Window and Door Safety

Every workplace and every home has multiple doors and windows. Perhaps unsurprisingly, having big holes in walls causes an issue when it comes to stopping the spread of fire.

However, when you install fire doors and windows, and all the necessary components, you can still make rooms airtight when you need them to be. That will then prevent a fire from spreading and causing further damage, as well as keeping those safe on the other side.

Doors

A fire door has a lot more features than one might expect upon first glance. Firstly, the door itself is solid and is treated or coated with some form of fire resistant layer.

Next, there are intumescent seals around the entirety of the door. Should they become heated to the temperatures you expect in a fire, they will expand and form a tight seal between the door and the door frame. That way, smoke and flames are unlikely to make their through for some time.

On top of that, even the holes in the door (such as grilles, letterboxes and door viewers) can have intumescent properties and resist fire.

The door also needs to be hung using hinges which are capable of withstanding the extremes a fire can put them under. And to ensure the fire door is shut all of the time, having a closure means it will automatically close after someone has walked through.

On a normal door, you just need normal handles which look the part as well as doing their job. But on a fire exit door, the handles need to be quick and easy to operate, which is why they have push bars and handles installed. They mean people exiting in a hurry can simply push on them as they leave.

And to ensure people are not sneaking out of them when they shouldn’t, and to be certain your premises are secure, you can also fit alarms to your doors and windows. If opened, they’ll raise the alarm, which also acts as a deterrent against misuse.

Window

The most vulnerable part of a window is the gap between it and the glass inside. However, by using intumescent glazing tape and channels, this area can also be made airtight in the event of a fire.

Also, if you’re trapped inside a room by the fire, sometimes the only safe means of exit is the window. To make this as safe as possible, you should also have fire ladders ready to use. Some of these can reach up to the third floor and can also provide an exit route out of a loft window too.