How Long Do Fire Doors Last?

Fire doors are an essential part of your passive fire protection, but because they’re always there, waiting, will they last forever? The answer is that, like all things, fire doors have a finite lifespan.

Any fire door that becomes damaged or that is simply too old to serve its purpose – that is, to hold back fire and protect evacuation routes – could be putting you, your staff and your visitors at risk. 

That’s why this month at Surrey Tech Services Ltd, we’re going to take a look at how long fire doors last, when they should be replaced and the cost of replacing them.

When should you replace a fire door?

As we’ve already mentioned above, fire doors don’t last forever. So how long do they last and when should you replace yours?

Frustratingly, there is no set amount of time a fire door will last when not faced with fire. Like all doors, they will likely deteriorate over a long period of time. That process of deterioration will, understandably, be sped up by wear and tear, but here are a few other things that can reduce their lifespan:

• Misuse
• Excessive force
• Exposure to flames

These things can result in both visible damage, including delamination of the door’s external layers, as well as having an impact on the core structure of the door. All of this can impact how well it’s likely to perform in the face of a fire.

There is no specific legislation demanding the replacement of fire doors, but considering the general legal obligations to provide adequate protection against fire and the above issues of wear and tear, it’s important to stay on top of maintenance and inspections. The Fire Safety Act 2021 requires regular, thorough checking and maintenance schedules for all fire-fighting equipment in multi-occupancy buildings, which includes fire doors for flats.

Close monitoring of your doors should be carried out internally, with checks at least every six months. The higher the frequency with which you use the doors, the more regularly they should be inspected, as damage and wear can occur more quickly.

How long should fire doors keep fire out?

Fire doors are designed to provide a minimum window of time to hold back flames and smoke due to their special design and construction. This time can vary depending on the door, but it should be a minimum of 30 minutes to be legally considered a fire door. 

Here are the different doors and their ratings that detail how long they should keep fire out:

• FD30 – 30 minutes of fire resistance minimum
• FD60 – 60 minutes of fire resistance minimum
• FD90 – 90 minutes of fire resistance minimum
• FD120 – 120 minutes of fire resistance minimum
• FD240 – 240 minutes of fire resistance minimum

How much does it cost to replace a fire door?

Fire doors are not the same as normal doors, which means they are slightly more expensive and will require professional installation. A number of factors can impact how much it costs to replace a fire door, including:

• The number of doors you need to replace
• How easy it is to access that area of the building
• Any additional hardware and ironmongery

You can ensure the safety of everyone in your building with our dedicated fire door services here at Surrey Tech Services Ltd. From fire door installation when you need to replace your doors to fire door inspections to make sure your current doors are fit for purpose, we’re here to help landlords, business owners and commercial operations in London and the Home Counties – including Maidenhead, Guildford and Slough.

Call us today for professional fire door installation and more, all in line with BS 8214, and our expert team will be happy to help.