UPDATE: A new version of this article, based on the 2015 IBC, is located here.
This post was printed in the February 2012 issue of Doors & Hardware
[Click here to download a reprint of this article.]
For a long time I’ve been trying to compile some definitive answers to questions about smoke doors. Well, the time has come. Doors & Hardware will be running an article about smoke doors, and my deadline is…well…today. I would really appreciate it if any of you smoke door experts out there would take a look, and let me know if you see things that need more explanation, areas where you think I’ve missed the mark, or even typos. You may want to get a cup of coffee first. 😉
I’m often asked about the code requirements for “smoke doors,” and what makes these questions difficult to answer is the fact that there are several types of doors that can be called smoke doors, and they have very different requirements. I used the 2009 edition of the International Building Code (IBC) to answer basic questions about each of the types below – where they are typically found, and whether the doors require a fire rating, a closer, a latch, and gasketing. The types of smoke doors I identified are:
- Doors required to provide an effective barrier to limit the transfer of smoke
- Doors in smoke partitions
- Doors in smoke barriers
- Fire door assemblies in corridors and smoke barriers
- Doors in exit enclosures and exit passageways
My goal was to boil down the IBC requirements into a quick reference. Keep in mind that other codes may have different requirements for these doors.
UL 1784 – Air Leakage Tests of Door Assemblies
Before I begin to summarize the requirements for each opening type, I need to briefly explain UL 1784 – Air Leakage Tests of Door Assemblies, and its relationship to gasketing requirements. The IBC requires certain doors to be tested in accordance with UL 1784, and the maximum amount of air flow allowed by the IBC is 3.0 cubic feet per minute per square foot [0.015424 m3/(s m2)] of door opening at 0.10 inch (24.9 Pa) of water for both the ambient temperature test and the elevated temperature exposure test.
I have reviewed several sets of test results and it appears that when a door is required to meet the stated limits when tested in accordance with UL 1784, it is difficult or impossible to achieve these values without gasketing. For the purpose of this analysis, doors that have to meet these limits are noted with a requirement for gasketing. The requirement for testing in accordance with UL 1784 (and the same allowable maximum) is also included in NFPA 105 – Standard for Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives.
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Opening Type: Doors required to provide an effective barrier to limit the transfer of smoke
Typical Location: These requirements apply to smoke partition corridor doors in Use Group I-2 (hospitals, mental hospitals, nursing homes, detox facilities). They are corridor doors which are not part of a vertical opening/exit (stair or shaft), and which do not require a fire rating per Section 508.2.5 – Incidental Accessory Occupancies. Some typical examples of doors which are required by Section 508.2.5 to be fire rated are Group I-2 waste and linen collection rooms, laundry rooms over 100 square feet, and boiler and furnace rooms meeting certain criteria. The IBC 2009 Commentary states that “this provision is primarily intended to apply to patient room corridor doors.”
Fire Rating Required? No. Section 407.3.1 states that corridor doors that are not in a wall required to be rated (per Section 508.2.5 or for the enclosure of a vertical opening or exit) are not required to have a fire protection rating.
Closer Required? No. Section 407.3.1 states that these non-fire-rated corridor doors are not required to be equipped with self-closing or automatic-closing devices.
Latch Required? Yes. Section 407.3.1 states that these doors must have positive latching and that roller latches are not permitted.
Gasketing Required? Whether gasketing is required is unclear, and there are experts on both sides of the argument. Section 407.3.1 states that these doors “shall provide an effective barrier to limit the transfer of smoke,” but this is not clearly defined. There is no requirement in the IBC for these doors to be tested in accordance with UL 1784.
In the past, a solid core door with minimal clearances required for proper operation was thought to provide this effective barrier. However, the IBC 2009 Commentary states in Section 711.5.2 describing the air infiltration requirements for smoke and draft control doors that “Section 407.3.1 requires corridor doors in Group I-2 to ‘limit the transfer of smoke’; therefore, those doors must meet this section.” I don’t know how someone would find their way from Section 407.3.1 to the Section 711.5.2 Commentary as there is no reference between the two, but the Commentary is basically establishing (unofficially) what is required to limit the transfer of smoke. I think it makes sense to gasket these doors since patients may be in their rooms during firefighting procedures, but on the other hand, the Commentary is not part of the code.
