70-11: Fire Retardant Treated Wood For Cooling Tower Construction

It is not unusual for a catastrophe in a totally unrelated area to have a marked effect upon the future of one's own industry. Could it be that the Bel Air conflagration in Southern California will have an effect upon the future construction of cooling towers? That fire did have an effect upon the insurance industry and they wrote a performance requirement for the fire proofing of cedar shingles and shakes. Several chemical manufacturers picked up this challenge and the net result was the development of leach resistant fire retardant treatment for wood used in wet applications. The physical characteristics of wood treated with NON-COM EXTERIOR will be discussed including the effect on strength, corrosion, decay resistance, Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.'s fire tests and labeling, and the probability of meeting building codes and insurance regulations with regard to fire in various types of cooling towers.