HomeThe Importance of Fire Door Hardware
The Importance of Fire Door Hardware
From slowing and stopping the spread of fire to protecting escape routes down stairs and through corridors. Fire doors are an integral part of a buildings infrastructure and should be regularly checked and serviced by a qualified professional.
Whilst Fire Doors are regularly found present in offices and homes, many are misused by individuals with over one third of people admitting to propping open a fire door and 50% have seen one propped open (source:ironmongerydirect). The misuse of fire doors and the associated hardware can cause faults to develop over time, leading to the fire door not providing adequate protection in the event of a fire.
This was demonstrated by the Investigations following the Grenfell Tragedy. These uncovered that only 17% of door closers were present and working in the building. A lack of theses essential hardware components causes critical weaknesses to fire doors.
Fire Door Hardware
Fire Door Closers
Fire Door Closers are installed to ensure that, after a door is opened, it naturally returns to a closed position where it can offer full protection from fire. Door closers work by using the energy built-up when opening the door, to close it. There are a number of different types of fire door closers, some of which are even concealed within the doors themselves.
Fire DoorGuards
The DoorGuard is a smart, standalone device which can be fixed to a fire door in seconds to provide a reliable way to keep it open whilst listening out for fire alarms and, upon hearing an alarm over 80dB, will automatically release the door to a closed position, helping to comply with fire safety laws. source:UnionOnline) DoorGuards help to maintain access to rooms whilst improving fire safety. Most models feature a timer which can be set to release the DoorGuard during specified hours such as during the night.
Fire Rated Hinges
Hinges and latches have an important role in ensuring the integrity of the door. The fire door hinges must remain adequately attached, in spite of the charring of wood in the vicinity. It is common to use three hinges on a fire door to prevent it from warping.
Fire Doors and Fire Door Hardware surrounds our daily lives and as many as 70% of respondents admitted to not knowing who to contact in the event there was a problem with their fire door. Whether it’s a problem with a door closer, hinge, door guard or glazing, Lincoln Security’s trained and qualified engineers and surveyors can provide advice and services to ensure your premises is kept safe in the event of a fire.
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