Electric Smoke Extraction Hatches for Stairwell

At the “Atlantic City” residential complex, in the northern part of Bucharest, on Gheorghe Ionescu Sisești Road, a smoke extraction solution was needed for the stairwell. KADRA stepped forward, delivered, and installed three 100% electric smoke extraction hatches, large in size, to precisely meet the requirements of the fire safety plan.

For this project, three smoke hatches with 100% electric operation were needed, namely:

2 pieces 2500 mm x 1600 mm
1 piece 1700 mm x 1500 mm

The hatches were delivered with a sheet metal base, insulated, and were installed on reinforced concrete curbs, already executed on the roof.

In the images, you can see the first phase of installation, without mineral wool insulation and before applying the final layers of bituminous membrane. At the time of hatch installation, the fire detection and alarm system was not executed, consequently, the functional tests were conducted with batteries, and the hatches performed correctly.

The hatches are prepared to be used not only for smoke extraction (evacuation of smoke and hot gases in case of fire) but also for daily ventilation. The electric smoke extraction hatches connect to the fire alarm control panel but can also be connected to a control panel that manages both smoke extraction and daily natural ventilation. Additionally, if equipped with rain and wind sensors, the system can automatically command the closing of the hatches when it starts to rain or when the wind exceeds a certain speed (thus preventing damage to the hatches due to strong gusts).

Advantages of Electric Smoke Hatches

Compared to pneumatic smoke hatches (which are indeed a somewhat more economical solution at the acquisition stage, applicable to industrial projects), 100% electric smoke hatches have several noteworthy advantages:

they are a modern, reliable, and aesthetic solution;
they can have a dual function – both smoke extraction and daily natural ventilation; in the KADRA offer, you will also find a special electric hatch that has, in addition, another function – unrestricted access to the roof. This is the SkyMax CE hatch;
over time, they can prove to be a more economical solution because they have lower maintenance costs and do not incorporate consumable components that need to be replaced periodically (pyrotechnic caps, CO2 cylinders, fusible vials, etc.);
since their opening for smoke extraction does not involve the deterioration (implicitly replacement) of consumables, the smoke evacuation system can be tested at any time, at a 1:1 scale (testing absolutely all hatches simultaneously), without costs.

Roof electric hatches are increasingly gaining ground among solutions for smoke and hot gas evacuation through organized natural draft coupled with automated natural ventilation solutions.

Complete Smoke Extraction Systems for Stairwell

KADRA offers complete solutions for stairwell smoke extraction, consisting of:

roof hatches and/or automation for smoke extraction windows;
automation for windows and/or for air supply doors;
control panels with backup batteries and emergency buttons for managing the components of the stairwell smoke extraction solution.

KADRA’s solutions for stairwell smoke extraction are customized for both new buildings and as retrofitting solutions, bringing existing buildings in line with fire protection and safety standards.

Our solutions are certified according to EN 12101-2 and EN 12101-10, and KADRA offers a turnkey solution: specialized consultancy for choosing the optimal solution (in relation to project requirements and current legislation), solutions based on verified quality products (in 30 years of activity, we have reached a select and varied portfolio of suppliers), timely delivery, installation with qualified personnel, warranty and post-warranty maintenance with specialized technicians.