Whether you’re at home or in the workplace, safety should always be your number one priority. Because of this, policy is set out and safety training and risk assessments are carried out. But, before we take care of the human side of fire safety and prevention, it is important to make sure that the building is as safe as it can be.  

There are two main types of fire protection, active fire protection and passive fire protection. Active fire protection refers to hardware that helps you detect, stop and escape from fire. Fire detection alarms, fire sprinklers and smoke venting products are examples of this type of protection.   

Passive fire protection, however, aims to contain fire and prevent it from spreading further. Examples of this type of protection include fire doors, spray-on fire-resistant epoxy coatings and intumescent products, like intumescent lock packs and intumescent hinge packs.   

Related: Fire prevention tips   

Intumescent products  

Intumescent products come in many different forms, but one of the most convenient is self-adhesive pads. Intumescent pads are designed to expand when they are heated, which maintains the integrity of whatever it’s stuck to (hinges, doors, ironmongery), reducing the amount of damage caused, and provides extra protection against fire. The pads will also prevent any fire or smoke from passing through to the other side of the door. Here are a few examples of intumescent pads.  

Related: What are intumescent products?  

Hinge pads  

These Interdens Intumescent Hinge Pads can protect 100mm Zoo hinges from flames for up to 60 minutes, while the Intumescent Hinge Pads Concealed to suit Carlisle Brass Hinge are designed to protect Carlisle Brass hinges.  

Lock pads   

The Atlantic 1mm Intumescent Sashlock Kit is suitable for use with the following locks: ALKSASHE25, ALKSASHE3, ALKSASH3LK25, ALKSASH3LK3, ALKSASH5LK25 and ALKSASH5LK3. They are flexible, premade with cut outlines and can be tailored to specific items.  

Drop down seals  

Drop down seals are used to contain smoke and stop it from passing under fire doors. If the door is open, the seal lifts, allowing for easy movement. When the door is closed, the seal automatically drops down, closing the gap between the door and the floor. This ensures constant protection, as fire doors are almost always closed.  

This 635mm Heavy Duty Mortice Drop Seal is an aluminium-based drop seal for use on both left and right-handed single swing doors. It is self-levelling on uneven floors and does not require a power connection.  

Fire door retainers  

Fire doors can be really heavy, which isn’t very practical if you need to go through them often. They also restrict airflow, which can be essential to keep the air clean and fresh. Fire door retainers, also known as fire door holders, are accessibility products used to combat these issues by holding fire doors open.   

The Union Black DoorSense Fire Door Retainer keeps your door safely propped open and will automatically close in the event of a fire. It is quick and easy to install, and the door can be released automatically, with a timer or sound of a fire alarm, or manually. It is also available in Union Red DoorSense Fire Door Retainer. It is powered by two alkaline C batteries and has a battery indicator for easy monitoring.  

Related: How to fit a Union DoorSense fire door retainer  

At Ironmongery Experts, we also stock other fire safety products, fire seals, smoke and fire seals, intumescent letter plates and intumescent air grilles.  We also stock ironmongery and door hardware, such as door handles, hinges and window furniture. If you have any questions regarding our products, feel free to call us on 01376 557 561 or email us at info@ironmongeryexperts.co.uk.