Key Facts
– Fire Door Standards Explained –
Fire Door Facts You Should Know
What are Fire Doors?
The purpose of a fire door is to slow down the spread of fire, smoke and toxic gases whilst keeping the vital means of escape clear. They only work properly if they are specified, manufactured, installed and maintained correctly, and of course, closed when a fire breaks out.
Why are Fire Doors important?
All of us who use or occupy any building have a right to expect that we will be safely protected should a fire break out; Sadly, this is not the case. Something may fail within the fabric of the building and the fire safety devices or the passive fire protection has been overlooked. This can result in tragedy causing serious injury, life-long conditions and death.
Fire doors are part of a buildings passive fire protection system, an essential requirement for ALL public buildings, offices, multi- occupied residential buildings and factories.
How often should Fire Doors be inspected?
Periodic checks should be carried out at least once every six months. Newly occupied buildings may require more frequent checks in the first year of use.
- Light Use Doors (Flat Entrance/ Residential) should be inspected every 12 months
- Medium Use Doors (Offices, Hotels, Education, etc)
- High/ Heavy Use Doors (Commercial, Hopsital, Flat communal Areas, High Risk Premises, etc) should be inspected every 3 months
Does a Fire Door have to have intumescent seals fitted?
Yes. for a door to work effectively, the door leaf must be free to move within the frame. In order to do this, there must be a perimeter gap between the leaf and the frame of between 2 and 4mm. Any gap larger than 4mm can compromise the door’s ability to restrict the spread of fire and smoke. the intumescent seal expands when heated to fill a 4mm gap. Smoke seals are used to prevent the passage of cold smoke (before the temperature causes the intumescent seals to expand).
All fire door assemblies, FD30 and higher, will require an intumescent seal between the frame and leaf.
What are the risks of neglecting Fire Doors?
Manufacturing, installing or maintaining fire doors incorrectly can result in 5 main risks:
- Danger to occupiers / users of the building and possible loss of life
- Danger to the emergency services when responding to a fire
- The ‘Responsible Person’ can be prosecuted with an unlimited fine or imprisonment
- Irreparable damage to property, possessions and belongings
- Poor reputation
What is third-party certification?
Third-party certification involves inspecting a fire door as a complete assembly, including the door leaf, frame, ironmongery, intumescent seals, gaps, ease of operation, and glazing. We offer two types of inspections:
Non-Intrusive – visual and operational checks only, with no components removed.
Intrusive – includes visual, operational, and internal checks, such as removal of architraves to inspect the internal structure.
We provide two types of certification:
Nominal Pass – for doors with no documentation, manufacture ID sticker, or BM Trada plug. Suitability is determined by factors such as door thickness, density, frame condition, ironmongery, gaps, and operation. Reports include our professional opinion on fire effectiveness.
Certified – for doors with full documentation and traceability, providing full accredited certification.
Third-party sign-off is required for newly installed fire doors to ensure compliance. Following sign off, regular inspections and audits can be carried out as part of the planned preventative maintenance
MD Fire Doors offers a complete Fire Door Inspection and Certification Service. Contact us for more information.
- Helping you to achieve compliance -
Reach Out to Our Fire Door Experts Today
You can reach us by phone on 0118 469 3601, email us at hello@mdfiredoors.com, or simply fill in the contact form below to arrange a call back/ quote.
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