We have inspected thousands of fire doors across Bournemouth, Poole and the wider South Coast. The failures are not random — a small number of the same problems account for most of what we find.
None of these are exotic. That is the point: most non-compliant fire doors fail on basic, checkable things that have simply been missed. Here are the ones we see most.
1. Worn, painted or missing seals
Intumescent and smoke seals are the single most common issue. They get painted over, damaged, or were never the right spec in the first place. A seal that cannot expand cannot do its job. Our guide on checking a fire door walks through what they should look like.
2. Gaps that are too wide
The gap around the leaf should typically be a consistent 2–4mm. We regularly find gaps well over that — often from dropped hinges or a door that has been re-hung badly. It is the number-one reason doors fail inspection; we explain the tolerances in our guide to fire door gaps.
3. Self-closers that do not close
A fire door only works if it actually shuts — fully, into the frame, on its own. We find closers disconnected, too weak, or fighting a badly hung door. A door propped open, or one that stops short of the frame, is a door that will not hold back smoke.
4. Flat entrance doors that were never fire doors
In older blocks especially, we find flat entrance doors that look the part but have no evidence of any fire rating — the “nominal” and “notional” doors we write about here. These need honest assessment, not assumption.
The good news
Most of these are repairs, not replacements. A worn seal, a wide gap, a tired closer — all fixable, and far cheaper than a new doorset. That is why we inspect first and repair where we responsibly can.
Want to know where your building’s doors actually stand? Book an inspection and we will give you a documented, photographed picture — door by door.