The Difference Between Fire Doors and Regular Doors: What You Need To Know.
Notably, the importance of distinguishing the fire doors from the regular doors when talking about safety and security in buildings cannot be overstated. Whether it’s an office space that needs to be designed or upgrading a house, being aware of the importance of fire doors has proven to be an issue of life and death. As a well-reputed fire door company, we will assist you in elaborating on the importance of differences and why the need for proper installation maintenance and care matters with safety and compliance.
What Are Fire Doors?
Fire doors are doors that are expected to limit the movement, spread and diffusion of fire and smoke, within different spaces in a building. They are the essential components of fire stopping in any commercial & residential property. Portable regular doors do not possess any appropriate fire resistance on the other hand Fire doors are constructed with fire-rated materials and units like fire door frames, fire door glazing, gaskets, fire door hinges and so forth.
Correctly installed fire doors through professional fire door installation service can endure fire exposure for a limited time, for instance, thirty minutes to one hundred and twenty minutes. This endurance grants time for the people to move away from the areas of danger and secures very sensitive portions of any building.
What Are the Differences Between Fire Doors and Normal Doors?
Materials Used: Fire doors are constructed from heat-resistant materials such as solid timber, steel, or intumescent core along with an additional coating layer. In contrast, regular doors are often built from wood or Hollow core. They cannot resist heat like the former.
Seals: Intumescent seals are found in fire doors and these seals fill the space between the door and the frame when there is fire. They are not present in regular doors which is why such doors are not efficient in controlling fire or smoke in case of an outbreak.
Regulations: Fire doors withstand high tests without damage and therefore must follow the building laws and evaluation procedures. Most would not be fire safety rated hence regular doors do not conform to such regulations. The regulations are FIRAS and BM-TRADA
Durability: Fire doors are much more tough and long-lasting compared to their properties, which are prone to the application of fire. Standard doors can be very strong if designed with durable materials but will not be resistant under heat/fire circumstances.
Installation and Maintenance: In order to insulate and protect from heat radiation, and egress via self-closing fire doors, fire door installation requires specialized expertise. Simple doors can be installed without any additional fireproofing elements, as regular doors do. Besides, there is also fire door upkeep which is crucial for extended applicability, which is not applicable to normal doors. A certified individual or a company can only inspect and assess the fire doors on a regular intervals.
Fire Doors: Do More than Just Offer Protection
Fire doors provided more than just an entry point, but reinforced a building’s fire protection system. If installed and maintained in the right way, they can help impede the spread of fires and in this way, give enough time for the occupants to evacuate and limit the level of destruction to the premises. At Cullinan Construction Consultants, we provide fire door solutions that are integrated in nature with the end goal of ensuring that all the fire safety requirements in the building are met.
Regular building inspections and fire door maintenance practices are in fact also obligatory in order to verify that their functions are preserved. Other issues such as gaps between the fire door and its frames or improper fitting codes is an example of how fire doors can be made less effective. Where there are gaps around the door perimeter or frame, installing fire doors or fixing its gaps with professional fire door solutions will maintain its functionality along with durability.
Conclusion
The distinction that fire doors and standard doors have is that while the latter strives to offer design convenience, fire doors are made with the primary aim of offering protection from fire hazards. Regular doors are meant to perform everyday functions while fire doors on the other hand are designed to save lives by either inhibiting or delaying the progress of the fire spread. Hiring a trustworthy fire door company such as Cullinan Construction Consultants guarantees your fire doors will be fitted, serviced, and maintained in a proper manner that meets all the necessary regulations.
Fire door efficiency and effectiveness depend on the correct installation of doors and ironmongery and for existing doors, the repair strategy is as per BM-TRADA guidelines along with regular inspections.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How often should fire doors be inspected?
Just like any ordinary doors, fire doors require continuous inspection and maintenance and hence are advised that an appropriate period for inspecting fire doors should not exceed mid year or quarterly depending on usage or premises type.
What actions can I take if my fire door contains gaps?
In case you find the presence of gaps around your fire door, any seals are loose, or any ironmongery is broken – always call a certified fire door installer who will come and follow a corrective procedure to fix as per the guidelines under BM-TRADA.
We at Cullinan Construction Consultants offer a certified fire door installation and solution for existing doors along with inspection. Call us to discuss your project.
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