Smokeshield® Elevator Smoke Containment System

During a fire, elevator shafts become internal funnels. They draw smoke through a building and feed flames with oxygen. Occupants and property are at a greater risk without an integrated smoke containment system. These tools effectively seal off hoistways, limiting harmful smoke infiltration.

Innovative Cornell engineers developed the SmokeShield® Elevator Smoke Curtain to prevent smoke and hot gases from entering elevator shafts. Our award-winning elevator smoke containment solution comes from almost a century of crafting fire safety and protection products.

A Reliable Elevator Smoke Curtain That Seals After Every Use

Elevator shafts are among the most vulnerable areas of a multistory structure in the event of a fire. Without effective smoke barriers installed, elevator shafts can quickly become funnels that allow smoke and dangerous gases to travel between floors, causing damage to the building and placing people at risk. The SmokeShield® Elevator smoke curtain prevents that from happening. This smoke curtain uses our patented GuideLock™ technology to seal the shaft after each cycle 100% of the time, containing smoke to the affected area to prevent damage.

What Is a Smoke Containment System?

Smoke containment systems - often called elevator smoke curtains - form part of a fire safety plan in multistory residential and commercial buildings. They automatically deploy in case of fire to prevent harm to occupants and reduce property damage.

Where Are Elevator Smoke Curtains Required?

The International Building Code (IBC) requires buildings with elevators to have methods for sealing them off in a fire. Solutions like SmokeShield Elevator ensure the construction of elevator lobbies that follow the IBC.

How Do Elevator Smoke Curtains Work?

Smoke curtains integrate with existing fire and smoke protection equipment. If the system detects a fire event, the curtains uncoil to hermetically seal off the elevator and its hoistway. This action provides a barrier to contain smoke and poisonous gases to a defined and limited area.

Emergency operation buttons are on both sides of the barrier so occupants and first responders can open the curtain when necessary. After opening, the curtain cycles to its sealed position again and remains there until alarms clear.

Why Use an Elevator Smoke Curtain Instead of Other Systems?

In a pressurization system, fans remove smoke from the building to allow safer occupant evacuation. A second method incorporates an elevator lobby with accordion-style doors to contain smoke or fire and prevent their spread to other parts of the building. Design costs for these systems can mount quickly.

Overview

Sizes

Our smoke containment system is UL-listed to protect shafts to 12 feet high and 12 feet wide. Its compact size takes up less than 10 inches of headroom, making it the smallest containment solution currently on the market.

Usage

This product is only for use in an emergency. The integrated battery has enough capacity to cycle the system for up to 10 hours during a power disruption.

Standard Materials & Finishes

The SmokeShield Elevator comes with extruded aluminum guides with steel brackets, bottom bars, and hoods with a standard RAL 9010 white powder coat finish and RAL 7021 black grey finish.

Operation

Our SmokeShield solution engages when the fire monitoring system sends an alert signal. The curtain-mounted switch reopens the door. A 10-hour battery backup ensures available power during an outage, and the curtain can also lift via an ADA-compliant emergency strap on the bottom.

Options

Wire Directly

Wire Directly

A hardwiring option allows for direct connection to an emergency power source.

Finishes

Finishes

Custom powder coat available.

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