Frequently Asked Questions

Is installation easy?

Absolutely, installation couldn’t be simpler!
A 5 ¼” hole can be cut with a regular handheld keyhole saw, and the Guardian Fire Shield™
slides easily into this hole between floor joists.

Does the unit activate when I burn toast?

No. The unit is activated by a heat-sensitive fusible link. The Guardian Fire Shield™ will activate when the temperature at the unit reaches 135° Fahrenheit (57° Celsius). At this temperature, there is a fire in your house.

Will the Guardian Fire Shield™ extinguish fires?

It can, however every fire is unique because every home is unique and the contents within each home are different. Because of these many variables, the Guardian Fire Shield™ is an automatic fire suppression system. Worst-case scenario, the Guardian Fire Shield™ gives you more time to evacuate.

What Is an automatic fire suppression system?

Automatic fire suppression systems control or extinguish fires without human intervention. Examples of automatic systems include fire sprinkler systems, gaseous fire suppression and condensed aerosol fire suppression.

How many Guardian Fire Shield™ units do I need in my house?

It depends on the layout of your house and the amount of protection you want. Tests have proven the Guardian Fire Shield™ to suppress or extinguish fire in a 16′ x 16′ room. Therefore, having a Guardian Fire Shield™ every 8-20′ would be optimal. At the very least it will protect your access and egress from your bedroom at night. You can also install more units in areas of higher fire risk such as kitchens or where the Christmas tree usually is.

Is the ABC dry chem inside the Guardian Fire Shield™ dangerous to my health?

No. The ABC dry chem inside the Guardian Fire Shield™ is non-toxic, similar to what’s used inside a typical fire extinguisher, except ours is 90% suppressant and 10% filler, whereas most fire extinguishers are 60% suppressant and 40% filler (ours is the finest dry extinguishing agent available). It is a slight eye and lung irritant that also has a terrible taste. This is minor compared to the toxic fumes you may breath in during a house fire.

Is the Guardian Fire Shield™ better than a water sprinkler system?

We believe that both systems have their advantages. However, water sprinklers are very expensive to install in a new house, and even more expensive as a retrofit in an existing house. We believe that the Guardian Fire Shield™ is a more cost-effective alternative that the average home owner can afford.

How long does the Guardian Fire Shield™ last?

The Guardian Fire Shield™ comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty against defects, and provides protection for 10 years. When you purchase a Guardian Fire Shield™ you will have the option of registering your Guardian Fire Shield™ unit(s) with us. When your Guardian Fire Shield™ expires we will notify you and you can exchange your expired unit for a new one at a discounted price.

Does the Guardian Fire Shield™ need batteries?

Yes, just one for the LED pressure indicator, although this is not needed for operation. This is simply to indicate that the tank is pressurized when you press the button. It is not essential for effective operation. The battery inside the Guardian Fire Shield™ is a square 9V battery which can last several years.

Is It safe for pets?

Absolutely. The ABC dry-chem inside the Guardian Fire Shield™ is non-toxic, similar to what’s used inside a typical fire extinguisher, except ours is 90% suppressant and 10% filler, whereas most fire extinguishers are 60% suppressant and 40% filler (ours is the finest dry extinguishing agent available). It is a slight eye and lung irritant that also has a terrible taste. This is minor compared to the toxic fumes you may breath in during a house fire.<

Does the tank have to be inspected every year, just like a fire extinguisher?

No. The Guardian Fire Shield™ is equipped with an LED light. When the pressure inside drops, the LED light on the Guardian Fire Shield™ will flash, indicating you have no protection.

How long is the warranty?

Your Guardian Fire Shield™ is warrantied for one full year against manufacturer defects. We recommend you register your Guardian Fire Shield™ with us for warranty/exchange purposes.

Will just one Guardian Fire Shield™ unit protect my egress at all, or do I need several?

We recommend one in every bedroom (maximum 8 feet from the door) and in your hallways leading to the exit (every 8 feet).

What will my insurance company think of the Guardian Fire Shield™ unit in my home?

To date, we have support from insurance companies. Our product will save lives and decrease home fire and water damage.

House insurance discounts may be provided by your insurance broker, please discuss this with them and show them this website.

In the case of a fire, and it dispenses, how toxic is it for people to breathe in?

