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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Technical Advice => Topic started by: stevew on April 06, 2016, 06:48:53 PM
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Reference a self-closing fire door to kitchen in care home.
Self-closer fully adjusted but still fails to close the door on to stops.
The situation is clearly affected by the ventilation to the cooker.
Kitchen door opens into small corridor with one bedroom off. Any solution that works please.
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Ventilation should cut out on activation of the fire alarm.
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Ventilation system design should provide for "make up" air to balance that extracted from the room. Ideally the make up air should be sourced from outside direct to the kitchen. From the circumstances described it sounds as though inadequate provision has been made for make up air.
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Hi.
I came across this exact problem in a home for the elderly. My solution was to fit a intumescent vent in the door with louvres that closed when the fire alarm was activated. The only problem I found was getting site to inspect the vents were working when they carried out their weekly bell test. In addition to the extraction system causing air pressure problems open windows in the kitchen or adjacent rooms can affect how a fire door may close. Also summer/winter temps can affect the closing mechanism making it hard to set too the right closing pressure all year around.
Regards,
Monkey
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Or stick a vent in the window to air ??
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Yes Daves suggestion is the best and most cost effective though consideration must be given to food hygiene issues. The point is that make up air needs to balance that extracted so the system needs some calculation to get it right.
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If the door closed when the vent was turned off, I would judge that to be acceptable.
I wouldn't accept a vent in the door because the heat detector in the kitchen will not operate early enough.