Fire Door Retainers Options and the Appropriate Applications
Posted on: 15 May 2019
For fire wardens and firefighters, the primary objective when dealing with a burning facility is usually to prevent smoke, flames and toxic fumes from spreading throughout the building. It is generally achieved with fire doors that are installed on the premises. However, when a fire door is held open for a long time, there is always the risk of fire passing through and blocking safe escape routes. It is for this reason that self-closing fire doors are the most preferred by facility managers. The retainers on the doors are held with a magnet which keeps the fire doors open. When a fire alarm is activated, the magnet releases the retainer, and the fire door closes, thereby providing the necessary protection. That said, the type of fire door retainers used depends on the installation and level of security needed. This article highlights the different types of fire door retainers.
Hardwired Retainers -- These are the most common type of fire door retainers and are used all over the world. Because of the amount of wiring needed during the installation of hardwired fire retainers, the retainers are best for new structures. It is because the holders are directly wired to a facility's fire detection control system. In normal circumstances, hardwired fire door retainers are always supplied with power so that the doors remain open for regular usage. In the event of a fire, the building's fire detection system cuts the power off, thereby releasing the fire door to close. If there is a fault in the wiring, then the retainers; fail-safe activates and consequently release the fire doors.
Radio-Controlled Retainers -- Just as the name suggests, radio-controlled retainers rely on wireless signals from a controller in the interface unit. Because minimal wiring is required in the installation of radio-controlled fire door retainers, they are best for an already existing building. Despite not being connected to the building's wiring system, radio-controlled retainers still offer robust fire protection to a building. However, only an approved professional should install radio-controlled fire door retainers because proper installation requires a site survey. The site survey ensures that there are no barriers to block or weaken the wireless signals from the interface unit.
Sound-Activated Retainers -- Just as radio-controlled retainers react to wireless signals, so do sound-activated retainers respond to the sound produced by a fire alarm. Most importantly, some holders are programmed to learn a specific fire alarm alert and eliminate false activations. Sound-activated retainers are considered the cheapest of the three types because no wiring is necessary. Moreover, since they are battery powered, installation is fast and easy. However, regular inspection is essential to determine the remaining battery life and do a replacement.
Share