If you need to install a crittall style fire door in an office building, production room or warehouse, but you do not know how to choose it correctly, then in this article we will consider the main parameters of such doors and tips for choosing them.
Classification of doors according to the level of fire resistance
According to GOST 30247.0-94 standards, fire doors are designated by indexes EI30, EI60, EI90 and EI120.
Latin letters mean the structural strength of the door unit (E) and heat-insulating properties (I). The numbers are the time in minutes during which the door is guaranteed to remain intact and prevent flames, smoke and heat from entering the protected room. For example, a fire door of class EI90 is capable of containing fire for 1.5 hours without losing its protective properties and changing the design (overall dimensions).
In addition to those listed above, additional letter indices can be used – W, S, J, G
- W refers to glazed fire doors and indicates the ability to block heat flow. Measured in minutes.
- S stands for the tightness of the door block and how long it holds back the penetration of smoke and combustion products.
- J and G are responsible for the explosion protection of the door. For them, a separate GOST applies.
All fire doors must be certified to be fire resistant. For example, the fire doors of the Wood Products Plant have a certificate issued by the Scientific Testing Expert Certification Center.
Fire door design
Fire doors make not only from metal, but also from wood and even plastic. Of course, non-metal doors are not able to resist the flame for a long time. The maximum fire resistance class for wooden and plastic door blocks is EI30.
A sufficient margin of time for evacuation and fire fighting can only provide by metal doors.
Steel fire doors make from cold-rolled steel sheets with a thickness of 1 to 6 mm. The frame additionally reinforces with steel reinforcements. A layer of fire-resistant insulation is laid inside the door leaf and frame – basalt wool slabs.
Important! Basalt wool is absolutely non-flammable and is marked with the NG index.
Anti-smoke seals are installed along the perimeter of the junction of the canvas to the box, and a heat-resistant tape is glued. When ignited, the tape expands several times and seals the doorway.
Door fittings – locks, handles, closers and the Anti-Panic system – are made of heat-resistant alloys or high-temperature-resistant plastic.
Tips on how to choose
Degree of fire resistance
When choosing the fire resistance class of doors, consider the type of premises. So, for doorways leading to the stairs, it is necessary to install doors not lower than class EI45. For interior rooms, doors with class EI30 are sufficient.
Fire resistance is a key characteristic of fire doors, so the principle “the higher the better” is more appropriate here than anywhere else.
Anti-panic system
The system allows you to open all the locks of the door after a single press on the push bar or rotary lever.
Most often, Anti-Panic uses in crowded places – in shopping centers, stadiums, railway stations and airports.
Important! It forbiddes to use ordinary locks, bolts and latches on fire doors with the Anti-Panic system.
It recommends that all fire doors equipp with the Anti-panic system, as it simplifies the opening of the leaf to the limit in conditions of smoke or darkness and speeds up the evacuation of people.
With or without glass
A special type of fire-resistant glass uses for glazing fire doors. The thickness of such glasses can reach 30 mm.
Important! Armored glass and triplex prohibite in fire doors.
The glass marking must contain the EIW index, which confirms the glass’s ability to withstand elevated temperatures. The glazing area cannot exceed 25% of the door leaf area.
Doors with glass inserts give you more options when fighting fire, as they allow you to control the situation inside the room. But they cost more than their counterparts without glass.
Decorative design
Decorative exterior finish is an unaffordable luxury for fire doors with a fire resistance class of EI45 and higher. Such doors paint over the entire surface with nitro enamel or powder coated. The only acceptable decor is a glass insert, which will slightly dilute the inaccessibility of a solid steel sheet.
Portrait of the optimal fire door
- The material of the leaf and box is cold-rolled steel with a thickness of at least 1 mm.
- The filling of the canvas and the box is basalt wool.
- Fire resistance class EI60 and above. It must be confirmed by a certificate of conformity.
- Fittings made of refractory metals and resistant plastic.
- Recommended options are EIW60 and higher glass insert, Anti-panic system, smoke-tight seal.
Source of information: secure-house.co.uk
