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Fire Door Retainers & Holders

Need help? Need help? Which fire door holders are best for your workplace? Top Quality Fire Door Retainers & Holders - UK's Best

Fire door holders and retainers offer a safe and legal way to hold open fire doors during daily-use but ensure the door automatically closes on sounding the fire alarm. Many automatic fire door closers use an acoustic system to ‘listen’ for the alarm and are battery-powered to offer a completely wireless installation.

In a single year, the UK recorded over £1m in fines, two injuries and 14 deaths – all due to illegally wedged-open fire doors. Ensure your business is safe and compliant with our huge range of automatic fire door self closers.

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The Importance of Fire Door Retainers & Holders

Is It Illegal To Wedge A Fire Door Open?

In short - yes. It can be extremely tempting to prop or wedge open a door. We all understand that during everyday life and work doors can be something of a nuisance - impeding access throughout the facility, restricting airflow in offices etc. However, and this is vital, fire doors should never be held, propped or in any way wedged open.

As an employer or building owner, you have a responsibility to protect the welfare of staff, contractors, customers and any other individuals on your premises. Part of this protection includes taking reasonable precautions and preparations for emergencies, such as the outbreak of fire.

Aside from this, when a doorway is held ajar in this way, it presents a potential security risk. For example, if these props are not removed at the end of the working day.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all individuals at work have a responsibility to;

“take reasonable care for the safety of himself and of other relevant persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work”.

legislation.gov.uk

But what exactly does this mean?

Essentially, you are responsible for any action (or failure to take action) that may, either directly or indirectly, have a detrimental impact on another person. If you wedge open a fire door by improper means, and a fire breaks out; this could have serious consequences for yourself or others.

Holding a fire door with a regular wedge, stack of books or other objects (we’ve seen people use fire extinguishers of all things) prevents the door from closing in the event of a fire and, in such a scenario, it is unlikely someone will be able to manually close the door(s) quickly enough to help prevent the spread of the fire - which is, after all, the job of the fire door.

What Can You Hold A Fire Door Open With?

Wedged-open fire doors are illegal and unsafe. Holders or retainers offer a solution to this problem by keeping fire doors open during normal situations. These holders – usually fitted and triggered by an alarm – release in the event of a fire to aid compartmentalising the space and slowing the spread.

Hold-Open Device Wedge, Fire Extinguisher or other on-hand object
Releases in event of fire
Fully automatic operation
Safe and legally-compliant
Securely fitted to door
Wireless installation option

These devices have several benefits, including:

  • Legal compliance. Fitting these types of devices will not lead to fines and penalties, for you or your business
  • The promotion of individual welfare and eliminating unnecessary risks such as unwanted objects in doorways
  • Creating ease of access for people who may be hampered by disabilities, injuries or age.
  • Establishing accessible and clear doorways in high-traffic corridors
  • Preventing people from touching doors and door handles, helping to curb the spread of diseases and infections including COVID-19

At Seton, our team of experts consider all legal requirements and implications in selecting our range of devices.

How Does A Door Retainer Work?

In line with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guide to fire safety and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is vitally important that all fire doors are fitted with some form of automatic closing device. At Seton, we stock a full range of fire door closers to meet this requirement. These devices use a rack and pinion mechanism to ensure the door securely closes automatically after being opened.

A hold-open device works to provide a level of resistance against the closing mechanism, so that the doorway can be kept clear for a more prolonged period of time. There are a few different types of hold-open devices on the market, however they share many similarities in how they operate.

Most are either ‘hard-wired’ into your fire alarm system or have an on-board mechanism to ‘listen’ for the sound of your fire alarm. In terms of power supply, they can be either wired into the mains electric supply or battery operated. All the fire door hold-open devices, we supply, are easy to install with basic DIY tools.

Some systems, like the Dorgard™ Fire Door Retainer use a ferrule to hold the door by applying pressure either directly to the floor, or a counterpart plate. Other systems, such as the Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Holder use an electromagnetic plate on the wall and counterpart holding plate, mounted on the door itself.

