Fire Door Closers/Seals/Hinges Buying Guide
Introduction
Fire door closers, intumescent seals, smoke seals, and hinges collaboratively enhance fire safety by ensuring that fire doors effectively contain fire and smoke.
Fire door closers
Automatically return doors to a closed position after use, preventing the spread of flames and smoke. Fire door closers are required on fire doors in specific situations, such as doors on escape routes, corridors, and doors protecting stairwells. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Building Regulations (Approved Document B) outline these requirements.
Intumescent seals
Fitted around the door edges, expand in high temperatures to seal gaps, blocking fire and smoke. Intumescent seals are mandatory on fire doors to meet the standards specified in BS 476-22 or BS EN 1634-1.
Smoke seals
Provide an immediate barrier to smoke infiltration even before the intumescent seals activate. Smoke seals are required on fire doors to comply with BS 476-31.1 or BS EN 1634-3, ensuring that smoke is contained and does not spread through the building.
Fire-rated hinges
Support the door's weight and ensure it remains securely in place under fire conditions. Fire-rated hinges must conform to BS EN 1935 and be able to withstand high temperatures. Fire doors typically require a minimum of three hinges to support their weight and maintain integrity in a fire.
Together, these components maintain the integrity of fire-resistant barriers, containing fire and smoke within designated areas, allowing for safe evacuation and reducing property damage.
Fire Door Closers
A fire door closer is a device mounted on the top of a fire door to ensure it remains closed when not in use. For fire doors to function effectively and prevent the spread of flames and smoke, they must stay shut.
In high-traffic buildings, it's challenging to ensure fire doors are always closed, so automatic door closers are installed to return the door to a closed position after being opened, offering maximum fire and smoke protection.
These closers use the energy from opening the door to close it, typically not requiring a power supply.
Fire door closers have varying closing strengths based on the door's weight, known as the EN power size, which is often adjustable. Lighter doors require less power to close. The configuration also depends on whether the door opens inward or outward.
Fire Door Closer Regulations
Fire door closers are mandatory on doors that:
- Separate escape routes between floors.
- Divide long corridors, every 12 meters.
- Separate a long dead-end corridor over 4.5 meters long.
- Protect a staircase from a hallway.
- Open onto outdoor escape stairs.
In facilities like care homes, hotels, or student housing, all fire doors typically need self-closing devices due to the increased risk to occupants. However, this doesn't apply to doors opening into usually unoccupied rooms like cleaners' cupboards or rooms that remain locked. Always refer to your building's fire risk assessment for guidance.
Fire doors are often legally required to be self-closing, making door closers essential. Our range of overhead firedoor closers comply with BS EN 1634 and are rated for FD30, 60, 90, and 120 for timber doors, and 240 for steel doors, ensuring robust fire protection. Each closer in the range is UKCA and CE approved, offering universal fixing options for flexible installation. Radius cover designs prevent unwanted adjustments to settings while providing a refined aesthetic. With adjustable power settings, our range caters for various fire door sizes, with customisable closing and latching speeds ensure controlled closure and proper latching. Adjustable backcheck and delayed action features prevent doors from slamming open. We offer a choice of silver or satin finishes to match building aesthetics, with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.
We also offer market leading Dorgard Fire Door retainers at a fantastic price to provide an innovative and affordable solution to holding open fire doors legally.
Fire Door Power Size
Fire door closers must match the size and weight of the door, with small, light doors requiring less strength to close properly compared to larger, heavier ones. Door closers are categorised into "EN power sizes" to simplify selection based on the closer's strength or closing force necessary for a specific door. If the required width and weight suggest different power sizes, opt for the higher one to meet your door closer needs.
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.
BS EN 1154 is the harmonised British-European Standard detailing performance and testing methods for door-closing devices, including those for fire doors. The EN Power Sizes classify door closers by the range of door widths and weights they can accommodate, ensuring full closure. These sizes span from EN1 to EN7, with Power Size EN3 suitable for doors up to 950mm wide and up to 60kg.
| EN Closing Force Category | Maximum Door Width | Maximum Door Weight |
|---|---|---|
| EN 1 | 750mm | 20kg |
| EN 2 | 850mm | 40kg |
| EN 3 | 950mm | 60kg |
| EN 4 | 1100mm | 80kg |
| EN 5 | 1250mm | 100kg |
| EN 6 | 1400mm | 120kg |
| EN 7 | 1600mm | 160k |
Fire Door Force Rating
Closing force ratings, or "power size", indicate the maximum dimensions and weight of fire doors that a closer can effectively close and keep closed.
To prevent a fire door from slamming, you may need to adjust the closing speed or verify the power size of the closer installed on the fire door. Although regulations mandate fire doors to close fully and securely, door closers can be adjusted to prevent them from slamming shut.
Many self-closing mechanisms allow adjustment to ensure smooth closure without slamming, but if your door closer is still slamming after being adjusted correctly, issues such as fluid loss or incorrect installation might cause this to occur. Regular maintenance and adjustment by a skilled individual are recommended for your fire door closer.
Maintenance and Inspection
Regular inspection and maintenance of fire door closers are crucial. An unlatched or non-operational closer means the fire door won't shut, potentially leading to disastrous consequences in a fire. Adjusting the closing speed can alleviate user frustration from doors slamming shut.
