Clean frame with damp cloth, removing dirt and grease.Measure the height of the fire door, noting the position of the lock – and cut the smoke seal strip to fit accordingly.Before using any adhesive, open and close the door with the seal in place.
How do you fit an intumescent strip to a door frame?
Cut the strip to the desired length to match the height of the door. Most intumescent strips have a self-adhesive backing so peel off the paper on the back and push the strip into the groove firmly to secure it. Make sure the groove is free of dust, dirt or grease before inserting the strip into the groove.
What size should the groove be to accept an intumescent seal?
The Maxitek intumescent strip router cutters are available in widths of 10mm and 15mm. If a 20mm groove is required, simply make a cut using the 15mm cutter and then set the depth 5mm lower to complete the 20mm width of cut.
Does a fire door need an intumescent strip?
It is generally accepted that to provide the required level of fire resistance, all fire doors should be reinforced with either intumescent strips, cold smoke seals or a combination of both.What is the difference between intumescent strips and smoke seals?
A smoke seal is placed in the same places as an intumescent strip, but it is always visible. While the intumescent strip blocks off the fire itself, the smoke seal is designed to only block smoke-protecting you from smoke inhalation.
How do you fit intumescent strips and smoke seals?
- Clean frame with damp cloth, removing dirt and grease.
- Measure the height of the fire door, noting the position of the lock – and cut the smoke seal strip to fit accordingly.
- Before using any adhesive, open and close the door with the seal in place.
How does an intumescent seal work?
So, how do Intumescent seals work? An intumescent seal is a strip of material fitted around a doorway, that when exposed to heat, expands closing any gaps around the door to stop the fire spreading for a period of time. These seals usually come with either 30 or 60 minute ratings.
What should the gap be at the bottom of a fire door?
Gaps between fire doors and the door frame should never be more than 4mm or less than 2mm. It’s recommended to aim for a 3mm gap to ensure adequate room for the intumescent strips to activate in the event of a fire, and for the smoke seal strips (if installed) to not get damaged by the opening and closing of the door.Where do intumescent strips go?
Intumescent strips are generally fitted into the door frame but are sometimes into grooves in the door itself. If you don’t have grooves in your fire door or frame, you can use a router to make a groove suitable for the intumescent strip.
Can intumescent strips be painted over?If your fire doors are protected with a simple intumescent strip only (without a cold smoke seal) they can be over painted as long as it isn’t damaged by the painter’s preparation. Heavy sanding or the use of chemical strippers and heat guns during redecoration must be avoided.
Article first time published onDo FD30 fire doors need intumescent strips?
The Building Regulations indicate where you have fire doors, these would require intumescent strips. … Fire doors are designated by their required period of fire resistance FD30, FD60, FD90 and FD120, with the number representing the amount of minutes the door can contain the fire.
What is an intumescent cutter?
Used to cut grooves in a door or frame for fitting intumescent strips, our intumescent strip router cutters are an essential tool in providing fire protection. … They come in 10mm and 15mm sizes and are self-guided to ensure a consistent depth every time.
What is an intumescent smoke seal?
Intumescent strips are similar to smoke seals, but they’re designed to protect from fire itself as opposed to smoke. This is generally why both are necessary for full compliance with regulations. Intumescent strips have a different composition, as they’re designed to expand in response to high temperatures.
What is an intumescent door strip?
Intumescent Strips, or fire door strips, are fitted to the door and, when exposed to extreme heat, expand to close any edges or gaps that may leave the fire door vulnerable to fire and smoke spread. … Use in conjunction with intumescent seals to offer the most fire protection in your fire doors.
What are intumescent strips made of?
A passive fire protection example of an intumescent with strong expansion pressure. This intumescent is called Palusol. It is based on waterproofed sodium silicate. Another high-expansion intumescent popular for use in plastic pipe firestop devices is graphite.
Can intumescent strips be surface mounted?
When fire strikes, gaps around fire doors allow fire and smoke to spread. This can be stopped by fitting intumescent fire door seals. Surface mounted fire door seals are easy to install; simply stick the strips with their self-adhesive backing to the frame or to the fire door itself.
What are intumescent hinge pads?
Fitted behind the hinges on a fire-rated door, intumescent hinge pads are designed to expand when heated, maintaining the integrity of the door and providing extra protection should a fire break out. The number of intumescent hinge pads used is dependent upon the fire rating of the door.
How do you seal a smoke door?
Once you find the entry points of the secondhand smoke, seal the gaps. Large gaps can be filled with insulating foam, while small gaps can be filled with silicone caulk. Install door draft excluders under doors that open into hallways and common areas. Seal around windows with caulk or weather stripping.
How do you fit a cold smoke seal?
- Clean frame with damp cloth, removing dirt and grease.
- Measure the height of the door, noting the position of the lock – and cut the smoke seal strip to fit accordingly.
- Before using any adhesive, open and close the door with the seal in place.
What is an intumescent paint?
Specifically, an intumescent paint is a coating that reacts to heat by swelling in a controlled manner to many times its original thickness, producing a carbonaceous char formed by a large number of small bubbles that act as an insulating layer to protect the substrate.
How do fire door seals work?
Fire seals contain intumescent material. This material expands when exposed to heat. When a fire door is exposed to a fire, these seals heat up and expand to many times their original size, sealing the gap between the door and the door frame to stop the fire spreading.
Can you cut intumescent strips?
Intumescent strips can stop the spread of fire and smoke for up to an hour, but they should be regularly inspected to ensure there are no tears or damage. … The intumescent strip will need to be cut to length, and most will have self-adhesive backing strip to stick easily into the groove.
What are the fire door regulations?
At all levels, each stairwell door must be a fire door, leading to a safe room in domestic buildings with more than two levels. Furthermore, in a mixed-use building, fire doors are required between the residential and the business spaces; and between the integral garage and house in the case of loft conversions.
Do fire doors need drop seals?
In the event of a fire, smoke can quickly spread from room to room, reducing the visibility and breathable air of the building. This makes fire safety equipment that is specifically designed to minimise air flow, such as drop-down door seals, compulsory for a fire door to be fit for purpose.
Why do doors have a gap at the bottom?
Interior doors should have an 1 1/2″ gap at the bottom to allow air flow when the HVAC system is blowing. Unless there is an air return vent in the room no air could come out the register without a means for it to escape.
Are intumescent hinge pads required?
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION: It is a legal requirement for hardware fitted to fire resisting doors to be CE marked. … You should fit these intumescent pads under any CE marked hinges to comply with the marking requirements.
When should a fire door have smoke seals?
Fire Door Seals or Fire and Smoke Seals As soon as the temperature in the vicinity of the strips exceeds 200°C, usually about 10-15 minutes after the start of a fire, the seal swells and seals the gaps between the door and frame.
