Door Spares

Approved Document B is phasing out the long-established BS 476 fire resistance tests in favour of the European standard BS EN 1634-1, a change that directly affects fire door specification and certification across commercial buildings in England and Wales. The shift means any fire doorset newly specified or replaced must carry third-party certification to the EN classification, so installers and facilities managers should confirm that hardware — closers, hinges, intumescent seals and letterplates — is tested and listed for use with compliant doorsets. Alongside the testing change, the Building Safety Regulator (now independent of the HSE since January 2026) is enforcing mandatory quarterly fire door inspections for buildings over 11 metres. Contractors working in higher-risk buildings should also be aware that digital “Golden Thread” documentation is now required for all fire safety components, so retaining product data sheets and installation records at point of fit is no longer optional.

Window gear covers the hardware that keeps commercial windows operating safely and securely: espagnolette locking bolts, friction stays, casement fasteners, window restrictors, and multipoint window locks for timber, aluminium and PVCu frames. In commercial premises — schools, offices, care homes and public buildings — correctly specified window restrictors are a legal requirement under building regulations to prevent falls from height, while robust locking mechanisms support both security and insurance compliance. Door Spares stocks a wide range of window furniture suited to trade quantities, with many lines available for same-day despatch to keep your job on schedule.

Window restrictors fitted in schools, care homes and public buildings must comply with BS EN 13126-5 and resist a minimum 100 N opening force to satisfy building regulation requirements for fall prevention. When replacing old or failed restrictors, check the frame material and profile before ordering — a restrictor specified for timber may not have suitable fixings for aluminium or PVCu, and using the wrong type can result in the hardware pulling free under load. Always fit to the manufacturer’s fixing specification, using all supplied fixing points, and retain the product data sheet on site as evidence of compliance. If a restrictor needs to be overridden for escape purposes (e.g. in a bedroom above ground floor), choose a model with a key-release mechanism rated for the application rather than removing the restrictor entirely.