Building Regulations

Thermal performance

In order to comply with Building Regulations, dwellings must meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency, and one way to do this is to reduce the amount of heat being lost through the windows and doors.

The amount of heat passing through a window or door is measured as a U-value, and the lower the U-value, the less heat is lost. The maximum U-value for new or replacement doors is 1.8 W/m2k, although doors that are fitted into an existing door frame are exempt from this regulation.

Glazing

If any glazing is located in an area that is at risk of accidental human impact, safety glazing must be used instead of standard glass. Generally, safety glazing is required for:

Any glazed door up to 1500mm from floor level. Therefore, this applies to bifold doors, patio doors and French doors.

Any door side panels that are within 300mm of either side of a door edge and which is between the finished floor level and a height of 1500mm above floor level.

Fire Safety

If you live in a block of flats, the external door to your property will need to offer fire resistance and be fitted with a self-closing device. This is important for preventing the spread of fire.

For most dwellings, however, It is not essential for the doors to offer a certain level of fire resistance. If there is a risk of fire spreading to another property via an ‘unprotected area’, however, a door that offers a level of fire resistance will need to be considered.

Building access

Since 1999, Building Regulations have required that, when replacing the main entrance door of a dwelling, the threshold must remain the same. This is to ensure that no difficulties will arise to those trying to access the dwelling, including people with disabilities.