Any time you step into a building, you reserve the right to expect that it be properly protected by the safest of fire regulations. However, this is not always the case. In some cases, fire safety devices fail or certain building materials aide the spread of the flames, resulting in severe injuries and even death.
Fire doors in Brisbane represent a major part of a building’s passive fire protection, which serves as a basic requirement for all factories, offices, shops, and general buildings around the country. This is also the case for some domestic buildings, depending on where you live. This can include:
In these situations, the rooms must be separated from the rest of the house to keep fires isolated, protect the occupants, and provide a safe exit route. Because of this, walls, doors, ceilings, floors, and entrances are specifically designed to withhold the fire for as long as possible, giving you the chance to exit the building. While day to day a fire door may act just like any other door, in the event of a fire, it must uphold to its prime purpose. This is to protect lives and to prevent the spread of fire.
A: Fire doors are specifically designed and created to withstand fire for a certain period. This is usually around 30 minutes or so, granting you the time needed to escape the burning building. In order to achieve this, they are constructed with a special core, often using a wood composite or flax board, materials that are slow to burn. Not only this, but special seals are also fitted into the doors and/or frames in order to keep the heat and fire from spreading through the cracks.
A: Dire doors are commonly used in commercial buildings. This may include shops, offices, hotels, apartment blocks, and more. However, some domestic homes do feature such doors too. It all depends on your local building regulations, which should be checked. While most fire doors are designed for internal use, some are also used externally.
A: As with any type of door, there is a wide array of choices when it comes to fire doors. No matter what design, colour, finish, or glaze you want, there are plenty of options. When it comes to buildings with more than one fire door, they are usually sold as a complete set, which also includes frames and the ironmongery. Door sets with all the bits and pieces are preferred as they have been pre-tested.
A: The short answer is yes. Fire doors serve far greater purposes than your standard door, meaning they require proper installation. A poor fitting with result in the door not doing its job in the event of a fire. The installation instructions will likely be provided with the door.
A: Legally, manufacturers must be able to prove that their doors do exactly as they say they do. Third-party testing companies are often used to prove this. These testers build the door into a furnace structure and test it using real fire for around 30 minutes to see how effective it is.