Fire protection might seem like one of those far-off concerns that you will never really have to worry about, and yet in practice fires are far more common than you might think. More than 500,000 fires are attended each year by the fire brigade in the UK, making it a common cause for concern. Often, fire is more common in commercial spaces, where there might be more risk prone processes taking place. Fire protection doors can be used in workplaces and commercial spaces to help protect against the danger of fires, so you know that if a fire does occur, you have the best possible protection in place already.

Businesses are difficult to run at the best of times, let alone when you have an emergency situation such as a fire breaking out. A fire protected door will help you to control the situation should a fire occur, and it will be reassuring for you to know that you are able to deal with this kind of situation in your property if the worst was to happen. It’s always better to be prepared when working in a commercial environment, so that you are prepared for every eventuality.

The things you should look out for with your fire protection doors

These are just some of the things to take note of when sourcing fire protection doors:

·     Fire resistance rating. Look out for the standards the door meets and the approvals it has. Look out for doors able to resist testing temperatures for at least 30 minutes, as these will have been tested and approved by regulatory bodies.

·     Smoke tightness. Doors tested in accordance with DIN 18095 must be properly sealed for smoke tightness. They will also need to have a profile cylinder, and the surface edges of the door frame need to be sealed on both sides of the building structure.

·     Automatic closing. Fire rated doors will close automatically as a standard feature and can also have linkage door closers, slide rail door closers or concealed integrated door closers.

·     Security bolts. There should be security bolts on the hinged part of the door, which will give more stability if there is a fire.

These are all features that should come as standard whenever you choose a fire rated door. Make sure the door has a proper fire rating and isn’t just ‘fire resistant’ or similar, as this will ensure you are buying a door that has been thoroughly fire tested.

You will need to choose the style of fire door you have fitted in your property. The main choices are sliding fire doors, steel doorsets, fabric flame curtains and roller shutter doors. Choose the type that is most appropriate for your property and that will offer you the best levels of fire protection. You should also think about additional functionality, like glazing, insulation, the speed of the door opening if you need quick access, and acoustic performance. Different features will matter to different businesses depending on the way they operate.