How to correctly determine the direction of door opening?

From the point of view of Feng Shui

Those who build their interior based on ancient Eastern teachings should know the most important thing about doorways: they should not impede positive energy flows.

According to Feng Shui, doors are the most important part of the house. Therefore, for better energy circulation, they should open exclusively inward and to the left of the person entering. The panels should not rest against furniture or block the view of the room, which is quite reasonable from the point of view of convenience.

It is undesirable for the doors to open or close spontaneously: to prevent this, equip them with stoppers.

In accordance with fire safety

Building codes and requirements of the Ministry of Emergency Situations do not dictate strict rules for the installation of interior doors. The exception is situations when more than 15 people are in the room at the same time. In this case, SNiP 21-01-97 “Fire Safety of Buildings and Structures” regulates the opening of doors outward.

If we talk about safety in everyday life, there are two basic rules for opening doors:

• In a child’s room, if the child is small, it is better for the door to open inward. This will allow the room to be opened if the child accidentally locks himself in it.
• Door panels leading to a cramped toilet or bathroom should open outward. If a person is unconscious, the entrance will not be blocked, which means it will be easier to get into the bathroom to provide assistance.

From the standpoint of convenience

Interior doors should be installed so that their use does not cause discomfort:

• If the doorway is in the center of the wall, the door leaf should not interfere with the use of the switch.
• If the panels touch each other when opened simultaneously, they should be installed so that one opens inward and the other outward.
• If the entrance is in a corner, it is more convenient to install the panel with opening towards the nearest wall.
• Doors from small rooms (bathroom, small kitchen, toilet and dressing room) should open outward, otherwise the door leaf will take up most of the already cramped space.
• It is recommended to install doors opening towards the spacious room.

If each door structure in a multi-room apartment is installed with an outward opening, then it will be difficult to furnish the corridor, and if the doors are opened simultaneously, the movement of people will become difficult.

What about the front door?

According to building codes, the front door of residential buildings is an evacuation door, which means it must swing open strictly in the direction of travel, that is, onto the street. In the event of a fire, this will speed up the exit of residents, and also simplify the removal of a person on a stretcher. At the same time, the open door should not interfere with the free exit of neighbors! When installing door structures, special attention is paid to this issue, because people may get hurt if they are installed incorrectly.

There are no such restrictions for owners of private houses: all panels can be installed without approval and in any direction.

In order for the door to create additional convenience for everyone around, it is important to comply with all fire safety and architectural regulations.