What do intumescent strips do?

Intumescent strips play a critical role in enhancing the fire safety of buildings by providing passive fire protection to door assemblies. The strips are designed to expand significantly when exposed to high temperatures, commonly encountered during a fire, and sealing any gaps around the fire door to prevent the spread of either (depending on the type of seal):

• Flames
• Smoke
• Smoke and Flames

What's the minimum power size required for a door closer on a fire door?

The minimum strength for a door closer on fire doors is Power Size EN3, as recommended by BS EN 1154 for any fire doors needing an automatic closing device. Power Sizes EN1 and EN2 are advised only for non-fire doors and are unsuitable for fire doors. This is due to fire doors being heavier and denser, having seals that may resist closing and the imperative need for them to fully close to block fire and smoke.

Do you have to use ball-bearing hinges on fire doors?

There are several hinges that can be used with a fire door – the important thing to make sure of, is that the hinges you use are fire-rated, as they have been specially engineered to withstand higher temperatures. Where normal door hinges would melt, warp, or break from the heat of a fire, specialist fire door hinges will keep the door in place and slow the spread of the flames by maintaining the integrity of the fire door for a longer period.

So the hinges don’t necessarily need to be ball-bearing hinges, but ball-bearing hinges are a more durable and heavy-duty option. Due to their specific design, they have lower levels of friction, meaning the hinges last for longer, and are ideal for heavier doors.

What does fire door rating mean?

Fire doors and components are tested to see how effective the door and additional hardware would be at preventing the spread of fire and smoke. The fire door rating tells you how long that door would withstand a fire, providing all the additional hardware has the same rating.

The required rating of a fire door changes depending on its location, the layout of the building, and the risks listed in your risk assessment, so it’s vital to get the right fire-rated door for the right location that would prevent the spread of fire long enough to allow for a full evacuation.

Fire Door Rating	Minutes of Fire Resistance
FD30	30
FD60	60
FD120	120
FD240	240

The most commonly used fire doors are rated at FD30, which is the minimum requirement, however, if a fire risk assessment requires a higher fire-rated door, they must be installed instead with the same FD-rated hardware. (i.e. door closer, latches, seals etc.)

Do I need Fire Door signs?

Fire Door signs are a crucial element of a passive fire protection plan and must be displayed at eye level on every Fire Door. Though simple, they play a crucial part in fire safety evacuation plans.

Fire Door signs act as not only identifiers for Fire Doors, so visitors unfamiliar with your building and escape plan can easily identify the emergency exits, but also specify instructions to prevent misuse of your Fire Doors. It’s vital that your Fire Door signage is maintained alongside the rest of your Fire Door hardware to remain compliant with British Fire Safety Regulations.  

Are locks allowed on Fire Doors?

Yes, you can install locks on fire doors! However, it's crucial to verify that the locks adhere to the requisite fire safety regulations. Fire doors are engineered to slow the spread of fire and smoke and allow for fast and easy evacuation, so any locks installed shouldn’t detract from their performance.

Within the UK, fire doors ought to be equipped with locks that have received certification as being fire-rated and conform to the British Standards for Fire Safety. These locks are specially manufactured to resist elevated temperatures and preserve the integrity of the fire door, whilst increasing the security of the door as required.