How can we help?
Got a query for our engineers? It may be something we’ve been asked before. Take a look at our most frequently asked and answered questions below – and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you can’t find what you need.
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What is the difference between a fire door and a fire exit door?
These two doors have similar names, and are both essential for fire safety. However, they’re used for different things, so it’s important not to get them confused.
A fire exit door is to allow exit from a building in case of a fire. It has to have one-handed means of opening, most commonly a panic bar.
A fire door, on the other hand, is a door which has been tested to be fire-resisting – meaning it can hold back fire.
There are different ratings of fire doors, ranging from 30 minutes to four hours. Most fire doors have a door closer to ensure the door remains closed, but the hardware can range from panic devices to lever or pull handles to open the doors.
Take a look at our our steel fire doors or our fire-resistant roller shutters for more details.
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What type of industrial door has the best insulation value?
Insulated doors are essential for units that require temperature control, but it isn’t always obvious which is the most effective type.
For example, insulated roller shutter doors have insulation that runs through the main sections of the door. However due to the way that they interlock with each other, there is some cold bridging.
It can be confusing, as some companies give a U value through the middle of the insulated lath which is better than the assembled curtain.
The average insulated roller shutter achieves 3.3W/m2K thermal rating. Insulated roller shutters are good for applications where head room is an issue, as sectional doors need space for back hanging and springs or room above for a vertical track.
Sectional overhead doors are constructed from larger insulated panels which interlock to provide a better insulation value – and they do not have a cold bridging issue. A typical door of 4000mm x 3500mm will have a thermal rating of 0.9Wm2K. The lower the U value figure, the better the insulation value.
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Do I need to have my doors serviced?
In short, yes. All doors in the workplace are deemed workplace equipment by the HSE, and as such need maintaining and servicing to ensure they’re safe.
All industrial doors and shutters will need a maintenance plan in place – accidents and injuries caused by faults with doors are almost always caused by a lack of regular maintenance, and are preventable if doors are serviced properly.
The building manager or owner is responsible for making sure doors are properly maintained, and can be prosecuted under the Health Safety at Work Act 1974 in the event of injury.
Fire doors have even more regulations around them – under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO), managers must ensure that fire doors are regularly maintained.
If you have any questions about what you need to do to meet your health and safety obligations, give us a call – we’ll be happy to help.
