How Do Fire Doors Work and Why Does Your Business Need Them
If you’ve been in just about any building, you’ll probably find fire doors placed around the building. They are normally marked with bright signage, informing you to keep the fire door shut at all times. But have you ever wondered how they actually work and what can they do in a fire to help?
Read on to find out more about fire doors and why your business needs them.
What Do Fire Doors Do?
Even if you take many preventative measures against it, fire can still happen in your business or workplace. So it is essential for yours, your employees, co-workers and visitors safety to install fire doors. Fire doors are used to restrict the spread of flames and smoke in a building, keeping fire isolated as long as possible while you await the arrival of fire services.
Fire doors are designed with a spring loaded or hydraulic mechanism that keeps the door closed, with any gaps filled with a fire-resistant sealant. These two features prevent fire and smoke from passing throughout the building. To be an official fire door, it must be certified by a manufacturer to show it has passed tests to ensure it’s function.
Classifications
The FD rating on a timber fire door is an indication of the amount of minutes a door will hold its integrity against a fire. The most common are FD30 and FD60, which will hold for half an hour or an hour respectively. With the fire blocked behind a door, you know exactly how long you have to escape the danger behind it. Lower grade doors are generally used in offices while higher grades are used to protect buildings which contain high-value property, such as in a museum or a server bank.
Fire resistant glass is given an E rating that ensures the glass remains transparent when exposed to fire, allowing for visibility to locate potential exits and for emergency services to help navigate. The most common types are E30, E60 and E120, indicating the amount of minutes the glass can withstand the flames. It’s worth noting that glass with this rating is not able to prevent the transmission of heat.
Thoroughbred Industrial Doors
Thoroughbred Industrial Doors Ltd can manufacture and install custom-made fire doors at your business. We can create doors in a range of materials such as steel, aluminium and timber and we will install them so the tight fit can help maximise your buildings fire resistance. We also have various styles of doors, so you can keep your premises attractive and in line with your style while still maintaining the safety of the building.
So call us now on 01763 250 777 to reach our Royston office or 01638 718 718 to get in touch with our Mildenhall office. If you want to find out more about our range of fire doors, visit our website now to browse our selection of industrial doors, garage doors, repairs, maintenance and installation.
