David GalindoEverything is very fragile in our world, and a door that seemed reliable yesterday may not meet the owners’ expectations tomorrow. We carefully choose a thick armored door, install a few ultramodern locks in the hope of protecting our property. But trouble can come from a completely different direction. And the name of this trouble is fire. This disaster spares nothing in its path – neither property nor people. So the least we can do to prevent this situation is to choose a fireproof metal door, which at least for a short time will be a protection between the house and the fire, until help arrives.
What are fireproof metal doors
When there is a fire in the entrance hall, the main thought that constantly swirls in the mind of the person “trapped” in the apartment, is to survive himself. Not to save the property, but to save himself (and his family, of course). That’s why the greater the fire resistance limit has a door, the greater the chance to stay alive.
So, what does a fire door protect against?
- Depending on the fire resistance rating, it will last from a few minutes to a few hours under high temperature. The higher the fire resistance rating, the longer the door will serve as a barrier between the owners of the apartment and the fire.
- It also protects against carbon monoxide, which poisons the human body, has a negative impact on his health and even life. The less carbon monoxide enters the apartment, the better the chances of getting away with it.
The main task of the fire door is not only to prevent the penetration of fire and carbon monoxide in the apartment, but also after the elimination of the fire to perform its functions as before – that is to open and close. Very often, after the door frame is exposed to high temperatures, it deforms and the door jams, as a result of which it is impossible to get out or enter the apartment.
Types of fire doors and material of manufacture
Usually this term means a reliable blank metal door, which will not collapse under the influence of fire. But there are also doors that have glass inserts – fire-resistant glass that is resistant to high temperatures on a par with the basic material. According to the norms, the area of glazing in fireproof doors shall not exceed 0.1 sq.m.
As well as conventional doors, fire doors can be single and double-leaf. As for the material, steel, aluminum and, oddly enough, wood impregnated with flame retardants are used.
- Metal doors (steel or aluminum) are made by the type of box, which is filled with insulating materials (most often fire-resistant mineral wool), and the outside is covered with metal sheets of thickness 0.8-0.9 mm and covered with powder paint. If we talk about the overall thickness of the metal door, it is 50-60 mm – a good thickness and a decent filling to protect against fire.
- Wooden doors are made of frame and paneling, and are also equipped with a seal, thermal expansion cord, which during exposure to high temperatures foams and fills the inner area of the door. The wood is impregnated on both sides with flame retardants.
According to the type of construction, there are single-leaf and double-leaf doors. In apartments, single-leaf fire doors are most often used. Although when it comes to the door to the vestibule, it can be not only a double-leaf door, but also a combined door with glass inserts.
The nuances of fireproof door installation: what to pay attention to
If we talk about the installation of fire doors, it should also be carried out wisely, regardless of who produces it – you yourself or a team of craftsmen. In principle, the installation does not differ from the installation of conventional metal doors.
- For fixing choose anchors with a diameter of not less than 10 mm and the gap between them should be not less than 700 mm.
- The door is installed according to the level and plumb line. The deviation in length should be not more than 1.5 mm at 1 m and in height not more than 3 mm.
- Fireproof seal must fit tightly and without gaps to the leaf.
Finally, it should be said that you should buy fireproof metal doors only in specialized stores and be sure to demand a passport of the product. This is your guarantee that the door is made at the enterprise in compliance with all standards.
