An essential element of the fire door installation is ensuring that the correct fire rated fixings and fittings are used. As well as being fire rated, the fixings play an important role in ensuring the door forms a tight seal with the frame to prevent any fire or smoke being able to penetrate through.
The fixings on a fire door include:
To prevent fire and smoke from spreading, you need to ensure that the fire doors are closed. Without the door closing, there is a risk of the fire spreading through the building. Having a door closer automatically shuts the door, creating a tight seal between the door and the frame.
Selecting the correct closer is critical to the design of the fire door. Each closer has a 6 digit manufacturer code which identifies such information as: how much weight the door closer can hold, whether it is fire rated and how resistant it is to corrosion. If a door closer is specified incorrectly, the door could become difficult to open or it may have difficulty closing, meaning it is unable to form a tight seal with the frame.
The standard covering door closers is BS EN 1154 / 1155.
Fire rated door hinges are essential as they need to be strong enough to hold the fire door in place. Similarly to the door closers, hinges are given an 8 digit code which specifies information such as: the durability, suitability for use on fire doors and corrosion resistance. Fire doors must be fitted with the correct number, size and specification of hinges.
In most cases, fire doors require three hinges and they should be marked with the BS EN 1935 /CE markings to show that they are fire rated. Installing three hinges will also help to stop the door from warping.
BS EN 1935, including Annex B is the standard for door hinges.
Although it is only a small component, the locks and latches on a fire door need to be correctly specified so that the door latch can keep the door closed with the frame. If the latch cannot hold its integrity during a fire, there is risk that the door will become unsecure and will allow fire and smoke to travel through to the next room. Latches need to have a high melting point so that they can hold the door in place.
Locks and latches are tested by the manufacturers and are given an 11 digit code. This provides the necessary information on: the durability of the product, whether it is fire rated, door mass and closing force, and corrosion and temperature resistance.
Locks and latches need to be installed correctly so that it does not reduce the fire performance of the door. This is because installing these items requires the need to cut in to the door. The cut out within the fire door must be kept to an absolute minimum so that a tight seal is created. Without this, fire and smoke can penetrate through the fire door.
The standard covering locks and latches is BS EN 12209. Locks and latches should be CE marked and fire tested to BS EN 1634-1 / 1634-2. Other standards to take in to consideration are BS EN 179 and 1125 which focus on emergency exit devices.
Fire door push bars, also known as panic bars, are a crucial element to a fire door exit. Typically the bar is fitted with a bolt or latch and is designed to ensure easy escape should a quick exit of the building be necessary. Unless a fire door is entirely free moving, such as a front door, then a horizontal push bar is required. Push bars are crucial to any fire exits within an establishment used by the general public who have no prior knowledge of the device or building.
The standard covering fire doors panic bars is BS EN 1125 – ‘Panic exit devices operated by a horizontal bar’.
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