Fire doors

mashupmuma · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2003 6:35 pm Post Subject: Fire doors

We are getting a loft conversion done at the moment and we've been told we have to change our doors to fire doors. At the moment we have gorgeous stripped panel doors, (one of the reasons we bought the house)and I cannot bear to have plywood doors. Does anyone know where I can get fire doors that will look like the real panelled doors and have a pine finish.

Thank you

masona · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2003 8:46 pm Post Subject:

I know what you mean about plain boring fire plywood door but they are getting better all the times.

See this which you could make your own timber moulding onto it depending on the type of your panel design.

or see this scroll down half way for fire door.

il78 · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2003 9:49 pm Post Subject:

My parents had a loft conversion a few years ago and needed fire doors through-out the ground floor and they also had glass doors.....but once all inspections have been carried out and you hold a satisfactory certificate...who knows what a DIYer can do

Just keep the fire doors handy for when you want to sell your house.......

masona · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2003 11:01 pm Post Subject:

I'm surpised that a fire door is mention as I didn't have to when I've done my loft conversion 11 years ago unless this is now a new regulation.I have a spiral staircase going into the lounge with no fire door.The only thing I can think of is, I've got a Velux Fire Escape Window on the roof tiles so maybe a fire door doesn't apply.

The only thing I can see if you removed the fire door,you might find the building insurance might not pay out in a event of a fire.

oilman · Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 3:53 pm Post Subject:

Would a sprinkler system, see this , and door closers be an acceptable alternative to fire doors?

masona · Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2003 4:39 pm Post Subject:

Probably the fire door is a cheaper option.I've have a rope ladder to get out of the Velux Fire escape if need be but the water sprinkler a good idea specially if the property is unattended but not sure if the mains water pressure would be enough to cope,having said that I don't know much about them.

Fire door have to have door closer,the reason you probably can't see them is that they are internal type inside the door and also they have wax type seal round the edge so when melted in heat of fire they sealed the door air tight to door frame to prevent air-flow for fire spreading.

door closers be an acceptable alternative to fire doors?
No, because the fire door slow down the fire burning progess as they have plasterboards inside them,1 plasterboard take 1/2 hr and 2 plasterboard take 1 hr to burn down,I believe the latest one use chipboard instead of plasterboard.

oilman · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:03 pm Post Subject:

Done a bit of research. Cost for a 4 bed house sprinkler including loft conversion would be about £3k, maybe up to £4k if you've got a few extra rooms.

Pressure is not too much of a problem, needs a bit less than 2 bar. Size of main is though, needs a 32mm incoming supply!!!!

However, one really good thing is that unlike fire doors, which only slow the inevitable total destruction, the sprinkler should stop the fire getting any bigger, and probably put it out in the room it started in.

masona · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:15 am Post Subject:

oilman wrote:

However, one really good thing is that unlike fire doors, which only slow the inevitable total destruction, the sprinkler should stop the fire getting any bigger, and probably put it out in the room it started in.

Yes,you're right.The idea of a fire door,is to give you time to get out and not protect your property as where the sprinkler would come in handy.If I was having a new property built,that would be the time to do it otherwise you have to hide all the eyesore pipeworks.Not sure how the sprinkler works,I would've thought the fire have to be massive for it to melt the wax seal sprinkler for the water to kick in but having said that the fire would properly be put out by the time the fireman get here.

Fire doors are rare in household property these days,I don't know why,perhaps not many house fire now due to people cut down on smoking and with this country have one of the strict electricity regulation.Fire doors have to be in B&B,Hotel,Old people rest home etc...

I have a garden hose on a reel bolted to my utility room wall inside a cupboard ! Reason for this location I felt this would be the least possible place to have fire being floor and walls tiles etc. 3 years ago my son's put out the fire which started in the lounge from the television and put it out with the garden hose !! Water & electric,dear oh dear!, The C/unit tripped out safety but they done it without me being there.Another good point would be a smoke detector (not battery type if you can help it,the reason you tend to forget about it and often in some cases battery missing).I have a smoke detector connected to the alarm system powered by electric main and also got a battery back up if the C/unit tripped.Fire extinguisher are very good but found them costly to mantains,if it saves your life then it's a bargain.
I now work in the oil refinery and constant have fire training and the heat is unbelievable fightening......
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