Fire door inspections for compliance and safety
Regular fire door surveys are essential for maintaining the safety and compartmentation of any building. At Fire Industry Specialists (FIS) Ltd, our qualified fire door surveyors carry out detailed inspections to ensure every fire door performs as intended and meets UK fire safety regulations.
Whether you require fire door surveys in Nottingham, Sheffield, Lincoln, or elsewhere in the UK, our team provides accurate reporting, expert advice, and clear recommendations to help you stay compliant.
Fire doors are life-saving assets that must be kept in full working order. Our surveys identify defects early, reduce risk, and ensure you meet your duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Safety Act 2021, and current building regulations.
Why are fire door surveys essential?
Fire doors are a fundamental part of a building’s fire protection strategy, but their performance depends entirely on their condition. Even a certified fire door can fail if it has been damaged, poorly repaired, incorrectly installed, or simply worn down through daily use. Over time, hinges loosen, seals degrade, gaps widen, and glazing systems become compromised, small issues that can significantly reduce the door’s ability to contain fire and smoke.
For building owners and responsible persons, a survey is also a proactive way to protect evacuation routes and maintain safe compartmentation throughout the property. While daily or weekly visual checks carried out by staff are useful for spotting obvious damage, they cannot replace a detailed inspection from a qualified fire door surveyor. A professional assessment ensures every component is functioning correctly and every door is capable of performing its life-saving role when needed most.
Local fire door experts backed by nationwide coverage
We provide professional, certified fire door surveys for several industries, including:
- Commercial properties
- Schools, colleges, and universities
- Hospitals, GP practices, and healthcare
- Care homes and assisted-living sites
- Warehouses and industrial units
- Residential blocks, HMOs, and social housing
- Public-sector buildings
As part of the LS Fire Group, we also carry out fire door surveys across the UK, supporting both single-building operators and multi-site organisations.
If you’re searching for reliable fire door survey companies with proven expertise and industry qualifications, we’re a trusted choice.
What our fire door survey includes
Our fire door inspections follow industry best-practice guidelines and cover all critical components. Each door survey includes checks on:
- Door ID, labelling, and signage: Ensuring the door can be traced, recorded, and verified.
- Gaps and clearances: Measuring gaps around the door to confirm they’re within tolerance levels for the specified fire rating.
- Door leaf and frame condition: Checking for damage, warping, swelling, delamination, or general wear.
- Self-closing and controlled closing: Ensuring the door fully closes into the frame without obstruction.
- Hinges, latches, locks & handles: Assessing hardware condition, fixings, alignment and suitability.
- Intumescent strips and smoke seals: Inspecting whether they are present, continuous, undamaged, and correctly fitted.
- Glazing and vision panels: Checking fire-resistant glazing, seals, and beading integrity.
- Thresholds, door furniture, and ancillary components: Ensuring all elements are safe and compliant.
Qualified fire door surveyors
Our team holds DipFD qualifications and has completed the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) course, one of the most recognised fire door competency standards in the UK. This ensures you receive a precise, professional, and fully documented fire safety inspection.
For clients in the East Midlands looking for fire safety inspections, our dedicated local teams deliver fast response times and reliable reporting. We use a specialist mobile surveying application to record:
- Door details
- Defects
- Images and supporting evidence
- Compliance notes
- Remedial recommendations
Fire door surveys to aid fire risk assessments
Our surveys support responsible persons with:
- Fire risk assessment documentation
- Audit trails for building safety compliance
- Recommendations for repairs or replacements
- Ongoing fire door maintenance plans
Additional fire door services
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.
0333 444 0070
Fire door survey FAQs
- What happens during a fire door survey?
- During a fire door survey, a qualified fire door surveyor conducts a detailed inspection of each fire door to assess whether it’s capable of performing as intended in a fire. This involves examining the overall construction and condition of the door leaf and frame, checking the gaps around the door, assessing the operation of the hinges and closing mechanisms, reviewing the intumescent and smoke seals, confirming the integrity of any glazing, and ensuring all components match the door’s certification requirements. The surveyor will also confirm that the door closes correctly without obstruction and latches securely into the frame. All observations are recorded using professional inspection software, along with photographs and notes. Once complete, you’ll receive a full report outlining the findings, the compliance status of each door, and clear recommendations for any remedial actions needed.
- Why do I need a fire door survey?
- A fire door survey is essential because fire doors play a crucial role in protecting occupants and limiting the spread of fire and smoke. Over time, doors can become damaged, incorrectly repaired, or affected by changes in building use. Even minor issues such as worn seals, loose hinges, or excessive gaps can significantly reduce the fire-resistance performance of a door. Regular surveys ensure that every fire door in your building remains fully functional and compliant with fire safety legislation. They provide evidence for your fire risk assessment and support your legal duties as a responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Without regular surveys, defects can go unnoticed, potentially placing lives at risk in an emergency.
- How often should fire doors be inspected?
- Fire doors should be inspected regularly to ensure they remain in good working condition. The exact frequency depends on the type of building, the level of use and the level of risk. For example, buildings with high footfall or vulnerable residents, such as schools, hospitals, and care homes, may require more frequent checks due to the increased likelihood of wear and damage. As a general rule, responsible persons should arrange professional fire door surveys at least once a year, and in many cases twice annually. Routine visual inspections should also be carried out in between professional surveys. Our team can provide guidance on the most suitable inspection schedule for your specific building.
- What causes a fire door to fail its survey?
- Fire doors can fail a survey for a range of reasons, often relating to everyday wear, poor installation, or inadequate maintenance. Common issues include gaps that exceed tolerance levels, missing or damaged intumescent strips, self-closing devices that don’t function properly, defective hinges, incorrect or non-fire-rated hardware, and damage to the door leaf or frame. Glazed fire doors may fail if their glazing, seals, or beading have been incorrectly installed or deteriorated over time. Even small defects can compromise a door’s ability to resist fire and smoke, which is why a detailed inspection is so important. When a door fails, our report will clearly explain the issue and provide recommendations for repair or replacement.
- Are your fire door surveyors qualified?
- All of our fire door surveyors hold professional fire door qualifications, including DipFD, and have completed the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) course. This ensures that every inspection is carried out to a recognised and respected competency standard. Their training covers fire door construction, installation requirements, certification, performance testing, and real-world defect identification. With years of practical experience in both surveying and installation, our team provides accurate assessments and reliable guidance tailored to the needs of your building.
- What will I receive after the fire door survey?
- Following your survey, you will receive a comprehensive digital report detailing the condition and compliance status of each fire door. The report will include written observations, photographic evidence of any defects, references to relevant standards, and clear recommendations for remedial work. This documentation can be used to support your fire risk assessment, demonstrate compliance to regulators, and maintain an accurate audit trail for building safety purposes. If repairs or replacements are required, we can also provide quotations for any corrective work needed.
- Can you carry out repairs or replacements after the survey?
- As well as providing detailed fire door surveys, we also offer fire door installation, maintenance, and repairs. If your survey identifies any issues, we can recommend and provide appropriate corrective actions to restore compliance. This may involve adjusting hardware, replacing seals, repairing damage, or installing a fully certified new fire door where necessary. Our aim is to provide a complete, end-to-end solution so that your building remains safe, compliant and fully protected.
- How do I book a fire door survey?
- Booking a survey is straightforward. You can call our team directly on 0333 444 0070 or complete the enquiry form on our website with a few basic details about your building. A member of our team will contact you to arrange a convenient date and discuss any specific requirements. Whether you need a single fire door survey or a full inspection across multiple sites, we will provide a clear quotation and a professional, efficient service from start to finish.
