Fire door guides
Straight answers on the rules, the jargon and the practical details, written for building owners, landlords, managing agents and homeowners.
FD30 or FD60: which fire door rating do you need?The number after FD is the minutes of fire integrity a door achieved in test. Here is how the two common ratings differ and how to work out which one each door in your building needs.How should a fire door be installed?A fire door only performs as tested if it is fitted the way it was tested. This is what good installation looks like, stage by stage, and what you should receive when the job is finished.What gaps should a fire door have?Gaps are one of the most common reasons a fire door fails inspection. Here is what the figures mean, how they are checked and which fixes are legitimate.What does a certified fire doorset actually mean?Certification tells you a fire door has been independently checked, but only for the exact combination it describes. Here is what is covered and how to verify it yourself.Can you trim or cut down a fire door?Most fire door leaves can be trimmed a little, but only within limits set by the manufacturer's certification data. Beyond that, and for most new holes, you are changing a tested product.What are the fire door rules for blocks of flats?The rules for fire doors in flats depend on which nation the building is in, how tall it is and who controls each door. This guide sets out the framework and what each party is expected to do.When does a house need fire doors?Most houses have no fire doors at all. Two common projects change that: converting a loft into a new storey, and having a garage built into the house.What fire doors does an HMO need?Houses in multiple occupation carry a higher fire risk than single-family homes, and councils expect more from their doors. Here is how the requirements are usually worked out.Who is responsible for a flat's front fire door?Flat entrance doors sit between a private home and the shared escape route, so responsibility is often split. The lease is the starting point, but fire safety law adds duties of its own.How long does a fire door last?There is no fixed lifespan for a fire door. How long one stays fit for purpose depends far more on how it is used and looked after than on its age.What makes glass in a fire door safe?Glass in a fire door is one of the easiest places for performance to be lost. The glass, the beads, the seals and the fixings all have to work together as tested.How do you choose and adjust a fire door closer?The closer is the part of a fire door that does its job every day. Get the size and adjustment right and the door closes reliably without being too heavy to open.What is the difference between intumescent strips and smoke seals?Fire doors often carry two kinds of seal in the same groove or reveal. They do different jobs at different stages of a fire, and a door that needs both is not protected by one alone.What does the move from BS 476 to BS EN 1634 mean for fire doors?UK fire doors have long been tested to British Standards, with European methods alongside, and the government has confirmed the national route will be withdrawn from the guidance in England. Here is what that means in practice.How much does fire door installation cost?Fire door prices vary widely because no two openings are quite the same. These guide figures show typical ranges, with the factors that push a job towards the top or bottom of each.What should you do after a failed fire door inspection?Fire door inspection reports often list dozens of defects across a building. This guide explains how to work through one, decide what to fix first and show the work has been done.
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