Fire Doors: Why Keeping Them Closed Really Matters
A fire door can look like an ordinary door, but its role during a fire is anything but ordinary.
Fire-resisting doors form an important part of a building’s fire protection strategy. When correctly specified, installed, maintained and closed, they can help restrict the spread of fire and smoke, protecting escape routes and giving people valuable additional time to evacuate.
But there’s one very common problem we see:
Fire doors being propped open.
It might seem harmless. Someone wants to keep a busy corridor ventilated, make moving through the building easier or simply stop the door from closing every time somebody walks through it.
Unfortunately, if that door is required to provide fire separation, leaving it wedged open defeats one of its most important functions.
British Standards guidance states that fire doors should be kept shut when not in use, and that self-closing devices should not be tampered with.
What Is a Fire Door Designed to Do?
A fire door is part of a building’s passive fire protection.
If a fire starts in one area, the building’s fire safety measures are intended to help prevent the fire and smoke from spreading rapidly into other areas.
Fire doors can help compartmentalise a building, protecting escape routes and limiting the spread of fire and smoke.
They work alongside other measures such as:
• Fire detection and alarm systems.
• Emergency lighting.
• Fire-resisting walls and floors.
• Smoke control systems.
• Fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment.
It’s therefore important to think of a fire door as part of a system, rather than simply another door.
🔧 From the Field: The Door That Shouldn’t Be Open
The first photograph accompanying this article is a good example.
The fire door has been fitted with a self-closing device, but it has been deliberately held open.
It’s easy to understand why someone might do it. The door is probably used regularly and keeping it open makes moving around the building more convenient.
The problem is that convenience doesn’t change what the door is there to do.
If a fire occurs and the door is wedged open, smoke and fire can potentially pass through the opening rather than being contained by the closed door.
A fire door only provides its intended protection when it can close properly.
The second photograph shows another fire door fitted with a self-closing device. When correctly maintained and allowed to operate, the door can close automatically after use.
British Standards specifically highlights the importance of effective self-closing devices and states that a fire door that doesn’t close fully into its frame won’t adequately hold back fire and smoke.
What Should You Look For?
You don’t need to be a fire-door specialist to spot some obvious problems.
A basic visual check can identify things that should be reported to the person responsible for fire safety.
Look for:
🚪 Is the door closing properly?
The door should be capable of closing fully into its frame under the action of its self-closing device.
If it sticks, catches on the floor or frame, or doesn’t latch properly, it needs attention.
🔩 Is the closer working?
A damaged, disconnected or ineffective self-closing device can prevent the door from performing as intended.
Don’t adjust or tamper with the closer yourself unless you’re competent and authorised to do so.
🔥 Are the intumescent strips and smoke seals intact?
These seals form an important part of the door assembly and should not be damaged, missing or painted over.
🚪 Has the door been damaged?
Damage to the door leaf, frame, hinges or other components can potentially affect the performance of the fire door.
🛑 Is the door being propped open?
This is probably one of the easiest problems to spot.
If it’s a fire door that is supposed to be closed, don’t wedge it open.
But What If the Door Needs to Stay Open?
There are situations where a fire door may legitimately need to remain open during normal use.
However, simply using a door wedge, bin, chair or other object isn’t an appropriate solution.
Where a door needs to be held open, properly designed automatic hold-open or release devices can be used in suitable circumstances. These systems are designed to release the door when required so that the fire door can close. British Standards guidance explains that such arrangements can be linked to the fire detection and alarm system and must be appropriate for the specific premises and risk.
In other words:
A fire door can be held open in some circumstances—but it needs to be done properly.
Fire Doors and Fire Alarms Work Together
This is something that is particularly important to understand.
Your fire alarm system provides early warning.
Your emergency lighting helps people find their way to safety if normal lighting fails.
Your fire doors help restrict the spread of fire and smoke.
Each part has a different role, but they all contribute to the overall fire safety strategy of the building.
That’s why maintaining one system while ignoring another isn’t enough.
Don’t Ignore a Fire Door That Isn’t Working Properly
If you notice a fire door that won’t close properly, has damaged seals, has a faulty self-closing device or is regularly being wedged open, report it to the person responsible for fire safety.
Fire doors should be maintained in good working order, and defects that could affect their ability to restrict fire and smoke should be addressed.
A small problem with a door may seem insignificant.
During a fire, it could be anything but.
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💡 Pentacle Pro Tip
A fire door isn’t much use if it’s propped open.
If you see a fire door being routinely wedged open, don’t just accept it as normal.
If the door needs to remain open for operational reasons, there may be a suitable engineered solution—but it should be assessed and installed appropriately rather than relying on a door wedge.
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🔥 Fire safety is about more than the alarm
At Pentacle Electrical and Security Ltd, we work with fire alarm and emergency lighting systems as part of a wider approach to building safety.
Regular inspection, testing and maintenance can help identify problems before they’re needed in an emergency.
If you’re responsible for a property, business or HMO and you’re unsure whether your fire safety systems are being adequately maintained, professional advice can help identify what needs attention.