After years of extolling the importance of fire doors, this industry has a solid understanding of how vital it is to ensure they are properly installed, maintained and inspected. However, there is still a good deal of uncertainty about making alterations to existing fire door assemblies, including preparation for new hardware and addressing holes left by hardware that has been removed. Before making any potentially costly modifications, be sure to review the codes and understand the protocols and restrictions. NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives (2013) addresses two types of alterations made in the field – job site preparations and field modifications - and it’s important to understand the details of both.
Job Site Preparations
Hardware preparations made on the job site are covered under section 4.1.3 – Appurtenances. The term “appurtenance” is generally used to describe subcomponents of an assembly and, in the case of a fire door assembly, it includes locks, hinges, closers, astragals, and other hardware, as well as glass lights, louvers, and plant-ons.
Preparations for these items are typically done at the manufacturer’s facility as they must be performed in accordance with the manufacturer’s inspection procedure and under label service. Although NFPA 80 does allow some preparations to be made on the job site, they are limited to the following:
- Holes for surface-applied hardware – applied to the door or frame without removing material other than drilling round holes to accommodate cylinders, spindles, and similar operational elements, as well as through-bolts. The maximum diameter for these holes drilled in the field is 1 inch, except cylinders which may be drilled in the size necessary to accommodate the cylinder.
- Function holes for mortise locks
- Holes for labeled viewers
- Maximum ¾-inch wood and composite door undercutting
- Protection plates
Protection plates are generally metal or plastic plates used to protect the door from wear or impact, and are covered in Annex E of NFPA 80. They may be applied to one or both faces of the door, attached by adhesive, screws, or other mechanical means, and when mounted within the bottom 16 inches of the door, they may be field-installed without needing to be labeled. Consult the door manufacturer’s listings before mounting plates above the 16-inch location and be aware that they must be labeled if installed in the field.
Another item addressed by Annex E are plant-ons. These are usually decorative trim, either flat or contoured, and may be made of various materials. However, the standard is not specific about what types of plant-ons are acceptable, where they can be installed, and how they must be attached, so be sure to obtain the prescriptive requirements from the door/frame manufacturer.
Field Modifications
It’s important to understand the difference between job site preparations and field modifications. To help clarify the distinction, the 2013 edition of NFPA 80 added a definition for field modifications: “Changes, not otherwise permitted by this standard, made to a listed assembly or component after it has been manufactured.” This definition, along with additional information in Annex A, makes it clear that the acceptable job site preparations listed above are not considered field modifications.
Field modifications are addressed in section 5.1.4 of the 2013 edition of NFPA 80. For changes made in the field that are above and beyond those allowed as job site preparations, permission may be requested in advance by contacting the manufacturer of the component being modified; the manufacturer will then contact the appropriate listing laboratory with a written or graphic description of the modifications.
One of the most common field modifications is a raceway for an electrified lockset. Although the listing laboratory may allow raceways to be drilled in the field, you should still provide detailed information about how the work will be performed. There is at least one tool and certification program available for drilling raceways.
If the manufacturer of the component being modified is no longer available, the lab may be contacted directly, and an engineering evaluation supporting the field modification may be provided. A field visit from the listing laboratory is not required if permission is granted by the lab. However, if modifications are made without prior approval, the doors and/or frames may need to be re-labeled by the listing laboratory, which will include a site visit and inspection and can be costly.
Filling Holes
Removal of existing hardware sometimes leaves holes in the surface of the door or frame. NFPA 80 requires holes to be repaired either by installing steel fasteners that completely fill the holes, or filling the screw or bolt holes with the same material as the door or frame.
Unfortunately, the standard seems to be addressing only holes from fasteners, and not larger holes such as those left after a concealed closer is removed and replaced with a surface closer. When trying to determine if an existing hole may be covered by a filler plate, or whether covering existing holes with new hardware is sufficient, always contact the door / frame manufacturer to ensure that your solution is acceptable.
It’s important to note that most filler materials are not listed for use in a fire door assembly. However, there is a fire door caulk that has been successfully tested and listed for that purpose that can be used with AHJ approval. A change was made to the 2016 edition of NFPA 80 clarifying that materials listed for filling holes in fire doors are acceptable when installed per the manufacturer’s procedures.
The 2013 edition of NFPA 80 requires fire door assemblies to be inspected after installation and after maintenance work, which would include the types of alterations described in this article. Therefore a fire door assembly inspector will need to verify that no modifications have been made that will void the label, and that there are no open holes or breaks in the door or frame.
Conclusion
Conducting research and planning in advance of performing any work on a fire door is always a good way to avoid problems and costly delays. Although NFPA 80 contains some protocols that must be followed when making alterations in the field, the only way to get definitive answers is to first contact the manufacturer of the component being modified. The listing laboratory may also be of assistance. The door or frame label will contain helpful information to identify the manufacturer and testing lab, along with a number that can be used to obtain more detailed specifications. As always, the Authority Having Jurisdiction may be contacted for further assistance.
Lori Greene, AHC/CDC, CCPR, FDAI, FDHI is the Manager of Codes and Resources for Allegion. To find out more about delayed and controlled egress codes or other hardware issues, visit idighardware.com.