In speaking with someone from the International Code Council (ICC) on this topic, I was told that the code does not require gasketing if the door can meet the leakage rates specified in Section 715.4.3.1 (3.0 cubic feet per minute per square foot of door opening at 0.10 inch of water for both the ambient temperature and elevated temperature tests), but as I stated before, I’m not sure that it’s possible for an operational door to meet this requirement without gasketing.
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Opening Type: Doors in smoke partitions
Typical Location: Section 711 outlines the requirements for smoke partitions including the door openings therein, but there are limited locations within the IBC that currently refer to this section:
a) Section 407.3 permits corridor walls in Group I-2 to have no fire-resistance rating, but it does require that they be constructed as smoke partitions. The door openings in these walls are covered above, as “Doors required to provide an effective barrier to limit the transfer of smoke.”
b) Section 708.14.1, Exception 5, allows the use of smoke partitions to form the elevator lobby in a sprinklered building.
Fire Rating Required? No. Section 711.3 states that unless required elsewhere in the code, smoke partitions are not required to have a fire-resistance rating. The two sections that currently refer to Section 711 do not require a fire-resistance rating.
Closer Required? Yes. Section 711.5.3 states that “Where required elsewhere in the code, doors in smoke partitions shall be self- or automatic-closing by smoke detection in accordance with Section 715.4.8.3.” This section is specifically referenced in Section 708.14.1, Exception 5, therefore, it is “required elsewhere in the code” for elevator lobby doors.
Latch Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8.1 requires an active latch bolt that will secure the door when it is closed. This section is referenced by Section 708.14.1, Exception 5 for elevator lobby doors as part of Section 715.4.8.
Gasketing Required? Yes. Section 711.5.2 states that doors in smoke partitions shall meet the requirements for a smoke and draft control assembly tested in accordance with UL 1784, with the maximum air leakage stated above. This section also requires the installation of smoke doors to be in accordance with NFPA 105 – Standard for the Installation of Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives. Louvers are not allowed in doors in smoke partitions.
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Opening Type: Doors in smoke barriers
There are three use groups in the IBC that mention smoke barriers – Section 407.4 (I-2), 408.6 (I-3), and 422.2 (Group B Ambulatory Care). All of these sections require compliance with the provisions of Section 710. Section 710 requires openings in smoke barriers to be protected in compliance with Section 715, which includes requirements typical for a fire rated door.
There is an exception for cross-corridor double egress pairs in Use Group I-2, which lists the requirements for these doors in addition to the requirements of Section 715. There are essentially two sets of requirements for doors in smoke barriers because of the extensive exception for Use Group I-2, so I will summarize the requirements separately.
Opening Type: Doors in smoke barriers – Use Group I-3 and Use Group B Ambulatory Care
Typical Location: These requirements apply to Use Group I-3 (detention/correctional centers) and Use Group B Ambulatory Health Care Facilities. (The exception for use Group I-2 cross-corridor doors is summarized in the next section.)
Fire Rating Required? Yes. According to Section 710.5, “openings in a smoke barrier shall be protected in accordance with Section 715,” which includes a fire protection rating as indicated in Table 715.4.
Closer Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8 states that the doors must be self-closing or automatic-closing.
Latch Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8.1 requires an active latch bolt that will secure the door when it is closed.
Gasketing Required? Yes. Section 715.4.3.1 states that fire door assemblies shall meet the requirements for a smoke and draft control assembly tested in accordance with UL 1784, with the maximum air leakage stated above. This section also requires the installation of smoke doors to be in accordance with NFPA 105 – Standard for the Installation of Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives. Louvers are prohibited by this section.
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Opening Type: Doors in smoke barriers – Use Group I-2
Typical Location: Use Group I-2 (hospitals, mental hospitals, nursing homes, detox facilities) cross-corridor double egress pairs
Because of the complexity of this exception, here is the complete text of this section from the 2009 edition of the IBC:
“710.5 Openings. Openings in a smoke barrier shall be protected in accordance with Section 715.
Exceptions:
1. In Group I-2, where doors are installed across corridors, a pair of opposite-swinging doors without a center mullion shall be installed having vision panels with fire-protection-rated glazing materials in fire-protection-rated frames, the area of which shall not exceed that tested. The doors shall be close fitting within operational tolerances, and shall not have undercuts in excess of 3/4-inch, louvers or grilles. The doors shall have head and jamb stops, astragals or rabbets at meeting edges and shall be automatic-closing by smoke detection in accordance with Section 715.4.8.3. Where permitted by the door manufacturer’s listing, positive-latching devices are not required.
2. In Group I-2, horizontal sliding doors installed in accordance with Section 1008.1.4.3 and protected in accordance with Section 715.”
