In the event of a fire, smoke is the most common cause of death. Smoke protection doors keep smoke contained where it originates and safeguard escape and rescue routes during those crucial minutes. Arbonia provides certified solutions that offer design flexibility and are approved by building authorities.
What is a smoke protection door?
A smoke protection door (abbreviated to RS door) is a self-closing door which, in its built-in and closed state, effectively prevents the passage of smoke. It is tested as a structural element in accordance with DIN 18095 or DIN EN 1634-3 and bears a building authority mark. Its primary purpose is to delay the spread of highly toxic fire gases – carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, irritant gases – across corridors, stairwells and building sections. This ensures that escape and rescue routes remain usable for longer, improves visibility for self-rescue and enables the fire service to take more targeted action.
Important: A smoke protection door is not a fire barrier. It does not have a predefined fire resistance rating, but is tested solely for smoke tightness. It always achieves its full effect in conjunction with the casing, gasket, door closer and – where existing – glazing; therefore, single components must not be replaced at will.
Standards and requirements for smoke protection doors
Smoke protection doors are tested, classified and placed on the market in Germany and across Europe in accordance with a clearly defined set of standards. Anyone planning, tendering for or installing a smoke protection door should be particularly familiar with these four sets of regulations:
DIN 18095 – the German base
DIN 18095 has defined the requirements for smoke-proof doors in Germany for decades. Tests are carried out using cold air and air heated to 200 °C at an overpressure of 50 pascals. The maximum permissible leakage rate is 20 m³/h for single-leaf doors (RS-1) and 30 m³/h for double doors (RS-2). These values are considered sufficient to enable self-rescue during the critical initial phase of a fire outbreak. DIN 18095 is supplemented by the endurance test in accordance with DIN 4102-18, which verifies that the door remains tight even after many thousands of closing cycles.
DIN EN 1634-3 and EN 13501-2 – the European classification
At European level, the test specification has been harmonised with DIN EN 1634-3 “Fire resistance tests on fire-resisting closures – Part 3: Smoke protection doors”. Classification is carried out in accordance with DIN EN 13501-2 using the indices Sa and S200: Sa provides the description of hermetic sealing at ambient temperature, S200 the description of hermetic sealing at an air temperature of 200 °C – and thus corresponds functionally to the previous RS door in accordance with DIN 18095. For combined fire and smoke protection doors, EN 16034 also applies; as a European product standard, it regulates the CE marking for fire and smoke protection barriers.
Self-closing, test certificate and marking
Every smoke protection door requires a general building inspection test certificate (AbP) and must be fitted with a door closer that closes the door securely and completely after every opening. A smoke protection door held open is only permitted if it has a tested hold-open system with a smoke detector that automatically releases the door in the event of a fire. Furthermore, every smoke protection door must bear a permanently affixed label indicating the producer, type, test certificate and classification – if this is missing, the door is not considered to have been approved by the building authorities.
Smoke protection door vs. fire protection door – the difference
Fire protection doors (fire-rated doors, T30, T60, T90, T120) are designed to contain fire for a specific time – they are tested in a furnace under realistic fire conditions. Smoke protection doors, on the other hand, are tested for hermetic sealing and do not, in themselves, offer any fire resistance. In practice, both functions often go hand in hand: a T30-RS or T90-RS door combines fire resistance and smoke tightness in a single structural element. Which variant is necessary depends on the fire safety concept of the building in question – smoke protection is often the minimum requirement in escape and rescue routes, whilst fire resistance is additionally required for fire compartment separations.
Where are smoke protection doors required?
The type and number of smoke protection doors required are determined by the relevant regional building regulations in connection with the Model Building Code (MBO), by special building regulations (for example, for places of assembly or accommodation establishments) and by the property-specific fire safety plan. Typical areas of application are:
- Necessary stairwells: Smoke-tight, self-closing completions are necessary between stairwells and adjacent areas such as basements, attics, workshops, shops or storage rooms, as well as for units exceeding 200 m² (excluding residential flats).
- Hotels and accommodation establishments: In the majority of German federal states, guest room doors are available in various versions – including smoke protection doors and sound insulation – with a defined fire resistance rating.
- Hospitals, care homes and special-purpose buildings: Long corridors with smoke compartments require smoke-tight completions to guarantee safe areas for patients and residents.
- Schools and administrative buildings: Corridors and staircases with high footfall are divided into fire/smoke compartments using smoke protection doors.
- Apartment blocks and residential buildings: Apartment entrance doors with smoke protection (RS) functionality, as well as smoke-tight completions between apartments, staircases and basements.
- Industrial and special-purpose buildings: Separation of critical areas, protection of servers, archives and security-relevant technology.
