Intumescent strips and smoke seals in Dartford: what's involved
If you need intumescent strips and smoke seals in Dartford, we can survey, supply and install, then leave you the evidence your fire risk assessor will ask for.
Buildings in and around Dartford range from family homes after loft conversions to low-rise blocks of flats and HMOs. Whatever the building, the standard is the same: certified products, correct gaps, seals and closers, and a frame sealed to the wall.
We check that each door in your Dartford building closes and latches against its new seals before signing it off. Painted and missing seals are among the most common fire door defects nationally; in Dartford we replace them with the type and size the certification specifies.
Getting the specification right
The door's certification states the type, size and position of strips and seals: in the frame or the leaf edge, single or double, and whether a combined intumescent and smoke seal is used. Replacements must match. Swapping in a generic strip from a hardware shop can undermine the door's performance.
As standard, the work covers:
- Removal of damaged or painted seals
- Brush or blade smoke seals
- Identification of the specified seals
- Check of gaps and closing after fitting
Rules and responsibilities in Dartford
Fire doors in Dartford fall under English rules. New and replacement doors are covered by the Building Regulations 2010 and Approved Document B. In workplaces and the common parts of blocks, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as clarified by the Fire Safety Act 2021, puts the duty on the responsible person to keep fire doors suitable and maintained.
For residential buildings in Dartford above 11 metres, regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 adds checks: communal fire doors at least every three months and best-endeavours checks of flat entrance doors at least every twelve months. Higher-risk buildings of at least 18 metres or seven storeys also come under the Building Safety Act 2022, where works may need approval from the Building Safety Regulator.
Which buildings in Dartford need intumescent strips and smoke seals?
Typical settings for intumescent strips and smoke seals include schools, blocks of flats and offices. In Dartford, as anywhere, the duty holder varies: a responsible person for a workplace, a landlord or managing agent for a block or HMO, or a homeowner after building work. We adjust access, timing and paperwork to suit whoever commissions the work.
Our process in Dartford
- Identify door certification and seal specification
- Remove failed seals and clean the grooves
- Fit new strips and seals to the specified positions
- Fit missing pads and lock linings
- Check the door closes and latches against the new seals
- Record the products fitted
Guide prices in Dartford
Budget around £45–£110 per door to supply and fit strips and seals, ex VAT for intumescent strips and smoke seals. Our guide prices are the same in Dartford as elsewhere; what changes the cost is the doors themselves. Use our guide-price tool for a quick estimate.
Covering Dartford and nearby
Nearby towns we cover include Bexley, Swanley and Welling. Distance from Dartford does not change our guide prices, and the survey and quote are free.
Common questions
Do you work in Dartford?
Yes, we take on intumescent strips and smoke seals in Dartford and the surrounding area, including Bexley and Swanley. Send your postcode and a few details and we'll come back with survey dates.
Do I need to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to give us access to the doors. For blocks and commercial buildings, a caretaker or site contact is fine; for HMOs and homes, we agree a time with you or your tenants.
Can smoke seals be painted?
No. Paint stops brush and blade seals working. If seals have been painted, they should be replaced.
Do all fire doors need smoke seals?
Only where the door is specified for smoke control, such as FD30S doors. Many doors on escape routes and flat entrances are specified this way.