Fire Rating Required? Yes. I submitted several questions to the ICC regarding this exception, because it was unclear to me whether the exception was in lieu of the requirements of Section 715, or in addition to those requirements. I was assured by the ICC that the provisions of Exception 1 are in addition to those of Section 715. Section 715 requires a fire protection rating as indicated in Table 715.4. Exception 1 also requires the doors to have vision panels with appropriate glazing materials.
Closer Required? Yes. Doors are required to be automatic-closing by smoke detection per 710.5, Exception 1 (above). Note that this exception does not allow self-closing doors to be used in this application.
Latch Required? Yes. In 2006 and prior editions of the IBC, positive latches were not required for these doors because the exception included the specific language: “Positive-latching devices are not required.” This sentence was removed in the 2009 edition of the IBC, and replaced with, “Where permitted by the door manufacturer’s listing, positive-latching devices are not required.” In my experience, door manufacturers require positive-latching devices on doors that are required to be fire rated. It remains to be seen whether any door manufacturers will test and supply these doors without positive latching.
Gasketing Required? No. However, Section 710.5 Exception 1 requires astragals or rabbets at the meeting edges, and the doors must be close-fitting within operational tolerances. The maximum allowable undercut is ¾”, and the doors may not have louvers or grilles. Frame stops are required at the head and jambs.
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Opening Type: Fire door assemblies in corridors and smoke barriers
Typical Location: Corridors and smoke barriers requiring fire-rated doors.
Fire Rating Required? Yes. Section 715.4 references the fire protection ratings indicated in Table 715.4. Fire door frames with transom lights, sidelights or both shall be permitted in accordance with Section 715.4.5. Fire door assemblies and shutters shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this section and NFPA 80.
Closer Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8 states that the doors must be self-closing or automatic-closing.
Latch Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8.1 requires an active latch bolt that will secure the door when it is closed.
Gasketing Required? Yes. Section 715.4.3.1 states that fire door assemblies shall meet the requirements for a smoke and draft control assembly tested in accordance with UL 1784, with the maximum air leakage stated above. This section also requires the installation of smoke doors to be in accordance with NFPA 105 – Standard for the Installation of Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives. Louvers are prohibited by this section.
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Opening Type: Doors in exit enclosures and exit passageways
Typical Location: Stair doors required to be fire-rated, and occasionally the exit passageway connecting the stair to the exit discharge.
Fire Rating Required? Yes. Section 715.4 references the fire protection ratings indicated in Table 715.4. Fire door frames with transom lights, sidelights or both shall be permitted in accordance with Section 715.4.5. Fire door assemblies and shutters shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this section and NFPA 80. This section includes a requirement for temperature rise doors, but the exception exempts buildings that are equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system.
Closer Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8 states that the doors must be self-closing or automatic-closing.
Latch Required? Yes. Section 715.4.8.1 requires an active latch bolt that will secure the door when it is closed.
Gasketing Required? Section 715.4.4 does not include a reference to UL 1784, but gasketing and a door bottom/sweep may be necessary to maintain stair pressurization.
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I hope this summary helps clear up some of the questions about smoke door requirements, and explains the intent of the grey areas. The summary included above is a result of my research of the 2009 International Building Code, and information I received from the International Code Council. The actual code publications should be consulted when comprehensive data is required and to ensure compliance with the applicable codes, and the Authority Having Jurisdiction is the ultimate decision-maker.
This post was originally created on December 9, 2011, and was printed in the February 2012 issue of Doors & Hardware magazine.
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re: Doors in Smoke barriers Use Groups 1-2 Closer Required? Yes. Doors are required to be automatic-closing by smoke detection per 710.5, Exception 1 (above). Note that this exception does not allow self-closing doors to be used in this application
Does this mean that these doors MUST BE HELD OPEN and close ONLY in the event of smoke detection?
Yes, you have to use automatic-closing doors and I confirmed that with the ICC. They agreed that auto operators with fire alarm release would also meet the intent. I think it’s because if the doors were self-closing, it would be tempting to prop them open. I pointed out that some cross-corridor doors in some facilities are supposed to be kept closed, not held open, but the person from the ICC didn’t waiver.
– Lori
Just a couple of comments – the fire doors in corridors refer to the 20 min doors in 1 hour rated walls which only occur in unsprinklered buildings.
Wood doors – seals can be built-in (to the door) intumescent with separate smoke seal – or – separate smoke seals with built-in (to the seal) intumescent. Metal doors only require the a smoke seal (without intumescent).
