What are the signs your fire doors need to be replaced?
Fire doors are crucial to provide protection of property and people from fire and smoke. We are your trusted partner to safeguarding against the unexpected and helping to protect lives by allowing people to exit the building safely. Knowing when to replace fire doors is important to maintain safety of the property and personnel by ensuring they are replaced and repaired when required.
All fire doors are legally required to have intumescent fire seals and It is general good practice for any commercial businesses and even domestic properties to have fire and smoke seals in the case of an emergency. The seals prevent toxic fumes in the smoke and the extreme heat from the fire spreading quickly.
How long should a fire door keep people & property safe?
The lifespan of fire doors can vary from property to property and depending on a few factors. Fire doors should last a long time but there are a no set rules or requirements for the lifespan of a fire door.
Exposure to fire damage, damage from misuse, frequency of use and natural deterioration are factors which contribute to the performance of the fire door and how much protection it provides.
The wear and tear on fire doors can affect the doors fire resistance which is why different materials used for fire doors need to be low-pressure intumescent. The solid core of the doors, layers of material and visible damage can also affect the performance of the door overtime.
Wear and tear on fire doors
Fire doors should be checked regularly like every 6 months or when there has been a recent emergency. The wear and tear create a weakened fire door overtime and the performance drops naturally so inspecting the signs of wear of tear are especially important.
One of the main signs is issues with the fire door not closing firmly enough and gaps around the edge of the door appearing when it is closed. These issues can cause deficient performance as smoke can leak out of these gaps and cause a sudden surprise to personnel nearby reducing their time to evacuate the property. Cracks and splits in a fire door can also compromise the performance to contain smoke and fire from personnel and the building, which is why repairing these cracks to crucial to maintain longevity of the door.
Damage on the fire door needs to be repaired immediately or as we recommend, replace the fire door entirely.
Door finger guards and hinges are important for the proper function of fire doors. If there is any damage to the hinges or they are loose this can prevent the door from closing fully, firmly or cause a misalignment which can reduce the protection from smoke and fire.
It is paramount to make sure fire doors close properly and latch properly in case of a fire because if it is not closed properly due to damaged or missing door closers then smoke and fire can pass through.
Some fire doors have glass panels which allow visibility and light so making sure there is no cracked or broken glass panels is important to maintain strong protection against hot flames and smoke.
Damaged intumescent fire door seals
Intumescent fire seals provide effective protection against a fire for either 30 minute or 60 minutes depending on the option you have installed to your fire door.
Intumescent fire seals are incredible strips of material that expand when exposed to heat which creates an additional barrier against smoke and fire. When these seals are damaged, they will not function properly during a fire and fail in providing fire protection to personnel and property.
We recommend replacing intumescent fire door seals immediately if damage is identified. The fire door provides robust protection against smoke and fire but without an intumescent fire door seal performing as it should then the full fire protection is failing fire safety regulations and exposing people and property to great danger.
Inspecting fire doors
Arranging regular fire door inspection is important to ensure optimal performance. Certified professionals should undertake fire door inspections, and they tell you if your fire door needs repairing or replacing.
All the wear and tear issues of intumescent fire door seals and fire doors are checked, and their report will provide either a pass or fail rating based on the criteria along with advice, repairs, or replacements.
The fire door inspections can often pick out issues with the fire door that you may have missed upon your first checks. It is worth remembering that even though every certified door comes with installation, care, and maintenance instructions we strongly recommend a full inspection from certified fire safety inspectors.
Make sure people and property are protected from the quick spread of smoke and fire by regularly checking, inspecting, and repairing fire doors and fire seals.
At Noberne we are proud to offer a wide range of fire door seals including intumescent fire seals and we provide fire door hardware options.
For more information on Noberne’s products, please feel free to contact a member of our team today on 0113 271 3266 or email us at sales@noberneseals.com
