Neil ashdown

There is an NVQ available for fire door installation but it this is not widely taken up, possibly because there are easier tasks and there is currently no statutory requirement to hold a dedicated qualification or certification to be able to install, maintain and inspect fire doors. However, you are correct the industry is working on this so keep an eye on things!

If the cupboard opens onto a protected escape route the door should provide for restricted spread of cold smoke eg. FD30(s) (section 62.12 of Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1020410/Fire_Safety_in_Purpose_Built_Blocks_of_Flats_Guide.pdf ) From Approved Document B, Appendix C https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/937931/ADB_Vol1_Dwellings_2019_edition_inc_2020_amendments.pdf So if the fire door to a cupboard opens onto a protected escape corridor or stair, the door should provide for restricted spread of cold smoke eg. FD30(s)

A timber-based fire door will have specific requirements for the door frame. Consult the fire door leaf manufacturer's installation data sheet for information about the requirements for the door frame - eg. type of material, density, dimensions, fixings, frame to wall gap and fire-stopping requirements.

Might not be. If the film is on the non fire side of the door and the FR glass is not insulating glass, then heat transfer from fire side to non-fire side could cause the film to flame.

Yes a Pullman latch is spring-loaded so that it retracts when it comes into contact with the strike/keep. So long as you can find a device that is suitable to fit your PVCu door then it should be an improvement on your existing one.

Door blank is the way to go. These are purpose-made for cutting to size and lipping but you must follow the blank manufacturers instructions as regards where abouts you can make the cut, lipping type, lipping thickness and adhesive type. A standard fire door will usually (with few exceptions) be unsuitable for trimming to these heights.

Sections 2.4 and 4.4 of this document https://www.falconpp.co.uk/media/32386/fpp-im-1401-installation-of-fire-rated-doorsets.pdf cover the subject of the gap under the fire door leaf.

Seems as though Building Control are classifying the building as a garage with an adjacent habitable room. That would be a reason for a self-closing FD30(s) door to be required.

Clearly, it would be usual practice to not paint those items. Having said that, it would be interesting to find out what reason has been given not to paint those items. Certainly, it would be detrimental to paint the smoke seals and weather seals.

The main consideration is that many 'standard' fire doors have a strict limit (usually 3mm/4mm max) for trimming the edges to suit an existing door frame. So check the sizes before you buy. Combined intumescent fire and smoke seals can be fitted in the edges of the door leaf or in the frame. Make sure you comply fully with the door leaf manufacturers installation instructions including the self-closing device and sealing the gap between the door frame and the surrounding wall.

Current Building Regulations require that a door between a dwellinghouse and a garage is a self-closing thirty minute fire door with cold smoke seals. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/937931/ADB_Vol1_Dwellings_2019_edition_inc_2020_amendments.pdf Appendix C Various types of smoke seals are available including bat wing, compression, combined intumescent with brush and combined intumescent with a fin or fins. There is guidance about selecting smoke seals for doors here https://www.ifsa.org.uk/documents/

When fitting flush bolts to double leaf doors only the active leaf should be fitted with combined intumescent fire and smoke seals. The flush bolt should be fitted to the slave leaf so that the seals by-pass the flush bolt rather than be interrupted by it.

Hinge blades may be packed with intumescent sheet materials. eg.

Yes, like most things there are various types of self closing device and there will be a limit to the size and weight of door that a given self-closer is suitable for. So the self-closing device should be selected based on minimum power size 3 for the size and weight of the door and should have a dampening mechanism so that the door meets the rebate stop of the door frame without slamming.

Georgian wired glass relies on the wired grid for integrity, there are other options. I would speak to a specialist for advice, you could try https://www.ggf.org.uk/ and https://zeroplus.co.uk/collections/glass

Does the fire resistance performance test evidence for the mastic product support that use?

In terms of fire resistance performance, BS 8214: 2016 guidance states that such a gap should generally be between 2mm and 4mm but you should check the fire door leaf manufacturers installation data sheet to see what is required. In terms of restricted cold smoke spread, one would expect to see such a gap sealed with a combined intumescent fire and smoke seal. Or if the meeting edges have a rebate or astragal, a bat wing type or compression type smoke/acoustic seal.

There are no regulations, in England and Wales, that deal specifically with a defective fire door inside an individual's own private dwelling. Clearly, though it would be desirable to repair the defect so that the spread of fire and smoke can be sufficiently mitigated.

Maybe the doors could be upgraded to improve their fire resistance performance. Historic England https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/fire-resistance-historic-timber-panel-doors/ Building regs Page 135 Fire doors https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/937931/ADB_Vol1_Dwellings_2019_edition_inc_2020_amendments.pdf

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Yes, it is possible to remediate excessive gaps. The most effective method would be to remove the door leaf and door frame and then reinstall to the correct tolerances. Refer to BS 8214: 2016 for guidance https://shop.bsigroup.com/products/timber-based-fire-door-assemblies-code-of-practice/standard

Self-closing fire doors should not bang shut or indeed bang-open. They are adjustable (some more than others depending on the quality of the self-closing device) for speed, latching action and back-check. See Section 3 of the Code of practice: Hardware for Fire and Escape Doors http://firecode.org.uk/Code_of_Practice_hardware_for_fire_and_escape_doors.pdf

The thing with fire doors is that by making modifications you could cause the fire resistance performance certification to become void. This is because the scope of some types of certification are limited to this type of work being carried out by the original manufacturer or fabricator. If you add a lipping make sure its done by a competent person that has sufficient knowledge, or alternatively you could remove the complete fire door assembly so that the door frame head can be re-positioned to suit the door leaf / leaves. Refer to BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based fire door assemblies - Code of practice.

The door should open fully. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/540330/BR_PDF_AD_M1_2015_with_2016_amendments_V3.pdf

If the doors are fire resisting doors, then in order to be compliant to the Standard the minimum and maximum gaps will need to be achieved. BS 8214: 2016 guidance states 2mm to 4mm at the top edges & vertical edges and the threshold gap should be to the door manufacturers installation instructions (usually 6mm to 10mm). This can be difficult to achieve for double-action doors. If the doors are required to provide 'restricted smoke spread' then the smoke seals should seal the operating gaps, including at the threshold. BS 8214 https://shop.bsigroup.com/products/timber-based-fire-door-assemblies-code-of-practice/standard Clearly, intumescent edge seals and most likely smoke seals will be required.