Door Industry Journal - Winter 2019

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 122 THE door industry journal winter 2019 Locks & Building Hardware Concealment Delivers Benefits to Social Housing Sector An investigation by Inside Housing earlier this year, showed that many councils still have a long way to go to rectify issues with fire doors in council homes. Only around 10% of fire doors which have been identified as non- compliant have been replaced and among the 44 councils that have identified doors as potentially needing rectification, around half have yet to replace a single door. Whilst councils and social landlords may not be acting as quickly as they should, the fact remains that there is a substantial market for the replacement of faulty fire doors, estimated to be worth in the region of £22 million. The repercussions of Grenfell are still being felt and their implications digested. However, one of the consequences appears to be a greater emphasis on the performance, quality and reliability of products used and less emphasis on cost. For reputable manufacturers of quality doors and hardware, this can only be good news, as it should place their products in a more favourable position when it comes to the social housing sector. Providing safe, secure and comfortable accommodation in the social housing sector imposes enormous responsibilities on social landlords and those delegated to maintain the housing stock. So, how can a door closer be expected to contribute towards all of these requirements; fire performance, accessibility, safety, reliability, damage limitation, comfort, aesthetics and so on? Fire and accessibility Where performance is concerned, the key areas of consideration when selecting door closers are fire safety and accessibility. The industry will be well-aware of the legislation and performance standards governing these, including CE marking, Building Regulations, the Regulatory Reform Order and the Equality Act. Most door closers will satisfy these requirements, but the product’s ability to perform reliably time after time and for many years is critical. This is particularly applicable with the opening forces stipulated by accessibility requirements and the door closer’s ability to deliver the required levels of efficiency when in use. Cycle testing of a selected sample under laboratory test conditions will provide some indication of this, but the design, engineering and quality of the door closer should also be paramount in the selection process, as should the reputation of the manufacturer. Added assurance Further assurance of a product’s quality and ability to perform reliably can be gained by selecting products from manufacturers with third party accreditation. Schemes such as Certifire provide additional confidence in the product and manufacturer. Additional benefits In addition to the many regulations and performance standards that relate directly to fire safety and accessibility, consideration also needs to be given to the needs of tenants and the situation in which the door closers are being used. Here, again, the performance, functionality and features of particular door closers can provide added benefits that make them more suitable for many social housing applications. Jamb-mounted, concealed door closers, such as Powermatic, are becoming increasingly popular in the social housing sector. They deliver a variety of benefits that ensue from the fact that the door closers are totally concealed when the door is closed.