Hi,
I'm replacing all the doors in my 3rd floor flat and am wondering if anyone knows the rules regarding fire doors? I would prefer not to put fire doors in a couple of rooms as they are so expensive so am I legally able to fit normal doors?
Darren.
The rules are complicated:
It depends on whether your floors are concrete or your flat is in an old converted house with wooden floors. Obviously there is much greater risk if the latter. Fire doors shouldnt be so expensive because basically they are just a wooden door with a half inch plasterslab built inside it. If its a modern concrete flat a fireproof door on the front would be enough.
The flat is purpose built in 1990 with wooden floors.
If its purpose built as a flat it probably has concrete under the wooden floors. If that is the case your fire risk is very low as if a fire started lower down it wouldnt engulf your flat. check it out by rising a board. You would know by the noise level and the general feel of it ie if you jump in the middle of the floor does it feel solid?
If it was purpose built so recently, there's likely to be good reason for every fire door. Kitchens and lounges need them as the likely seat of the fire, bedrooms as they're likely to be the room where you're trapped.
It could be that the only possible escape route from your flat is via the main entrance, so no matter where a fire breaks out in your flat, you are relying on the door to that room to hold back the fire so you can get to the one and only exit. Remember fire doors have intumescent seals to hold back smoke as well.
Or the other scenario - you open the door to whatever room you (or your family/guests) are in to find the fire has already cut off your escape route and you are then dependent on the door to the room you are in to hold back the fire.
You would also be shooting yourself in the foot when you sell the flat one day - and the buyers surveyor points out the problem (non-compliance with a regulatory requirement), and the buyers mortgage company won't touch it.
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