Fire doors are a critical defence against the spread of a fire and are designed to contain a blaze for long enough that the occupants of the building can escape safely and will also limit the damage caused by the fire. However the fire door can only be effective if they are closed when the fire starts. This is where fire door closers come in as they close the door as soon as the fire alarm goes off.

The fire door cannot practically be closed at all times as this could affect the movement of people and equipment moving around the premises. Alongside this, fire doors that have frequent access due to high footfall are likely to need a means of allowing fire doors to be held open to pass through or for air to circulate. Due to this many companies have their fire door wedged open which stops the fire door from doing its job in the event of a fire. This is dangerous, illegal and can lead to large fires being spread across the building.

The solution to this is that you can install a fire door retainer or free-swing door closer which will hold the door in an open position, that are operated by the fire alarm. This gives you the confidence that if a fire breaks out, and the fire alarm sounds, the door will close to restore the required fire barrier. A fire door with a closer or holder can be the difference between a fire causing localised damage to a single room, or an entire property being engulfed in flames.

There are a range of devices available to buy that will control your fire doors, from simple acoustic devices that constantly listen for a continuous alarm to electro-magnetic options that are directly controlled by relays on the fire alarm system. Fire door retainers hold the doors in the open position (against the pressure from the door closer) and will release the door in the case of a fire. This allows the door closer to shut the door. Another alternative are free-swing fire door closers which allow fire doors to be used like ordinary doors but will turn into a door closer the moment the fire alarm is activated.

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At Fire Detection Shop we have a range of fire door holders and closers from brands Dorgard, Rutland, Freedor and Agrippa. https://www.firedetectionshop.co.uk/fire-door-holders/

If you have any questions about our fire door furniture, call us on 0800 999 2661 or email us on: [email protected].