Neil Ashdown MAFDI

Should the doors and door frame all be fire proof and has this always been the regulations or has that changed since 2004? If so how would it have been signed off at completion as been compliant? Answer: Its not that a fire door frame needs to be fire-proof or fire rated. The fire door frame just needs to meet the specification stated in the fire door leaf manufacturers installation instructions in terms of sectional dimensions and density. I am obviously also really concerned that the house may now not be compliant which in turn could cause a risk to life or invalidate our home insurance? Answer: Contact a competent fire door installer, they should be able to advise what action is necessary to meet the relevant standards and regulations. How we can resolve this problem - it affects 4 doors? Answer: As 2 above.

There is no mandatory requirement to replace fire doors just because they are old. However, the suitability and condition of fire doors must be sufficient to meet the necessary fire and smoke compartmentation requirements to suit the fire strategy at the building. Consult the fire risk assessor on this subject and be prepared to upgrade or replace fire doors where necessary.

You would need to check with the door manufacturer. Also you could try the Door & Hardware Federation https://www.dhfonline.org.uk/

Are the ground floor doors there to protect the escape route in a fire? If the answer is yes, then they should be fire doors.

The problem with tight gaps is that the door could bind on the frame and fail to self-close correctly. Always reference the BS 8214 guidance in your report.

This might be helpful: https://www.dhfonline.org.uk/media/fire_safety/library/mhclg-advice-note-16.pdf This advice note has now been withdrawn by UK Gov but may provide some insight into how this situation may have arisen. You don't say whether the existing fire doors are timber or composite? I understand the issues in the government sponsored fire door tests were with Composite fire door-sets https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fire-door-investigation Maybe an independent expert (fire risk assessor/fire door consultant) has been consulted and the advice given is being followed? Why are the new doors so costly? This document, updated recently, provides guidance about fire doors in blocks of flats https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-purpose-built-blocks-of-flats

If the fire door leaf (or fire door-set) can be identified to its certification / manufacturer, the technical department at the door manufacturer will be able to advise what work may be done without compromising the fire resistance performance certification. Where the door cannot be traced to any certification or manufacturer an additional lipping should not be added to the existing one, instead the lipping should be replaced using the correct dimensions and density of hardwood and suitable adhesive. The work should be carried out to a 'joiners shop' standard.

There's much confusion on this point. It is not possible for a certificated fire door to become a nominal one. Certificated fire doors can have many items of hardware fitted but the hardware must be compatible with the fire door leaf. This means the installer must follow the requirements of the certificate and data sheet for the fire door leaf when fitting the hardware; handles and letter-plates included. Where an installer fits an item of hardware that is not compatible, reduces the size of the door by more than permitted or makes a repair such as replacing a lipping then the door could become a 'non-compliant certificated fire door'. This is because the scope of the certification does not cover that modification. Before modifying the door one should check with the manufacturer to see what the scope of the certification allows. This is not to say that a fire door should not be repaired but to emphasize that the scope of the certification is intended to cover the manufacturing of the door by factory production control rather than repairs to the door.

The standard 'BS8214:2016 Timber-based fire door assemblies - Code of practice' states that, for fire resistance performance, the optimum door leaf to door frame perimeter gap is 2mm to 4mm. For restricted smoke spread purposes the door/frame should lightly contact the blade or brush of the seal in the door-closed position. The competent person that declared the doors as "high risk" should provide some commentary as to why and it what context the doors are high risk and what recommendations they are making into how the issue could be resolved and the correct gap maintained.

Removal of existing lipping and re-lipping a timber-based fire door with suitable hardwood and using suitable adhesive is a valid option for remediation of excessive door leaf to door frame gaps. It should be carried out be a suitably competent person.

In the DCLG document 'Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats' the author stated that the term 'Notional' refers to a fire door that at the time the building was constructed met the requirements of the regulations. As building regulations are not retrospective there is no requirement to upgrade to modern methods. However, recent product development has meant that fire resistance performance has been improved and that provides us with the opportunity to upgrade existing fire safety measures were such action is worthwhile. So for example, an inspector may recommend that such upgrades be applied in onerous situations such as at sleeping accommodation or on escape routes.

