Are Fire Doors Critical To Your Commercial Property?
Every business owner must put measures in place to ensure that their commercial property is as safe and secure as possible. Other than having security personnel in place and surveillance, you should also make sure that your commercial property is protected against fires too. This safety precaution is particularly critical if you run your business in a bush-fire prone area. While safety doors cannot prevent a fire from happening, they are still an essential feature for your premises since they can go a long way in minimising injuries on your property. If you are unsure about what advantages fire doors can provide you with, the piece below outlines a couple of reasons why they are critical to your commercial property.
Fire doors reduce the rate at which the fire spreads
The reason why fires can quickly become uncontainable is the fast pace at which they travel. If your structure is constructed with a multitude of combustible materials, a small fire could easily incinerate the entire building. Hence, one of the primary reasons to install a fire door is to keep the fire as contained as possible.
The fire doors come in different ratings, each indicative of how long the fire door is capable of preventing a fire from passing through it. Thus, your choice of a rating is what will dictate the amount of time you have to evacuate the structure. The higher the rating, the more time you have until the fire department arrives to put out the fire and possible savage your commercial building.
Fire doors limit the spread of smoke
When most people envision a fire, they tend to believe that it is the raging flames that pose the highest threat of damage. From first-degree burns on your body to property loss, a significant amount of emphasis is placed on the flames. In truth, smoke is just as harmful during a fire. Smoke inhalation can cause irreparable damage to your internal organs, and this could even lead to death. In addition to this, smoke damage to your structure and the belongings inside the building could result in a substantial amount of property loss too.
Fire doors are outfitted with intumescent seals around the perimeter. These seals expand as they are exposed to heat. This expansion forms an airtight seal that allows the fire doors to prevent smoke from spreading too. Therefore, not only will this minimise the chance of people in the building developing ailments related to smoke inhalation, but it can also reduce the amount of damage that your structure acquires.