronics, complicate re-entry, and extend disruption beyond the area where the fire started. That risk increases as facilities become larger, denser, and more complex. Heavy electrical loads, battery systems, extensive cable […]
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026
Open stairways are widely used in commercial interiors to maintain visibility between levels, connect floors, and support the overall design intent. They also create a vertical opening that can allow smoke and heat to spread between floors in a fire. If that opening is left unprotected, smoke can rise quickly beyond the floor where the […]
Thursday, Mar 26, 2026
Fire+smoke curtains are designed to stay out of sight until needed. Most are recessed above ceilings or built into soffits, blending into surrounding finishes during normal building operation. Because of their locations, labels can be fully or partially covered during repainting, touch-ups, or renovation work. When that happens, it can take longer to confirm what […]
Thursday, Feb 19, 2026
Educational facilities present specific fire and life safety challenges. Students, staff, and visitors move through shared corridors, stairways, and multi-use spaces throughout the day. Many newer schools include open plans, glass storefronts, and multistory circulation paths. During a fire event, these features can allow fire and smoke to travel beyond the area of origin. In […]
Thursday, Jan 29, 2026
Just one year ago, in early January 2025, one of the most destructive wildfire events in California history caused widespread destruction across Southern California, stopping short of Palisades Village, a three-story high-end mixed-use retail and residential development in Pacific Palisades. While the center avoided direct fire damage, it sustained limited impacts and minor damage that […]
Wednesday, Dec 17, 2025
In 2025, commercial buildings continued to adopt more adaptable, higher-performing life-safety systems. As projects grew more complex, with larger atriums, interconnected spaces, feature stairways, open lobby designs, and elevator openings, fire+smoke curtains became a more common and effective part of overall fire+smoke control strategies. These deployable systems supported designers seeking flexibility while helping building teams […]
Monday, Nov 24, 2025
Elevator fire + smoke curtains help keep smoke from entering lobbies and evacuation paths during a fire. As these systems operate over many years, questions naturally come up about their performance, service planning, and available upgrade paths. Our M200/M400 elevator fire + smoke curtain Mod Kit is a retrofit solution designed to update the internal […]
Monday, Oct 20, 2025
Each October, Fire Prevention Month reminds building professionals that prevention begins long before an emergency. In multi-story buildings, smoke often spreads faster than fire, moving through stairwells, shafts, and mechanical openings. Among these, the elevator shaft is one of the most direct routes for smoke migration, linking every floor through a single open pathway. During […]