FAQs
Welcome to our FAQs page. Here, you’ll find clear, straightforward answers to the most common questions about fire door safety, compliance, and inspections.
Fire doors play a critical role in protecting lives and property by slowing the spread of fire and smoke. However, they are only effective when they are properly installed, maintained, and regularly inspected in line with current safety standards such as those set out in the National Fire Protection Association and relevant local building and fire codes.
Whether you’re a property manager, building owner, facilities director, contractor, or part of a compliance team, this page is designed to help you understand:
- How often fire doors should be inspected
- What inspectors look for during an inspection
- Common fire door deficiencies
- Legal and insurance requirements
- What happens if your doors fail inspection
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, our team is always happy to help. Fire door safety isn’t just about compliance — it’s about protecting people, assets, and peace of mind.
Fire Door Inspection
A fire door inspection is a detailed assessment of a fire door to ensure it will perform correctly in the event of a fire. The inspection checks that the door, frame, seals, ironmongery, and installation meet current fire safety standards and legal requirements.
Inspections are carried out to make sure the performance of the door is up to what it was certified to do, to slow the spread of fire and smoke, protecting lives and property. Regular inspections ensure fire doors remain compliant, functional, and effective, helping building owners meet their legal responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
There is currently no single rule for how often fa fire door must be checked but we recommend – High-use areas (Stair wells, communal areas) every 3 months due to constant use. Residential blocks and low-use areas: at least once a yer
We inspect all common fire door ratings, including FD30, FD30s, FD60, FD60s, etc. We also inspect FED’s timber core and composite stile doors.
A 22-point check is carried out using our doorset survey form on One trace, this will define whether certain components have passed or failed for fire and smoke. Checks include, whether the door has any previous labels or plus door leaf condition, frame and door condition, Hinges and ironmongery, Intumescent and smoke seals, glazing and glazing seals, door gaps and clearances including threshold gap Self-closing devices Signage and overall performance.
Yes. All fire doors are signed off using Blue Sky third-party accreditation, ensuring compliance with recognised industry standards.
All inspection results are recorded on One Trace which records all finding for that specific door and creating a golden thread of information.
Yes, once the inspection has been carried out we will advise on remedial works and, where agreed, provide repair or replacement services.
The Responsible Person (such as a building owner, landlord, or facilities manager) is legally responsible for ensuring fire doors are maintained and inspected regularly.
Inspection time depends on door quantity and site conditions. On average, inspections take 10-15 minutes with minimal disruption to occupants. If an intusive survey is requested then this requires us to take off architraves of existing door sets randomly across the building , we usually suggest 10% of the doors to inspect. This gives you a good understanding of the fire stopping between the fame and the substrate.
You can contact us directly from our offices in Bourne End And Warwick. to arrange a site visit or request a quotation. You can also request a call back on our website from one of our representatives who will contact you and go through any questions you may have.
The more information you can forward the better really. Any recent Fire risk Assessment, fire strategy drawing, Data sheets and certification of the existing install all help to give you an accurate quotation for what you require to bring your building up to compliant standards.
