Facts You Need To Know About Fire Doors

By Author: AJM Fire Safety
Total Articles: 14
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Fire Doors can be life savers and is your first barrier against a fire. They are essential assets in any building, reducing the spread of the fire and giving emergency services time to arrive and access the building. Fire doors are protective doors that delay smoke and fire, giving those inside the building time to escape.

Once a fire door is installed, regularly maintained and kept close, it can save lives. These doors are made to specific regulations and then passed to certified fire safety technicians for installation, meeting fire door regulations and giving you peace of mind that you have taken the necessary steps to protect lives, assets and your building.

Fire doors are different to your standard internal or external door. While they may not look very different at first, there are key differences which must be adhered to. In order to cope with the heat of a fire, the core of the fires safety door must be solid with a minimum rating of FD30, which means it can contain the fire for up to thirty minutes. This is ample time for occupants to get to safety and for emergency services to gain access.

It is ...
... essential that the frame matches the fire door certification. It should be fitted with intumescent strips. These strips expand when they are exposed to heat, filling the gap between the door and the frame. It is also important that the latches, locks and hinges comply with fire regulations and are also fitted with intumecent paper. This ensures the fire door seals completely, holding back the fire and smoke. Smoke inhalation is one of the most common heath problems associated with fires.

There are some key requirements which must be met when it comes to fire doors in your building. Knowing and understanding these key requirements can help you make your selection, inspect and ensure your fire door will work as it should in the event of a fire.

The finest thing you are going to want to take note of when it comes to fire doors, is the certification. All fire doors have a label showing that the fire door is certified. It should also advise if the fire door is FD30, containing the fire for thirty minutes, or FD60, containing the fire for sixty minutes. Most internal fire doors are rated at FD30.

The next step is to look for gaps at the top and sides of the door. The gap should be no more than 4mm. You can use a £1 coin and slide it along the top and sides of the door when the door is closed. Anything bigger than the width of the coin and you need to call in certified fire safety technicians to carry out an inspection and any necessary repairs.

From here you will want to check all the seals. The intumescent seals should be in good condition and show no signs of damage. This is essential as any damage to these seals and they will not expand as necessary to seal the door and contain the fire.

In addition to his, take note of the hinges. Hinges should be fixed firmly in place with a minimum of three hinges on the fire door. Then you can double check that the fire door closes properly. It should always close firmly on its own without obstructions. Fire doors should be kept shut at all times, as they do not provide a safety barrier in the event of a fire if they are kept open.

About Us: AJM Fire Safety is a leader in fire door inspections, installations, maintenance and training. This is a well established company, operating from their base in the West Midlands, providing reliable and efficient fire door safety services at competitive prices. The company offers FDIS inspections, BM Trade Q-Mark accredited installations and BM Trade Q-Mark accredited maintenance. AJM Fire Safety offers a professional service with innovative approach and glowing online reviews. They also assist clients with RFID technology to achieve compliance. Full details on the company and the range of high end fire safety services they provide can be out at https://ajmfiresafety.com.