What exactly is the building regulation requirements for internal fire rated doors?

tallac

I understand that some of the internal doors will need to be fire rated (e.g. FD30), this I understand and I can also find plenty of websites selling such doors. It also seems to be a requirement that the hinges for fire rated doors also need to be fire rated (e.g. https://www.wickes.co.uk/4FireDoors-Ball-Bearing-Hinge---Satin-Steel-102-x-76-x-3mm-Pack-of-3/p/119168). Okay great, doors and hinges....check.

But what about door handles, locks and latches? I can't find any definitive information as to what is required. Different websites say different things. For example, this website (https://www.tbks.co.uk/blog/ask-the-expert/guide-to-hardware-for-fire-doors/) says as long as the hinges are fire rated, the rest of the ironmongery can be whatever you want. This website (https://www.internaldoors.co.uk/tennessee-door-lever-in-black-nickel-and-polished-chrome) says "Can be used on fire doors. Unless local building regulations require full FD30/ FD60 Rated Handles" 

If anyone can clarify exactly what the building regulation requirements are for internal doors in layman terms then that would be great. Even better, is a website which has a list of products that meet such requirements that I can feel safe in the knowledge of being able to pick any design I wanted from the list and it conforming to the appropriate standard.

Another question is, does a door to a utility room need to be fire rated? It's not a habitable room and there is no through access to the outside or another room so it seems like it doesn't need to be fire rated in the same way as a toilet/bathroom door doesn't need to be fire rated.

DevilDamo

Why do you need fire doors?

tacpot12

Every item of hardware fitted to a firedoor (and the frame that the firedoor is fitted into) needs to be at least the same level as the  firedoor. So if you hang an FD60 firedoor on FD30 hinges, you only get a FD30 firedoor assembly. 

The Tennessee door handles must be rated as FD20. The Building Regulations tell you where you need FD20 door and where you need FD30 or FD60 doors, and whether you need smoke seals (which adds an "s" the specification, e.g. FD30s). See Table C1 in Approved Document B. 

I'm not aware of any website that lists all the hardware is rated to FD20/FD30/FD60 . You need to dig around to find it. You should also check and keep the Certifire certificates to find out what rating the item of hardware actually has - Ironmongery websites occasionally have errors and will say that something is FD60 when in fact it only has an FD30 certificate. If you buy the hardware, you are responsible for proving it is has the correct classification. 

I'll get back to you on your other question. 

tacpot12

I'm not absolutely certain here, but I think you are wrong to say that a Bathroom/Shower Room doesn't need to have a Fire Door. My understanding of the regulations is that even uninhabitable rooms (e.g. utility rooms, bathrooms, shower rooms, kitchens) should have an fire door IF the room opens onto a protected stairway/hallway. If it doesn't open onto a protected stairway/hallway, it doesn't need a fire door.  

Approved Document B is hard to understand when you are a lay-person meeting it for the first time. The answer is not to look for simplification, but to pay for the expertise or develop it yourself. (If anyone simplified the regulations, they would not be the same regulations, so no-one publishes a simplified version of them.) 

tallac

It is very hard to find out what exactly the regulation says I should have. The document on the Government website is extremely verbose and many websites that summarise it in easy to understand language can often contradict. I don't need the whole of the document explained in simple terms, I just need to know the details for my specific case.

For example, this website: https://www.expertfiresolutions.co.uk/post/why-and-where-do-i-need-fire-doors-in-my-building#:~:text=Fire safety regulations stipulate the,every level of the house says:
"In homes more than two storeys high, there must be a fire door separating the stairwell and every habitable room (excluding toilets or bathrooms)".

I live in a house with a ground floor, 1st floor and a loft conversion. I'd assume I fall into the same situation as the majority of people.

DevilDamo

When was the loft converted?

tallac

DevilDamo said:

When was the loft converted?

A few months ago. Fire doors are requirement for some doors as part of building regulation control.

DevilDamo

The BR’s state you need to provide a protected stair. A protected stair means any doors and walls that enclose the stair need to provide 30mins and doors to provide 20mins. Doors to rooms that are within other rooms do not need to be fire doors, e.g. En-suite or if a Utility is accessed via a Kitchen.

Haven’t your works been signed off?

tallac

DevilDamo said:

The BR’s state you need to provide a protected stair. A protected stair means any doors and walls that enclose the stair need to provide 30mins and doors to provide 20mins. Doors to rooms that are within other rooms do not need to be fire doors, e.g. En-suite or if a Utility is accessed via a Kitchen.

Haven’t your works been signed off?

What about hallways that don't have stairs? Surely rooms off that also have to have fire doors. What if there is a rear door access in the kitchen which means that there is an exit route to the outside of the house from the kitchen, surely a utility has a different door in the kitchen then needs to be fire rated? A door might only need to provide 20 mins of fire rating but the only fire rated doors I've seen are FD30 (30 minutes of fire rating). I've never come across an FD20 door. My renovation company has said all my internal doors need to be FD30 rated as this is what building regulation control require. They will sign off once I have reached that stage. However, I don't think what my builder said is true as there are definitely some doors such as ensuite bathroom doors that are accessed from a bedroom which would not need to be fire rated. However, getting a clear answer is not easy. It's one of those cases where you "ask 10 people, you get 10 different answers". There might be someone who is giving a right answer amongst them but they're drowned by the noise of everyone else.

Sadly, it seems like it's easier to get FD30 doors everywhere than to get definitive information.

DevilDamo

The walls and doors that form the enclosure to the protected stair need to be fire rated. It couldn’t be anymore simple. Without seeing floor plans, it’s difficult to understand your query.

FD20’s are the minimum but you’d normally have to also provide intumescent seals and the doors to be a tight fit to achieve that rating. It’s therefore more common for FD30’s to be installed as they do not require the seals. FD30’s are also a lot easier to obtain than FD20’s.