Fire Resistant Homes: Testing Vulcan, Silica, and Baffled Intumescent Vents

We found these vents at the International Builders' Show, and were excited to test their performance (partly so that Grace could use her flamethrower). We test the three main types of fire-resistant venting for homes: an intumescent honeycomb vent, a silica vent, and an intumescent baffled vent. Airflow testing was performed with an airtight box made of plywood and acrylic, using a DU300 fan and DM-32 and DG-8 digital pressure gauges. For the fire, we used a propane weed torch you can get at any hardware store. The chart of our airflow testing shows the square inches of opening inside the metal frames, the airflows, and the pressure drops of all three vents. For the 'Net Free Vent Area' (NFVA), visit the manufacturers' websites. Brand names of these three vents are Vulcan Vents, Embers Out, and Brandguard. For more on the vents that performed best: https://VulcanVents.com Watch the first-ever TV series about the science of homes: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv