There are two basic sets of code requirements for glazing in doors and frames. One set addresses the limitations on the amount and type of glazing that can be installed in a fire door assembly. The other set ensures that the glazing is impact-resistant when it is in a location where it could be subject to human impact.
NFPA 80 includes limitations on alterations that can be made to a fire door assembly in the field, to ensure that the doors, frames, and hardware are able to perform as designed and tested throughout the life of the assembly. These alterations are divided into two categories - job site preparations and field modifications.
Requirements for the annual inspection of fire door assemblies initially appeared in the NFPA 80 standard in the 2007 edition. The motivation for this change was the non-code-compliant condition of many existing fire door assemblies, and the likelihood that these deficiencies would affect the ability of the assemblies to perform as designed and tested if a fire occurred.
Swinging fire doors may be hung on butt hinges, continuous hinges, pivot sets (with or without overhead concealed closers or floor closers), or other methods that have been tested to UL 10C and listed for use on a fire door. The requirements for the common types of hanging devices are found in NFPA 80.
For such a simple product, the code requirements that apply to gasketing can be complex and confusing. Here is a simple breakdown with links to articles which provide more information:
Two types of fire door assemblies are now recognized in the model codes - fire-protection-rated assemblies, and fire-resistance-rated assemblies. The fire door assemblies that we are most familiar with are tested to UL 10C or NFPA 252, and have a fire-protection rating.
Photo courtesy of Leslie Miller, Fire Protection Publications.
The requirements related to maximum clearances on a fire door assembly seem pretty straight-forward, but generate a disproportionate amount of questions. In part, this is because it is so difficult (and often expensive) to rectify non-compliant clearances on a fire door in the field, and clearance problems are one of the most common deficiencies found during a fire door inspection. Products have begun to enter the market which are listed for use in repairing doors with excessive clearances, but there are some strict limitations on the amount of clearance, the door material, and the duration of the fire rating.
When a fire door closes, it must latch to prevent it from being forced open by the pressure from a fire. NFPA 80 requires fire doors to have an active latchbolt that can not be held retracted, except in the case of electrified hardware incorporating a mechanism that automatically latches the door if a fire occurs.
NFPA 80 addresses three operational methods for fire doors:
Once you understand the purpose of a fire door assembly, it's easy to see why a fire door needs to be closed and latched when there is a fire. An open fire door can not provide the protection it was designed and tested for...it's like having a gaping hole in your roof and expecting it to protect you from the rain.
NFPA 80 is the Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, and includes detailed information about the requirements that pertain to fire door assemblies. Rather than including each and every fire-door requirement in the model codes, the codes incorporate the requirements of NFPA 80 by reference.
NFPA 80 - Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives includes limitations on protection plates installed on fire doors. The purpose of these requirements is to address the installation of kick plates, armor plates, or stretcher plates that could otherwise affect the performance of the fire door assembly if a fire occurs.
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.
