A fire blanket is designed to get rid of fires that just started. It’s made of fire-retardant material, usually fiberglass or Kevlar. 

Fire blankets work by suffocating fires, depriving them of the oxygen they need to burn. But can they filter smoke? Let’s find out. 

Fire Blanket Composition

The materials used in fire blankets are widely known to withstand extremely high temperatures. For instance, fiberglass can withstand up to 1,000°F or 540°C. It is woven thick enough to prevent heat penetration and suffocate fires. Despite this, fire blankets are still flexible enough to be draped over someone on fire. 

In addition, some filters use woven fiberglass to trap pollutants and contaminants. However, several factors affect how well fiberglass can filter smoke.

The Science of Filtration

A material must be able to trap tiny particles to filter smoke effectively. This usually happens through different methods, including diffusion, interception, and electrostatic attraction.

For example, the HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter used in air purification appliances can trap particles as tiny as 0.3 microns with a 99.97% efficiency.

Another factor that affects the capability of a material to filter smoke is porosity. Porosity refers to the pressure it takes to pull or push air through the material. The higher the porosity, the more pressure is needed to pull or push air through the filter. 

Hence, a fire blanket should be able to trap small particles and have high porosity to filter smoke. 

So Can a Fire Blanket Filter Smoke?

Given the factors above, a fire blanket can’t filter smoke.

While woven fiberglass can filter smoke, it depends on how fine it is. When it comes to smoke filtration, fire blankets aren’t that effective.

You see, smoke is made of gases and fine particles produced by burning materials. These particles are very small, often in the micron or even sub-micron range.

Since the weave of a fire blanket is too coarse to trap these tiny particles and the gaps between the fibers are larger than the said particles, smoke can pass through a fire blanket. This means that while fire blankets can smother flames, they can’t totally filter smoke. 

What to Do Instead

If you’re concerned about inhaling smoke during a fire, you must rely on proper respiratory protection instead. In particular, you should use smoke masks like the Hero Mask. They’re specifically designed to filter out smoke and other dangerous particles. 

Conclusion

While fire blankets are crucial tools for extinguishing small fires, they’re not ideal for smoke filtration. Knowing the limits of each tool lets you prevent fires and protect your loved ones if a fire breaks out.