Also (and help me out here) doors that are required to comply with UL1784 also need an “S” label.
And I still can’t believe that stairwell doors are not required to have smoke seals.
Thanks Jack! Regarding the 20-minute doors…according to Table 1018.1, there is still a requirement for rated walls in High Hazard, Residential >10 occupants, and I-1/I-3 use groups, plus the use groups which are still allowed to be unsprinklered (A, B, E, F, M, S, U). Let me know if I’m not interpreting that right.
You’re correct – Category A wood doors have the intumescent built in (if it’s needed), and Category B doors have applied intumescent (if it’s needed). The smoke seal is sort of a separate issue. I didn’t want the article to get even more confusing so I didn’t get into the whole positive pressure topic.
I’m going to try to get more clarification on the S label.
I’m with you on the stairwell issue.
Lori, we still need empirical data on air leakage on doors without seals with standard NFPA 80 clearances.
Also, does the bottom seal (sweep or auto door bottom) really make a difference in an actual cold smoke situation, to prevent toxic product infiltration from one side to the other. I assume that in a hot smoke situation, the toxic products would never get to the bottom of the door within the time limits of a complete evacuation.
So: the industry or an enterprising manufacturer needs to sponsor testing to determine reality. Potentially, lives are at stake and nobody is stepping up.
Hi Lori,
One of the issues that comes across my desk a couple times a year is the issue of a smoke door, that is not required to be fire rated, but is required to carry an “S” label. I think the reason this issue arises is that there is some ambiguity in the codes that allow users of the code to sort of mix-and-match code requirements. In your article you clearly layout where the non-fire rated “smoke doors” are used versus where fire rated doors are used.
Recently, in one of the inquiries I received the individual’s position was the smoke door requirements eliminate (supercede) the requirements for fire rated doors. In his specific applcation, he wanted to eliminate the positive latching on the assembly since smoke doors do not require latching. I responded to him by reminding him that fire rated requirements take precedence over non-fire rated requirements. There are fire-rated doors that are used as smoke doors, but smoke doors are not used as fire doors.
The point that I am making is that we have a long way to go to educate the code users in the subtleties of the world of fire rated door assemblies.
Keep up the good work.
Lori:
Regarding your statement, “I don’t know how someone would find their way from Section 407.3.1 to the Section 711.5.2 Commentary as there is no reference between the two, but the Commentary is basically establishing (unofficially) what is required to limit the transfer of smoke.”
Section 407.3 states that corridor walls shall comply with Section 710. Thus, doors need to comply with Section 710.5.2 (BTW, you state 711.5.2 in the article). Section 407.3.1 essentially allows some exceptions for I-2 and is not intended to be in lieu of Section 710.5.2.
Hi Ron –
The section I was referencing is 711.5.2 as I stated in the article (not 710.5.2). It’s the section on Smoke and Draft Control Doors:
711.5.2 Smoke and draft control doors. Where required elsewhere in the code, doors in smoke partitions shall meet the requirements for a smoke and draft control door assembly tested in accordance with UL 1784. The air leakage rate of the door assembly shall not exceed 3.0 cubic feet per minute per square foot [0.015424 m3/(s ⋅m2)] of door opening at 0.10 inch (24.9 Pa) ofwater for both the ambient temperature test and the
elevated temperature exposure test. Installation of smoke doors shall be in accordance with NFPA 105.
Commentary: Only doors in smoke partitions that are required elsewhere in the code to be smoke and draft control doors must comply with section. Section 407.3.1 requires corridor doors in Group I-2 to “limit the transfer of smoke”; therefore, those doors must meet this section. Section 708.14.1, Exception 5, requires smoke and draft control doors for the smoke partition exception to elevator lobby enclosures (see commentary, Section 715.4.3.1).
In section 407.3 it references section 711 for the corridor walls, but in the commentary for that paragraph it says, “It is important to recognize that this section contains a specific set of requirements for the corridor doors in this occupancy and that the provisions of this
section must be followed versus the provisions of Section 711.5 (see code and commentary, Section 102.1).”
I admit, I’m abnormally focused on doors and sometimes don’t immediately see the bigger picture, but if I’m reading section 407.3.1 to find out about the door requirements, and there’s no mention of the doors needing to be smoke and draft control doors, then I would take section 407.3.1 to be the requirements that I need to follow. In section 711.5.2 it says, “Where required elsewhere in the code, doors in smoke partitions shall meet the requirements for a smoke and draft control door assembly tested in accordance with UL 1784.” I don’t see a requirement for these doors to be smoke and draft control assemblies, yet the commentary says that they need to meet the air infiltration limits.
