08 Nov Fire Doors
Fire doors are crucial for delaying the spread of fire throughout a building
Fire doors are essential when it comes to delaying the spread of fire throughout a building. Effective compartmentalisation is often the difference between losing a room and a whole building.
Well maintained fire doors offer a minimum of a 30-minute barrier to prevent fire passing through, for this to happen however the door must be closed. Did you know? It is illegal to wedge open fire doors, business owners can be left open to hefty fines and even a jail sentence if they fail to prevent this from happening.
Making sure fire doors are closed, means nothing if they don’t have a good seal. If you can see daylight around the perimeter of your fire door then something is wrong. Fire doors and their frames should feature an intumescent seal this is to help prevent flames or smoke from passing through even the smallest of gaps. This type of fire door features a brush-like element to prevent smoke from getting through. The seal should snugly fill the gap between the door and its frame.
A way of testing the performance of the brush element of the fire door seal is to push a postcard or something into the actual gap around the door. When seals are in good condition, these should be kept in place, if the seal doesn’t grip the card, it may need replacing as they can become worn over time. It is imperative that seals are checked periodically if they are missing or worn it is certainly advisable to have them replaced immediately.
For your information, there are two types of fire door seals, self-adhesive surface mounted or rebated seals that are sunk into the door or its frame. Furthermore, it is a legal responsibility to ensure fire doors and their seals are kept in good condition. If these are found to be neglected, then a prosecution could arise.
Range of services we offer for Fire Protection
Our range of services for fire protection include:
- Fire Extinguishers, Alarms, Nurse Call Systems, Emergency Lighting, Fire Safety Signs, Dry Risers
- Maintenance & Testing
- Risk Assessments
- Fire Safety Training
Finally, for more information regarding fire doors or any other fire-related products please contact us on 0191 378 1153.
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