Doors can be taken for granted but they play a large role in providing
access to diverse areas inside a building or any structural setting.
These doors are offered in many variants, among them the fire rated door that are suitable for
installation in areas that need maximum protection from a fire accident. These
special doors can be purchased in different sizes, depending on the need of the
building.
As buildings have different areas and settings, these doors offer
security from the sudden onset of fire. They are popularly used in buildings
because they are able to withstand fire and are paired with fire resistant
walls and windows. Without the corresponding fire resistant components of the
house, a fire-worthy door won’t be able to stand. All of these door products go
through intense testing to prove that they are really fire worthy and that
people can rely on them for passive fire protection.
A fire door is mostly
created from steel but there are also other materials that comprise these doors
like gypsum and wood. As they are tested before being sold in the market, these
doors can also vary in their prices. Yet all are suitable for use for
protecting people from the sudden spread of fire and offering them a way to
seek egress through the fire exit doors.
Doors of this type have varying levels of protection which is indicated
in minutes. This is called the fire door
rating and is useful for determining which areas need to be provided with a
higher protection level such as a 60 minute fire resistance. After the passage
of the indicated rating in number of minutes, the fire rated door will
disintegrate. It is during this time that flames can finally pass through the
door and reach the other areas.
Until then, the door must contain a smoke seal to control the spread of
white smoke as well as an intumescent seal to make sure that the flame won’t
reach the adjacent rooms and cause more damage. The intumescent seal will melt
in the presence of extreme heat and that’s when the flames can be limited in
its reach. Another room will still be intact when fire rescue comes, because a
door can function as a compartmentalising factor to keep the fire isolated in a
room.
These doors are properly configured and installed according to the
specifications of the building code. In the absence of the proper hinges,
seals, door closers and handles, it is required that the door should contain
all fire resistant components so that it will achieve integrity as a protection
from fire.
Most people overlook the smoke seals because they think it is not
important. On the other hand, smoke can be the most detrimental component of a
fire situation and will render people unconscious when they inhale the toxic
gases that comprise the smoke. Even more dangerous is the one they call black
smoke. Thus, escaping from the fire disaster area should be done wisely and no time
should be wasted in order to preserve life.
good information !! The importance of a good fire resistant door cannot be emphasized enough. Not only do they prevent the spread of flame – very important for protecting people if they are trapped in a room – but they will not burn (in a cellulosic fire) which gives the fire a better chance to die down .
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