- backset
- The distance from the edge of the door to the centre of the handle spindle, usually forty-four or fifty-seven millimetres. An incorrect backset places the handle off-centre or weakens the door structure. Choosing handles for a fire door: 4 criteria you check first
- compartmentation
- The practice of dividing a building into separate fire-resistant sections so that fire and smoke are contained within one area and do not spread to others. Understanding electromagnetic door holders: the 3 settings that govern their release
- dogging
- A mechanical feature on some panic bars that holds the latch withdrawn, allowing the door to swing freely without pushing the bar. Dogging is prohibited on fire exit doors when the building is occupied. Understand panic bars: the 3 actions that make emergency exit instant
- electromagnet
- A magnet that creates a magnetic field only when electric current flows through it, allowing the field to be switched on and off remotely. Understanding electromagnetic door holders: the 3 settings that govern their release
- FD30
- A fire door rating that indicates the door resists fire for thirty minutes when closed and fitted correctly with its frame and hardware. Check Your Fire Door Compliance: 6 Signs You Verify Today
- intumescent strip
- A material fitted into the gap between door and frame that expands when exposed to heat, sealing the opening to prevent fire and smoke from spreading. Understanding when your internal doors need fire rating: 4 scenarios that trigger the requirement
- maintained emergency lighting
- A circuit that keeps the exit sign lit at all times, not only during a power failure. Non-maintained fittings strike only when the supply drops. Fire exit sign rules: seven things to get right on your escape route
- photoluminescent
- A material that absorbs light while its surroundings are lit and releases it as a glow when that light fails. It needs no wiring, but it goes dark if the area is dark in normal use. Fire exit sign rules: seven things to get right on your escape route
- shim
- A thin wedge of wood or plastic inserted between the door frame and the wall to adjust the frame's position, used to correct sticking caused by frame settlement. Restore your sticking fire door: five practical adjustments that work
- strike plate
- The metal box or keeper mounted on the door frame that the latch bolt slides into when the door closes, holding the door shut. Restore your sticking fire door: five practical adjustments that work
Last updated: