Internal fire doors are critical features for effective fire protection in commercial buildings. These doors are essential for preventing the accelerated spread of fire from one area of the interior space to the rest of the rooms. Ideally, the placement of the doors will slow down the rate of spread. Consequently, people will have more time to vacate, and the damage in the building will be localised. However, poor installation can affect the performance of the door significantly. If you are setting up an internal fire door for the first time, use these guidelines to ensure peak protection.
Check the Structure
When installing your internal fire doors, you should always check the structure before actual placement. This precaution is crucial for ensuring that the product that you have acquired is of good quality. There are some aspects that you should assess during this preparation stage. The most important is the certification of the door. Fire doors, unlike normal doors, must be built to withstand continued exposure to fire. Therefore, they must have been tested and approved according to the appropriate standards. It is also prudent to make sure that the internal door structure is not damaged. Breakage of parts of this feature will influence performance.
Avoid Leaving Gaps
One of the common weaknesses of the fire door is the gaps around the feature. In simple terms, when the door is placed over an opening, there might be spaces around it. This is not a major issue for regular commercial doors. However, when dealing with a fire door, the consequences can be unimaginable. Simply speaking, the door will not be able to act as a barrier. Therefore, the benefits of passive fire protection will be absent. The losses could be exponential, especially if the internal fire doors are critical elements in the commercial fire protection plan. You can avoid gaps by using a perfectly matched door frame which will create a good fit. However, there should be no sticking. Moreover, ensure that intumescent seals are utilised during the installation.
Look at the Hardware
Finally, you should think about the quality of the hardware incorporated into the internal door structure. It is important to acquire compatible products which are designed to work well with fire doors. For instance, the hinges should be made using tough metal, and there should be multiple points of attachment for the door. Also, check the closing hardware and ensure that the installed components will allow the internal fire door to shut completely.