According to statistics, during a fire, people die due to the fact that they cannot get out. For example, because the front door caught fire. Or it is so hot that you cannot touch and open the lock. Or the door is deformed by the heat and is jammed. Experts note that fire doors are installed in order to localize fire in one room, preventing fire from penetrating into neighboring.
If we look at a fire door in section, the layers of which it consists are clearly visible. Of course, the design of each model has options, and there may be several layers. But any fire door must have an inner and outer layer. The main “internal” materials are heat insulators (so that the door does not catch fire longer), for example, fireproof stone wool is very popular as a heat insulator. Outside – metal, plastic, fire-resistant paint.
A special strip is placed along the edge of such a door in a groove (along the entire perimeter) – a foaming anti-smoke insert (such as hard plasticine), which is not noticeable if the door is closed. During a fire, this insert foams, sealing the cracks and protecting against the penetration of combustion products into other rooms. Unfortunately, not every company explains what the door filling consists of, referring to its know-how. But whatever the door may be, its fire-fighting qualities must be recorded in certificates. Quite often, a fire door is also soundproof. In it, the inner filler simultaneously has two properties – heat-insulating and sound-absorbing.
The fire door must maintain fire resistance for the time specified in the certificate. According to GOST it is 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 150, 180, 240, 360 min. But in practice, the most fire-resistant doors can withstand no more than 2 hours. Fire resistance tests are carried out in special laboratories, in special furnaces, using special measuring instruments.
The fire door must be chosen so that if a fire breaks out in the room and it burns out completely, then the integrity of the door will not be violated. On average, a living room engulfed in flames burns out in 15-20 minutes. Offices may burn longer (due to equipment and synthetic finishes: walls, floors, ceilings, furniture). Hence the conclusion: the fire resistance of the door must necessarily be more than 30 minutes.
To prevent a metal (steel) fire door from deforming, it is impossible to allow significant heating of any part of it: the heated part expands and “leads” the entire structure. As a result, the door is jammed. By the way, during a fire, accompanied by explosions of flammable materials, an almost instantaneous rise in temperature occurs. Therefore, in warehouses where oil products, solvents and compounds based on gasoline, kerosene, acetone, etc. are stored, it is better to put a door in which the metal is insulated with another material..
A reputable manufacturer designs the model in such a way as to minimize the likelihood of deformation. But if this happens, then the fire door leaf should not deform in the directions of the “parts of the world” (up / north, down / south, left / west, right / east), but only inward or outward. That is, it is allowed that the door leaf “swells with a bubble” or bends inward, but does not “spread out” in the door frame so that it is impossible to open.
To minimize the heating of the door from the side where there is no fire (to minimize heat transfer), the internal parts of the metal door structure, connecting the front and rear parts, are supplemented with heat-insulating gaskets (heat insulators), or, as they are also called, heat bridges. The internal heat-insulating material of a fire door can be a mineral board based on basalt fibers. Moreover, the longer the basalt thread, the slower the destruction of the plate will occur under the influence of temperature.
In addition, to facilitate evacuation during a fire, when every second counts, an anti-panic fire door opening system has been invented. The essence of this system is that the door is closed from the outside and can only be opened with keys, and from the inside, all locks are opened with one press of the door handle. Sometimes such a handle in appearance resembles a rail, almost equal in width to the door leaf. It is attached to the door with movable brackets. In the event of a fire, a person simply rests against the door handle-rail, and the door immediately opens. This is very convenient when your hands are busy or when in a panic there is no way to tinker with locks. Such a device will help to quickly jump out of the room during a fire..
Conversely, some fire doors in the event of a fire are specially automatically tightly closed, thereby blocking the path of fire and smoke. But if you need to get out, then they are just as easy to open (without a key). When the temperature rises or when smoke appears on the door, a special sensor is triggered, giving a signal to the door mechanism, and the door closes tightly.
When purchasing a fire door, you must definitely ask for both a fire safety certificate and a certificate of conformity issued by an accredited body. For example, the All-Russian Research Institute of Fire Protection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Officially accredited by the Main Directorate of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
The certificates must indicate the name of the door, its dimensions, fire resistance limit, manufacturer and compliance with SNiPu.
Almost all special doors with a swing structure are installed in the same way. But keep in mind: the installation of a fire door should be carried out by a company licensed for this type of work. The license for the installation of fire doors in buildings under construction and reconstructed is given by the Federal Licensing Center (in Moscow – Mosstroylicense).
And in conclusion, let’s dwell on the premises where the installation of fire doors is necessary:
- in rooms where there is a possibility of ignition of equipment or materials. For example, in an apartment where there is a lot of working equipment (stereo, computer, TV, electric heater, etc.). In the event of a short circuit or a trivial overload of the network, the likelihood of a fire in the wiring or any block of equipment increases sharply. If the fire that has appeared cannot be extinguished, you must leave this room before the arrival of the fire brigade. And if a fire door is installed between the rooms, the flame will not spread to adjacent rooms;
- in industrial buildings all passages separating warehouses from workshops (offices) or rest rooms must be separated by fire doors;
- in residential buildings where there is a built-in non-residential premises. This is a very common situation, especially in large cities. If both offices and residential apartments are located in the same entrance (especially on the same floor!), Then according to the requirements of the fire safety service, the office door overlooking a common staircase must be fireproof.
What are the specific safety features and regulations that make fire doors effective in preventing the spread of fire?
Are fire doors required in all buildings? What are the specific regulations and standards to ensure fire safety? Are there any maintenance guidelines that should be followed for fire doors?
Fire doors are generally required in all buildings to ensure fire safety. Specific regulations and standards vary depending on the country or locality. In the United States, for example, the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 80 provides guidelines for the installation, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire doors. These guidelines cover aspects such as the rating of doors, proper closing mechanisms, and the use of fire-rated hardware. Regular inspections and tests should be conducted to ensure the functionality of fire doors, including checking for obstructions, damage, and proper closing and latching. Maintenance guidelines may include lubricating hinges, ensuring clearances are within acceptable limits, and replacing damaged components promptly. It is crucial to consult local fire safety codes and seek professional guidance to ensure compliance with specific regulations and standards in a particular region.