When you own or manage a commercial or residential building, it is essential to ensure fire doors are up to code. The best way to do that is to properly maintain them in the long run. Fire safety is an important issue that will save lives. It will also influence tenancy and return on investment, among other things. Fire door maintenance should be performed by building staff but also by professional fire door contractors like Capital Fire Doors. Regular maintenance of the doors ensures maximum protection and performance in the event of a fire. The following are tips to help you maintain your doors:
Regular Checks
Regular checks of the doors are the best way to maintain them. Many experts and authorities recommend having the safety doors checked at least once every six months. A professional evaluation of the doors every six months ensures they are in proper working condition and will offer protection in case of a fire. Fire doors in high-traffic areas may require checking more often.
The doors’ fire rating, seals, hinges, gaps, and closers should all be checked during a professional evaluation. It is vital to check the company credentials to ensure they will provide a conclusive evaluation.
Train Building Employees
Though a professional check of the key doors every six months will ensure their optimal condition, the doors may undergo significant damage between evaluations. Therefore, it is crucial to train employees to check the doors for proper maintenance. Building employees are there daily, so they are better positioned to check the entrances and exits more often.
Educate as many building employees as possible to know the issues to look for in buildings. On the other hand, you can have a select group of employees conduct a door inspection every week. It will make maintenance and taking corrective action much easier when employees have the training.
Have A Fire Door Register
If you manage a large building with plenty of fire doors, it can be challenging to properly maintain all of them. It would be best to have a comprehensive checklist register next to each fire door. The register will contain door specifications, necessary components, checks recorded, fire ratings, e.t.c. The register is a collection of all the pertinent information about every entrance and exit.
The register will make it easier for building employees to check and maintain the entrance and exits. The record about the entrance and exit makes it difficult to miss inspection too.
Conduct Repairs Immediately
To properly maintain fire doors, you should conduct repairs as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many building managers wait until the next inspection to fix issues with the door. By doing so, they put every inhabitant of the building and visitors at great risk in the event of a fire.
Fixing entrance and exit issues immediately is cheaper and prevents them from becoming larger issues. Conducting the repairs promptly will also ensure your entrance and exits are up to code in case safety inspectors perform an impromptu inspection.
