Intumescent paint or intumescent coatings helps increase a building's resistance to fire. When exposed to severe temperatures, these coatings expand. The layers lose density as they grow; as a result, they act as an insulator. An intumescent coating contains many chemicals, all affixed in a binder. The binder quells in response to heat exposure, letting the suspended chemicals react. These chemicals produce foam, which hardens into an insulating material and dramatically reduces structural damage.