How Do Fire Doors Work?
A commonly asked question we are asked at JST Construction is; how do fire doors work? it’s a great question and one that we will be answering in full detail in this latest blog post. It’s obvious that fire doors help to save lives and preserve buildings, but how do they actually work? Essentially, fire doors slow the process of fire and smoke escalating by compartmentalizing fire which therefore buys time for the emergency services to arrive and put the fire out once and for all.
One of the main ways and answers to the question of ”how do fire doors work” is by using intumescent strips to their full capacity. A result of intumescent strips, which are fully integrated within the fire door, help to hold back the smoke and fire. This works in a very clever and predictable way. The intumescent strips are heated to a certain temperature they expand and seal the gaps around the door so that fire or smoke can’t pass through and escalate throughout your premises. As well as intumescent strips, there are a number of accessories and parts within a fire door that helps to prevent smoke and fire from escalating. Accessories and parts include fire-rated handles, hinges, door leafs, door closers, and threshold seals.
What are they made of?
Fire doors work so predictably and are proven to help prevent the spread of fire and smoke throughout your premises. As we’ve previously mentioned, this helps to potentially save lives and preserve your building from destruction. Fire doors can be manufactured from a combination of hard-wearing and fire-proof materials including aluminum, timber, steel, gypsum, and further materials. Moreover, fire doors can also be made with windows incorporated. In this case, ceramic glass is a highly popular option as this specific type of material offers a much higher fire resistance when compared with standard glass.
How long does a fire door protect you?
Although this may be slightly different based on variable factors, a typical fire door installed by JST Construction is likely to help protect your occupants and premises for anywhere between 30 minutes and 60 minutes. The range and how long your fire door can withstand fire will largely depend if the fire door is FD30, FD60, or FD90. But don’t worry, our team at JST Construction will make all this very clear during the initial site survey and throughout the process.
Normal doors vs fire doors – what’s the difference?
Essentially, there are properties of a fire door that make it excellent for dealing with breakouts of fire and smoke. Fire doors comprise specific accessories and hardware that make them proven for compartmentalizing fire and smoke breakouts. Moreover, fire doors also tend to be much thicker than standard doors – normally around 10mm thicker in most cases – to best compartmentalize fire breakouts. Furthermore, fire doors can also be made to suit the rest of the furnishings and style of the building.
How JST Construction Make A Difference
Following the awful events at Grenfell Tower in June 2017, we decided to take fire safety more seriously than ever. We promptly got our BM TRADA certification to manage facilities more effectively. We are now looking to make a difference and ensure that your premises are fully fire-protected in the event of a fire break-out that could reap havoc on your premises and result in fatalities. JST Construction is proud to be your dedicated fire door company that goes above and beyond to ensure fire safety for all.
Contact JST Construction
Looking to contact JST Construction to ensure fire safety for your premises and meet the latest fire safety regulations? If so, get in touch with our expert team today by calling us directly at 0151 355 9232 or use our online contact form and we’ll get back to you promptly.