Intumescent Ventilation Grilles on Fire Doors

[Carnforth Ranger]

I know that these are permitted in fire doors, but I was thinking that they are not allowed on fire doors on escape routes as they do not stop the passage of cold smoke. One of my colleagues says they are. Can anyone settle the arguement?

[Mr. P]

Have only had involvement with automated ones connected into the fire alarm system.  Various types but on L1/2 systems they will hold back cold smoke long enough for assessed evacuation considerations.

[Midland Retty]

I know that these are permitted in fire doors, but I was thinking that they are not allowed on fire doors on escape routes as they do not stop the passage of cold smoke. One of my colleagues says they are. Can anyone settle the arguement?

Subject to an appropriate risk assessment fire doors accessing high risk areas or leading onto escape routes should be fitted with ventilation grilles which are capable of resisting the passage of smoke and flame.

They should be fitted with a fire / smoke dampers which actuate on all fire alarm activations thus closing off the grille.

You can get intumescent 'honey comb type' (as I call them) cores inbetween ventilation grilles, but they are only useful in property protection - the intumescent will only activate when sufficient heat is acting upon it to seal the hole.

Some officers and consultants won't allow grilles in fire doors anymore and ask instead that they are installed within the fire resisting wall instead. This is because you can't always guarantee that the fire door was designed to maintain it's integrity for a given period with a ventilation grille fitted.

Im in two minds about that personally - perhaps in healthcare premises (such as hospitals) I would be more worried about those factors but for less complex buildings I wouldnt be that fussed.

[Carnforth Ranger]

Thank you for your replies Mr P and Midland Retty. The type I was querying was the "honeycomb" type, not connected to the alarm system.
So far I'm sticking to my guns and wont permit them in fire doors on escape routes

[kurnal]

I dont know whether you can never say never. Isn't it horses for courses?
As Midland says there are some such devices that that offer both smoke and fire protection.

Sleeping risks or waking risk, dead end or two way travel, corridor or staircase, level of fire detection provided, standard of door, whether life safety, business continuity or compartmentation must all be swimming round in the equation somewhere.

[nearlythere]

Thank you for your replies Mr P and Midland Retty. The type I was querying was the "honeycomb" type, not connected to the alarm system.
So far I'm sticking to my guns and wont permit them in fire doors on escape routes

They re suitable for fire separation purposes but not for doors protecting escape routes.