Read This Before Installing Fire Doors
Fire doors are one of the many fire protection measures you should have in your building, especially commercial buildings. They are designed to delay fire and smoke from spreading farther, thereby reducing the extent of injuries and property damages during a fire. These doors are made differently from standard doors from the hinges, framing, materials, etc. That's why they must be selected carefully to be effective if a fire breaks out. Therefore, if you are planning to install fire doors in your building, knowing a thing or two about them will go a long way in helping you get the most out of them. Here's all you need to know.
Selection
Your fire door selection will always determine its effectiveness during a fire outbreak. Generally, you will need to consider several aspects to find the ideal fire door. For instance, some of the standard factors to look for are the fire rating, material, and door type. While fire doors are designed to prevent fire, fumes, and smoke from spreading, they can do this only for a certain amount of time. That's where fire rating matters. It's a measure of how long the fire door can prevent the spread. Therefore, fire doors with higher fire ratings will often perform better in preventing the spread of smoke, fire, and fumes.
When it comes to material selection, fire doors from steel tend to perform best. However, wood and glass are also an option. Fire doors are sometimes used as escape routes. And the traffic in your building will often help you select the correct door type. Usually, hinged and sliding doors are the standard options you will find. The former would suffice in an area with fewer people. However, if you expect heavy footfall in the area, consider sliding doors to allow a larger number of people to pass at any given time.
Installation
Installation is the next crucial step after selection, which is why you must use a professional. For this reason, only work with individuals who are competent and fully trained to do so. They will understand critical aspects of the installation like confirming the door's certification, compatibility of components like framing and smoke seals, door instructions, building regulations to follow during installation, etc.
Inspection And Maintenance
Regular inspection and maintenance are pivotal to the longevity and effectiveness of your fire doors. Inspections may cover, among other things, checking for damaged, missing, and faded fire door labels, checking for damaged, missing, or broken parts of the door, checking for hardware additions that may impact the door's effectiveness and operation, measuring door clearances, testing self-closing mechanism, etc.
For more information on fire door installation, contact a professional near you.
Share