Your most pressing question is probably, “Do fire doors cost a fortune?” And the answer is “No.” Fire doors are not a luxury item or even strictly a utility item. They are also not difficult to find. A multi-floored factory has fire doors, but so does Grannie’s boarding house in Scarborough. What’s more, a good-quality fire door is only slightly more expensive than a good-quality interior door.
Isn’t Fire Door Installation Should Be Done by a Professional?
On the contrary, anybody can install a fire door. You do not need a license or certification. The people who use a fire door installation company are often those held accountable by their insurance company where they need a proper receipt and proof that the job was done correctly or multiple fire doors are needed.
Installing a door is not that difficult. Just make sure you follow the installation instructions and check if you set up the auto-closing function correctly. This way, your fire-rated door will do its job correctly.
Should There Be a Gap Between the Door and Frame?
Yes, there should be a gap between the door and the frame. Obviously, you do not want a massive hole because you do not want smoke creeping through. However, the notion that a door has to be airtight only applies to submarines. Air can and should pass between each room. However, if you wish, there is special tape and seals you can buy that would stop the smoke seeping through.
Some people prefer air-tight fire doors if they are using inflammable materials. For example, let’s say you set up a small fiberglass workshop in your garage, and you frequently use acetone to clean your brushes, materials, and so forth. In that case, you may like your fire-rated door between the garage and kitchen to be airtight so that any fuelled fires (acetone fires) extinguish themselves through lack of oxygen.
Can I Trim The Door?
Fire doors are becoming more and more reasonably priced, and one of the reasons for that is due to innovative manufacturing techniques. One of the methods is to make the edges and lip of the door very strong and fireproof while having a slightly less strong and less fireproof middle/center. In this case, shaving off too much of the outer edges of the door may make it less effective. However, most doors are of a standard size, which means you shouldn’t have to shave much off. If you typically have to alter your doors in order to get them to fit, ask your retailer if there is a recommended amount of shaving.
Why Are Some Fire Doors Made of Wood?
Do not be fooled by the fact some fire doors are made of wood. For starters, the door may have a metal or foam inner panel that makes it more fire-resistant. Plus, some are made with layers that consist of all sorts of materials, from metal to glass, to vermiculite, and even with layers of polystyrene. Do not worry if the wooden door can do its job. If the door you buy says “fire door” on it, then by law, it must be able to withstand 30 minutes of fire, no matter the material it was produced from. If it is certified as FD30, then it must hold back fire for 30 minutes. As you may imagine, if your fire door is certificated as FD60, then it must hold back fire for at least sixty minutes.
Conclusion – Should I Consider Fire Doors?
If you are running a business or own flats, then you are probably legally required to have fire doors. If you own a house, then you may not need fire doors if all the exits are easily accessible. However, if your occupants have to run past the kitchen, or boiler room, or several bedrooms, in order to escape the house, then fire doors may not legally be required, but perhaps you should install them anyway.
