Internal fire door hinges help

[deefadog]

Hi, we are going to be moving soon and the new house has fire door hinges on all internal doors, which means they will always slam shut, the only way i can think of to keep them open is to use a wedge, but we have young children and this is not the safest option.

Is there anything you can get to hold the door open apart from a wedge, i was thinking something you could put on the inside edge of the door near the hinges, so that the kids can't reach it?

Thanks for anyhelp

 

[JohnD]

They won't be much good in a fire if they're open!

You might think about cabin hooks. A clever trick I was shown for smoke doors is to fasten them with the hook facing up. Then, if you have to rush out in a fire, you only have to give the door a push on your way out and the hook will release.

 

[Glassman]

I agree with JohnD.
They're not Fire Doors if they dont close automatically behind you

 

[deefadog]

As fire doors they will be closed when we are out and over night, but it's only a few doors we want to keep open when we are in with the kids, these slamb with a force and could take a few fingers off!

Also we have a kids room and we want to be able to hear what's going on, no good looking the kids in a room

The hook idea is good, but if one of the kids pushed the door then it could close on them!

I have access to metal fabrication, so anything within reason could be made up, but i can't think of what

Cheers

 

[Steve]

"self closing hinges" what exactly do you mean? At work we have self-closers fixed to the top of all the doors in the back, SOMEONE went and de-coupled the ball joints on the arms so they stay open (the type you just have to tap hard to release the ball joint).

His excuse: couldn't find any door wedges but none of them say "fire door - keep closed" on them. They are fire rated doors though, with intumescent strips

 

[deefadog]

Basically, it's a new build house and under the current regulations (or so i was told) all the internal doors on the house are fire rated and have sprung hinges (to keep them shut), i am guessing that if you had one in your hand it would be hard to open it and if you did it would spring back closed with great force!

I am after a wedge fixing (or similar) that could fit into the side by the hinge to keep it open, it would have to be easily removable, but it would have to be fixed into the recess, as not to fall out if the door was opened more than when it was in.

I am better drawing than explaining (never been my strong point), i'll try and sketch something up

 

[deefadog]

I had a chat with a few guyz this lunch time, we thought if I got a block of rubber or hard sponge, then cut this to the angle within the door and stick then strip of magnet to it, then it could just clip on to the open hinge and hopefully hold the door back.

Tese hinges from what i remember have an allen key adjustment on them, not sure if that's to adjust the spring? if so i could slacking it off completelly.

Another thought was just to swap the hinges over to standard ones, but i think that may invalidate the 10 year gayratee and buildings insurance, any thoughts?

 

[JohnD]

... i am guessing that if you had one in your hand it would be hard to open it and if you did it would spring back closed with great force!
...

you haven't tried the doors yet?

i have a 3-storey house with fire doors, mine have tube with a spring it to pull the door shut, it is called a Perko.

No strength needed to open the door! They exert a very small force. A hinge doesn't need much. A cat could do it. But they will shut with a slam if you just walk away without closing them behind you.

 

[deefadog]

Have not tried them yet, as the house (3 storey as well) is not going to be completed for another 4-5 weeks. We had a nose around one of the finished ones and this is where i saw them!

What do you use to keep yours open?

 

[JohnD]

If they are fully open and pushed flat against the wall, the Perko can't close them. It can easily close them when they are at 90 degrees to the frame.

Otherwise they are left shut. Always a good idea in winter. Today several are open.

Here's a Perko. It is almost entirely hidden when fitted.

 

[deefadog]

I guess i can worry more about this when we are in Maybe they will be the same as yours then - Mines a barratt Town house btw