Legally , a building ’ s fire doors must therefore be self-closing to ensure the door closes to act as a barrier that stops the fire from spreading . Due to the level of protection a fire door provides , the placement and weight of the doors is often restrictive for example in a care home setting for residents , or for pupils in a school .

It is recognised that in these cases it is necessary to hold fire doors open for practical reasons . In this instance the fire door must have a device installed to release the door , so that it will close upon activation of the fire alarm system .

Holding open fire doors legally

Making sure fire doors are closed when the fire alarm sounds is extremely important . The British Standard 7273-4:2015 Code of Practice for the operation of fire protection measures - Part 4 : Actuation of release mechanisms for doors gives guidance on the installation , commissioning and maintenance of fire door holding systems . The system / hardware used to hold the doors open must also be approved to EN1155 standard .

Fire door retainers , also known as fire door holders , use a magnet to hold open heavy fire doors that will release in the event of a fire . Stand alone door retainers are suitable for doors that already have a closing device fitted , however fire door closers with a built-in hold open function are also available .

Depending on the installation and level of protection required , there are a variety of fire door retainers readily available which react to different triggers in the event of a fire .

Hard-wired fire door retainers

Hard-wired fire door retainers are used all over the world and are ideal for new buildings as they have a direct wire connection to the building ’ s fire detection system . In a normal condition , power ( usually 24Vdc ) is supplied to the door retainers so that they can hold the doors in an open position . When a fire is detected by the fire panel , power is cut releasing the doors so that they can close . A fault in the wiring or power supply to the door retainers will cause them to fail safe and release the doors . Hard-wired fire door retainers are available in many shapes , sizes and finishes to suit all applications .

Radio controlled fire door retainers

Radio controlled fire door retainers are triggered wirelessly by radio waves from a controller connected to the existing fire panel or interface unit . As minimal wiring is needed , these are often used for fitting into large , existing buildings but still offer high levels of protection . These systems are installed by an approved , trained professional as a site survey has to be carried out prior to installation .

Depending on the installation and level of protection required , there are a variety of fire door retainers readily available which react to different triggers in the event of a fire .

Sound activated fire door retainers

Sound activated fire door retainers react to the noise of the fire alarm and some devices can learn the sound of the building ’ s specific fire alarm , so they will only release when the alarm sounds . This is a cost effective solution as there is no need for wiring to a fire panel . Sound activated fire door retainers are battery powered and can be installed quickly and easily . They are wire free , so installing them won ’ t affect a building ’ s infrastructure .

Innovators of fire technology

Geofire has been designing and manufacturing electromagnet fire door holders and closers for 45 years from its factory in County Durham . Established in 1972 , the company is still continuing to invest in research and development to be able to offer cost effective and innovative fire technology .

Andy Collinson , CEO at Geofire , says , ‘ What makes Geofire stand out from the rest is that we design and manufacture all of our products in the UK , and we are very proud to be able to say that .

‘ We have a solution available for all installations , whether it is a new build using our hard-wired products , a noisy environment where radio would be more suitable ( Salamander ) or where an acoustic solution is required to close the fire doors upon hearing the sound of the fire alarm ( Agrippa ).’

For further information visit : www . geofire . co . uk