OVERVIEW

CLEARBROOK relies on Anderson Lock’s six decades of commercial fire door expertise when scheduling their annual fire door inspections and repairs.

Clearbrook, a facility which provides programs and services to empower adults and children with intellectual / developmental disabilities, helps its residents live their fullest lives possible. After a modest beginning in 1955, Clearbrook expanded to more than 60 locations in 160 communities throughout the Chicagoland area.

To ensure their building occupants would be safe in the face of a fire, as well as to comply with NFPA/CMS requirements, Clearbrook’s Arlington Heights’ Facility Manager, Luke Hardt, recently scheduled their annual fire door inspection.

Jim Didier, one of our knowledgeable, F.D.A.I. certified inspectors, completed the visual inspection and prepared a detailed written report. But simply inspecting fire doors is not enough. The next step is the one that saves lives!

Thus, Clearbrook’s management asked Anderson Lock for an estimate to repair deficiencies in 13 fire doors. NFPA 80 5.5.1 states, “Repairs shall be made, and defects that could interfere with operation shall be corrected without delay.”

Common fire door repairs involve:

  • Adjusting and/or fixing gaps between the door and the frame minimizing the amount of smoke that can pass through
  • Replacing or repairing fire/smoke door seals
  • Replacing missing or broken hardware, especially hinges, strikes and latches on locksets, exit hardware, and door closers
  • Fixing holes in the frame and/or fire door

There are limitations to in-the-field repairs. Modifications beyond what is allowed by NFPA 80 may void the label on a fire door, and require re-certification of the assembly. To assure a “passing grade” on a fire door inspection it is critical to begin the process with a certified fire door inspector, then choose materials and labor from a trusted source like Anderson Lock. Occasionally, the entire opening needs to be replaced with a new fire door, fire-rated frame, and hardware. Usually, though, there are many options to consider when making fire doors code compliant.

Cost-Effective Ways to Complete Fire Door Repairs

The most common as well as the most cost-effective way to complete fire doors repairs is to consider each deficiency and specify retrofit products from different manufacturers. To assure that repairs can be completed “without delay” Anderson Lock stocks:

  • Commercial grade hinges
  • Continuous hinges
  • Fire bolts
  • Panic devices
  • Vertical rod devices
  • Steel astragals
  • Coordinators
  • Kick plates
  • Door fillers
  • Frame fillers
  • Fire door bottoms
  • …and other door safety solutions in our expansive warehouse.

After Clearbrook accepted our quote, our skilled, experienced, and tall technician, Chris Watson, was scheduled to work every day for a week on corridor fire doors in their Purple, Green and Tan Hallways, and on a Rec Room Door. He installed all of the above-listed door hardware products.

For larger facilities with dozens of fire doors, Anderson Lock relies on electronic documentation using fire-door-specific software. Our FDAI inspectors apply a bar-coded label to each door, allowing for easy reference if fire marshals or other authorities ask for proof of inspections, repairs, and maintenance. We offer fire door inspection services according to code for multiple types of facilities.

For more information about scheduling a fire door inspection for your facility, call 847-824-2800.

NFPA 80 2016 Standard for Fire Doors and Other Openings Protectives is the most current national standard. This latest edition continues to mandate annual inspections to meet local building, fire or life safety codes. NFPA 80 compliance is required for accreditation by The Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and to receive Medicare reimbursement. Many insurance companies also require NFPA 80 compliance before they underwrite commercial buildings.