What “tested as a system” means
In a fire test the door is fitted into a test wall in a specified way and then exposed to fire according to a standard curve. The result – the fire resistance class – applies to the door with that frame, hardware, fixing and the wall types covered by the test. The manufacturer describes all this in the installation instructions.
A real fire always acts on the whole construction: wall, service penetrations, gaps and doors together. If one part is weaker, the fire will get through exactly there.
Wall and opening
The instructions specify which walls the door may be fitted in (masonry, concrete, plasterboard) and what size the opening must be. For example, with some doors the wall must be at least 10 cm thick and the opening a set size with a small tolerance, while other frames – such as tubular frames – do not limit wall thickness.
Before ordering, measure the opening and send a photo of the wall – we can then see straight away which frame fits and whether the opening needs adjusting.
Fixing and gap filling
The frame is fixed with the specified anchors or plugs at the specified spacing, and the gap between frame and wall is filled with the material the manufacturer's instructions specify. Ordinary expanding foam, unless tested for that system, can burn away in a fire and open a path for flames and smoke.
What must not be done after installation
Many fire doors lose their properties only after the building is occupied. Do not:
- drill the leaf or frame or add hardware the manufacturer has not allowed
- cut ventilation openings or grilles into the leaf
- shorten the leaf because of a new floor or threshold
- remove the closer, seals or label from the door
- wedge the door open
Any such change can void the door's classification – and the door then no longer matches the documents submitted at building inspection.
Installation documents
The contractor who installs the doors issues a statement that the doors were installed according to the design and the manufacturer's instructions, with the serial numbers of all doors. More in the article Documents for building inspection.
Maintenance
Fire doors should be checked regularly: do they close fully by themselves, does the lock latch, do panic hardware and holders work, are the seals and label in place. Damaged parts should be replaced with original parts – we stock spare parts and hardware.