I don’t have the 2009 commentary but this seems to be an about face from what IBC 2006 commentary stated in the same section. It seems like they anticipatd that gasketing would not be installed as part of the assembly but the test only required the gasketing it only to test where other areas of the door leaked. I woukd be curious as to how the code writing body re thought the inent of the test.
IBC 2006 710.5.2 Commentary:
This requirement provides the testing criteria for air leakage in doors where such doors are required within smoke partitions within the code. This test requires the bottom to be sealed during the test in order to determine other areas where air leakage may occur within the door assembly. Leakage at the bottom of doors in actual installations is inevitable; therefore, the test focuses on areas of a door where leakage should be unlikely.
Hi Sal –
Thanks for your input on this discussion! I don’t know what caused the change in the Commentary because it doesn’t go through the same public comment period as the code changes. Here is the text from the 2009 IBC and Commentary:
711.5.2 Smoke and draft control doors. Where required elsewhere in the code, doors in smoke partitions shall meet the requirements for a smoke and draft control door assembly tested in accordance with UL 1784. The air leakage rate of the door assembly shall not exceed 3.0 cubic feet per minute per
square foot [0.015424 m3/(s ⋅m2)] of door opening at 0.10 inch (24.9 Pa) of water for both the ambient temperature test and the elevated temperature exposure test. Installation of smoke doors shall be in accordance with NFPA 105.
Commentary: Only doors in smoke partitions that are required elsewhere in the code to be smoke and draft control doors must comply with section. Section 407.3.1 requires corridor doors in Group I-2 to “limit the transfer of smoke”; therefore, those doors must meet this section. Section 708.14.1, Exception 5, requires smoke and draft control doors for the smoke partition exception to elevator lobby enclosures (see commentary, Section 715.4.3.1).
The Commentary specifically references doors that are required to limit the transfer of smoke. The Commentary isn’t binding, but it’s all I’ve got to go on when trying to understand the intent.
– Lori
Lori,
Do I understand correctly, that you interpret the code commentary above to suggest that all doors in Smoke Partitions are required to be Smoke & Draft Control Doors (UL 1784 Tested Assembly)? I interpret it a little differently. When they say “……Section 407.3.1 requires corridor doors in Group I-2 to “limit the transfer of smoke”; therefore, those doors must meet this section.”…. I interpret the ‘this section’ to mean section 407.3.1, not section 711.5.2, and therefore, no requirements on doors in Smoke Partition, at least as far as section 407.3.1 is concerned.
The commentary goes further to explicitly state “….Section 708.14.1, Exception 5, requires smoke and draft control doors for the smoke partition exception to elevator lobby enclosures..” so it is more black in white with regards to these Smoke Partition instances (required by 708.14.1).
Additionally, the language in sections 711.5.2 and 711.5.3 are both prefaced in similar fashion, which leaves open the possibility that, not all Smoke Partition doors require closers(known to be true by Section 407.3.1), suggesting that the same should be true for Smoke & Draft Control Doors in Smoke partitions.
Am I wrong on this?
Thanks,
Ed
Hi Ed –
Did you see that I posted an updated version of this article? http://idighardware.com/2015/11/decoded-smoke-door-requirements-of-the-2015-international-building-code/
The reference in the 2009 Commentary to the health care corridor doors requiring UL 1784 testing created some confusion. That has been removed from the Commentary. There is nothing in 407.3.1 that mentions UL 1784, but when I talked to the ICC about the Commentary reference, their interpretation was that “this section” meant section 711.5.2.
I think it’s much clearer in the 2015 IBC and Commentary.
– Lori
I have an Architect that wants a sliding wood door to be smoke rated in a Hospital. I checked with my door manufacturer and they mentioned that a non fire rated smoke door is determined by the air leakage of the opening per UL 1784 Air Leakage. Do you know of gasket or gasket set up that can meet the UL1784 requirement on a sliding door? The sliding door set up they are thinking of using is top hung system.
Hi Zoram –
I have never seen a standard sliding door that could be smoke rated, except for a packaged unit. In theory, it’s possible, but there would be no way to prove it unless it was tested and sold as a unit. If you think about a swinging door, it needs gasketing at the perimeter even though it has stops on the frame to help impede the air flow. A typical sliding door has so much space around it for air to flow, I think it would be really difficult to gasket it appropriately and it wouldn’t look great with all the random gasketing.
