Neil ashdown

Is this a flat entrance door? If so does the flat entrance door open onto a communal area inside the building? Does the door belong to you or does it belong to your landlord?

I don't believe there is one, contact the Door & Hardware Federation for advice https://www.dhfonline.org.uk/

refer to the topic here:

Different countries and geographical zones have different Standards. Which country will you be working in?

There is no straight answer! As far as I know fire doors with plugged holes have not been subject to a fire resistance test but there are some issues to consider: 1) If you plug a hole in a certificated fire door the certification for the door will be void because such work is outside the scope of the certification. 2) If you plug a hole in a fire door you should do so in the knowledge that the work you do must not adversely affect the fire performance of the door. 3) Some fire doors are made from timber so if one has a hole in it and you need to plug it, timber is a good material to use.

Doors with these self-closing devices will be subject to increased stress levels at the hinges. Therefore, whilst not an absolute requirement, installing more durable hinges would be good practice.

In terms of the threshold gap for fire doors and compliance to BS 8214: 2016, there is no distinction between doors with top & bottom pivots and doors with butt hinges.

This would depend chiefly on whether smoke seals would provide a benefit to life safety at this location. So its a fire risk assessment question.

Hi Phoebe, For fire resistance purposes the max gap is generally 10mm, so you could fit a threshold plate to the floor to reduce the gap and then fit a flexible seal to address the cold-smoke spread issue. BS 8214: 2016 sections 9.5.3 and 12.3 refer.

The applicable Standard is BS 8214: 2016 which recommends a maximum of 4mm and minimum of 2mm.

I would support the fire risk assessor's recommendation from a safety improvement aspect.

The pocket-door system has evidence of fire resistance performance referencing to an IFC Report. Ask the product supplier for a copy of that report to see how wide the scope is for the product's field of application.

If the work is done to joinery workshop standards then the repair could be suitable. Suitable timber would need to be used for the jambs, with seamless edges and faces, with no gaps or voids and fixed with suitable steel fixings to the supporting wall through the joint, at approx 100mm from the top/bottom and max 600mm centres with minimum 50mm penetration into the wall substrate. Only undertake this type of repair where you have specialist knowledge and experience including about intumescent sealing, smoke sealing and door frame to wall sealing requirements.

In terms of the requirements of BS 8214 the fire rating applies to the door.

Be careful using timber lipping. There are requirements that timber lipping has a minimum density, min and max dimensions and that a suitable adhesive is used.

A drop-seal will not resolve the issue of the door being non-compliant in terms of the 10mm gap for fire resistance purposes.

This matter is dealt with in the Standard BS 8214: 2016 https://landingpage.bsigroup.com/LandingPage/Undated?UPI=000000000000226297

Below is an excerpt from 'Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats' https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1020410/Fire_Safety_in_Purpose_Built_Blocks_of_Flats_Guide.pdf A flat entrance door that opens directly to an outside area would also serve as a final exit. Therefore, as Tom says 'a fire door is not required........' unless the door is required to protect other persons or properties.

Many fire doors have limitations about what products may be fitted in terms of security locks. Often the lock is allowed only to be installed at a position between 800mm & 1200mm from the bottom edge of the door and there will be a limit to the lock-set dimensions. For this reason many of the fire doors seen with a cylinder night latch rim lock are non-compliant to the door manufacturers' evidence of fire resistance performance. So in terms of the door you have had installed and improving security, it will be necessary to check with the door manufacturer about what type of locks may be fitted and at what positions. Some door leaves do have evidence of fire resistance performance with additional mortice dead locks fitted, but many do not. However, the fire door industry have been aware of this issue for some time therefore dual certification PAS 24 Secure By Design fire doors are available. So when specifying new fire rated flat entrance door-sets, one should add this where it is a requirement.

In a three storey house, in scope of building regulations, doors opening onto the staircase, landings and hallway should be fire doors. This is so that the doors, when closed, would protect the entire escape route from top floor to the entrance door from fire spread. So if the kitchen opens onto that route, then it should have a fire door. Also, any door inside the house to an integral garage should be a thirty minute fire door with self-closer and smoke seals.

Not sure about regulations but the use of intumescent seals dates from the 1980s I believe. This link might help? https://www.ifsa.org.uk/

The guidance document 'BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based fire door assemblies - Code of practice' recommends a gap of 2mm to 4mm, so on this basis 4.2mm would be non-compliant. However, this article may be useful https://afdi.org.uk/fire-door-industry-news/fire-doors-what-is-compliance/

I am not aware of any evidence of fire performance that deals with gaps around hinges but clearly the expectation would be that the mortice work for any door ironmongery should be as tight as possible with no large gaps. Below is from https://www.falconpp.co.uk/media/1328/09_strebord_v91_section_9_hardware_rev_a.pdf so applies to that particular door.

You are correct Kevin, some fire door data sheets fail to deal with this issue. Where this is the case the door leaf should not stand proud of the door frame at any point. Some fire doors have an allowance of 1mm proud - I am yet to see a more generous allowance.

Personally, I would change them because the installation instructions for modern fire doors requires No.8 x 30 / No. 10 x 40 or 50. Also see section 2.3.9 'Hinges' at http://firecode.org.uk/Code_of_Practice_hardware_for_fire_and_escape_doors.pdf