A fire door closing mechanism is one of the most crucial elements for ensuring a reliable door that opens and closes without issue in an emergency.
Fire doors need to be equipped with specialist closers indispensable to the correct performance of the door. Fire Doors are tested with all its essential hardware components in place. Only a door which is installed with the same essential components in place can be certified and expected to perform to the level of the test certificate.
For the closer to function effectively you’ll need to consider these factors when selecting the right option for you:
Certification
Officially certified, FD-rated fire doors – shown clearly in their labelling – must also be accompanied by closers that have been fully tested in line with that certification. So, an FD60 door must be installed with the closers that have been fully tested in line with certification.
Location
For fire doors in general, good placement is a key safety concern – and a fire door closer should consider the surrounding location where it will be situated. Whether the door opens inward or outwardly needs to be taken into account, as well as its overall weight, so an appropriately sized closer of the correct strength can be used. Remember that certain door closers can only be fitted in specific situations; therefore, spatial awareness is vital.
Frequency Of Use
Door closers may face natural wear and tear over time. To select one that can be used effectively in a commercial environment, it’s best to have a good estimate of how often it might need to be called upon. Fire door closers, in theory, are reserved for emergency situations, meaning strength can be prioritised, but it also needs to be functional enough for almost anyone to open and close the door in an emergency – including members of the public with no fire safety training.
Expected Force To Be Used On The Door
Fire doors come in different sizes and weights, with closers needing to cater to the expected force if you want to prevent or reduce slamming. For fire doors this is especially important, as an insufficiently powerful closer may fail to close the fire door promptly or completely, compromising its fire safety effectiveness. At the same time, an excessively powerful closer may cause the door to slam shut, placing people at risk of injury. Bear in mind that the minimum power size required for fire doors is EN3.
Find Out More
For the best fire door closers in the UK, look no further than Mila Maintenance. For thirty years we’ve worked across multiple sectors including social housing to help ambitious schemes like the Market Hill Fire Door Installation Programme succeed, undertaken amidst the challenging backdrop of Covid restrictions. If you have a similar project in mind, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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