Safety is a primal need and protecting the spaces where we spend our time comes only natural. Whether that is our home or office or perhaps the storage for our stuff, implementing the proper safety measures is something that is always on our minds.
One of those measures is surely installing a proper fire-rated door as a protection from fire and smoke. However, today there are many different manufacturers and numerous types of these doors, so the main question is – How to choose?
Here are the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a fire-rated door for your residential, commercial, or any other space.
What are fire-rated doors?
The name pretty much says it all – these doors are made to withstand fire and to minimize the danger until the proper authorities arrive. And the most effective doors that are fire-proof and smoke-proof can, plain and simple, save lives.
Here are the most relevant parts that fire-rated doors are made of:
- frame
- hinges
- handles and locks
- door closer
- vision panel
- smoke seals.
These are essential parts and their quality determines the overall safety and security of fire-rated doors.
Malfunction of just one part, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant it may appear, can compromise the whole structure. In other words, every part has a crucial role in accomplishing better protection.
Which rooms need fire-rated doors?
The reasons to get a fire-rated door can be plentiful. But do you need them in every room?
Certainly, some rooms are more of a priority than others.
For starters, there might be regulations that require these types of doors to be installed in your home. Also, as previously mentioned, there are different kinds of fire-rated doors for different spaces.
For example, wooden doors are frequently used in residential buildings, while steel doors tend to be used in commercial buildings and public spaces.
When it comes to your home, however, the kitchen is usually the first room that comes to mind. Surely, this is the room that is more hazardous than any other. The drying room is a close second since here there are appliances that can also burn quite quickly if any part isn’t working correctly.
Also, the doors of these rooms tend to be frequently opened and closed so it is important to find fire-rated doors that are proven to be safe and reliable in the long run, withstanding constant usage.
Different types
The market for fire-rated doors is still growing and expanding with numerous manufacturers currently out there.
To narrow down the selection, there are three main types of doors on the market at the moment, and they are distinguished based on the material being used:
- wooden
- steel
- and steel wooden doors.
There are different advantages of these materials depending on what you’re looking for but what is crucial is to find a manufacturer that is using the best, proven materials and following the latest trends in home security.
Besides durability and withstand capability, there are other factors to consider when purchasing the perfect door that will suit your needs in the best possible way.
One of the factors is definitely the type of fire-rated door that is good for the environment. In that sense, wooden and metal doors are superior purely due to the fact that they can be recycled and repurposed for something else.
Of course, there is one other factor – the esthetic aspect. For most people, the way the door incorporates esthetically in the whole space is quite an important factor, since they spend a lot of time (and money) decorating the room down to the smallest details.
In that case, it is not surprising that you would want to choose a door that fits the interior design of your home or office.
Make sure you pay attention to labels and claims of the doors you are purchasing and that all the parts are according to standards.
Yet another thing to keep in mind is to check the rating. The rating tells you just for how long the doors are supposed to withstand fire and smoke.
After checking all the requirements, the doors are ready to be installed.
How to choose
So, let’s draw a conclusion here. Basically, it is necessary to calculate all the factors and derive from them the most optimal solution for your needs, finding the best possible fire-rated doors for the already existing room.
Other than the characteristics already mentioned above, another deciding factor (and for a lot of people the most important one) is definitely the budget.
The budget you have will to a large degree determine all the other characteristics and features of the fire-rated door you choose for your home (or any other place for that matter). Like with pretty much everything else, different features reach different price tags. You can compromise on certain features, as long as the door itself is still safe and reliable.
Of course, if your budget increases over time and if you find it necessary, you can always upgrade the door.
Once you’ve installed the perfect fire-rated doors, you can relax knowing that the space and everyone in it are safe and well-protected.
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