Flat fire door for private entrance

[Nibarb]

I live in a block of four flats with two on the ground floor and two upstairs. The top floor flats share an entrance and a small communal area and have a fire door for their flat's entrance. My flat is on the ground floor and has it's own private entrance door that opens up to the street. I would like to replace my wooden front door (not a fire door) with a composite door but the managing agent says it has to be a fire door with 60 minutes fire resistance. I can understand that for the flats upstairs as they share an entrance and their front doors open up to a small communal area. I don't understand why I need a fire door though. I've checked my lease and it says nothing about a fire door. Is the managing agent correct and I do need a fire door? I've looked at composite fire front doors and can only find FD30 and not FD60 ones which is no help if I do need 60 mins cover.

[Tom Sutton]

It sounds like the managing agents does not know what they are talking about. Your front door appears to be a final exit door and only in very rare situations it has to be a fire door, also FD30s fire doors are the norm not FD60 doors. 

[Nibarb]

Thank Tom for your great advice.

[Guest Lesley-Ann]

Hi there,

I wonder if you could please help. I live in a ground floor flat and need to replace my flat entrance door. So to be clear not the building door but my home entrance door. I have been told that it needs to be a fore door. Is this correct?

We currently have an internal type fire door so does this mean I would to replace it with an internal fire door?

Any and help is very greatly appreciated.

Lesley-Ann: misslamont@live.co.uk

[Tom Sutton]

Does your flat entrance door open onto a common area used by other flat tenants or does it open to fresh air?

[Guest tim]

Hi Tom - i have the same issue.  A ground floor flat, where the front door opens into a common hallway area.  The hallway leads to the building front door, which opens onto teh street.  So does my flat front door need to be a fire door?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

Hi Tim,

From what you say it seems like the front door to your flat opens onto a common area that would be used, by other residents, in a fire to enable them to reach a place of safety. If this is so then your flat entrance door needs to be an FD30s fire door to resist spread of fire for thirty minutes and restrict the spread of cold smoke too.

Hope this helps, Neil.

[Guest EH Guest]

A question of the back of this please - in the situation mentioned above - ground floor flat, front door opens into a common area and from there you walk to the main block door. Is there a requirement for an existing functioning door to be changed to one which is FD30 spec?  In the specific case I'm interested in, in case it is of relevance, there is a second internal front door fitted between the final exit door to the common areas, and the interior of the flat itself, and this secondary door is of a solid timber construction, with no glazed panel. 

[Tom Sutton]

Does this door lead from a flat to the common area or does it divide the escape corridor?

[Guest Guest EH]

On 23/01/2018 at 19:54, Tom Sutton said:

Does this door lead from a flat to the common area or does it divide the escape corridor?

From a flat into the common area. 

[Tom Sutton]

Assuming this door has be accessed and meets the standards of a nominal 30 min fire door then it would not require changing, it all depends on the fire risk assessment.

[Guest N1.]

Hi,

My flat door opens into a common area on the 1st floor,

Do i need an FD30 or 60?

Also should i have smoke seals fitted if i don't have a smoke detector in my flat?

 

Thanks

[AnthonyB]

FD30s (smoke sealed). Why do you not have a smoke alarm. Unless it's a privately owner occupied flat that was built or converted before 1991 it should have one and if rented must.

[Guest Ola]

Hi,

i am about to renovate the flat and it’s entrance door leads to a open air gallery (balcony) and down to a open staircase. I am based on 2nd floor. Do I need fire door?

[Tom Sutton]

I would say yes because if there is a fire in your flat and the front door is open or fail with in 30 mins, then other tenants trying to escape, would not be able to pass you front door to get to the staircase also windows sills need to be located 1.2 m above the balcony floor level.

Depending on the width of the balcony and if tenants, above the ground floor, can turn left or right to get to a staircase, there could could be an exception to this rule.

[Guest Asha]

Dear Sir or Madam

I live on the first floor and need to get a FD30 for the entrance to my flat.   I am debating whether to get a timber solid core fire door or composite fire door set.  I also want to put a higher threshold so that I can put a mat and still open the door but I can't find a composite fire door that will allow that (unless you can recommend any).  Therefore started looking for solid core fire doors and installers but each installer seems to give me mixed advice.  Can I put a fire-rated letter box on the fire door or does it compromise the fire safety?  Furthermore, what about door furniture (such as integrated door knocker and spy hole and hinges) do they they need to be fire rated?  I also want to make sure that the door is secure that it can't be broken into - does it matter what the fire door is attached to?

[Tom Sutton]

A new fire door should be installed as a fire door set, which is the door and frame with a test report giving full instruction how it should be fitted. It will also give details on the door furniture and it is possible to obtain items such as fire-rated letter box, integrated door knocker and spy hole and hinges that meet the require fire resistance.

Check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/?fga=true&msclkid=e937157661da1ce34cc049719aab745b&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SL Text%3A Safelincs&utm_term=safelincs fire&utm_content=Safelincs and https://envirograf.com/ there are many more.

[Guest Alexa]

On 12/11/2018 at 08:16, Tom Sutton said:

I would say yes because if there is a fire in your flat and the front door is open or fail with in 30 mins, then other tenants trying to escape, would not be able to pass you front door to get to the staircase also windows sills need to be located 1.2 m above the balcony floor level.

Depending on the width of the balcony and if tenants, above the ground floor, can turn left or right to get to a staircase, there could could be an exception to this rule.

I have the same issue and am struggling to understand whether I need an external or internal fire door for my front door.

It’s a first floor flat, the front door leads on to a communal enclosed but external landing with a stairway that leads downstairs and outside.

Any help would be awesome! 

Thanks

 

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

Is it likely that the door will be subject to the weather or changes in humidity levels? 

[Tom Sutton]

What I said is correct for open air gallery (balcony) and down to a open staircase because all tenement buildings in our large conurbations were designed on a principle of smoke dissipation. This meant FD30s where not necessary required but FD30 doors where usually fitted and as many of these blocks are now being fitted with glazing so FD30s fire doors are now required.

As you have said you have a communal enclosed external landing with a stairway that leads downstairs and outside, so you need a FD30s front door that leads to the communal area.

[Guest Deb G]

Hi 

I just want to check, I live in a ground floor flat with a separate entrance and only I use this entrance, the front door is a fire door. I have been told that I don't need a fire door on the flat but the managing agents say that I do. Please can you advise?

 

[AnthonyB]

You don't if it's an exit to open air and no escape route (principally an external stair) passes close by.

[Guest Flat Door]

Hello

 

I have been told by the managing agents that we have to change our demised flat front doors.  I am on the third floor and my flat opens onto the corridor.  To exit I then have to either go downstairs in the communal life or downstairs.  There are four flats on my floor.  Do I need a fire door as the entrance to my flat.

 

Thank you

Jay

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

Yes the entrance door to your flat should be fire resisting and with restricted cold smoke spread.

[AnthonyB]

Is your flat door not a fire door at all or just an older one? In smaller blocks a risk appropriate tiered approach to the minimum standard door is advised in government guidance - although a current standard FD30s doorset is of course the best protection.