Tenants reminded that fire doors protect homes and save lives
Published: 25 September 2024
Tenants are being given advice on how to protect their homes during Fire Door Safety Week.
The campaign runs from 23 September to 28 September and highlights the benefits of having fire doors fitted at home.
A safe and proper working fire door can save lives, and there are simple checks that can be done to keep fire doors safe and operational.
Check the fire door is free from:
- Cracked or missing glazing
- Missing grilles
- Damage to the door itself (including missing letter boxes)
Check the fire door’s gaps and seals by checking if the door is free from:
- Large gaps around the door and frame (these should be less than 3-4mm)
- Loose or faulty hinges with missing or loose screws
- Missing or defective seals.
If the fire door is fitted with a self-closing device, check that a fire door closes by itself fully and automatically into the latch position.
You can test this by simply opening a door and letting it go, watching until it fully closes. The door should be flush with the frame when closed.
Report any faults with the door immediately to your landlord.
Fire doors should never be propped open. Check that fire doors in your home are not blocked or propped open, as this makes them redundant.
It is important that fire doors are always kept in good repair and are formally inspected in buildings over eleven metres on a routine basis.