How to Prepare for a Fire Door Inspection: The Ultimate Compliance Checklist

 Why would a fire door fail inspection?

The most common reasons for fire door failure are improper clearances (gaps too wide), painted-over fire labels, and doors that fail to latch or close automatically. According to NFPA 80 standards, a fire door must be self-closing and positive-latching to maintain its life-safety rating.

1. Check Your Clearances (The "Gap" Test)

The most frequent violation found by Fire Marshals is excessive gaps between the door and the frame.

• Top and Sides: The gap between the door and the frame must not exceed 1/8 inch for wood doors or 3/16 inch for steel doors.
• Bottom (Undercut): The clearance between the bottom of the door and the floor cannot exceed 3/4 inch. If your gap is too large, you may need to install a fire-rated door bottom or threshold.

2. Inspect the Fire Labels

Every fire-rated opening must have a legible permanent label (usually a metal tag or an embossed stamp) on the hinge edge of the door and the frame.

• Pro Tip: Never paint over the fire label. If a label is missing or painted over, the door is technically non-compliant, and you may be required to pay for a field recertification.

3. Verify Positive Latching and Closing

A fire door is useless if it stays propped open or doesn't click shut.

• Self-Closing: The door closer must be adjusted so the door closes completely from an open position.
• Positive Latching: The latch bolt must automatically engage the strike plate. If you have to "slam" the door or lift the handle to get it to lock, it will fail inspection.
• Magnetic Releases: If you use magnetic door releases to hold doors open, they must be tied into the fire alarm system so they release immediately upon smoke detection.

4. Hardware Integrity

Inspect all hardware for missing screws or damaged components.

• Fasteners: Ensure all hinges and armatures are secured with high-quality thru bolts (also known as sex bolts) to prevent hardware from pulling out of the door under stress.
• No Interference: Ensure that items like "kick-down" door stops or wooden wedges are removed. Using these on a fire door is a major code violation.

Recommended Hardware for Code Compliance

To ensure your doors pass inspection the first time, use UL-listed hardware designed for fire-rated assemblies:

• Sargent 351 Door Closer: The most durable closer in the industry, designed to ensure heavy fire doors close reliably every time.
• ABH 2300 Magnetic Holder: A fail-safe electromagnetic holder that ensures fire doors release instantly when the alarm sounds.