REGULATIONS FOR EXTERNAL DOORS
3 KEY BUILDING REGULATIONS FOR EXTERNAL DOORS
When replacing an external door, it’s important that the new door meets all the necessary requirements of current building regulations. Building regulations are designed to ensure that all construction work is completed to a good standard with an emphasis on health and safety. In relation to building regulations, there are three main points to consider when installing an external door.
Thermal performance for external doors
Energy efficiency requirements are becoming increasingly strict. With the UK government pledging to significantly reduce national carbon emissions by 2050, any home improvements must meet building regulations requirements for thermal performance. Any new external doors are required to meet the minimum level of heat loss reduction measured by their U-value in Document L of the building regulations.
For different types of doors, the U-values are:
Fully glazed doors – from 1.4W/m²K
Solid (non-glazed) doors – from 1.0W/m²K
Part-glazed doors – from 1.2W/m²K
At Alex Trade Frames, all our external doors meet current Document L criteria and are fully compliant with all building regulations requirements.
Accessibility for external doors
Building regulations accessibility guidelines require all public buildings to provide wheelchair access. Business owners may face fines if their property does not comply with these regulations. Building regulations for disabled access to a public building states that all entrances must be at least 815mm (32 inches) wide to allow wheelchair access.
For privately owned properties, the regulations are more relaxed. Building regulations state that for any external door installation on a property constructed since 1999, the replacement door’s threshold must not exceed the height of the existing threshold. This guideline is designed to ensure that access is not reduced and that people with reduced mobility are not negatively impacted by the alterations.
Fire safety for external doors
One of the most important points to consider when installing an external door is fire safety. If an external door is functioning as a fire safe door, it must meet certain building regulations criteria. All fire door installations must:
Have a clear unobstructed area around the door: minimum 0.33m², 450mm height, 450mm width
Have a step no greater than 15mm
Have a clear opening of at least 775mm
These measurements apply to all external fire door installations. For certain dwellings such as those in multi-occupancy buildings, building regulations requirements are stricter and more comprehensive, taking into consideration the door’s material construction and design.
At Alex Trade Frames, we supply a wide range of external doors to trade glazing installers across the North West of England. If you’d like to find out more about working with Alex Trade Frames as your dedicated glazing supplier, call 0161 482 2323 or contact us online.