Although the ABC dry-chem inside the Guardian Fire Shield™ is non-toxic, it is a mild eye irritant and tastes terrible. It is basically like breathing in a yellowy, gross-tasting, baking powder.

In the event that the Guradian Fire Shield™ “goes off”, what is the clean up like?

Clean up is done with a vacuum. Unlike water, there is no damage from the non-toxic dry-chem agent used in the Guradian Fire Shield™.

How is it affected by cold? If I put a Guardian Fire Shield™ in the cottage and we shut down the cottage in the winter, will that affect it?

The cold does not affect the unit at all, other than the 9V battery might die quicker which would mean the pressure indicator light may not work. However even without the 9V battery, the unit would still be fully charged and functional. It will not lose pressure in extreme cold.

If you place this in the kitchen as the first place (where a Christmas tree is situated may be another place), how close to the fire hazard (stove, tree) does it need to be for it to work properly?

The unit should be placed about 4 feet from the fire hazard for the best protection (and to discharge on an angle under your range hood).

Is it rechargeable (is there an expiration time frame ) and does it need recharging or can it be recharged?

Yes, we can recharge the units at our factory after they discharge or after the 5-year life expectancy, for a fraction of the price of purchasing a new unit.

What is the minimum joist height required for installation?

Given the existing faceplate size and assuming a 5 ¼” hole in the ceiling, the joist should be 8” high. However, if the joist is 6” the Guardian Fire Shield™ can still be installed, a larger hole would need to be cut and the extra space would need to be covered by some custom covering, since our faceplate wouldn’t completely hide a larger hole.

What is the ideal ceiling height?

The Guardian Fire Shield™ operates optimally when installed in 8-12′ high ceilings. If the ceiling is higher than 12′ the unit will not provide the same coverage, so units would need to be placed closer together in those circumstances. Think about it another way. If there is a fire, the Guardian Fire Shield™ dumps 5 pounds of ABC dry chem on the fire, which is going to help tremendously.

Has the Guardian Fire Shield™ been tested?

Yes, several times, and it performed flawlessly. The Guardian Fire Shield™ has been tested in independent fire scenarios, successfully suppressing a fire in a 16’ x 16′ room.

Is there a UL or ULC listing for this product?

The Guardian Fire Shield™ has been tested at the UL labs in Chicago, successfully suppressed the fire in a 16'x16′ room, and uses UL-certified materials and components in its manufacturing.

While most of the components in the Guardian Fire Shield™ are UL listed, there is no standard for our product to be tested to, since it is "too new and innovative", we are told by the folks at UL after visiting them several times. There is no standard by which to measure the Guardian Fire Shield™ against other products in its category. It is the only product in its category.

UL, like CSA (Canadian Standards Association) issues blanket "approvals" based on known performance measurements and standards. UL has stated that the Guardian Fire Shield™ is not a sprinkler, therefore, it cannot be measured against water sprinklers. Nor does the Guardian Fire Shield™ deploy in the same manual manner as traditional fire extinguishers, therefore, it cannot be measured against fire extinguishers. It may take years for UL to develop standards, using the Guardian Fire Shield™ as a base measurement, to have standards for all others to meet.

We have been instructed that since there is no standard, this product is able to be marketed as an optional add-on for home safety (similar to a home security system).

Won’t this put a hole in my vapour barrier on the upper floors?

Yes, it is similar to a pot light installation with minimal disruption to the vapour barrier. However, it is very easy to place a small amount of plastic over the unit to continue the vapour barrier, which any contractor can easily do.

Can it then be installed in a wall instead of a ceiling?

Our recommendation is in the ceiling as that has the optimal dispersion of the suppressant over a large space. This is the only installation we have tested extensively.

In the ceiling, what supports the weight of the tank, since its weight is offset?

The unit comes with a foam pad with double-sided tape that rests against the base of the unit when it is installed in a ceiling, to support the weight of the tank.

What are the exact dimensions of the Guardian Fire Shield™ unit?

Unit weight: 7.4 lbs., 8.4 lbs. packaged dimensions: 8 1/16” wide x 9 ½” deep x 17 ½” tall.

Unit dimensions: 4 ⅜” diameter tank, 15 ⅝” tall, 7 ½” deep at faceplate.