January 28, 2016
Correct installation of fire-rated doors is the only way to ensure they function correctly - here's why...
Fire doors are designed with a very specific function in mind - they’re barriers to the spread of a fire. In order to achieve this, they have to have a variety of features that counteract the fire, including:
Seals to prevent smoke moving about the building. Smoke inhalation can be more deadly than the fire itself, so smoke seals are crucial.A time-rating - fire doors will resist the passage of fire for a specified period of time. Taskmaster doors, for example, are rated for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours or 4 hours.Appropriate vision panels - you can’t just put any type of panel in a fire door, you have to use the appropriate materials to maintain the fire rating. Things like the gaskets also need to be rated, so that all components of the door support its capabilities.
In order for all the features of a fire door to function to their stated performance, the door must be fitted correctly. There are too many aspects that can go wrong to risk a poor installation, which is why there are third-party certifications for fire door installation. The voluntary FIRAS scheme certifies installers as having the appropriate level of technical and practical knowledge and experience to properly install fire-rated doorsets.
In order for a fire door to work, it must be closed; open doors can do nothing to arrest the spread of a fire. In order to ensure the door is kept shut and functional, door closers must be installed and all hinges must be correctly aligned.
Anything that prevents the door closers from working effectively, such as thick carpets or dropped hinges, must be corrected during installation. A qualified installer will be able to spot all issues that could affect the door’s closing mechanism and ensure that they are resolved.
Smoke seals also need to be fitted correctly - a badly fitting seal could prevent the door closing completely, removing the fire protection that it should be offering. In addition, poorly fitting seals will not function appropriately themselves, reducing the efficacy of the door even further.
The door must also have the appropriate degree of gap around the frame - in order for intumescent seals to have space to expand in the event of a fire. British Standards for this, under BS 8214:2008, state that the gap must be no more than 3mm around the top and two edges. The appropriate gap for the bottom of the door depends on the doorset design and fire requirements - for this reason, a qualified installer is vital to ensuring you get the right level of safety.
With standard doors, if the door is too big for the frame you can simply shave a little off the top or sides to make it fit.
With a fire door, there are strict regulations around altering the door, to ensure that its fire safety certification is not compromised. The door will have certification information on the edges, which cannot be removed, and trimming allowances can vary significantly.
It is possible to have door specifically manufactured to meet your building’s door sizes, Taskmaster can manufacture all sorts of sizes and configurations, but if you have a standard sized door and a non-standard opening, you absolutely need a specialist fitter to ensure the performance of your door is maintained.
It is possible to have vision panels within a fire door, but it is never possible to cut into a fire-rated door to add a panel as an afterthought. Your installer should know that making changes to the door’s structure is not an option during the installation process - all non-standard features need to have been planned and manufactured to exacting specifications.
If you do require glazing, we manufacture the door with fire-rated glass, and appropriate gaskets and hardware, to ensure the fire rating is maintained.
If you are installing fire doors in your building, having a fully qualified, FIRAS certified installer is the only way to be absolutely sure that your doors have been fitted correctly. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that poor installations are only discovered when a fire breaks out. With the consequences of ineffective fire doors being so significant, ensuring they are installed correctly from the outset is crucial.
Taskmaster have fully FIRAS certified installers, who are employed directly by us, so if you’re thinking about updating your fire doors, give us a call and we’ll make sure everything is installed to perfection.
