Fire Doors: the ultimate in fire protection

Fire Doors: the ultimate in fire protection

Fire doors are specialist doors that built to withstand the heat of a fire for as long as possible and prevent the spending of flames from one room to another. If a fire starts in a room with a fire door, that door can be shut to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas by forming a protective barrier against growing heat, flames, smoke and sparks.

Fire doors are usually composed of a solid wooden frame and are often covered in fire resistant glass. The edge of the fire door is encased in a substance called intumescent seal, which expands as a reaction to temperatures rising above 200 Degrees Celsius. This has the effect of securely sealing any small gaps between the frame and the actual fire door to prevent the fire from spreading.

At home, fire doors can often be installed in places that are typically more prone to fires, such as kitchens where stoves, ovens, gas heaters and electrical equipment are more likely to cause a fire.

When choosing a fire door, make sure you are aware of what its labels mean, as these indicate what your door can do in a fire emergency. For example, doors can be labelled FD, which stands for Fire Door, followed by a number, such as 20 or 30. This number indicates how many minutes the door can withstand fire for.

Finally, make sure that your fire door can close securely after it has been installed. There should be no small gaps between the door and its frame, as gaps defeat the purpose of the fire door by allowing flames to spread.