To be trapped inside a burning structure is surely a very scary experience. Just think about how hot and how much smoke you have to inhale just to be able to find a way out of that misery. The question is, what if there is no way out? Well, it is safe to say that you are going to die. With this, it is such a waste of life.
One of the best ways to prevent this from happening to you and your loved ones is to install fire proof door. / are a great way to protect yourself from getting caught in a burning structure as it prevents fire from spreading from one door to the other. It can be used in homes and business establishments, and are mandated by the law.
Installing fire rated door is just one thing. It does not mean that when you have it, you are already free from worries. So how do they actually work?
Basically, a fire door serves as a barrier between two spaces. It prevents the fire to spread from one room across the other. Although, the tricky part is, it should be installed with the right specifications in order for it to be effective. A fire door must fit well so that no air can pass through the small spaces and that it can be easily opened at any time.
The materials of the structure are also a big consideration. For instance, if your property is made of wood, then even with it, the fire would still actually crawl unto your ceilings and walls, thus, making such door somehow irrelevant. If it can be of help, it only gives a little time for anybody to get out from the burning building.
On the other hand, it is safe to say that it is more appropriate for concrete structures since the concrete do not actually burn. If you have wood ceilings on your concrete structure, at least it could give more time for anyone to escape to safety.
A fire rated door can hold up a fire in different time spans. The most common one is 20-minte fire door; it is commonly used in small buildings and residential properties. The next one is the 45-minute fire door for medium sized structures, the 60, and 90-minute fire doors are mostly used in huge buildings, where people need more time to vacate the area.
These fire resistant doors are specially made using high quality materials such as metal, wood and gypsum. The materials are mostly incombustible, except for wood. However, the wood is treated with fire retardant chemicals to ensure that it can resist fire as well. They also have fibers around the edges of the door, which are called intumescent strips, which expands with heated to prevent smoke from coming through the spaces. This is a great deal since inhaling smoke and fume can also kill.
Remember, a fire door must be well-maintained in order for it to serve its purpose, thus choosing the right people that will do maintenance and inspections must be experts in this field. This is to guarantee your safety at all times.