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

[Neil ashdown]

Annexe C (Fire Doors) at Building Regulations Approved Document B  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b

[Guest Emma Whyman]

Hello, this thread has been a lot of help to me. 

Wondered if anyone can answer this...

We are wanting to add a fire door from kitchen to garage. Garage floor is 750mm below kitchen floor so no problems there. Door is opening right to left into the kitchen. Can there be an immediate drop? So essentially where the door sits there will be a drop right after it? 
 

Hope that makes sense. 
Emma 

[Neil ashdown]

This one is interesting because when timber-based doors are tested for fire resistance performance it is assumed that the door would be positioned at floor level. In fact the fire tests used in the UK are BS476 part 22 & EN1634-1 and both tests place a pressure at a certain height on the door from the furnace side, see below.

However, the tests are a 'benchmark' and, as your scenario demonstrates, not always reflective of the use of the door in real life. Therefore it should be borne in mind that the fire resistance of the door in your end use may be different to its 'as tested' performance. 

Furthermore, the fire in a real life situation may be different in its character to the one in the BS/EN test furnace.

Where you have any concerns, it would be best to discuss them with an expert in fire doors.

[Guest AMc]

Hi,

This has been the best forum information I have found on this subject so far.

We would like to put a fire door from our kitchen to the garage. The floor is lower in the garage, I will get a building warrant and ensure the door is a fire door. My question is, does the door have to be a specific width? We have a limited amount of space to work with so what are the regulations for the size of the door?

If someone could advise I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks 

[Neil ashdown]

The regulations in terms of access and use of buildings is https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200135/approved_documents/80/part_m_-_access_to_and_use_of_buildings

I would advise you to check with local authority building control as to whether your proposal is in scope of Part M requirements for dwelling houses.

There are limits to how narrow a fire door leaf can be in terms of its fire resistance performance but as you haven't said how narrow the door would be, I cannot comment further.

 

[Guest Simon Parsons]

Hello,

 

I have had a door fitted to my integral garage (FD30, closer and intumescent seal pack). Garage and house floor level are the same. Building code states the garage should be 100mm lower. This is impossible to do - can a non combustible threshold serve the purpose? Assume it would as it's essentially the same construction as the wall surrounding it.

[Neil ashdown]

The issue here is not to do with the compliance of the door.

The floor should be 100mm lower than the door threshold.  Imagine the garage floor was flooded with petrol..............

[Guest Brian]

Hi, 

We bought our house early last year, and replacing the old wood doors and windows has finally made it to the top of the list, we picked everything and then when they sent their surveyor out to make final measurements and confirm everything he dropped the bombshell that we couldn't have the door we picked for the kitchen into the attached garage, instead we were told we would have to have a fire door.

With a lot of other sections of building regs you can replace like for like (or or better) when replacing things (you don't always have to comply with the newest regs unless it's a new project.

Is this not the case with the kitchen-to-garage door?  as it seems crazy to me that i can leave the old wood door on there just fine (which almost certainly doesn't meet regs), but i can't update it without it being a current regs fire door.

If it's a flat 'No, you have to have a fire door if you're going to replace it at all', then does anyone have any recommendations for a good supplier/fitter.

Thanks in advance.

[Neil ashdown]

If you are changing the door from the house to the integral garage it would be advisable to install a self-closing fire resisting door with restricted smoke spread.

If you don't want to do that, you could contact a competent consultant to see whether the works you are undertaking fall under the scope of building regulations https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/901517/Manual_to_building_regs_-_July_2020.pdf

[Guest Sherkhan]

Hi, we have a integrated single garage with a door from kitchen/diner opening into the garage. There is then a separate door (very thin/dated - around 18 years old barn style wooden door) inside the garage opening into the garden. (the garden is also accessible via double doors from the lounge & also via double doors from the kitchen/diner). 

My question is whether we can replace the door inside the attached garage that opens into the garden with a double glazed UPVC door or as another option, can we install a medium sized double glazed UPVC window in its place & cover/close the space underneath the window? could not find any regulations around whether a door was absolutely needed from the garage to garden.

Any information around this would be great! Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

There is no requirement for any opening from the garage to outside, only any doors, from the garage to inside the house and the floor levels of the garage.

