Fire safety in Ealing’s council housing

Fire doors

Fire doors help stop fire spreading, ensuring that you can leave the building safely if you need to.

Why are fire doors important?

If there was a fire in your flat, a front entrance fire door will stop the spread of smoke and fire into communal areas meaning escape routes are safe for you and others to use to evacuate.

If there is a fire elsewhere in the building, a front entrance fire door will stop the spread of smoke and fire into your property. This means you can remain safe in your home whilst the fire brigade fights the fire.

Where you will find fire doors

Fire doors will be marked with a sign indicating they are fire doors.

The following are usually fire doors:

  • your flat entrance door
  • the door between the communal corridor and the staircase
  • the door to your storage cupboard or shed, if it is accessed from a communal corridor
  • doors to plant rooms or riser cupboards

Please remember, fire doors are not required where the door opens directly onto a street.

Parts of a fire door

  • strips and seals – intumescent strips expand when exposed to fire and seal gaps around the door. Smoke seals look similar to draught seals
  • self-closing devices – should always be attached and operating correctly. If you open the door fully it should close without grinding on the floor
  • door frames – fire doors should fit snugly in their frames and the door must swing freely without slowing or grinding against the floor
  • glass panels – any glass panels in the door, to the side of the door or above the door should be in good condition without any cracks, missing pieces of glass
  • hinges – door hinges should be sufficient to hold the weight of the door
  • letterboxes - should be made of a solid metal or certified fire-resistant material – they should not be made of aluminium. Solid metals will be magnetic whereas aluminium will not be. Letterboxes should close fully to ensure the integrity of the door

Make sure your fire door works properly

  • never disconnect the door closer from any fire door
  • do not wedge open or put something in front of a door to prevent it closing
  • do not replace any part of your flat entrance door. The door is installed as a unit, so if you change anything on it or add anything to it, it may not work as required
  • always report any damage to your flat door or the communal doors in your building
  • if you see a small QR code sticker on a fire door, leave it in place. These are there for managing ongoing maintenance