The law states that buildings and premises must be compartmentalised to prevent the spread of fire from one area to another. Such compartmentalisation is achieved through the use of fire-rated doors, which help to contain a fire while enabling occupants to safely evacuate a building. Effective fire-rated doors are essential to keep the occupants of a building safe. Correctly made and installed doors will hold back fire and smoke, preventing the spread of fire while helping escape routes to remain accessible. Fire-rated doors have two important functions in the case of a fire emergency – they hold back smoke and flames to stop them from spreading (when closed), and provide an effective means of escape (when opened). Every fire-rated door acts as a barrier to the passage of fire and smoke. There are two main categories of fire-rated doors – FD30 and FD60, offering 30 and 60 minutes of protection against fire. Fire doors must always be kept shut and not left open. If you leave a fire door open, you are breaking UK fire safety regulations.

At RES Fire Protection Engineers, we have everything you need to carry out timber fire-rated door inspections, maintenance, repairs, and we can also offer guidance and advice on the types of fire-rated doors you require for your premises.

What is a fire-rated door made of?

Most fire-rated doors are made from timber and are tested to see if they meet current legislation requirements and to ensure that they resist a fire for a specified period of time. Only a fire-rated door that has been properly constructed, certified and correctly installed will be able to contain the spread of smoke and eventually a fire. Metal fire-rated doors are also available in the UK. The level of protection provided by a fire-rated door is determined by the length of time that a door can hold back flames. Once a door’s integrity has been breached, it is no longer effective. Some doors hold back flames for 30 minutes, while others can hold flames back for one or two hours. It is possible to upgrade the fire resistance of the current timber fire-rated doors in your premises. Speak to our team to see how we can help you achieve this.

Fire-rated door inspections

Fire-rated doors should be inspected on a six-month basis to ensure that their integrity is intact. Our fire-rated door inspections at RES Fire Protection Engineers are designed to identify issues or problems with fire-rated doors such as:

• Self-closing devices that are not working correctly, or are missing
• Damage to fire-rated doors
• Removal of locks without suitable repairs
• Poorly fitting doors that have been caused by shrinkage or distortion
• Damage to doors from wear and tear
• Inappropriate door furniture
• Missing or incorrect mandatory door signage

We can also install timber fire-rated door sets in places where they should be positioned in a building. Speak to us today about the requirements of your premises, or we can carry out an inspection for you and advise on where you should position fire-rated doors. We also provide fire door reports and surveys, which are usually costed per door. You will receive a report with photos, containing advice and details relating to your premises.

Fire-rated doors can save lives if implemented correctly. Every building layout is different, therefore different premises will require different fire-rated door plans. We can advise on the correct fire-rated door solutions for your premises. We cover the South of England including London, Berkshire, Bracknell, Windsor, Middlesex & Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex & Kent, West & East Sussex, Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, Newbury and the surrounding areas.