Fire doors are an important part of a building’s safety infrastructure and are required in most residential buildings and many public and commercial premises including offices, shops and factories (check specific fire regulations). They help facilitate the safe evacuation of rooms and minimise damage caused by fire by slowing the spread of smoke and flames, giving occupants more time to escape to safety.

They are a key element of the building’s passive fire protection system and must be maintained regularly to ensure compliance with current fire standards. While some people may only think about fire doors as a necessary and essential safety measure, there are many other reasons to invest in them – these are just a few of the benefits that they offer:

Unlike regular internal doors, fire doors are constructed using robust materials that give them a premium feel. They are thicker and heavier, which makes them more acoustically insulating so they can help dampen noise transfer between rooms. This is especially helpful in areas like utility rooms that often contain loud appliances such as washing machines and tumble dryers.

In addition to their sound-proofing properties, fire doors can help reduce energy bills by keeping heat in a room. This is especially beneficial in colder climates where they can prevent heat loss and save on heating costs during the winter months.

Fire doors are designed to stop the passage of fire, smoke and toxic gases between rooms – this is known as compartmentalisation. This helps to slow the progress of a fire and gives occupants more time to evacuate and can also help firefighters to contain and tackle the fire more quickly by restricting its movement.

One of the most significant benefits of fire doors is that they are designed to close automatically when activated by a fire alarm, or the heat of a fire. This is crucial because fires feed on oxygen and the fastest way to slow a fire down or prevent it from spreading is to deprive it of this. When a fire alarm is triggered, the door’s intumescent seals expand and close off any gaps to create a tight seal that stops oxygen from getting in.

While it’s true that people tend to leave fire doors propped open for convenience, this is a very dangerous practice. Fire doors are specifically designed to be closed and kept closed at all times, as this is the best way to deprive a fire of its oxygen source and slow or stop it from spreading. Fire doors are fitted with either a fusible link that separates when the temperature reaches 165 degrees or an automatic closing device that opens when heat is detected.

It’s no secret that a fire is devastating and can destroy property, kill people, and in some cases even result in fatalities. However, it’s possible to limit the damage that a fire can cause by installing and maintaining fire-rated doors in your home or business, and this is the main reason why you should consider investing in them.