It doesn’t feel good to watch the fire inspector walk off after having told you that one or more of your fire doors failed the inspection – but you’re not alone. Information on U.S. fire door failures is tricky to find, but a major study by the UK’s Fire Door Inspection Scheme found that around 75% of fire doors failed to meet standards (check out this infographic for details). People being people, it’s likely the U.S. rates are comparable.
Most inspectors are trained to find problems, not to install or repair doors, so it’s worth calling in a door and lock expert to have a look.
At Anderson Lock, we have four certified fire door inspectors on staff who can both identify failure points and explain how to remedy them.
The key thing to know is that a failed fire door inspection does not automatically mean you have to replace the door or frame or the lockset. Nor does it mean that what looks like a simple fix will actually be simple. Fire doors must be installed and maintained with precision because people’s lives depend on their proper operation.
We know you want to stay compliant and keep your staff and customers safe. Here’s how to proceed after your doors fail an inspection so you can pass the next one.
What to Do After Failing a Fire Door Inspection, In Brief:
- Review the documented failure with a fire door professional.
- Determine whether the fix is an adjustment, repair, or replacement.
- Remedy the failures as soon as possible.
- Document what you did.
- Conduct a follow-up inspection.
Start with the Fire Door Inspection Report
The best place to start is with the inspector’s report, which will list the opening ID, the criteria the door passed, and the failure point(s).
Often, the report will list the problem the inspector observed – e.g., the door sticks in the frame or doesn’t latch properly when it swings shut – rather than the cause of the problem. After all, the inspector’s job is to ensure the opening meets the codes, not to be an expert on doors.
Why You Should Call in an Expert
Some problems can be repaired on-site. Others may require machining off-site. Still others may require replacing hardware or the whole slab.
This is why you should probably call an expert to have a look at the opening. You don’t want to waste time and energy with a DIY fix, call the inspector back, and fail again. Nor do you want to spend the money to replace something that could have been fixed with the proper tools or expertise.
A good door tech will know the difference and can save you time and hassle.
Of course, just like not every fire inspector knows doors, not every technician knows the fire codes. That’s why we invested in training four of our door techs to become certified fire inspectors. They know what remedies will bring your opening back into compliance and which ones will only waste your time.
Read about our work ensuring Clearbrook of Arlington Heights passed their fire door inspection.
Adjusting, Repairing, or Replacing Fire Door Materials and Hardware
In our industry, we don’t think in terms of doors and locks; we think in terms of the whole opening, or assembly. A fire-rated opening works as a system: the hinges keep the slab aligned, the closer controls how the door shuts, the lockset secures the door, and the frame holds it all together with the proper clearances.
A deficiency in one part of this system is often caused by another part.
There are three diagnoses your door technician will give you:
- Adjustment – the component is not damaged but it is not performing correctly. This is more likely for closers and locksets, where some on-site tweaks can get you back in the game.
- Repair – the component is failing because of some damage or defect that can be repaired in such a way as to restore compliance. This is often true of alignment or clearance issues with the frame or worn gasketing or edge seals.
- Replacement – the part is damaged beyond repair, or the repair would still not make the opening compliant.
Don’t Dawdle: Remedy the Situation ASAP
Fire door compliance is not about tedious regulations. It is about ensuring the people in your building can safely exit in case of fire. No one wants to be in the news because they didn’t have compliant doors and someone was hurt or killed because of it.
The inspector may have given you 30 or 60 days to remedy the situation, but it’s best not to wait until the end of that timeline. Even with our in-house hardware pre-installation and frame fabrications, things can still go wrong that delay a project.
So, take proactive steps to fix the issue. It shows that you’re a responsible building owner or facility manager, which builds trust with your tenants and the AHJ.
Document, Document, Document
One of the most important steps in remedying a fire door inspection failure is to document what you did. Keep all your inspections in the same file, ordered by date. Put the remediation paperwork with the report documenting the failure – and then add the new report when you pass the inspection.
Documentation is your job as the owner of the property or the facility manager – don’t expect the AHJ to keep track of things for you.
If you want to be really on top of things, you can create a simple spreadsheet or database with all the inspection report numbers, findings, and remedies. Many database programs will allow you to scan in files and attach them to an entry, but keep paper copies on hand just to be safe. The advantages of a database are that it can make it easier to see the history of an opening or of your inspections, and it is searchable.
Call the AHJ Back for Another Inspection
In order to get that successful report, you’ll need to have the AHJ back to do another inspection. It’s best to make sure the whole opening assembly is completely repaired before you schedule this call, or at least to give yourself a little buffer in case of unforeseen delays with the remediation.
If you work with us, the adjustment, repair, and/or replacement will usually be separate from the follow-up inspection. Our fire-door inspectors may or may not be the ones to make the fix you need. It depends on the nature of the remedy and scheduling.
But regardless of who conducted the initial inspection, you can still have Anderson Lock conduct the follow-up. NFPA guidelines only require that a certified inspector fill out the report and that you file the report with your AHJ.
Anderson Lock Makes Fire Door Compliance Simple
It never feels good to fail, but remedying the situation does not have to be especially painful. We make working with one of our certified fire door inspectors pretty straightforward:
On-site evaluation → Remediation plan → Execution and documentation
Contact us today to start on the path to compliance – so you can get back to business as usual.