For non-domestic situations, break-glass units could be installed. Does my window comply with the required free opening for egress? External doors and windows may need to have fire resistance and in the case of doors be self-closing or in the case of windows be fixed shut to limit the risk of fire spread between adjacent properties or to create a suitable safe escape route. For any questions regarding fire escape or other aspects of building regulation, feel free to contact our experts. Skip to main content.
Fire safety considerations for windows The Construction Industry in the UK has a government set of minimum standards for the design and construction of every building. Escape Window Requirements — AD B Volume 1 Dwelling houses Other than the location of a window distance from escape routes and floor level to ground level , designers need to consider the following items: Window operations to stay open if used as escape exit Window cill heights distance form FFL Window handle locations can they be reached to allow them to easily open Room type i.
The notable exceptions are kitchens, utility rooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms which as inner rooms do not require egress windows. For homes of three or more storeys where floors occur 4. In new build three or four storey homes with a top floor which does not 7. The stairway enclosure throughout should be constructed to be fire resistant for at least 30 minutes, with FDrated fire doors which are resistant for at least 20 minutes to all habitable rooms along it.
Self-closers on these fire doors are no longer a requirement. Homes with top floors above 7. Loft conversions to two-storey houses invoke the same fire-protected route requirements, but they have some concessions.
They still need a protected route through the stairway without passing through any rooms. The latter means that staircases that land in open plan ground floor areas are not acceptable — unless alternative measures, such as the introduction of a sprinkler system, are taken.
Loft converters are often surprised that they are also required to upgrade the fireproofing on ceilings below the new rooms, too. In England, regulations make no requirements to use sprinklers. However, they are sometimes accepted as an alternative method of compliance by building inspectors where it is difficult to provide adequate means of escape — for example, when compensating for open plan ground floor layouts. Another area that can cause problems when it comes to fire safety is using combustible materials, such as plastic or timber cladding , close to a boundary, even when it is covering masonry walls.
In addition to cladding, if the walls themselves consist of non-fire resistant elements such as windows they must be at least 6m from the boundary to avoid size restrictions. A certain area of non-fire resistant construction e. Walls that are up to 1m from a boundary are restricted to 1m2 of UPA. This extrapolates out with greater distance from the boundary to over 6m, at which point there is no limit to the allowable UPA.
Where the site boundary is a road, river, railway line or canal — the centre line can be taken of that feature as the relevant notional boundary. Again, in England, installing sprinklers throughout the home will allow you to halve the distance to the boundary or double the UPA , so long as you are over 1m to the boundary.
For all structural elements, such as floors, walls and beams, fire resistance of at least 30 minutes is required. This is usually achieved by using fire-rated plasterboard and plaster finishes at least If you prefer to expose steel beams rather than clad them, intumescent paints are available.
Usually they comprise a two-layer system with an intumescent first coat and a flame spread resistant top coat. For the internal wall and ceilings finishes, materials need to be Class 1-rated to prevent fire spread. Thus, finishes such as plywood or interior timber cladding will need to be protected. Set up by industry bodies it attempts to regulate window installation companies and ensure that they comply with building regulations. Building Regulations and Fire Escape Windows As far as we can work out from the building regulations you should have an opening in the bay window that's at least as big as the opening of the current window, but we haven't found anything to dictate that the opening has to be from the top as opposed to on the sides.
You might be able to get your 90 degree opening window if it is supported by secure stays with a release mechanism in case of fire, has the supplier discussed that? Look for 'egress' fire escape hinges in catalogues or on the internet to get an idea of what's available. The situation of the room within the house and availability of other fire escape routes will also affect what you can do with your windows.
Good luck! If you'd like to ask a question one of our experts workload permitting or a helpful reader hopefully can help you We also love comments and interesting stories. Replacing Windows: What are the Fire Regulations? This website is for sale [more info].
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