Here’s an example of a packaged slider that meets the UL 1784 requirements: http://www.hortondoors.com/Brochures/Smoke-Rated-Mini-Blind-swing-and-slide.pdf
– Lori
Does the exit device on a Smoke Labeled door need to be a fire rated device?
What about doors that are not within a smoke partition, not rated, and simply off a corridor (not cross corridor)in a new healthcare facility in Florida built under IBC 2012 and associated FBC / AHCA requirements? Do these doors, in-swinging off a corridor (pair of aluminum storefront doors swinging into a multipurpose room) both have to be self latching, thus requiring a coordinator and automatic flush bolts? Or can the doors I describe be as follows: one inactive with manual flush bolts and the active leaf be self closing, self latching into the inactive leaf?
If a cross corridor double egress smoke doors are mis-labeled with a 1 1/2 hr fire door labeled does latching hardware now have to be installed? Or should the doors be relabeled with an appropriate “S” label? We had a company come and label our doors and they mislabeled the smoke doors as fire doors. Currently the doors don’t have latching hardware because they’ve always been smoke doors.
I would recommend fixing the label issue rather than changing the hardware. Were the original doors constructed as 90-minute doors?
Hi Lori, thanks for the reply. The original door labels were painted over or went missing somehow over the years. They hired a labeling company to relabel the doors and in some instances they mislabeled. I told the owner that could add to confusion in the future, they should come back and relabel them correctly. Smoke doors should have an “S” label. This labeling company apparently didn’t care either what they were doing. They labeled everything regardless if the rating was obviously compromised. I’ve seen 20 min doors with 1 hr labels, doors modified with new 90 min labels. It seems as though they said, “You need doors relabeled? Sure, no problem. We’ll relabel everything.” I’ve got doors with undercuts of 2″ they relabeled. I just don’t get it. They should be ashamed of themselves. Anyway rant over. Lol. Thanks.
Wow – that’s terrible!!
Any mention on swing of doors? Fire Marshall has decided to make us send back any double corridor doors if the doors aren’t reverse left. ( right hand swing.)
Hi David –
I have never seen anything in a US-based codes that would prohibit a LH/LH (RHR/RHR) double egress pair, although there was something in a Canadian code at one time. I would love to know if there’s something official your fire marshal is citing in his decision. I can understand a preference from a traffic/egress standpoint, so maybe a code change is needed.
– Lori
Hi Lori,
I think it states it above but can you tell me if an HM frame in a smoke partition needs a fire label? This is in a hospital using IBC 2006 & IFC 2003.
Thank you,
Paul
Hi Paul –
The 2006 IBC does not require a fire door assembly in a smoke partition, so the frame would not need a fire label. Here is the section of the 2006 IBC that addresses those openings:
710.5 Openings.Windows shall be sealed to resist the free passage of smoke or be automatic-closing upon detection of smoke. Doors in smoke partitions shall comply with this section.
710.5.1 Louvers. Doors in smoke partitions shall not include louvers.
710.5.2 Smoke and draft control doors. Where required elsewhere in the code, doors in smoke partitions shall be tested in accordance with UL 1784 with an artificial bottom seal installed across the full width of the bottom of the door assembly during the test. The air leakage rate of the door assembly shall not exceed 3 cubic feet per minute per square foot [ft3/(min ⋅ ft2)](0.015424 m3/ s ⋅ m2) of door opening at 0.10 inch (24.9Pa) of water for both the ambient temperature test and the elevated temperature exposure test.
710.5.3 Self- or automatic-closing doors. Where required elsewhere in the code, doors in smoke partitions shall be self- or automatic closing by smoke detection in accordance with Section 715.4.7.3.
– Lori
Hi,
What are service cupboards ( risers ) smoke doors identified as ?
Eg . Electrical cupboard . Communication cupboard ,
Do they need door closers and signage ?
Hi Michael –
Can you tell me more about what’s inside these rooms/cupboards?
– Lori
I was wondering, in a daycare, does a fire door on a furnace room have to swing into the furnace room, or is it acceptable for it to swing out?
Hi Cliff –
I don’t know of a model-code requirement regarding the door swing on a furnace room, but someone recently sent me a document from the state of Illinois which requires inswinging doors on boiler rooms in existing schools. I would recommend checking with your local AHJ to see if there is a local requirement.
– Lori