Plan for the worst, but expect for the best. You’ve probably heard this saying before, and when it comes to the safety of your home, yourself and your loved ones, it couldn’t be any more true.
While no one likes to think about negative situations and scenarios, planning for the worst is the backup you fall onto when a moment of crisis hits.
One such backup is fire doors. Although the odds of dealing with a house fire that got out of control are very dim, a fire door can greatly minimize the damage both to the property and to your family’s health.
If you’re interested in buying a fire door for your property, read the recommendations that the Doors Galore team has for you:
1. Pay Attention to the Door Size
When it comes to safety, every detail matters. The last thing you want is to order a fire door that is just a couple of inches wider than the space you want to fit it in. You can take measurements yourself or, if you want to make sure everything goes smoothly and there are no measurement errors, you can ask for a specialist from the company you want to help you install it.
If you decide to do it yourself, keep in mind that fire doors are typically thicker than a standard door. This means that you’ll most likely need to replace the original door frames, but you may also need to make adjustments to the walls, as well.
2. Ensure It Has a Seamless Self-close System
The purpose of a fire door is to contain the fire in that room while allowing you to exit as quickly as possible.
If the fire door either doesn’t have a self-close system at all or it’s not working properly, it cannot do any of the above. Instead of running away from the fire, you’ll hold back a couple of seconds, to fix or close the door – and inhale the smoke in the process.
On the other hand, if you don’t manage to seal the door shut behind you before running away to save your life, the fire will easily extend to other rooms, resulting in ruined furniture, personal belongings, documents, photos and others.
To preserve the self-close system, make sure the door remains perfectly closed when not in use. Do not use door stoppers or similar techniques, as it may compromise the efficiency of the door.
3. Do Your Due Diligence on the Fire Door Company
Fire doors are a costly investment so you want to make sure that what you get is what you bought. Meaning you want to make sure the fire door you have installed has been thoroughly tested and can actually withstand a fire.
While it might be tempting to go for the lowest price, make sure you get a certificate or document that proves the door has been tested and works perfectly. Additionally, you can also check the authenticity of such certificates with an accredited fire safety scheme. This way, you’ll know for sure if that make and model of the door has been under testing, and to what result.
