Monday 25th – Friday 29th September marks Fire Door Safety Week – a week to raise awareness of the importance of fire doors and how they help to keep us safe in our homes.
Fire doors are vital in saving lives and slowing down the spread of fire. But, they’re only effective if they are in good condition and are kept closed.
Why are fire doors so important?
Fire doors prevent smoke and fire from getting into escape routes during a fire.
Every flat front door that opens onto an escape route or inside communal area is a fire door. This means that if a fire starts in your home, by shutting your front door as you exit the property the fire will be contained for longer.
Not any door is a fire door. Fire doors need to meet certain specifications. This means it’s really important that you never replace your front door or make changes to it, like changing locks or letterboxes, without consulting us first.
How do I make sure my fire doors are working?
To make sure your fire doors will work properly in the event of a fire, there are certain things you should check:
- Make sure the door closes. Fire doors are fitted with door closers. Door closers are mechanisms which make sure the door closes by itself in an emergency. For door closers to work, the door needs to be heavy enough to overcome any resistance from the carpet
- No damage to the door. Check that there is no sign of damage to either side of the door, the door frame, the hinges and the overhead closing device.
- Take care when if you replace carpets. New carpets can restrict fire doors from working properly because they might be thicker and stop the doors from closing properly. If you replace carpets, please make sure no changes are made to your fire door (i.e. the bottom of the door isn’t shaved) and the door is still closing as it should.
If you live in a building that’s over 11 metres high, we'll check your fire door annually. If you don’t, we’ll check them as and when we visit your building for other appointments. However you should still make sure you’re checking them regularly yourself to make sure they’re in good condition and will work properly in the event of a fire.
We’ll write to you at least once a year to remind you how to check your fire doors.
If you have any concerns about your fire doors, please call our Customer Hub on 0345 60 20 540. For more information about staying safe at home, take a look at the fire safety information on our website.