No matter which of these options you choose to install, the door is propped until such time as a fire is detected. In this scenario the door is released, allowing the door closing arm to operate as normal.

There are many benefits to installing fire door holders throughout your premises, but our top choices are;

  • To remove obstacles from the path of employees during evacuation
  • Closed doors present challenges to the disabled, infirm, elderly and young
  • Security - many of these systems can be set to close all doorways in the evening, making them ideal for offices and similar locations
  • Automated door closing devices will ensure that, in the event of a fire, employees can focus on getting out of the building and away from fire

Exactly how an individual fire door retainer works will depend on the type of hold-open device fitted.

What Are The Types Of Fire Door Holder?

The Dorgard™ Fire Door Retainer installed at the base of a door, near to the floor.
Device mounted to the base of the door, using a ‘kick-stand’ style leg on the floor to stay the door.

Eg. Dorgard™ SmartSound™ Fire Door Retainer

The Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Holder installed on the wall, with the door held open.
Electromagnetic door holder, uses a counterpart plate on the door and magnetic module on the wall.

Eg. Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Holder

The Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Closer installed, located onto a closed door.
Combined closer design - can be set to keep the door open, until a blaze is detected.

Eg. Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Closer

There are various fire door hold open devices that are quick and easy to install on your fire doors:

  • A magnetic fire door hold-open device has an electrically powered magnet fitted to the floor or wall with a steel plate attached to the door. This device is connected to the fire detection system. Once the alarm is triggered, the holding electromagnetic power is shut off, which releases the door and allows it to close, helping to prevent the spread of a fire. These systems also come with a push button that releases the door.
  • An acoustically activated fire door stay or door prop is a type of door wedge that can be pushed down with one’s foot to hold the door open. The sound of the siren triggers this plunger, which then retracts and the door closes.
  • Free swing-door closers combine the functionality of door closers and door retainers. These devices are battery-powered and acoustically activated. As with the other devices, the closing mechanism is triggered by the sound of the alarm.

Choosing the best fire door holder for your premises can be a challenging task. Take a look at the comparison table below to help acquire the best option for you.

Product Power Source Needs Programming Timed-Daily Release Mount Type Status Indicator Unit Size Signage Bundle
Dorgard™ Fire Door Retainer 2 x C-cell batteries No Yes Floor Yes 205 x 195 x 45mm Yes
Dorgard™ SmartSound™ Fire Door Retainer 2 x LR14 C batteries No Yes Floor Yes 205 x 195 x 45mm Yes
Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Holder 2 x C-cell batteries Yes Yes Wall Yes 102 x 118 x 66mm Yes
Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Closer 2 x C-cell batteries Yes Yes Door/Frame Yes 71 x 463 x 76mm No

Our Top 3 Fire Door Retainers

At Seton, we stock only the best fire door systems. These devices are an essential accessory for all your doors, to ensure you, your team and any visitors remain legal and as safe as possible, in the event of a fire, without being hindered in your daily activities.

The Dorgard™ Fire Door Retainer against a plain white background

Dorgard™ Fire Door Retainer

  • No need to pre-program for specific alarm sounds
  • Quick and easy to setup in minutes
  • Fully customisable and available in a choice of colours
  • Discreet, located out of direct view, at floor level
  • 100% wireless, batteries last up to 12 months
The Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Holder and counterpart holding plate installed

Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Holder

  • Wall-mounted installation prevents damage to floors
  • ‘Listens’ for your specific fire alarm sound
  • Can be programmed to close doors at a set time daily
  • Positioned at the top of door, usually out of view for most
  • 100% wireless, batteries last up to 12 months
The Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Closer against a plain white background

Agrippa Acoustic Digital Door Closer

  • Mounted exclusively on the door and frame
  • Adjustable closing speed
  • Suitable for left and right hand operation
  • 100% wireless, batteries last up to 12 months