Home features change with the times, and it is often manufacturing advances that bring prices within a range that more consumers can afford. Large-span glass door systems are having their moment. Long an enviable feature on high-end homes, indoor/outdoor living features are selling well all over the United States and at many price points.

Fire-rated doors help reduce the spread of fire and smoke in a home or building. Both commercial and residential structures can use fire-rated doors. Fire door materials and parts Fire doors can consist of a combination of materials: gypsum, steel, timber, Vermiculite, aluminum and glass. Both the slab and the door frame must meet requirements to earn a fire-rating. The door frame parts include seals, hardware and the structure. On an even more granular level here is a breakdown of elements: Seals An intumescent strip, which expands when exposed to heatGaskets to prevent the passage of smokeNeoprene weatherstripping Door hardware Automatic closing devices or objectsBall-bearing hingesGas sealsPositive latching mechanismsSmoke seals Standards for fire-rated doors If a window is present,it must have a rating as well. Fire-rated glass may contain wire mesh glass, liquid sodium silicate, ceramic glass or borosilicate glass. Wired glass typically withstands the fire. The sodium silicate liquid…