Home insurance and self door closers loft

freddiescoob · 9 Feb 2025

Hi

My house has a loft conversion done in around 2000. As part of that self closers were put on some doors in the house (I assume as part of building control sign off for fire safety at the time). They are not fire doors.

Looking for opinions/advice..
If these were removed would it invalidate house insurance in the event of a fire?

I would ask insurance company but worried it may open a can of worms

Thanks

Wayners · 9 Feb 2025

I took mine out.
Loft conversion on a bungalow.
One at the top of the upstairs bedroom was a pain. Was often wedged open causing the carpet to stretch out of shape.
Fire hinges on it but I removed the fire strips.
Door frame was black from the strips rubbing and I was constantly adjusting.
Only way to get it' to close was which a heavy bang. Didn't help with the air suction. I could of fitted a fire vent to door as that would of helped the closing.

In all the years in all the houses I've worked in I never seen fire strips or closers on doors where there should have been some.

big-all · 9 Feb 2025

we can give an opinion but thats pointless as insurance companies are all different
if you want the security off cover leave as is or take the risk
having said that iff a door closer breaks or stop working its lack off maintenance rather than a deliberate act

Doug99 · 9 Feb 2025

big-all said:
we can give an opinion but thats pointless as insurance companies are all different
if you want the security off cover leave as is or take the risk
having said that iff a door closer breaks or stop working its lack off maintenance rather than a deliberate act

One of the assumptions made by my house insurer on renewal states "House is maintained".
An easy get out clause by them to refuse payment if house burns down and doors are found to be not working correctly or defective.

Notch7 · 9 Feb 2025

freddiescoob said:
Hi

My house has a loft conversion done in around 2000. As part of that self closers were put on some doors in the house (I assume as part of building control sign off for fire safety at the time). They are not fire doors.

Looking for opinions/advice..
If these were removed would it invalidate house insurance in the event of a fire?

I would ask insurance company but worried it may open a can of worms

Thanks

If they are doors that normally are left open you could fit a stay that keeps them open but releases in event of smoke.

Deluks · 9 Feb 2025

If they are not fire doors then they won't be classed as being able to prevent the spread of fire. So what has it got to do with insurance?

Is an insurance company really going to say, "we're sorry your house burnt to the ground, but from our records we see that only the lower half of your house should've burnt to the ground so we won't pay up"

freddiescoob · 9 Feb 2025

Agree it makes no sense as they are not fire doors. But that was the building reg rules at the time (to have door closers) so I'm thinking removing them an insurance company may argue its neglect/irresponsible etc. As you know they'll find any excuse. ..

freddiescoob · 9 Feb 2025

Deluks said:
If they are not fire doors then they won't be classed as being able to prevent the spread of fire. So what has it got to do with insurance?

Is an insurance company really going to say, "we're sorry your house burnt to the ground, but from our records we see that only the lower half of your house should've burnt to the ground so we won't pay up"

Agree it makes no sense as they are not fire doors. But that was the building reg rules at the time (to have door closers) so I'm thinking removing them an insurance company may argue its neglect/irresponsible etc. As you know they'll find any excuse. ..

ReganAndCarter · 9 Feb 2025

Why do you need door closers when having a loft conversion - ie. adding an extra floor/storey? So a single storey bungalow becomes two stories. Millions of houses were built originally with two or more storeys but no requirement for door closers. Do new builds with two or more storeys need door closers?

RandomGrinch · 9 Feb 2025

ReganAndCarter said:
Why do you need door closers when having a loft conversion - ie. adding an extra floor/storey? So a single storey bungalow becomes two stories. Millions of houses were built originally with two or more storeys but no requirement for door closers. Do new builds with two or more storeys need door closers?

It depends on what building control measures were in place at the time of conversion.
Currently, a loft conversion on a building over two storeys requires a protected route of escape to the outside - doors to habitable rooms on this route should be fire rated.
Until recently, these also had to have self-closers, then it was discovered these caused more harm, by traping children's fingers.
Thinking of building a new house in Wales? - you'll need to install a sprinkler system!

...by removing the self-closers, the OP could state they are upgrading their home to current regulations?

freddiescoob · 9 Feb 2025

RandomGrinch said:
It depends on what building control measures were in place at the time of conversion.
Currently, a loft conversion on a building over two storeys requires a protected route of escape to the outside - doors to habitable rooms on this route should be fire rated.
Until recently, these also had to have self-closers, then it was discovered these caused more harm, by traping children's fingers.
Thinking of building a new house in Wales? - you'll need to install a sprinkler system!

...by removing the self-closers, the OP could state they are upgrading their home to current regulations?

The new regs don't have self closers but the doors have to be fire doors. Which mine are not so it would not be upgrading to current regulations

Home insurance and self door closers loft

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