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Fire Door Safety Week 2025!
FlatHomes is proud to support Fire Door Safety Week, taking place from 22nd to 26th September 2025.
Fire doors are a fundamental part of a building's passive fire protection system. They are specifically designed to contain a fire and its smoke, preventing its spread and protecting crucial escape routes. However, if a fire door is damaged, propped open, or poorly maintained, it can't perform its life-saving role.
It's easy to overlook fire doors in our daily lives, but taking a few moments to check them could make all the difference in an emergency. The British Woodworking Federation (BWF), which organises Fire Door Safety Week, has a simple five-step check you can perform to make sure your fire door is in good working order.
Your 5-Step Fire Door Check
Follow these steps to check if your fire door is in good working order:
- Certification: Look for a certification label or plug on the top or side of the door. This shows that the door is a third-party certified fire door. If you don't see one, the door might not be a fire door at all.
- Gaps: Check the gaps around the top and sides of the door. They should be consistent and no larger than 4mm. The gap at the bottom of the door can be up to 8mm, but any larger and fire and smoke could easily pass through.
- Seals: Look for intumescent seals around the edge of the door or frame. These seals expand when exposed to heat, helping to seal the gap and prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Check that they are in good condition and not damaged.
- Hinges: Fire doors should have at least three hinges, which must be fire-rated and screwed firmly into the door and frame. Check for any missing screws or signs of wear.
- Closing: The door should close properly and securely on its own. It should not be propped open or have anything preventing it from closing fully. The closer should be working correctly to ensure the door latches shut.
Important Note: If you are a tenant in a FlatHomes property and find any issues with a fire door, it's essential to report it immediately to our maintenance team. A small issue with a fire door could have serious consequences.
This Fire Door Safety Week, we encourage everyone to "Recognise it. Report it." Let's work together to ensure that our homes and buildings are as safe as they can be.
For more information and resources on fire door safety, you can visit the official Fire Door Safety Week website. You can also sign up for webinars to learn even more.
For advice specific to tenants in privately rented homes, you can also check out this guide: Advice for Private Rented Housing.
