Steve Budde of Greenwood Care sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photo, taken in an apartment building he was visiting. Although I’m a big fan of instructional signage, does anyone see the 4 little problems here? (Spoiler Alert: The answer is below the photo.)
Here is the applicable section from NFPA 80:
4.1.4 Signage. Informational signs shall be permitted to be installed on the surfaces of fire doors in accordance with 4.1.4.1 through 4.1.4.4 or in accordance with the manufacturer’s published listing.
4.1.4.1 The total area of all attached signs shall not exceed 5 percent of the area of the face of the fire door to which they are attached.
4.1.4.2 Means of Attachment.
4.1.4.2.1 Signs shall be attached to fire doors by use of an adhesive.
4.1.4.2.2 Mechanical attachments such as screws or nails shall not be permitted.
4.1.4.3* Signs shall not be installed on fire protection–rated glazing in fire doors.
4.1.4.4 Signs shall not be installed on the surface of fire doors so as to impair or otherwise interfere with the proper operation of the fire door.
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It seems odd that with it being a fire rated door, that I can see over the top of it… With no substrate above the door, it doesn’t seem like the door would do much.
Hi Daniel –
I think what you’re seeing above the sign is a wired-glass vision light.
– Lori
If that is wired glass, how small is that sign?
I think it’s pretty small.
– Lori
guessing by the size of the glass this is not a fire rated door, even though it should be
Hi Joe –
For 20-minute-rated doors, most door manufacturers allow 1296 square inches per light, so this could be a fire door.
– Lori
I see this fairly often! Usually the text on the sign is useful, they just should have been fastened with adhesive. Do you know the technical problem caused by fasteners? My idle curiosity was wondering what would go wrong.
What I’ve heard is that if the sign is attached with adhesive it will fall off during a fire and will not affect the performance of the door.
– Lori
I’d say 5 problems – the 4 screws, and the (even if legal) wire glass.
Possibly was taped in the beginning but when that came loose they used screws not knowing any better
In the words of the installer Oops.!!!!