Undoubtedly, fire poses a significant risk to human life and property. It can annihilate anything to ashes and leave people with severe injuries. Sadly, modern workspaces are at high risk of fire outbreaks. Anything from flammable material to electrical short circuits or faulty machines can lead to an outbreak. You must ensure the wellbeing of the people inhabiting your property by installing fire doors. They can save lives and mitigate potential damage to property at a reasonable cost. If you have just set up a warehouse for commercial purposes, pay attention to the following features for your fire doors:
The Door's Material
The material is one of the most important considerations for anyone who wants to buy a fire door. Fire doors are not your ordinary buy and go items. They need attention and careful examination to avoid disappointment after installation. The best doors comprise a combination of materials to offer optimal fire resistance. You can choose a door made of timber and vermiculate boards to enhance the fire rating. Other material combinations include aluminium and glass sections or aluminium and galvanised iron. Choosing a door with a combination of materials help you benefit from the fire resistance attributes that each of them offers.
Sealing the Doors
Unlike ordinary doors installed in commercial places, fire doors require special seals that keep the fire from spreading in case of an outbreak. Ordinary sealants cannot withstand high temperatures resulting from a flame. In fact, some of them contain chemicals and materials (such as turpentine) which can fuel the fire and make things worse. During installation, insist on using an intumescent seal. It can deal effectively with temperatures as high as two hundred degrees Celsius. As the fire gets hotter, the seal expands and seals any gaps between the frame and the fire. This cuts off the air supply and prevents the fire from spreading.
Door Specifications
You need to learn about the various specifications that determine the quality of a fire door. Most manufacturers use fire door codes (FD codes) to show the strength and quality of a fire door. For example, FD30 means that the fire door can stand up to half an hour of annihilation. FD45 refers to a more robust version that lasts up to forty-five minutes whenever there is an outbreak. Certainly, the longer the period that a fire door can withstand an outbreak, the better it is at keeping your employees safe. It gives you more time to plan and execute rescue operations.