Deciding On A Door

Fire And Smoke Doors: What Every Business Owner Should Know For Safety

7 July 2015

Peetu Couri

When you own a commercial building, there are many fire code details you need to be attentive to. One such detail includes the placement of smoke and fire doors. If you aren't familiar with these doors, it's in your best interest to understand what each one is and what makes them unique. That will make it easier for you to choose the right one for your needs. Here's a look at what you need to know about smoke and fire doors and how they differ.

What Are They?

Fire doors are designed to serve as a safety barrier against flames. They are crafted with a fire-safe wall between the two layers of the door, so these doors prevent fire from spreading through doorways. Most fire doors also serve as smoke doors, providing protection against smoke transfer as well.

Smoke doors, on the other hand, aren't equipped to provide any protection against fire. Smoke doors are designed solely to act as a barrier against the passage of smoke through a doorway. These are ideal for keeping emergency evacuation routes free of smoke so that your employees can evacuate the building safely.

How Do I Identify Them?

Since fire and smoke doors are designed specifically to serve a safety purpose, they must be clearly marked with signs that indicate what they are. This way, you know exactly what each door is intended for. Also, fire doors are typically crafted from steel and have a solid core. Smoke doors can be made from aluminum or steel, and may be lighter.

What Do They Do?

Fire doors have fire-resistant seals around the doors that block any gaps around the frame that could allow flames to pass through. The barrier built by these doors will hold fire at bay for a predetermined time. The amount of time your fire doors will withstand the fire depends on the door's resistance rating, so check that to determine how long it will hold up. Most fire doors feature an automatic closing mechanism that keeps the door closed at all times. This is essential to getting the most possible benefit.

Smoke doors have special seals inside the door that prevent the passage of smoke in the event of a fire. In most cases, they look like regular doors, but they may be fitted with smoke detectors that engage an automatic closure when smoke is detected in an area.

Talk with a local fire safety service or fire door manufacturer (such as All Kind Door Services Ltd) about your ideal options for your building. You may find that you want doors that integrate both fire and smoke protection in one component. Either way, installing doors like this can help to keep your employees safe.

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