Fire doors – saving lives and homes

Fire doors save lives and homes. In fact, they’re often the first line of defence in a fire.

• Don’t leave a fire door wedged or propped open
• Your fire door should close by itself. To check this, hold it half way open, and check the latch engages when you let it go
• If a fire door doesn’t close report it to us immediately
• Never disconnect an automatic closer – the door is useless if it remains open, and it will allow the spread of smoke and fire
• Don’t remove kitchen or other internal fire doors
• If you’re fitting new carpets, make sure the door still closes smoothly – if it catches on the carpet pile, consider fitting rising hinges. Don’t trim the door!
• Don’t make new openings in fire doors for cat flaps or letter boxes without seeking our advice
• If you’re a homeowner and want to change your front door, you’ll need our permission.