Analysis of The opening angle of Steel Fire Door Design in Emergency Exits
Yesterday, during a conversation with a client, I was asked why the opening direction of a fire door cannot face into the fire escape corridor. The client hoped to install locks on both the interior and exterior sides of the door, similar to a bedroom door. I explained that, unlike residential doors, fire escape doors must comply with strict fire safety regulations. A fire-rated door installed along an emergency exit route must open outward—away from the fire corridor—to allow people to evacuate quickly and safely. Furthermore, these fire doors must not be locked in a way that prevents immediate egress; they should remain easy to push open from the inside or outside during an emergency. This ensures life safety, meets local fire codes, and preserves the core function of any compliant fire door system.———-The opening angle of a fire door.
Steel fire doors installed in emergency evacuation routes are critical safety components engineered for rapid egress during fires or earthquakes. These doors feature a 180° opening angle based on rigorous safety studies: when fully opened, they create a 2.1-meter-wide unobstructed passage, increasing evacuation efficiency by 40% compared to standard 90° doors, allowing 60–80 people per minute to pass—a vital specification for high-rise buildings.
Directional Design Principles
The doors open outward toward evacuation stairwells, complying with China’s Code for Fire Protection of Building Design (GB50016). This orientation aligns with natural human movement during emergencies, preventing congestion caused by inward-opening mechanisms. Advanced door closers integrated with electromagnetic release systems maintain “normally closed but unlocked” status:
- Daily use: Ensures smoke containment.
- Emergency mode: Unlocks within 0.5 seconds under ≤10 kg pushing force.
YK Fire Doors: Technological Innovation
YK fire doors exemplify modern safety engineering with IoT-enhanced features:
- Dual sensors: Auto-unlock via heat/smoke detection.
- Integrated guidance: Emergency lighting and directional indicators.
- High-temperature seals: Expandable graphite strips (15× expansion at 300°C).
- Global certifications: EN1634 (EU), UL10C (US).
- Smart options: Facial recognition for real-time evacuation routing.
Applied in landmarks like Shanghai Tower’s 270° rotating fire doors, YK products optimize spatial flow while exceeding safety standards. Maintenance protocols emphasize hinge load testing (≥120 kg capacity) to guarantee reliability during crises.
This design philosophy balances regulatory compliance, ergonomic efficiency, and smart technology to safeguard lives in critical moments.
The opening angle of a fire door is a critical factor that impacts the width of evacuation routes. While fire doors and conventional evacuation doors typically open at up to 120° or even 150°, it is recommended to limit the opening angle to 90° to ensure maximum clear evacuation width.
It is important to ensure that repeated The opening angle of a fire door does not compromise its reliability. While fire doors and evacuation doors are designed to open at wider angles, the reliability test for fire door opening angles is typically set at 70°. Exceeding this angle over time can lead to a decline in product quality. Therefore, setting the opening angle of evacuation doors at 90° strikes a balance between functionality and maintaining product quality.
Introduction to outstanding peers
Based in the port city of Dalian, China, Golden House Door & Window Manufacture Co., Ltd. is a leading enterprise specializing in the production of American-Standard steel fire doors and wooden fire doors. With an annual production capacity of 50,000 sets of steel fire doors and 20,000 sets of wooden fire doors, our products have garnered UL Approvals, FM Approvals, and INTERTEK(WH) approval.
Summarize of The opening angle of a fire door
Our fire door products are exported to over 20 countries across North America, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. We are committed to meeting the demands of the international fire door market and strive to provide exceptional service tailored to the needs of our foreign clients to expand our global presence. Our team of foreign trade experts is dedicated to achieving greater sales performance and success in the global market through continuous efforts and dedication.
