Are Fire Doors a Necessity?

Many often wonder when designing or just fitting new doors in their home, whether fire doors are really that necessary. It is important to have a full understanding of what they are, what they do and how they actually work to fully answer this question, so explore this post to find out the answers.

What are Fire Doors?

The first question to tackle is what even are fire doors? The best answer is that they are doors that have been specifically made and fitted in a manor that increases the time period in which it takes flames and smoke to pass through the door, should there be a fire. The most commonly use fire door is the FD30 door which stands for ‘fire door 30 minutes’. This means they have been tested and tried in a controlled environment, withstanding flames and smoke for a 30-minute duration.

Am I Required to Have Fire Doors?

Now we have a better understanding of what this type of door does, the next question in your head could be, ‘do I need them?’. There is no simple straight answer so let’s explore further into the different possibilities.

DOMESTIC PROPERTIES

If your home is more than 2 storeys high, then fire safety regulations stipulate that there must be a fire door separating the stair well and every habitable room (not including bathrooms). This does include rooms at each house level. It is also a requirement to fit fire doors in loft conversions and 2 storey housing that has a door leading from an integral garage into the house.

NON-DOMESTIC BUILDINGS

Fire guidance for non-domestic properties is divided into separate sections for vertical and horizontal escape routes. All fire doors are also required to have appropriate signage on both sides that indicates that the specific door is a fire door, plus any important further instructions. As well as this, door opening furniture MUST be visually contrasted with the door surface and surrounding wall so that it is easily identifiable.

MIX USE BUILDINGS

It is a requirement that all residential and mixed-use sections of the building are separated with fire doors.

Do I Need to Replace my Existing Doors with Fire Doors?

If you are replacing fire doors and all safety fire requirements are met in the property, then you do not have to fit extra fire doors in the place of the existing normal ones. However, if you want an extra level of security and safety, especially in family environments, then doing so could be a good option.

Fitting New Fire Doors

A key component to a fire door working as it should, is accurate fitting and measurements. If a fire door is not fitted correctly then it will not perform as it should which could be extremely dangerous in situations where it is needed. Some strong advice is getting a joiner with experience with fire doors if you are unsure on your own. You must ensure that each fire door that you have fitted has test evidence that specifies the density and type of door frame needed, the ironmongery and the right intumescent strips that need to be used. If you do not follow these guidelines, it is not 100% assured that your fire door will last the entire time period stated. If you are planning on using an existing door frame with your fire door, you must check whether the door will actually fit. FD30 fire doors are often 44mm thick and sometimes you are able to amend frame sizes to fit the door, but you should ensure that you do check the fire test evidence as they specify larger frame requirements. A really key factor to also remember is closing the doors. If fire doors are left open, they are not able to work as they should, so shutting them before leaving the house or going to bed is the best way to ensure their efficiency.

Where Can I Find Fire Doors?

If after reading this post, you have come to the decision that fire doors are right for your home, then you might be wondering where is the best place to find the right ones for you. Thankfully we can help you in this too. On the website, we have an impressive range of high-quality fire doors that are available in a great selection of sizes, colours and styles so finding the best one for you does not have to be a challenge.