As the name indicates, a fire rated door has high resistance to fire and smoke. As a result, it reduces the speed and spread of fire damage. In most cases, fire resistant doors are a part of emergency exit routes, rooms with essential documents, and more.
In addition, usage of fire rated doors is a part of government safety compliances too. Fire rated doors increase the value of your property, improve security, and reduce damages during accidents. Thus, before randomly picking places to install fire door, read this article.
Where should you install fire rated door ?
Firstly, check with the local regulations regarding where a fire door is required by law. Secondly, check how the traffic from inside the building will flow in the event of a fire. For instance, the routes towards exits, staircases, and more. Finally, here are the top places to install a fireproof door.
Hallway
A hallway is the main access point in any public or private structure. During a fire accident, it is common for people to overcrowd the hallway. Thus, the casualty rate would be sky-high if fire swept into it. Moreover, fire rated door in the hallway also helps to quarantine fire to one sector, thereby controlling the damage.
Main entrances and exits
Using the fireproof door for the main entrance or exit makes excellent sense. Most importantly, a fire-free entry point allows the rescue team to get inside faster. Similarly, a safe exit is highly correlated to a low casualty rate.
Another advantage of an exit with a fire-resistant door is the reduced effects of toxic fumes. When a building is on fire, the toxic fumes and smoke cover the exit routes. Thus, a person new to the building might find it hard to identify the exit. In addition, when the crowd spends more time in the fumes, commotion arises, causing even more problems.
A fire-resistant door would help reduce the spread of fumes, and the visibility would be higher. Such a scenario will always speed up the rescue process and reduce overcrowding. Besides the main entrance, the entrance to the staircase, the main door of any room, and entry to any independent area are also places that one should consider installing such doors.
Elevator doors
It is common knowledge to avoid elevators during a fire. It is the reason the staircase should be more prominent and should have a fire rated door. When your staircase has fire resistance for a few hours, it allows easy evacuation of people from different floors. Overcrowded stairs are another major problem during evacuation.
However, a fire-proofed elevator door can help firefighter teams cover the entire building quickly. Some structures have smoke-proof curtains in the shaft to prevent smoke and flames from moving from one floor to another. Even if you are not ready to invest in smoke-proof curtains, always pick fire rated door for your elevator.
High-risk rooms
Suppose you could list the rooms where fire accidents are more prone; install a fire retardant door. For instance, the kitchen, room with electrical devices, storage rooms, and more are the likeliest options. If a room holds flammable things, add safety by installing a fire-resistant door.
Basement
People usually overlook basements when it comes to fire safety. However, it is essential to have fire-resistant doors for the entrance to the basement. In addition, the staircase leading to the basement should have fire-rated doors Rooms that fall under safety regulations.
- The fire-escape staircase, escape route, staircase enclosures, service ducts, refuge chutes, and others should have fire rated doors. According to the fire regulation act of India, a high-quality fireproof door is a must in these areas. The entrance door to the escape staircase should have the capacity of 2-hour fire resistance.
- Boiler rooms, if any, should have fire-proof doors. There are even specific requirements for such doors under the fire regulation act.
- Any room holding an alternative power source like a standby generator or others would need a fire-proof door.
Another important factor in considering the places to install a fire retardant door is the price. Given the fire door price, it is crucial to cherry-pick the suitable rooms. On the other hand, it is not best to choose some local brands to get a lower fire door price.
A low-quality fire-resistant door is as good as a typical door. Moreover, people tend to trust it during the most-concerning time, which might turn disastrous. So, always stick with high-quality fire rated doors Nitsui India.
