Intumescent Letterbox - Small Aperture

[bigalxyz]

I need to replace 7 letterboxes with intumescent equivalents (advice from fire safety inspection). The annoying thing is that the apertures are unusually small - approx 203mm x 45mm.

I've done a fair old bit of Googling, but I haven't been able to find an intumescent letterbox which would fit in such a small aperture. Does anyone know if such a thing exists please? If need be I suppose I could get my jigsaw out and make the apertures bigger, but that's quite a faff and my jigsaw skillz are not the greatest.

Thank you.

 

[^woody^]

203mm is not even an A4 letter! You'll struggle with any liner or sleeve.

Nu Mail Fire has a 44h aperture but 270 wide.

Does the fire risk assessment mention that these doors can't be certified unless you use the letterplate specified by the manufacturer?

 

[bigalxyz]

203mm is not even an A4 letter! You'll struggle with any liner or sleeve.

Nu Mail Fire has a 44h aperture but 270 wide.

Does the fire risk assessment mention that these doors can't be certified unless you use the letterplate specified by the manufacturer?

Thanks. I didn't make it clear in my first post but my query relates to the entrance doors to 7 of the 9 residential flats inside the building. The FRA says:

"The original flat front doors would have been provided as fire doors but may not meet current standards on some aspects. Where not already present, the flat front doors need upgrading...(some other stuff)...ensuring letter box covers are to current fire standards."

When I queried what this meant, the reply was:

"Letter boxes: Those which are present are simply conventional letter boxes, with no fire rating attributes. You need Intumescent letter plates, which are designed to stop the spread of fire and smoke, unlike conventional letterboxes. In the event of a fire, the intumescent liner inside the letterbox expands to seal the letter plate opening and prevent fire from spreading through residential buildings. This allows shared areas to be evacuated safely."

But yeah...from what you're saying, it sounds like I'm gonna have to work on those jigsaw skills.

I'm not quite clear on the legal situation here...the entrance doors to the flat aren't considered to be "common parts" of the building that the management company (ie me) is responsible for, but the guy who did the FRA thinks that the management company should be pushing the owners of the flats to make sure their entrance doors comply with the regs. I've offered to just do it for them (for a small fee) because otherwise it'll never happen.

 

[^woody^]

It can depend on the lease or tenancy as to whether the landlord is responsible or individual leaseholders are, but either way flat front doors should normally be fire doors.

Then comes the issue of whether a certified fire door is required either installed and with furniture as specified by the manufacturer, or whether the door is going to be certified by an independent person.

Otherwise if a random intumescent letter box/plate is to be fitted the door may be deemed a 'nominal fire door' - better than nothing but not actually certified.

Typically this is all based on the recommendations of the fire risk assessor. But that's not to say that another assessor or the fire service many recommend properly certified does.

But non of that is your concern, as all you need to do is follow the recommendations, or have a very good reason if you don't.

If you are going to re cut the opening, you may as well get a bigger sleeve set that is easiest to fit.

 

[bigalxyz]

Thanks. Yes I've discussed with the assessor and I'm just trying to follow his recommendations. We get on well with him and we trust him, which is something.

I've just emailed the owners of the affected flats asking for their consent for me to do the work. My friend upstairs is a very good DIY-er so if I buy him a few beers I might be able to persuade him to do the jigsaw stuff and then I'll take it from there.

The assessor also advised that the door closers fitted to the flat doors aren't compliant with the current regs (they were fitted about 20 years ago) so there'll be a similar bit of work coming soon to replace those I think.

 

[JohnD]

You might consider some kind of box on the door. Many are steel.

Though IMO a letter slot beside the door, in the wall or side panel, is preferable, and reduces ease of interference with the internal handle by a burglar

 

[flameport]

get my jigsaw out and make the apertures bigger,

Do not attempt to use a jigsaw, it will end in a mess as the blade is likely to wander, potentially ruining the other side of the door. You will then need a new door.

If you must cut the hole larger, use a router, straight bit with a guide bearing, and a template,

 

[Tigercubrider]

How many flats per floor/lobby?

if owners have replaced supplied fire doors with their own door and it doesn’t comply then they should be liable for the replacement cost as they have endangered others?

couldn’t you add a multi-way mailbox in the main lobby or one per floor?
It assumes that there is sufficient space for one but means that the letter size is addressed.
What happens with unfit fire doors is another?