Schools should resist pressure to save money when upgrading fire doors, Chiltern International Fire has warned.
The organisation said with public spending being curtailed, schools could end up wasting money when seeking to upgrade their fire doors.
“In the current climate, schools may opt for upgrading rather than replacing fire doors as part of a refurbishment project, because it is perceived as cheaper, quicker and easier,” said Chiltern senior consultant Peter Barker.
“It should be preferable in terms of waste, too, but we would advise caution.”
He said a number of products aimed at upgrading/reinstating to 30/60min fire resistance were not all suitable for various doorsets in buildings and an error in any one elemen, such as glazing, seals, hardware and leaf construction, could significantly reduce fire resistance.
Mr Barker said in one instance Chiltern had spoken to a building owner who had spent a “considerable amount of money” on upgrading door, only to discover they were unlikely to perform for more than 10min.
