Do I need to fit a fire door between garage and utility room?

[Guest larry james]

On ‎05‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 10:53 AM, Guest larry james said:

On ‎05‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 10:53 AM, Guest larry james said:

Hi, Am I able to install a door from my house to the garage if the garage floor is the same level as the house. Thanks for any advice

Hi, Am I able to install a door from my house to the garage if the garage floor is the same level as the house. Thanks for any advice

Thanks for the replies. I was concerned about fumes from the garage entering the house as the floor level is the same. Would a fire door solve this problem too? 

[Tom Sutton]

If you fit a FD30s door which is a fire door with smoke seals this would reduce, considerably the passage of smoke, therefore fumes, to low levels, but not seal the door opening completely.

[Guest Dan]

Hi if you convert a room into a garage and DO NOT have an integral door into the house would the floor need to be lowered? 

[Tom Sutton]

You would be subject to  Approved Document Part B Fire Safety 5.4 page 30 all walls and floors to be a full 30 minute fire resisting. But as I see it, not 5.5 which would mean you do not have to lower the floor or have sloping floor to outside.

[Guest Utility room convert]

I have a utility room on the end of my house which I want to use as a small garage. The floor is stepped down about 8" from the adjoining kitchen which is brick and unplastered inside the utility. In the utility room there are  French doors at rear wall and   a door on side to outside also in utility there is a toilet. What is involved to converting to a garage Cani just put fire door on kitchen to utility room 

[Tom Sutton]

All walls and ceiling separating any habitable rooms from the utility room, to be a full 30 minute fire resisting (FR) and any openings in those walls has to be 30 mins FR.

This means the door from the kitchen needs replacing with a FD30 fire door set (door and frame) plus a S/C device also any other opening needs to be 30 mins FR. Any openings on outside walls require no action but if there is a habitable room above the utility room the ceiling must be upgraded to 30 mins FR.

Because the floor is stepped down by 8" would mean you do not have to lower the floor or have sloping floor to outside.

[Guest MrsNJT]

Hi, we have an integral garage with "fire door" into dining room. My husband converted / sectioned off top third of garage into laundry room so garage is no longer used for a car; it's used for storage.  Can I change the fire door & fit one with glass panes to get light into laundry room? 

Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

Depends how he sectioned off the garage from the house, if the partition and ceiling meets a 30 minutes fire resistance between the garage from the house then my interpretation would be the door could be changed, if not then the door should remain. If you cannot achieve this you could use fire resistant glazing in the fire door.

You should speak to building control as they are the enforcing authority and you may require approval.

[Guest Brian]

Hi Tom I have just moved in to a brand new property and have noticed there is no fire door between the garage and house it is just a cheap door internal door is this right thanks in advance brian

[Tom Sutton]

No, if it is an integral garage then the needs to be 30 min separation between the garage and the house and therefore a fire door would be required.

Check the full requirements in Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellinghouses page 30.

[Guest KD100]

On 03/04/2012 at 09:10, Guest Geoff Blackman said:

I live in & own a 3 bed chalet bungalow.

The kitchen door exits to a brick built garage that is attached to the house. The garage has a corrugated roof.

The concrete garage floor is lower than the kitchen floor.

Please advise: Should a fire door replace existing kitchen door??

Geoff

Personally I would fit Intumescent/ smoke seals - belt & Braces attitude.

[Guest PaulCorby]

Hi

Some great advice and discussion. Can i ask one question ... I have read / seen that a door between integral garage and a kitchen needs to be FD30 and have a self closer. Are there any rules as to what self closing devices are permitted within building regs? I.e. does it have to be one of those "ugly" bolt on closers at the top of the door; or can they be built I to a door and frame ? Or something else? Thanks in advance. 

[Tom Sutton]

The self closer should conform to BS EN 1154 which most  of the overhead S/C do but only one concealed Fire Door Closers I am aware of, does, the Perko Powermatic Concealed Fire Door Closer and that is quite expensive. There are other designs which are less obtrusive I would suggest you search the web but they tend to be more costly.

Check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/door-closers/ for some ideas.

[Guest lining or frame]

great info to be had here, thanks tom

my question is im being asked to fit a fire door between a lounge and attached garage so will be using a fd30 door, but am i allowed to use a fd30 lining kit for internal doors, or do i need and external grade fd30 door frame with built in cill ???

[Tom Sutton]

Who is asking you, if it is the Building Control or other Enforcement Officer then you need to ask them, because if it is a BCO or other EO then you will not get approval. If you are fitting a new FD30 door then I would think you need to fit a fire door set which is the door and frame and upgrading is a last resort.

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

From a fire separation perspective the door frame or lining needs to be in accordance with the door manufacturer's certification data sheet, installation instructions or technical manual. Usually an external type door frame with a flush cill would be used for that application but the framing sectional size must be in accordance with the requirements for the particular fire door you are installing and of course correctly sized intumescent fire and cold smoke seals will be necessary. If you install a lot of fire doors its worth purchasing a copy of BS 8214 : 2016 Code of practice for timber-based fire door assemblies.

[Guest James]

Hi all 

I've just moved house and was wondering what are the regulations for a fire door from my garage to kitchen.The door means I am losing alot of kitchen space and was wondering if I could just block the door up or does the door have to stay put?

Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

I am assuming the door is not required for means of escape, if so, there is no reason that the opening cannot be sealed using at least 30 mins fire resistant construction.

[Guest Kevin.]

Hi Tom.

I am thinking of having a loft conversion on my bungalow and will need an alternative fire escape route.

Would a door into the garage and then out the garage doors be an acceptable means of escape?

Thanks 

Kevin

[Tom Sutton]

Why? but if you do need an alternative fire escape route, escape through the garage could be acceptable, but the two routes would have to be separated by a minimum 30 mins fire resistance.   

[Guest Steve]

Hi Tom,

i need to fit a fd30 door between my garage and utility but as it's classed as an external door does it also need to have a u value of 1.6 or less to satisfy the SAP requirements ? I'm finding it very difficult to attain both requirements. I would like the door to be a four panel door of solid construction i.e. no glass.

thanks

steve

[Tom Sutton]

All I know is that the door in question needs to be a FD30s fire door fitted with an approved self closer, the SAP requirements is outside my area of expertise. If this is what is required then I would surf the web looking for an appropriate door. 

They are available, have a word with https://www.directdoors.com/products/external-fire-doors-30-minute-rated

[Guest Sam]

Hi there, I’m wanting to put in a FD30 from the house to access garage. However I will need to put it under the stairs and the corner of the door will need to be cut. Would this pass building control?

 

thanks 

[Tom Sutton]

I cannot guarantee the BCO would accept it, but I think there is a good chance he would, as long as it is done well and it is likely you will have to use  a bespoke FD30s door, ask him/her.  

[Guest Sam]

46 minutes ago, Tom Sutton said:

I cannot guarantee the BCO would accept it, but I think there is a good chance he would, as long as it is done well and it is likely you will have to use  a bespoke FD30s door, ask him/her.  

Thanks Tom , I’ll submit my building notice today and hope they will accept it