What is a Fire Door?
From the Doors Series of Articles
According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) the term “fire door” has the following meaning:
- “The door component of a fire door assembly. ”
A “fire door assembly” is defined as:
- “Any combination of a fire door, frame, hardware, and other accessories that together provide a specific degree of fire protection to the opening.” [Emphasis added] reference
The 2009 edition of the International Building Code gives the exact same definitions for the two phrases.
The 10th Edition of the Architectural Graphic Standards, which was published in 2000, at the same time as HUD’s Dictionary of Deficiency Definitions DCD Version 2.3 says that “The suitability of fire doors is determined by tests by nationally recognized testing laboratories.” [Emphasis added] and goes on to illustrate fire door labels. reference
HUD instructs REAC Inspectors to assign a Level 3 rating when certain deficiencies are observed on a “fire door,” so it is important for a REAC Inspector to be able to correctly identify a fire door.
Because a fire door is, by definition, specifically engineered, designed, tested and rated, a REAC Inspector can’t tell that a door is a fire door by just looking at it, by guessing, or by assuming. Simply put, a fire door is only fire door when it’s labeled.
“ . . . one of three levels that reflect the extent of damage associated with each deficiency . . . ”
and
“Based on the severity of each deficiency, the score is reduced.”
[From the author of this website: A property will lose more points with a Level 3 deficiency than a Level 1 deficiency but there are other mathematical factors which determine a deficiency’s point reduction.]
Ramsey/Sleeper Architectural Graphic Standards, 10 edition (April 7, 2000) published by John Wiley & Sons; New York, page 464.
National Fire Protection Agency, New York, New York: NFPA 80 Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives 2010 Edition, sections 3.3.49 and 3.3.50.
Last modified: February 11, 2011
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