A swing free self closer? https://www.safelincs.co.uk/free-swing-door-closers/

If you intend to use the fire door inspection report so that contractors can tender for remedial works, its essential that the fire door inspection report contains sufficient information. Many such contractors report that most fire door inspection reports are insufficient for that purpose and insist on carrying out their own inspection before quoting. Make sure you see a sample fire door inspection report before procuring the fire door inspector services.

The fire door will have a fire rating based on a fire resistance performance test on one of its type. Therefore the fire-stopping to the linear gap between the back of the timber door frame and the surrounding wall cannot provide sixty minutes fire resistance for a FD30 fire door assembly. Where the fire door is considered sufficient, seal the linear gap in accordance with the door manufacturers installation instructions or where this is unavailable refer to the Standard BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based fire door assemblies - Code of practice.

Historic England have published guidance with particular reference to timber-based heritage doors here: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/fire-resistance-historic-timber-panel-doors/

Where the fire door is so critical to the fire strategy at the building that it is desirable to upgrade the fire performance of the door. Consider that all timber-based fire doors have had intumescent seals for around the past 30 years now. So why wouldn't you fit them to a fire door?

Its a manufacturers' plug used by Leaderflush. Contact http://www.leaderflushshapland.co.uk/Contact-Us for more info.

Regulation 10: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022/fact-sheet-fire-doors-regulation-10 I would interpret this to mean the 'total height of all storeys combined'.

Yes 35mm is too big a gap. If using fire foam make sure it complies with the requirements of BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based fire door assemblies - Code of practice. The gap requirement depends on the materials you are using to fill the gap, BS 8214 guidance based on using mineral fibre tightly packed and capped with intumescent acrylic mastic on both sides states 20mm as the maximum gap but refer to the Standard so that you can demonstrate compliance.

Building Regulations would have applied to fire doors in 1998 and most likely flat entrance doors would need to have been self-closing at that time. Contact a reputable building regulations consultant for advice.

Contact an independent building regulations consultant for advice.

It depends on the door leaf you use. Consult the technical/certification data sheet for the door leaf and it will tell you the door frame requirements. Stick to that and you can retain product performance certification for the door assembly but if you deviate that, the certification may be void.

Clearly its impossible to be comprehensive in terms of answers without inspecting the doors, but to answer your questions generally: 1) The corridor double Doors do not close into the frame as I believe there is some air pressure keeping them open. Can the door closer be adjusted to suit or would a more powerful closer be needed. A) Initially check for 'door-binding-issues' and wear and tear or damage with the hinges. Resolve any issues before adjusting the self-closing device. Consult a reputable self-closer manufacturer for advice before procuring a replacement. 2) The disabled toilet door seems to be a fire door as it has seals on edges of the door but it doesn’t self close. (No closer on door) Would this need a door closer? A) If its a toilet, does it need to be a fire door? So check the fire risk assessment for the building. 3) The locks/latches on the timber doors are not CE marked but are marked UL. Are these compliant? A) UL are an American owned fire-testing company so check out this webinar https://www.ul.com/resources/various-safety-standards-fire-door-testing-ul-en-bs and contact the door manufacturer (if that's possible) to see if UL tested/certificated locks or latches are suitable. Also remember, the requirement for CE marking of products (under the scope of harmonised standard BS EN 12209) wasn't a requirement before 1st July 2013. I hope this information is useful.

Its my belief that although 'Shapland' are no longer in business, IDSL possess much of the product data and evidence of fire resistance performance. So you could contact them at http://www.leaderflushshapland.co.uk/Integrated-doorsets/Technical-Resources possibly for archived data/information and guidance about the doors. If you wish to use packing material behind hinges this may be done, within reason, using Interdens intumescent sheet material and this is available 1mm and 2mm thick. This sort of information and examples of suitable repairs should be included in the training materials provided.

Cork has good natural characteristics in terms of fire resistance so it may be that the doors were designed and manufactured as fire doors. However, its not just the core materials and facings that have a bearing of fire resistance. The installation of the door assembly (gaps, voids & alignment), the intumescent edge seals, the smoke seals, the door frame, the ironmongery & hardware, glazing and the fire-stopping around the assembly to the surrounding wall will also matter very much. Therefore, it would be wise to engage a Competent Person to thoroughly inspect the door assembly and provide a fire door inspection report. https://afdi.org.uk/category/find-a-fire-door-inspector/