Common defects include doors that do not self-close, excessive or uneven gaps, damaged or missing seals, defective hinges or closers, damage to the door or frame and unsuitable alterations to glazing, letterplates or ironmongery.
Doors that do not self-close
A self-closing fire door should close fully into its frame without assistance. A closer that is disconnected, badly adjusted or unable to overcome resistance at the latch can leave the door open and undermine compartmentation when it is most needed.
Excessive gaps and poor fit
Large or inconsistent gaps around the head and sides, distortion of the door leaf, damaged frames and poorly fitting thresholds can reduce the door set's ability to resist smoke and fire. The correct remedial action depends on the construction and condition of the individual door.
Seals, hinges and hardware defects
Missing, damaged, painted-over or poorly fitted seals can be significant where those seals form part of the intended door specification. Loose hinges, unsuitable fixings, damaged latches and defective closers are also commonly found and may be capable of competent repair rather than wholesale replacement.
Alterations and later works
New locks, replacement letterplates, additional cabling, altered glazing or other work carried out after the original installation can affect a fire door. The fact that an alteration looks neat does not establish that it is suitable for a fire-resisting door set.
Repair, investigate or replace?
The correct action is not automatically to replace every older or imperfect door. Some defects can be repaired; some require more information about the original door or construction; and some justify replacement. The decision should be proportionate and based on the actual condition and context rather than a blanket rule.