Service Excellence from IronmongeryDirect

05 August 2010

At IronmongeryDirect an obsession with delivering service excellence ensures knowledge is passed on to the customer allowing an informed decision to be made. Trained to GAI standards, customer service operators can advise on over 15 different ironmongery categories including fire doors and door closers in order to remain compliant with current building legislation.

In order to remain compliant with current building legislation, health and safety and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) the correct specification of ironmongery is paramount. At IronmongeryDirect an obsession with delivering service excellence ensures that the knowledge from the GAI trained customer service staff is passed directly to the customer allowing an informed decision to be made when it comes to fire protection.

Doorsets have two important functions in a fire: when closed, they form a barrier to fire spread and when open, they provide a means of escape. To ensure the correct ironmongery is used the type of rating a fire door has must be checked, as this will affect what product can be used.

Fire doors in public buildings have to adhere to the DDA and Part M of Building Regulations, which states there has to be ease of access throughout the entire building. The use of automatic door opening devices or door closers combined with an electromagnetic hold-open function is recommended.

Door closers are typically graded by power size. Check the individual fire door specification and check the weight and width of the door which will help determine the correct power size.

All self closing devices need to meet the latest CE standards for doors and door closers. If the door is for a public building, it will need to be DDA compliant to satisfy BS8300.

Fire doors need an intumescent pad under each hinge leaf. The hinge duty rating must be checked as a fire door fitted with an unsuitable hinge is liable to fail.

Smoke seals and brushes are vital products on fire doors. Seals expand at about 100^oC to several times their original size to prevent fire from escaping through the door frame. These can be combined with a fire brush to prevent smoke from leaving the room.

All entry routes, facilities, and information should be clearly defined and indicated by appropriate signage, as stated by Part 3 of the DDA.

Creating a compliant premises legally, safely and effectively should be straightforward and hassle free with the right advice and today’s innovative products.

IronmongeryDirect is a long-standing supplier of architectural ironmongery and stocks over 11,500 building and maintenance products for the trade. For expert advice on compliant products please contact IronmongeryDirect on 0808 168 2828 or visit

www.IronmongeryDirect.com.