When most people think of Fire Doors, they imagine big metallic doors on the outside of a building that have push bars rather than a standard door handle. Whilst it’s true that they are fire doors, the “standard” doors that you see all around you in everyday environments may also be fire doors, otherwise known as a fire rated door.
Typically, you’ll see these in hospitals, hotels and office blocks – but what about fire doors for homes?
This is where it gets slightly more complex, but don’t worry – Fire Door Specialists are here to help.
So, are fire doors required in your home?
Well, the actual answer depends on what type of house it is you live in.
Fire doors for houses & bungalows
In the UK, fire doors for homes are not a legal requirement for the majority of houses – however, there are some exceptions that you need to be aware of, which building regulations details in full.
If your house is any of the following, you need a fire rated door.
New Builds and Home Renovations:
If your house is new build AND has three or more floors – a fire rated door must be fitted to every habitable room that leads from a stairwell. This also applies if your home has had a loft conversion where an extra floor has been added to a two-story dwelling.
Dwellings with a garage:
If your property has an integral garage – any door that leads directly from the garage into the home must be a fire rated door.
Fire doors for flats or HMO (House of Multiple Occupation)
If you live in a flat or HMO then you need to check out our more detailed article, however in a nutshell, there are different regulations for Flats and HMOs – the most important being that every flat within a block of flats or HMO should have a fire rated door fitted at the entrance onto a communal area. Further details can also be found within building regulations approved document B2.
Remember you should Never Presume that your house has a fire rated door fitted, just because the regulations say it should – doesn’t mean it has!
According to statistics undertaken by the home office, there were 27,166 dwelling fires as of year-end, March 2022 with a whopping 73% of that (19,831) being houses, bungalows, converted flats and other properties. So, ask yourself, is it time to replace your doors for fire rated ones? Remember a standard fire rated door (FD30) will give you up to thirty minutes of protection from fire.
So, does my house need a fire door?
If you’re unsure about what to do next, get in touch with a member of the team and we’ll be happy to discuss whether a fire door for your home is required. We’ll even give you advice on where to purchase your fire rated doors from and fitting.