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5 Ways To Help Prevent A Fire Spreading
Valentine Court, Lincoln: Fire Stopping and Fire Door Frames
in occupied student accommodation.
Passive fire protection case study
Valentine Court is a purpose-built student accommodation scheme on Valentine Way, off Tritton Road in Lincoln. It was a privately funded, developer-led project and is operated directly by the University of Lincoln.
After students had moved in, Fire Industry Specialists were brought in to remove non-compliant foam from around the door frames and install additional fire stopping. We used a tested Nullifire system, which restored the fire separation around each doorset and gave the building a robust, tested detail.
The work was carried out while the accommodation was occupied, during COVID-19 restrictions. We kept to a zero-defects standard and left every area clean and safe for students.
The project at a glance
- Location: Valentine Court, Tritton Road, Lincoln
- Sector: Student accommodation
- Operator: University of Lincoln
- Service: Removal of non-compliant foam and fire stopping to door frames
- System: Nullifire fire stopping
- Building status: Occupied throughout
About Valentine Court
Valentine Court provides modern student accommodation for the University of Lincoln, a short distance from the city centre. The scheme is made up of several accommodation blocks and every flat entrance door and many internal doors are fire doors, and they protect the escape routes students rely on.
In student accommodation, fire doors and the fire stopping around them are an important part of the fire strategy. Each flat and corridor is designed as a separate compartment. That only works if the doorsets, and the gaps between the frames and the walls, hold back fire and smoke for their rated period.
The challenge: non-compliant foam around door frames
After the building was completed and students had moved in, it was found that the gaps between many door frames and the surrounding walls had been filled with foam that was not part of a tested fire stopping solution.
It’s a common problem on new-build projects. A fire door is only tested and certified as a complete doorset, and that includes how the frame is fixed and sealed into the wall. General-purpose expanding foam, or a fire-rated foam used outside its tested application, can:
- fail early in a fire and let flames and smoke pass around the frame
- invalidate the doorset’s certification
- leave the building out of line with its fire strategy and Approved Document B
For more on this, read our guide to the most common fire stopping mistakes and areas of non-compliance.
Because students were already living in the building, the work had to be planned around their routines, with no loss of security and every door back in use the same day.
Our approach
1. Planning around students and COVID-19 measures
We worked with the university’s accommodation team to plan the programme block by block and flat by flat. Working methods were adapted to the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time, to protect students, staff and our operatives.
2. Removing non-compliant foam
At each doorset we carefully cut back and removed the existing foam from the frame-to-wall gap. We took care not to damage the frames, the architraves or the surrounding finishes.
3. Installing a tested Nullifire solution
We then installed new fire stopping using Nullifire products, following a tested detail for the gap sizes and wall types on site. This gave every frame a robust, tested seal.
4. Quality control and handover
Every doorset was checked against a zero-defects standard before we signed it off. This gives the operator evidence for their fire risk assessment and future fire door inspections.
Working in occupied student accommodation
Our team worked in students’ homes during term time, so we worked to these standards:
- Around occupied rooms: the programme was built around students’ timetables and privacy.
- COVID-safe working: methods followed the restrictions and guidance of the time.
- Zero defects: strict quality control on every doorset.
- Clean and safe: every area was left ready for immediate re-occupation.
The result
Every door frame at Valentine Court is now sealed with a tested Nullifire fire stopping detail, and the non-compliant foam is gone. The doorsets and compartment walls can once again work together to contain fire and smoke and protect escape routes. The work was completed with students in residence and with no defects at handover.
Services used on this project
Need fire stopping or fire door remedials in student accommodation?
We work with universities, accommodation operators and developers across Lincoln, Nottingham, Sheffield and the wider UK, putting right fire stopping and fire door defects in occupied buildings.
Whether the issue is found after completion or during a routine fire door inspection, we’ll plan the work around your residents.
Call us on 0333 444 0070 or request a callback.
Fire safety is a responsibility that never rests and we’re here to implement complete fire protection for your business. Get in touch with our industry-leading experts to learn how we prevent fires, protect lives, and ensure compliance for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you use expanding foam around a fire door frame?
- Only if the foam is part of the door manufacturer’s tested installation detail, or has been tested for that gap and wall type. General-purpose expanding foam is not fire-rated. It can invalidate the doorset’s certification and let fire and smoke pass around the frame.
- What should be used to fire stop around a door frame?
- Use whatever the doorset’s test evidence or the door manufacturer’s installation instructions specify. That’s often an intumescent or fire-rated sealant, sometimes with a backing material. At Valentine Court we used a tested Nullifire solution.
- Can this work be done while students are living in the building?
- Yes, at Valentine Court we worked around occupied rooms, planning the work so doors were back in use quickly and students were disturbed as little as possible.
- How do I know if the fire stopping around my fire doors is compliant?
- A fire door survey checks the whole doorset: the leaf, frame, gaps, hardware, seals and the frame-to-wall junction. It flags any non-compliant fire stopping so it can be put right.
- Do you work with other universities and accommodation providers?
- Yes, see our student accommodation work, or get in touch to discuss your buildings.
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