Monthly Archives: December 2022

Over the last 20 years, REMEDI8 subsidiaries have inspected and repaired hundreds of thousands of fire doors. During a fire door inspection, we log every door and over time we have noticed a pattern across our fire door inspection reports. On average, 75% of fire doors fail inspection. The fire door technicians find that the majority of these failures fall into three categories:

1. Clearance – Door hinges are a common piece of a fire door assembly that can wear over time. Heavy wear can often be seen in a fire door that seems to “sag”. These sagging doors have increased clearance between the door and frame which will result in inspection failure. General use, as well as impacts from carts, patient beds, and other equipment, can cause misalignment as well which will result in a clearance problem that will cause a fire door to fail inspection.
2. Smoke Seal – The smoke seal is required in most fire door openings to prevent and restrict the passage of smoke as well as draft control. With openings in high traffic areas, doors will see a greater number of failures due to damage to the smoke seal such as rips or tears. Improper installation of the smoke seal is often seen as well and will cause a door to fail inspection. This typically includes shortening of the smoke seal, a smoke seal that has been installed in the wrong direction, or a smoke seal that has been covered in paint from either the doors or frames being repainted.
3. Holes & breaks – Fire doors in high traffic areas often see increased damage due to carts, patient beds, and other equipment. Wood doors tend to see more damage than metal doors, however, metal doors can still be dented or bent in ways that interfere with full closure, that will not latch properly, will not have a proper seal, or as we already discussed will have clearance issues. Failures involving breaks, cracks, dents, and bends are likely prone to a door replacement.

It is always good practice to Inspect fire door assemblies after installation and maintenance work. Annual inspections with certified reporting will help to ensure that the door, frame, hardware, and glazing are installed properly and will continue to function as intended if a fire occurs. Keep in mind that documentation of the door inspection, repairs, and testing activities is required at least annually for compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC) (EC.02.03.05 EP 25), NFPA 80, and/or your local AHJ.

REMEDI8 certified door technicians will conduct the multi-point inspection of all door assemblies as prescribed by the fire code, produce a detailed report of the current condition, and submit a formal recommendation for necessary repairs. Our team can immediately remedy any failures, re-test, and provide the required documentation to keep the facility up to code. Let REMEDI8 experienced Door Technicians take fire door compliance off your plate. Schedule your annual door inspection today!

Unfortunately, a door that passes all other points of its inspection will still be marked as a failed door if labels are missing. According to the NFPA, “labels on fire doors, fire door frames, or other components of a fire door assembly, are the identifying mark that the door or component has been tested to the required first test standards and has passed the criteria required by those test standards.” Rated-labels include key information about its assembly such as a unique ID number, the hourly rating, and the manufacturer. Without the required labels, there is no clear indication of whether or not a fire-rated door and frame are in-fact a fire-rated door or frame.

The hourly rating on a rated-label is critical for creating sections of your fire barriers as doors are typically rated for three-fourths of the surrounding wall’s rating. According to SDI, “a 3-hour fire door is used in a 4-hour rated wall; a 1-1/2-hour fire door is used in a 2-hour rated wall, and a 3/4-hour door is used in a one-hour rated wall.” A notable exception to the three-fourths rule is for 1/3-hour rated doors which are also used in one-hour rated walls. Without rated labels indicating the hourly ratings for door assemblies, it would be exceptionally difficult to ensure that door assemblies are being maintained throughout a facility according to code requirements.

What can you do if a fire door’s label is missing?

While it’s not uncommon for a fire door to fail its inspection due to missing labels (especially for doors located in high-traffic areas), it is an easy fix to get the door compliant again. Assuming the fire-rated door assembly has passed all other points of its inspection, the door can be re-certified once a new label is created and applied to the door and/or frame.

Another common occurrence our technicians see within facilities is rated-door assemblies that have labels that are no longer legible or have been painted over. Labels on door assemblies in high-traffic areas will inevitably suffer from wear and tear and may become illegible over time. This is an easy fix as a new label can be generated for the door. Labels that have been painted over, however, will continue to be an issue if staff and 3rd parties responsible for painting are not educated on the facility’s requirements for fire door labels. It’s important to educate responsible parties when painting is being done to help ensure code compliance.

Whether you’re managing a healthcare facility, manufacturing facility, or multi-unit residential facility, maintaining your fire doors is critical to the success of your life safety and fire barrier management programs. Contact us today to begin planning your next fire-rated door inspection to ensure compliance and safety within your fac