Visiting customers over the past few weeks, something that has come up in conversation is the problem of residents damaging or disabling fire door closers. This is not only a safety issue, it invalidates insurance and can lead to big fines for non-compliance with fire regulations.
Damaged closers in sheltered housing
In sheltered housing, many front doors are fire doors and therefore fitted with door closers. This ensures the door will be closed in the event of a fire, and the spread of fire and smoke will be prevented. Residents will then have more time to evacuate safely or can remain in a fire safe compartment until the emergency services arrive.
This is particularly important in sheltered accommodation as older residents may have slower reaction times when the fire alarm sounds. Those that have mobility issues will take longer to evacuate.
However, self-closing fire doors are heavy and difficult to open. Residents may find it difficult to get in and out of their flats.
The frustration of struggling to open their front door has led some residents to break or disengage door closers. Though understandable, this is dangerous and against fire regulations. If a fire does break out, an open fire door will cause fire and smoke to spread rapidly, putting residents at risk.
To solve this problem, councils often install unnecessary, expensive automatic door operators for these residents to use. A much cheaper option is Freedor Pro.
Improve access and reduce damages with Freedor Pro
Freedor Pro is a free-swing door closer that takes the weight and closing force out of fire doors. It has built-in technology to automatically close the door when the fire alarm is activated. It’s suitable for high-risk areas due to its radio connectivity with the ProHub which is wired into the fire system. It’s fully compliant with fire regulations and solves the problem of residents disabling door closers.
As Freedor Pro has removed the weight and closing force of the fire door, all the stress of dealing with fire doors has been removed, and residents can come and go as they please.
Freedor Pro is wireless, so can quickly and easily be fitted to existing sheltered housing units. A key advantage of wireless systems is the lack of disruption. Freedor can be fitted with residents still in their flats, with minimal restorative works to walls and doors required.
Freedor Pro also safely and legally holds fire doors open at any angle, so if a resident wishes to have their door open, they can and the device will close upon alarm activation.
It’s important that sheltered housing residents do not have their quality of life impeded by the need for fire safety. Fitting Freedor Pro offers them the freedom to live their lives as they wish, without worry.
Featured image courtesy of Fire Door Inspectors @firedoorguy
Please could I have some more information on your Freedors system, do you have a catalogue?
Where can I get the battery pack for over head door closer
Hi, what happens when a fire is inside a flat where there is a free swing door and the resident cannot open the door to get out. These are great closers for general access and egress but if a frail resident cannot open the door when there is a fire inside their flat are we creating a death trap?
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your comment. If a frail resident is struggling to open a door with a standard door closer in a ‘non-emergency’ (which is why many customers choose Freedor) they are just as likely to experience the situation you describe.
Freedor is designed specifically to make heavy fire doors feel lighter and easier to use and, in an emergency, close the door safely to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. The closing force of Freedor is exactly the same as a standard door closer and is necessary to make sure the fire door is compliant and can do the job it was designed to do.
We have also introduced a ‘delayed release’ option for exactly the type of scenario you have described, giving occupants up to 4 minutes to use the door before Freedor switches from free swing mode to closer.
If you would like to discuss this further, we would be happy to arrange a meeting with you to demonstrate the product and answer and other questions you may have.
Free door pro
Could you please forward info ref above door closure inc cost and installation
Hi Chris,
Thanks for getting in-touch, we will get this information sent out to you.
My 93 year old cousin is having a problem with her flat front door ie door to heavy for her to open and get her walking aid out without getting injured by the door not sure that the door/closer are linked to the alarm system could your delayed closer be fitted to her flat front door and work with the delay which would give her time to exit without getting knocked over it is a council run sheltered housing complex that see is in not sure how they would feel about fitting your closer, can you send me more information about your product i am a retired joiner trying to solve this access problem for my cousin.
Hello Colin,
Thank you for reaching out. Assuming you live in the UK, we have worked with many other councils to improve access for residents. Our Freedor product would be a great option, as it makes the door feel weightless and allows you to place it open. The best thing to do would be to give us a call on 01273 320650 or email us on contact@fireco.uk and we can explain it in better detail and see if we already work with your cousins housing provider.
Thanks!
I’m with vivid housing association the fire and safety people came out today put a standard self close on my front door but I said to the man he was wasting his time and energy doing this as I will remove it as a lot of people have done in the block I said to him they are so heavy and when you need it open you can’t i.e if someone is at the door people think you are rude and shutting the door on them and constant explaining to people I’m not being rude also getting the shopping in or getting something out drives me absolutely mad not only that they are dangerous for kids take there fingers off kids don’t realise the door closes by it’s self so many times my son has had his little fingers trapped I think your freedor product would work better my housing provider has said if I remove my standard one I am in breach of my tenancy how do I get them to listen? Your advice would be great.
I’m sorry to hear that your door’s self-closing and weighted feature disrupts your daily life. We do manufacture the Freedor which is ideal for this situation. Please feel free to email us the details for your housing provider with the subject line “vivid housing” to contact@fireco.uk or you can pass our details on to them.
In the meantime, we’d recommend that you don’t tamper with the closer on your fire doors as it is an important part of the fire safety in your building.
Please can you email a brochure and prices for your freedor.
My mother keeps getting hurt when getting closed in her heavy self closing front door as she has a walker.