Fire accidents have been prominent in the United States. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) stated that the U.S fire departments had responded to over a million fire cases in the year 2017 alone. Over 70 percent of these cases are house and residential fires.  

Because of these alarming cases, many people have tried equipping themselves, and Fire Rated Doors are some of the tools that most people install to help them control the flames if fire incidents occur.  

What is a fire-rated door, and does it help reduce the risk of spreading the fire in the house? How does it protect your property? Read through and we will provide you the answers. 

What is a fire-rated door? 

A fire rated door, just like any other door, can have a variety of designs and can be made of different materials such as metal or gypsum. It is specially constructed and built not just for aesthetics and usual door functions but also to slow down or prevent the spread of smoke and fire when fire incidents happen.  

Its term “fire-rated” is associated with how the door is built. This means that the door is installed properly, and is able to hold fire for several minutes. Typically, it can hold the fire and does not combust within 20 to 90 minutes under the flame.  

Public spaces typically install fire-rated doors especially in office buildings, public buildings, and dormitories.  

How does it stop or prevent fire spread? 

On the one hand, the typical doors are made of combustible materials that will easily get burned after being exposed to flames in a few minutes. On the other hand, the fire-rate doors are able to resist the penetration of the flames and their heat to slow down the spread of fire up to 90 minutes. This provides more time for the trapped individual to exit the house to safety.  

There are many variations of fire-rated doors. Some companies manufacture doors that can last only for up to 30 minutes, while other doors are claimed to last over an hour.  

Any homeowners who would like to avail of the doors are able to choose from the variety of materials including glass, wood, metal, etc., and styles.  

The secret behind the claims 

According to some experts, the fire rating does not accurately predict how long the door and material can last. The fire rating basically means that the material, brand new, lasted for a specific time under a controlled test environment. However, this is something very different in an actual world setting where several factors can affect the durability and capability of the door.  

Fire-rated doors can still get burned still especially when the flames are strong enough to do this. But despite this, having a fire-rated door can still benefit you in times of fire crisis, as it effectively slows down the fire by holding it up and not spreading them at a given time.  

If you want to be well equipped during the times of unexpected events, it is advisable to invest in this kind of material.