Regular checks should ensure the closer is intact and effectively shuts the door, enabling the intumescent seals to function correctly and prevent fire spread.
Fire Door Seals & Edges
Fire door intumescent seals and smoke seals are critical components in enhancing fire safety.
Intumescent seals are installed around the edges of fire doors and expand when exposed to high temperatures, filling gaps to block the passage of fire and smoke. This expansion helps maintain the integrity of the fire door, preventing flames and hot gases from spreading. Smoke seals, on the other hand, create an immediate barrier to smoke, stopping it from infiltrating through the door's edges. This is crucial for maintaining visibility and breathable air during a fire, enabling safe evacuation.
Together, intumescent and smoke seals ensure that fire doors effectively contain fire and smoke, providing critical time for occupants to evacuate and minimizing damage to property.
In the UK, several laws and standards require fire doors to have appropriate seals, ensuring they effectively contain fire and smoke.
The key regulations and standards include:
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO)
This law mandates that fire safety measures, including fire doors with appropriate seals, are in place and maintained in all non-domestic premises.
Building Regulations (Approved Document B):
This document provides guidance on fire safety in building design and construction. It specifies the need for fire doors to have intumescent and smoke seals to prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
British Standards:
BS 476-22
This standard specifies methods for determining the fire resistance of non-loadbearing elements, including fire doors. It requires the use of intumescent seals to ensure fire doors meet fire resistance criteria.
BS EN 1634-1
This European standard outlines the test methods for fire resistance of doors and shutter assemblies, ensuring they are fitted with appropriate seals to pass the fire resistance tests.
BS 476-31.1
This standard provides methods for measuring the smoke control of doors and shutter assemblies, requiring the use of smoke seals to achieve compliance.
BS EN 13501-2:
This standard classifies the fire performance of building products, including fire doors, and mandates the use of appropriate seals to achieve specific fire resistance ratings.
These laws and standards ensure that fire doors are equipped with the necessary intumescent and smoke seals to effectively contain fire and smoke, providing critical protection for occupants and property.
Our range of FD30 and FD60 fire rated intumescent and smoke seals for fire doors are compatible with a wide range of fire doors for use across commercial and residential premises, and can be easily cut to size.
Additionally, we also offer door edge guards which enhance the effectiveness of fire doors by protecting their edges from daily wear and tear, impacts, and other forms of damage. This protection ensures that intumescent and smoke seals remain intact and functional, which is crucial for these seals to expand properly and create a barrier against fire and smoke during an emergency.
Edge guards help maintain the correct fit between the door and its frame, ensuring the door can fully close and latch, thus preventing the spread of fire and smoke. Additionally, they enhance the overall durability and aesthetic appeal of fire doors, making them more resistant to damage and reducing the need for frequent repairs or replacements.
Fire Door Hinges & Pads
Specialist hinges are required for fire door installation, as they are specifically designed and tested to remain operational during a fire, where normal hinges would melt, warp, or break.
Designed to withstand high temperatures, these hinges maintain the door's secure placement, support its additional weight, and ensure it closes fully to activate intumescent and smoke seals. This proper closure is essential to prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
Additionally, fire-rated hinges are required to comply with building regulations and fire safety standards, offering enhanced durability and reliability under fire conditions. Overall, they play a vital role in maintaining the protective function of fire doors.
Our range of hinges are specially designed and manufactured for use on a range of fire doors, including heavier varieties. They provide reduced friction thanks to a ball bearing design that increases hinge longevity.
Our durable hinges are tested to withstand up to 200,000 cycles under BS EN 1935 standards and are made from stainless steel (SUS 201). Countersunk screw holes enhance screw hold and preserve the integrity of the wood.
Officially fire-rated for FD30, FD60, FD90, and FD120 on timber doors, and FD240 on steel doors, these hinges comply with BS EN 1634 as well as being CE, UKCA, and Certifire approved, with supplied fixings for easy installation. Tested up to to Grade 13, they are suitable for fire doors weighing up to 120kg.
Using intumescent hinge pads with fire door seals is essential for enhancing fire door effectiveness and safety. These pads expand under high temperatures, filling gaps around the hinges to maintain door integrity and prevent fire and smoke penetration at these potential weak points. They work in conjunction with fire door seals to ensure a comprehensive barrier against fire and smoke, ensuring the entire door assembly functions properly. Additionally, intumescent hinge pads help comply with fire safety regulations and standards, providing crucial protection and enhancing the overall safety of the building and its occupants during a fire.
Why Buy From VSafety?
Meeting your fire safety obligations are an essential consideration for any organisation with premises, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to deal with us. Join the thousands of customers who have benefitted from our exceptional customer service, low prices, comprehensive range, and quality product guidance.
Speak to us! You can call our friendly team FREE on 0800 030 8010, chat to us online or email us at sales@vsafety.co.uk
Free Delivery On Orders Over £65*
30 Day Guarantee No Quibble Guarantee
Fast, Tracked Delivery Thousands Of Items In Stock
Over 20,000 Products To Meet Your Safety Obligations
Price Match We’ll Beat a Cheaper Like-for-Like Product
Buy On Account For UK Businesses and No Minimum Order