NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives is the standard that includes detailed information about fire door assemblies. This standard is referenced by the model codes, in addition to the information that is included in the codes with regard to fire doors. The model codes mandate the locations where fire doors are required, and the amount of protection the opening protectives must provide, and NFPA 80 includes more specific information about the construction, testing, and maintenance requirements pertaining to the fire door assemblies.
The walls surrounding certain areas in a building are required to be fire-resistance-rated. For example, exit enclosures for stairwells are typically surrounded by fire-resistant construction, to protect the stairwell as a safe means of egress during a fire. In some applications, fire-resistant partitions separate a room or area from the rest of the building to slow the spread of smoke and flames. An example of this would be an apartment building, where each apartment is surrounded by fire barriers which help to keep the fire contained to the apartment of fire origin, while protecting adjacent apartments and the egress corridor. These fire barriers would be of no value if the openings passing through the walls were not protected by fire door assemblies.
The video below is an introduction to the requirements for fire door assemblies. Most of the concepts addressed in the introductory video are covered in more detail in other segments of the ShortCodes course.
Note: Although the video references the limit of 1-inch diameter holes for job-site preparation of fire doors, this was changed in the 2016 edition of NFPA 80. There is more information about the change in this post. In addition, the video states that deadbolts may not be installed on fire doors, but in limited locations, listed deadbolts may be installed on fire doors along with positive-latching hardware. Refer to this Decoded article for more information about deadbolts.
After watching the video, proceed to the review questions below.
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Review Questions
1. Which standard includes detailed requirements for fire door assemblies?
- NFPA 101
- NFPA 72
- NFPA 105
- NFPA 80
2. Which of the following is true of most fire door assemblies in comparison to the fire-resistance-rating of the walls where they are installed?
- The rating of the door is lower than the rating of the wall.
- The rating of the door is higher than the rating of the wall.
- The rating of the door is the same as the rating of the wall.
3. If deficiencies are found during a fire door inspection, when do they need to be addressed?
- Within 90 days
- Without delay
- Prior to the next inspection
- Within 30 days
Answers: 1 – D, 2 – A, 3 – B