Maintaining fire doors is a vital part of keeping any building safe. When they’re properly installed, inspected, and maintained, fire doors can help to protect lives and property by slowing the spread of fire and smoke. Whether you’re in a home, office, or public building, it’s important that you understand your responsibilities and follow best practices to ensure your fire doors provide maximum protection when it matters most.
Specialist fire door advice
At JB Kind, we specialise in fire doors and fire door safety. We offer expert guidance to our customers, helping you to choose the right fire door and install it correctly. You can access detailed fire door safety advice in our Info Centre, fire door blogs (including a guide to fire door installation), and our handy downloadable PDF on maintaining fire doors.
How to maintain your fire doors
Maintaining your fire doors doesn’t have to be a complicated process, however, you do need a clear plan. Regular fire door safety checks are essential to ensure they provide maximum protection and perform as they should in the event of a fire. It’s important that you understand your legal obligations, carry out thorough inspections, use the correct components for repairs, and take prompt, appropriate action if there are any issues. To help you stay on top of your fire door safety, here are five essential facts you should know as a building owner.
You have a legal obligation to maintain your fire doors
Under the Fire Safety Order, there is a legal requirement to make sure that fire resisting doors and escape doors are correctly installed and properly maintained. Fire doors that don’t meet these standards are considered not fit for purpose, and failure to comply with a Fire Safety Order in this way can result in prosecution or even the closure of your building.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add further details, particularly for multi-occupied residential buildings. These require regular inspections of fire doors, as well as the prompt rectification of any defects by a competent person. These regulations also require that residents are informed about the correct use of fire doors, such as keeping them shut, reporting damage, and not tampering with the self-closing devices.
To ensure that fire door safety checks are carried out correctly, the Fire Door Inspection Scheme offers training to become a “competent person” who is qualified to carry out inspections.
You should carry out regular fire door safety checks
Best practice recommends inspecting fire doors at least twice a year to ensure they remain fully functional. For multi-occupied residential buildings, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 set out specific requirements: communal area doors must be inspected at least every three months and flat entrance doors at least once a year. In areas with high foot traffic where a fire door is used regularly, fire door safety checks might need to be carried out as often as once a week to ensure the door provides maximum protection.
You need to check all parts of the fire door and door set
Undertaking a fire door inspection is a comprehensive job. Not only is it legally required that the check is done by a competent person, but it also covers all parts of the door assembly and the surrounding door set.
For example, you need to make sure the gap between the frame and the door is the right size, that the intumescent and smoke seal are in place and undamaged, that the door has the appropriate signage and the air transfer grille is unblocked – and these are just a few of your obligations.
Not checking all the required elements thoroughly and within the appropriate timescales will leave you open to legal action, or worse, put lives at risk. To make sure you don’t miss anything, check the Fire Door Alliance.
You can create a fire door register
For buildings with multiple fire doors, especially those on different inspection schedules, it can be useful to create a fire door register. This provides a central source for all the information on the fire door specifications, required components, maintenance history, inspection dates, installation details, and fire certificate numbers.
Effectively it’s a record of all essential fire door information and, as well as making sure you don’t miss out any vital inspections, it will help protect you in the case of any investigations or legal action.
You need to use compatible fire door components for repairs
When a fire door needs a repair, it’s vital to act quickly; however, it’s just as important to use the correct components and materials for the job. Fire doors rely on compatible, fire-rated parts to function correctly – using the wrong components could prevent the door from performing as intended, which can be a safety risk.
You’ll be able to establish which parts are appropriate for your fire doors by checking the fire certificate data sheet. If the fire certificate data sheet is not clear, or you have additional questions, then it’s best to check with the fire door manufacturer. Using non-compliant components is likely to invalidate the door’s fire certification, which will compromise safety.
Fire Door Safety Week
At JB Kind, we have extensive guidance on fire doors and fire door safety. However, if you need additional information, the Fire Door Safety Week portal is a great resource. It’s run by the BWF-CERTIFIRE the fire door accreditation scheme, and aims to purely provide information, not sell products. It’s designed to help you understand your fire door obligations, requirements, and options, and offers comprehensive advice on all areas of fire door safety.
