Neil Ashdown MAFDI

These are dealt with in section 7.3.5 of the document 'Hardware for Fire & Escape Doors: Code of Practice' http://firecode.org.uk/Code_of_Practice_hardware_for_fire_and_escape_doors.pdf and typically for a timber-based door the product certification for the door leaf will say, as a general example, something along the lines of:

I would make a suitable repair by tightly splicing-in suitable timber to entirely fill the gap.

I would consult the document https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-purpose-built-blocks-of-flats for advice.

I would use a urea formaldehyde based adhesive.

Yes, this is typical of the different types of non-compliance issues that Fire Door Inspectors see on a daily basis. Installation of timber-based fire doors should be in accordance with BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based Fire Door Assemblies: Code of Practice and the door manufacturers product data sheet / installation instructions.

Q1: BS 8214:2016 only provides directions for gaps with a maximum width of 20mm, many of the gaps between our fire door frame and wall are over 20mm, some being 35mm, is 20mm the maximum gap width permitted ? A) There are some foam products that have been successfully fire tested for use with fire doors at gaps over 20mm. Q2: BS 8214:2016 states in relation to door frame packing that suitable solid packing should be used, ours are hollow plastic, I assume that heat would melt this and given that they are hollow would allow its shape to reduce in size, possibly allowing the door frame to move, are these types of packers valid for use with fire doors? A) The plastic packers should be cut back by at least 10mm and sealed over with intumescent mastic, so that they are encapsulated by the mineral fibre and intumescent mastic system. 3: Two gaps which have a gap width of over 30mm are to be lined with a sheet of plasterboard to reduce the gap width, the information related to the fire door only states that the supporting construction can be lined with soft or hard wood, would a lining of plasterboard be valid? A) Not sure that plasterboard has been fire performance tested in this scenario but have been told that building control would accept this. Personally, I would remove the door frame and screw timber to its back edge, continuous in width and length, to increase the door frame thickness accordingly. Have you informed NHBC, local building control and the builder about these non-compliance issues?

Not all doors can be upgraded to 30 mins by painting though? The product data sheet for the paint or varnish should provide details.

The cold smoke seal should be in contact with the opposing surface in order for it to be effective. There are various types of smoke seals available, including types that can seal against the face of the door instead of at the edge.

The fire door inspector should not mandate replacement of doors but they should report any fire door safety issues for the Fire Risk Assessor at the building to advise the Responsible Person about what suitable and sufficient action should be taken. Articles 17 and 38 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 apply. If the cupboards are located on an escape route or access route and there is a risk of fire within the cupboard it is very likely that the doors would need to be fire doors. Fire doors should be installed and checked for compliance by a Competent Person, Article 18 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies.

Building regulations in England does not specifically require hinges for fire doors to be EN, BS, CE or UKCA marked but to have a minimum melting point of 800 deg. C. See Appendix C at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1124736/Approved_Document_B__fire_safety__volume_2_-_Buildings_other_than_dwellings__2019_edition_incorporating_2020_and_2022_amendments.pdf

Magnetic locks fitted to timber-based fire doors should be suitable for and compatible with the fire door. Consult the product certification data sheets for the maglock and for the fire door, for suitability and compatibility with eachother.

The lock appears to be located at the top of the closing edge of the fire door and bears no marks indicating its suitable for a fire door? Usually the evidence of fire resistance performance for a timber fire would state that the lock position should be between 800mm and 1200mm from the door bottom edge. The lock forend dimensions seem quite large too. There also appears to be a magnetic lock fitted? If that's so, is it suitable for and compatible with the fire door?

This is a question for an architectural ironmonger. Try a GAI member. Is the door really a fire door?

Where has the 'instruction to replace them' come from? What authority does the instruction carry? Has a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment been carried out and if so what was concluded with respect to the four cupboard doors? The answers to these questions will help the freeholders make the decisions.

Looks like a timber-panel door and therefore most likely not traceable to evidence of fire resistance performance. Your next 'go to' would be technical fire resistance performance data for the glass itself and most GWPP would most likely have been manufactured by Pilkington as the product 'Pyroshield' or its forerunner. Many would accept this type of fire door as 'Nominal or Notional'. Where you cannot satisfy yourself of suitable product performance, a Fire Risk Assessor should be able to advise in terms of the suitability of a fire door with unknown ultimate fire performance given the location of the door and the fire strategy at the building.

The gaps of 4mm to 6mm would most likely never have been compliant. The current hinges may be compliant (with building regulations Approved Document B) where the melting point of the materials they are made from exceeds 800 deg C. Each flat entrance door should be fitted with suitable smoke seals and intumescent edge seals. So there are clearly some defects with the fire doors that may allow fire and smoke to spread from the flats and into the escape routes in a fire situation, before the minimum thirty minutes required by building regulations (ADB). The Fire Risk Assessor at the building should decide what remedial works should be undertaken and at what priority in terms of the fire strategy at the building.

Not allowed because it fails to automatically release when the fire/smoke alarm is activated.

The issue with plastic signs stuck to the non-fire side of a non-insulating door (eg metal or glass) is that heat transfer could cause the sticker to ignite.

It would be a specialist product https://www.thepocketdoorcompany.co.uk/product/classic-single-fire-rated-pocket-door-system-copy-2/ rather than something you would assemble using various component parts.

If the defect is that the closing edge gap is 8mm, then the correct way to rectify the defect is to remove the door assembly or at the very least loosen the door frame closing jamb and reinstall the assembly or pack the closing jamb as necessary to reduce the gap to between 2mm and 4mm. Then it will be necessary to tighten all fixings maintaining correct gaps and alignment before correctly fire-stopping the gap between the door frame and the supporting wall. Refer to 'BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based Fire Door Assemblies - Code of practice' for support.

Based on the use of the self-closer above and assuming that the fire door leaf has evidence of fire performance in an unlatched configuration, the door could be unlatched. Correct installation of the self-closing device is key to performance for 'hold-shut' as well as self-closing performance.

Whilst there is no mandatory requirement for certification, fire door installers should be competent persons. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/18/made If you are interested in fire door installation training https://www.firedoorscomplete.com/training-qualification

Flat entrance doors opening onto communal areas inside the block would be FD30(s) and self-closing as a minimum. Refer to BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based Fire Door Assemblies - Code of practice for guidance on smoke seals and threshold gaps and seals. https://bookshop.bmtrada.com/bookshop/view/1f43261a-1100-489d-8c5e-f4673ff17739

The door leaf manufacturer will advise whether such a device is permitted as well as the position for the middle hinge. The self-closer manufacturer's installation instructions will provide the details about the position of the self-closer in connection with the middle hinge.

https://www.firedoorscomplete.com/training-qualification