Stay informed with the latest fire safety regulations, industry updates, and expert insights from our team of passive fire protection specialists.
Fire doors tend to fail inspection for the same handful of reasons. This guide explains 12 common defects, how to spot them and what facilities managers should do next.
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The Short Answer: Should You Repair or Replace a Fire Door? Repair a fire door only if the complete doorset can be restored to its certified performance using compatible, tested components. You also need to be able to evidence it. If it cannot, replace it.
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There is no single legal inspection interval for every fire door. What applies to you depends on the type and height of your building. • Multi-occupied residential buildings in England above 11 metres in height: the Responsible Person must check fire doors in communal areas at least every 3 months. They must also use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors at least every 12 months. These are legal duties under Regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. • Every other building: the Fire Safety Order requires fire precautions, including fire doors, to be subject to a suitable system of maintenance. They must be kept in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. The Order does not state a number of months, but that does not make the frequency a matter of choice or convenience. Inspections must be frequent enough to find and fix defects before they put anyone at risk. A one-off inspection, or inspections years apart, is unlikely to meet the duty. • Recognised guidance: government guidance for small blocks of flats recommends checking communal fire doors at least every six months and flat entrance doors preferably every year. For other buildings, a detailed inspection every six months is a common starting point, with more frequent checks for heavily used doors.
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You've invested in new fire doors, appointed a specialist contractor and received an invoice confirming the work is complete. The doors look good, the decoration is finished and everything appears to be in order. But can the contractor actually demonstrate that the installation meets the required specification? That's a different question to whether the doors look right, and it's one we see left unasked more often than you'd expect, once a project appears finished.
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Fire stopping is the sealing of gaps, joints and service penetrations in fire resisting walls, floors and ceilings, so that the fire resistance of that element is not reduced by the opening cut through it. Every time a pipe, cable, duct or conduit passes through a compartment wall or floor, it creates a hole in what is otherwise a continuous fire resisting barrier. Fire stopping fills that hole with a tested material or system designed to hold back fire, smoke and hot gases for the same period the surrounding wall or floor is rated to achieve. Without it, a well-built compartment wall can be rendered almost useless by a handful of unsealed penetrations.
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Fire doors get installed. Fire stopping gets applied. Cavity barriers get fitted. The work is completed, the site is signed off and everyone moves on to the next job. The trouble is, if nothing is properly recorded along the way, the Responsible Person is left holding a building they can't fully account for. A door that looks fine today gives no evidence of what was actually behind it, what was tested or what was simply patched up to get through the day. Good handover documentation is what turns finished fire protection services into something a Responsible Person can actually manage over the life of the building.
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A building manager appoints a fire door inspector, receives a report, appoints a contractor and receives a completion certificate. It's a reasonable assumption that responsibility has now moved on to the specialist. In practice, the legislation is structured a little differently.
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Whether you manage a multi-occupancy HMO, an education campus or a high-rise commercial development, specifying the correct fire door assembly directly affects building compliance under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Building Safety Act 2022.
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Learn why fire door inspection reports vary, what a comprehensive survey must cover, and how to combine detailed condition checks with costed fire door installation and professional fire protection services.
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Most HMO landlords focus their attention on routine fire door assessments, checking gaps with gauges or ensuring escape corridors are clear of physical obstructions. Yet one of the fastest-growing and most destructive hazards in London properties is something completely overlooked: a charging e-bike battery sitting quietly in a communal hallway, which can turn into a lethal threat in moments.
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Fire protection has always been about preservation, which includes preserving lives, preserving structures and preserving design integrity. But in modern commercial construction, there is an equally critical dimension to consider: preserving the planet itself.
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we have spent years installing and maintaining traditional fire protection, but the industry is currently undergoing a high-tech revolution. We are moving into the era of the "Smart Fire Door" – a significant shift from passive protection to active, real-time monitoring through the Internet of Things (IoT). For facility managers and landlords across London and the South East, this tech is a game-changer for safety, compliance, and long-term maintenance costs.
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Navigating the complexities of fire safety for a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) can be a daunting task for landlords. With stringent HMO fire safety requirements and the legal weight of licensing conditions, ensuring your property is compliant is not just about passing an inspection; it is about life safety and protecting your investment.
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Passive fire protection is often "hidden" within the fabric of a building. While fire doors are visible, the cavity barriers and fire stopping seals behind walls and above ceilings are easily overlooked. At Crown Fire Systems, we advocate for a proactive approach to fire safety maintenance across London, Surrey, and the surrounding counties.
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For building owners and managers across London and the South East, the term "Golden Thread" has become more than just a buzzword. It is now a critical legal and safety requirement under the Building Safety Act 2022. At Crown Fire Systems, we believe that fire safety should never be a matter of guesswork or lost paperwork. The Golden Thread is essentially an unbroken digital record of a building’s fire safety information. From the moment a fire door is installed to the final seal on a service penetration, every detail must be documented, accessible, and accurate throughout the building's lifecycle.
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Keeping up with building regulations is a full-time job. At Crown Fire Systems, we’re committed to ensuring our clients across London and the surrounding Counties stay ahead of the curve. One of the most significant shifts in our industry is the transition from the old British Standard (BS 476) to the more rigorous European classification, BS EN 13501. If you are currently looking for fire doors installation, fire door replacement, or updated fire stopping solutions, understanding this change is vital for ensuring your building remains compliant and safe.
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An overview of the latest fire safety regulation changes and how they affect commercial and residential property owners in the UK.
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