Essential Fire Door Safety: How to Inspect and Maintain Your Fire Doors
Essential Fire Door Safety: How to Inspect and Maintain Your Fire Doors
Whether you have fire doors in your home or live in a communal building with fire doors, there are a few things you should check to ensure they will work in the event of a fire.
Here are some of the most common questions answered:
Q1: Why is it important to regularly check fire doors in my home or building?
Fire doors are a critical part of fire safety, and it’s essential to ensure they are functioning properly. In the event of a fire, a properly maintained fire door can help prevent the spread of fire and smoke, giving occupants more time to escape.
Q2: How do I know if my door is a certified fire door?
Look for a certification label or plug, usually located on the top or side of the door. This certification mark ensures the door meets fire safety standards. Without it, you cannot be sure it’s an actual fire door. The label also provides information about any specific gaps and seals that should be used with the door.
Q3: How do I check if the gaps around the fire door are correct?
The gaps around the top and sides of a closed fire door should be consistently less than 4mm. To accurately measure these gaps, you can order a set of FAS Gap Gauges. Ensuring the correct gap size is crucial for the fire door to function effectively.
Q4: What should the gap under a fire door be?
The gap under the door can be slightly larger than the side gaps, up to 8mm, depending on the door’s specifications. However, ideally, you should not be able to see light under the door. If the gap is too large, it may compromise the door’s effectiveness. We offer a range of surface-mounted drop seals and threshold plates which can help to reduce the gap if required.
Q5: What are intumescent seals, and how should I check them?
Intumescent seals are heat-sensitive materials that expand when exposed to high temperatures, helping to block fire from passing through door gaps. Combined fire and smoke seals are recommended for use on doors near escape routes such as stairs and corridors and where a door separates a private area from a common space such as a flat entrance door. Inspect the seals around the door or frame for any damage. You can view our range of fire, smoke & acoustic seals to order your replacements if needed.
Q6: What should I look for when inspecting the hinges?
Ensure that all hinges are firmly secured to the door, with at least three hinges in place. Check for any missing or damaged screws, as secure hinges are essential for the fire door to function correctly. All fire door ironmongery should be certified to maintain the door’s certification and fire resistance. (refer to the door manufacturer’s guidance).
Q7: How do I ensure the fire door closes properly?
The fire door must close fully onto the latch without sticking on the floor or frame. A fire door is only effective when it’s fully closed. If it’s wedged open or unable to close completely, it won’t provide any protection during a fire.
Q8: What should I do if I find a faulty fire door in my building?
If you suspect a fire door is faulty, report it immediately to the building manager or owner. Reporting a malfunctioning fire door could potentially save lives.
If you need any technical assistance with the right products to use on your fire doors, please feel free to reach out to me.
The British Woodworking Federation have lots of advice about fire door safety. Visit their page for more information https://www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk/