Fire rated doors 1

[heather26v]

My apartment building has 20 min fire rated entry doors, my door however, has a gap that is 1/2 inch wide on the side where the deadbolt is. You can actually see the light in the hallway outside coming through. I was told that the door is useless as a fire rated door, as it would allow too much air to flow through. Is that correct? Is there any place where I could look up specific information such as that so that I can bring it to my landlords attention?

Thank you for your help

 

[cdafd]

if you live in a good size city they should have a building dept, and inspectors. I would start at the top and ask head cheese to come by and look at it.

 

[stookeyfpe]

Is your apartment located such that the door opens into a corridor or does it open onto an enclosed breezeway? If it opens into a corridor, you have a violation of the International Fire Code. If it opens onto an open breezeway, no violation exist.

 

[DonPhillips]

I recommend asking the fire inspector take a look at it. He has right of entry and enforcement authority with the local fire code whereas the building inspector is limited - except the enforcement of the code at the time the building was approved.

Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[stookeyfpe]

Don

This is a R-2 occupancy, as described by the original poster. Fire code officials are bound by the same rules of Right of Entry as a building inspector. We never have had the authority to enter apartments unless proof was demonstrated that the tenant and owner are both in agreement. Camara vs. City and County of San Fransisco and the Supreme Court decision confirms this. What you are proposing is a clear violation of the 4th Amendment and the rules of right of entry.

Heather, we (code officials) just can't walk in. You will need to give permission if your door is not in public view. If it's in a breezeway, yes, we can look at it. If it is in a corridor, it gets more difficult.

 

[heather26v]

Thank you for all of your responses. Yes, my front entry door opens up to a hallway, as does everyone Else's who lives in the building (I believe there are about 86 units). I'm a little confused, would I want to go to the Building Inspector or the Fire Inspector? And if I grant them permission to enter my apartment, are they allowed to enter without getting the consent of the landlord as well? I would be home to let them in, so she would not be aware of it at that time anyhow. Thank you for all of your help!

 

[cdafd]

heather26v

would start with building offical and yes you can let them in with out managers approval


Is this a totaly enclosed hallway in that you hit some stairs or door to get out of it?? and not open stair??


How do you know you have a rated door??

does your building have a fire sprinler system??

have you looked at other's doors to see if the gap is there also??

 

[FFP1]

All fire rated doors should have a "tight fit" to reduce the likelihood of smoke and heat propogation. You should discuss this issue with your landlord FIRST!!!

Let them know you will contact the fire inspector to assess the situation if the landlord does not resolve the issue. This is the best approach and will give the landlord plenty of incentive; I am sure the landlord does not want the fire inspector looking for code violations.

To answer your orginal question; NFPA 80 outlines the requirements for fire rated doors and the following excerpt is what you are looking for:

6.3.1.7* Clearances.

6.3.1.7.1 The clearances between the top and vertical edges of the door and the frame, and the meeting edges of doors swinging in pairs, shall be 1/8 in. ± 1/16 in. for steel doors and shall not exceed 1/8 in. for wood doors.

6.3.1.7.2 Clearances shall be measured from the pull face of the door(s).

 

[DonPhillips]

I recommend the fire inspector unless the locality has a property maintence code for the building inspector to enforce.



Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[heather26v]

Hi there,

To answer you cdafd, yes it is an enclosed hallway, there are stairs at either end that are enclosed as well (similar to many hotels), there is some sort of metal stamp thingy on the door that says its fire-rated, but it got painted over, so I can't fully read it. Yes, we have a sprinkler system and No, I have not looked at other doors since I do not really know my neighbors, I did not want to seem intrusive.
The reason the issue about whether or not this door was up to code was because it was a replacement door, and the janitor of our building installed it and because of such a large gap (1/2 inch), he had to put nuts under the latchplate to raise it to get the door to latch. It was a crappy installation from the beggining, but I didn't realize it could be dangerous till a friend of mine mentioned it recently and when I brought it up to my landlord, she stated that the gap doesnt matter, that a door gets its fire rating by being tested for how long it can withstand fire, and disagreed with me about the airflow possibly feeding a fire.
I hope that helps
Anyway, you have given me alot of great info everyone! I thank you very much for sharing your expertise with me!

 

[cdafd]

heather26v

You have a lot more smarts than some inspectors

the door along with the frame are tested and have a metal thingy on each of them.

if you want to be a smart a_ _ you could ask the manager if the door had a hole in it would they consider it rated, because with the gap that is about what you have.

Contact as many city officals you need to to get some action

good luck