Fire doors may seem like an unnecessary expense when renovating or building a property, but they really can save lives. As a precaution required by law, it’s something that you cannot ignore when working on a domestic or commercial property. But in case you’re unsure on whether or not your building requires a fire door, or you need some help weighing up your options in the event that you do need one, let’s have a look at the basics about fire doors.
Laws and Reality
If you have an existing building that is used for non-domestic purposes, then you’ll need to arrange a fire risk assessment. For buildings such as flats, offices and other non-domestic properties, buildings with more than 2 floors must have fire doors on every habitable room that leads off from the staircase.
Besides the fact that they are part and parcel of the law, fire doors really do help to save lives. Firstly, they are a means of escape in the event of a fire. But secondly they can also help to slow the spread of a fire by delaying it from spreading between rooms, giving people within the building more time to safely escape.
Initially, fire doors were required by law to be self-closing. However the regulations were amended in 2007 so that this is no longer required. As a result, fire doors are a practical choice for the modern property, and strike the balance between fire safety and ease of use much more comfortably than before.
Investing in Fire Doors
In existing properties, it is obviously an expense to replace the doors of the building with fire doors. However the DIY approach can often by ineffective, as the bespoke design of fire doors that allows them to be free-moving whilst also blocking out the smoke and flames in the event of a fire is hard to achieve. Meanwhile a new door and frame will be specifically designed for this purpose. Better safe than sorry don’t you think.
On the other hand, every door and room is different, and so the one-size-fits all approach to upgrading your doors is also not an option for many. That’s why most companies today offer custom-built fire doors to meet the exact size of a doorway, whilst giving the customer the choice of design too. Fire doors can come in a range of materials and finishes, from oak and walnut to glazed coloured doors for a contemporary look.
Today, conforming to the law and safety doesn’t have to bring down the décor of your property. In fact, many modern designs are elegant and stylish too.
Whether you’re building a property from scratch or renovating an existing one, it’s important to invest in quality fire doors for anything of 3 storeys or higher. Helping to save lives whilst also being surprisingly customisable to be in-keeping with the overall look of a property, they are an essential purchase for commercial and domestic buildings. So put safety first and give your home a stylish finish with bespoke fire doors.
Article by Kelly Gilmour-Grassam, a freelance copywriter who often writes for Emerald Doors.