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. Unlike standard doors, they are specially designed and tested to resist fire for a set period. They’re an important part of a building’s fire protection strategy, installed in specific locations to protect escape routes and provide crucial time for occupants to leave safely and for emergency services to respond.
Fire doors are made using specially selected fire-resistant materials, and different materials can be used depending on the required fire rating, location and building type. This can include solid wood, composite materials and steel fire doors. Each material has different fire-resistant properties and is selected to help the door resist fire for a specific period when exposed to heat and flames. However, 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?
Anyone who uses or occupies a building has a right to expect to be safely protected should a fire break out; sadly, this is not always the case. Something may fail within the fabric of the building, and fire safety devices or passive fire protection may be overlooked. This can result in tragedy, causing serious injury, life-long conditions and death.
Fire doors are a vital part of a building’s passive fire protection system for ALL public buildings, offices, multi-occupied residential buildings, and factories. When installed correctly and maintained properly, they help with fire compartmentation, limiting the spread of flames and protecting lives in the building.
Alongside other measures such as fire alarm systems, emergency lighting, sprinkler systems and access control measures, fire doors provide an additional layer of safety. They’re a legal requirement in many buildings under fire safety regulations and building regulations because of their important role in protecting escape routes and saving lives.
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.) should be inspected every 6 months
- High/ Heavy Use Doors (Commercial, Hospital, Flat communal Areas, High Risk Premises, etc.) should be inspected every 3 months
Regular fire door checks help identify issues before they affect the door’s performance. Inspections should cover the complete fire door assembly, including the door leaf, door frame, hinges, seals, self-closing mechanism, fire-rated glass, and door hardware. It’s crucial that a door closes automatically in a fire. If it’s held open or damaged, it might not provide the required level of fire resistance.
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 exposed to high temperatures to fill the gap.
Smoke seals are also 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.
Without suitable intumescent strips, even a high-quality fire-rated door might not effectively slow the spread of fire and smoke between areas, provide crucial time for people to escape, and ultimately achieve its intended fire rating.
What Does a Fire Door Rating Mean?
A fire door’s rating shows how long it has been tested to resist fire under controlled conditions. For example, an FD30 fire door is designed to provide around 30 minutes of fire resistance, while an FD60 fire door is designed to provide 60 minutes. Different types of buildings may require higher levels of protection depending on their design, use, occupancy and fire strategy.
The correct fire rating will depend on the specific location where the door is installed. Larger buildings, including some properties several storeys high, may require higher levels of protection specifically designed to protect escape routes and maintain fire compartmentation throughout the whole building.
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
Even small issues, such as damaged seals, faulty self-closing mechanisms, or incorrect door hardware, can significantly affect the door’s performance during a fire. In many buildings, replacing normal doors with well-maintained fire doors is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve fire safety, help prevent the spread of flames, and block smoke and toxic gases.
What is Third-Party Certification?
Once you’ve had fire doors installed, 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 also provide two types of certification:
- Nominal Pass – for doors with no documentation, manufacturer 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. This ensures internal fire doors have been assessed against recognised standards and that the complete door set suits its intended purpose.
A certified fire door will have a clear fire rating, showing how long it has been tested to resist fire under controlled conditions. This is particularly important for buildings where fire doors are relied upon to provide a specific level of fire resistance, such as residential blocks, commercial premises and public buildings. MD Fire Doors offers a complete Fire Door Inspection and Certification Service. Contact us for more information.
- Helping you to achieve compliance -
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