Fire-rated doors are also called fire doors. These are the doors that are designed to withstand fires. In the event of a fire, the fire-rated doors survive way longer than your ordinary ones. The doors contain the fire and keep it far away from the property's escape route. Fire door requirements for the different countries and regions vary considerably. But if you want effective ones, they should follow three major points. They must be constructed of the right material, placed strategically as per the region's needs, and installed properly.

Below is everything you should know about these kinds of doors if you plan to install them at your premises.

The label of fire rating – When planning to install such a door, you need to examine the fire rating label. The label is indicative of the door's fire rating and tells you about the body that assigned it that rating. You can find this label on the door and door frame's hinge side. It's usually hidden from your view.

A door that's fire-resistant – A door that has fire-resistant properties are made out of materials like steel and wood. Between both of them, steel doors have greater fire ratings because they are non-combustible and don't feed the fire. Wooden fire-rated doors come with a gypsum core. It's a soft mineral that can resist heat. But gypsum board can also be combined with hollow steel doors. Besides gypsum, vermiculite boards can also be utilized in designing fire-rated doors as vermiculite is a good fire retardant.

Glass and seals that are resistant to fire – Some doors consist of vision panels along with fire-rated glass. But you generally cannot find them in doors with greater fire ratings. A fire door's edges should have threshold seals made out of intumescent strips. It's because they are able to contain smoke in the event of fire effectively.

Fire-resistant hardware – When a fire breaks, its critical for the fire-rated door to be closed. Otherwise, it will not be able to control the spread of fire as well as smoke. It's why the best fire-rated doors come fitted with self-closing and latching hardware that is fire-resistant. Apart from this self-closing mechanism, these doors also require steel ball-bearing hinges. It's because these types of hinges have greater durability than the standard ones.

Role of fire-rated doors in the event of a fire – There's no door that is 100 percent fire-proof. In various incidences of fire inside an area, the temperatures can increase to the extent that even steel starts melting. But as mentioned before, the major function of a fire door is not only to survive a fire but also to slow it down and contain its spread. This results in less damage to people and property. Fire-resistant doors provide a chance to put away fire before it starts spreading. In minor cases, the doors contain the fire so that it can be dealt with properly. Thus, the doors, apart from saving the lives of people, also reduce damage to the rest of the property. They also protect the belongings kept there.

Fire doors provide a safe exit – In most instances, the fire door will effectively contain the fire until all the people inside the building have abandoned it safely. Apart from keeping the fire contained, a fire door that's correctly sealed will also allow the smoke also to be contained effectively. It enables people to exit the building with a lesser chance of suffocating themselves by smoke. So, as long as fire doors remain intact, they act as a good medium of escape.

Does your property require a fire-rated door – In Canada, only commercial or residential buildings require such kinds of doors. But it doesn't mean that they are completely useless for a house. Although they are not usually needed in a house, such types of doors can effectively contain the fire in those areas that are vulnerable to being a house fire source. You have the choice of having a fire door for rooms like the kitchen or basement, where there are several electrical devices. Fire-rated exterior doors provide a layer of safety to ensure that there will be points of exit in the event of a house fire.

Fire-resistant doors for a building – These doors are usually needed for properties that function as public buildings, office areas, multi-family homes, apartments, and the like. Ontario's building code and fire code need suitable fire-rated doors for fire exits, corridor doors, garbage room doors, and laundry room doors.

It is important to place your trust in a renowned manufacturer whenever you are looking for fire-rated doors. You can also get in touch with a reliable 24-hour locksmith in Toronto in your area to know more about the specifics of such doors and the available options for you. The experts are highly experienced in this area, and you can gain much from their insights.