Consequently the door from the garage to the garden there is no requirement, do what you choose.

[Guest Sherkhan]

That's great! Thanks very much Tom!

 

[Guest Nrum]

Hi,

I have recently had some new windows and doors installed. As part of the companies membership with FENSA, they have had a random inspection of their work by FENSA. FENSA have now stated that the internal door between the garage and kitchen is not a fire door and does not meet building regs.
who is responsible for rectifying this and who should foot the bill.

thanks 

[Guest Lee]

Hi,

I'm looking into adding an internal FD30 rated door between a garage and hallway in a new build, I would appreciate some advice on how this is usually achieved when the garage floor is at the same level as the dwelling?

Following a read through section 5 of part B, is have some queries on the interpretation of the following paragraph "Where a door is provided between a dwellinghouse and the garage, the floor of the garage should be laid to fall to allow fuel spills to flow away from the door to the outside. Alternatively, the door opening should be positioned at least 100mm above garage floor level".

In my case the garage floor is at the same level as the house and i haven't checked for a fall as yet however i'm thinking that this is probably not present (is there any guidance on what the minimum gradient of the fall should be?) My initial interpretation of the statement highlighted in bold is that this could be achieved by creating a raised door threshold (with suitable fire rating) between the hallway and garage floors, which would act as a barrier to any spills potentially entering the dwelling. I'm interested to know what the typical approach is in this situation?

[green-foam]

On 25/02/2022 at 11:37, Guest Nrum said:

Hi,

I have recently had some new windows and doors installed. As part of the companies membership with FENSA, they have had a random inspection of their work by FENSA. FENSA have now stated that the internal door between the garage and kitchen is not a fire door and does not meet building regs.
who is responsible for rectifying this and who should foot the bill.

thanks 

Sorry to say but that is a legal question, this is a fire safety forum that can not offer legal advice. I would however suggest, as FENSA raised the issue, you ask FENSA

[Guest Dean Smart]

Tom you are a star, thank you!

[Guest Jamie]

Hello, we have a garage attached to the house accessible via a fire door from the kitchen. Looking to partition part of the garage to be a utility room. Does that utility room then become part of the house, or is it still classed as the garage?

From the information in this thread, that would determine if FD30 is required between the utility part and the garage part. Thanks 

[Neil ashdown]

The utility room becomes part of the house therefore fire and smoke compartmentation including a self-closing fire door with restricted smoke spread would be required between the utility room and the garage.

[Guest Nat]

I’m having my garage integrated to my hall there is already a fire door at the back the new opening will be in my hall but they have said I need another fire door is this correct or can a normal internal door be ok ? 

[Guest Emma]

Hi, I have converted my garage to 2 rooms which open out onto the hallway. The original access to the garage ( now utility room)  has a fire door, the other room ( now a gym)has a normal door.  both rooms are separate rooms that don’t lead anywhere accept back to the the hall .

can I remove the fire door to the small enclosed utility and change for a normal door and if so do I need a fire door else where.?

[Neil ashdown]

Any door in a shared wall between a garage and dwelling house should be a self-closing FD30(s) fire resisting door. 

[Tom Sutton]

All doors in a single domestic dwelling should be FD20 fire doors and because FD20 fire doors are not usually available they will need to be FD30 fire doors however self closers not required.

[Guest Terry G]

Hi. I have an integrated garage, but with no access from the actual dwelling part of the house. It is accessed from a dedicated outside door. I recently partitioned the garage to provide a home office. Could you please advise if I would need a fire door between the office and garage please?
 

Terry.

[Neil ashdown]

The office being a habitable room should have the same level of fire compartmentation as the rest of the house.  So yes a fire door would be required between the office and garage. 

Have you considered how you might escape from the office without using the garage? 

[Guest Rhys]

Hi,

I have recently moved into a new build property. I have a FD30 door with self closing hinges separating the integral garage and utility. All seems above board, however there is a lock fitted to the door. It is a simple mortise lock. My question is whether this is acceptable, as I can feel a strong draught and see directly through the keyhole. Does this not affect the fire resisting and smoke containing properties of the door? I cannot find any legislation to support or argue it. I would have thought that a thumb turn on one side would solve the problem.