Fresh Air, Fresh Problem.

Door closers are not designed to overcome excessive air-pressures. However, closers largely get the blame for doors not closing.

Notably issues are trending in this area, and in the name of Covid health precautions, fresh air and implementation of new fresh air circulation systems.

We recently discussed this issue with Alan Cox (MD at First for Fire Safety), looking at the question, Should fresh air circulation systems be linked to fire/smoke alarm so the system shuts down in the event of fire to prevent fire and smoke being circulated and spread around the building?

Alan is a long time and respected campaigner for fire safety.

His response was;

In answer to your question I normally find that in many modern buildings that this has been catered for in the design of the building but the problem you highlight tends to be more prevalent in older buildings where the ventilation system has been installed at a later stage and no thought given to the point that you have raised. If the ventilation system has been properly commissioned and designed – this should not be a problem as depending on the type of ventilation system it will have been linked to shut down the system on activation of the fire alarm.

Rutland have data showing a growing issue with fire doors not closing being air pressures.

Wedging fire doors open as a COVID precaution to aid ventilation on the ground of health, in my opinion, takes the 'safety' out of health.

Over the past weeks we've had a number of calls where, We wedged our fire doors open for covid air circulation and now we’ve installed new fresh air flow system there's something wrong with the closers - now the doors don't close.

We wedged our fire doors open for covid air circulation and now we’ve installed new fresh air flow system there's something wrong with the closers [healthcare facility]

We checked out this site and found air rushing through the door gap to frame hindering the door closing, literally holding the door open around 5 to 10mm. This was a building where the closers had worked fine for four years and immediately a new air system installed the doors no longer close?! Strange isn't it.

I agree with Alan. Air systems should automatically shut down when fire or smoke alarm is activated. So we deduct from this when checking fire doors, any air ventilation systems should be inactive when checking the closing of fire doors. This way it’s real life scenario as would be the case in the event of a fire.

Alan also drew attention to an article that highlights the importance of fire door closers https://www.ifsecglobal.com/fire-protection/door-closers-as-a-crucial-mechanism-in-fire-door-safety adding, I would concur with this article as I know that in my experience door closers tend to be the item that, people give the least thought to and quite often purchase on price instead of thinking about the important role that this item has to undertake.

His advice when specifying a fire door closer is the importance of specifiers thinking about the following points:

: Intended use of the door or opening.

: If goods or disabled persons need to pass through the door.

: How positive or negative air pressure may affect the door.

: How many people may use the door.

: Security arrangements.

: Direction of opening.

Alan told me, This is not a complete list, but just some of the more important points that need considering and in my experience not only can the wrong closer affect the performance of the fire door but can also lead to many accidents to people passing through.

I'd be glad to learn more on air pressures and air circulation in buildings and the affect on doors closing, please let me know.

This article is only my opinions and views from little research on the issue of air pressures and not to be taken as professional legal advice.