Fire door inspection that keeps your building ready and your records clean

A rolling fire door has to close on its own

Most of the time a rolling fire door sits coiled up out of sight above an opening. It has one job: when there's a fire, it has to come down and close that opening completely, with nobody touching it.

That automatic closing is triggered by a fusible link that melts at a set temperature or by a signal from the building's fire alarm system. A governor controls the door's speed on the way down so it closes steadily instead of slamming.

The trouble is that a door that sits open for years can quietly stop working. Links get painted over, guides get bent, springs lose tension and storage creeps into the path of the door. Annual testing is how you find that out before a fire does.

Some openings use fire-rated counter shutters instead of full-size doors, at a kitchen pass-through or a service window between rooms. They close the same way and need the same yearly attention.

What NFPA 80 asks of building owners

NFPA 80 is the standard that covers fire doors and other opening protectives. It requires fire door assemblies to be inspected and tested at least annually by a qualified person, and it requires written records of those inspections and tests.

Those records matter. Fire inspectors, insurance carriers and the authority having jurisdiction in your area can ask to see them. A door that works perfectly but has no paperwork can still leave you with a problem during an inspection.

We document each door we inspect and test, including its location, what we checked, what we found and anything that needs correcting, so you have a clear record to hand over when someone asks.

What happens during a drop test

A drop test releases the door the way a fire would. We trigger the release and watch the door come down on its own, confirming that it closes fully, that it travels at a controlled speed and that the bottom bar seats against the floor.

Around the test we inspect the rest of the assembly:

• Labels on the door and frame are in place and readable
• Fusible links are clean, unpainted and correctly installed
• Guides, curtain and bottom bar are straight and undamaged
• The hood and coil area are free of damage and debris
• Nothing is stored in the path of the closing door
• The release device and any alarm connection operate correctly

Resetting the door is part of the job

After a drop test, a rolling fire door has to be reset properly: the curtain raised, spring tension restored and the release mechanism set so the door is ready to close again. A door that was tested and never reset correctly can be worse off than one that was never tested.

We reset every door we test and run it again to be sure it's back in its ready position before we leave. Since a drop test closes the opening, we'll work with you on timing so it disrupts your operation as little as possible.

Repairs that respect the fire rating

When an inspection turns something up, we can usually repair it on the spot or on a return visit: replacing fusible links, straightening or replacing guides, repairing the curtain, adjusting spring tension and correcting the release and closing mechanism.

Fire doors are tested and labeled as complete assemblies. Changes made with the wrong parts, extra holes drilled for signs or hardware, or paint over labels and links can compromise the rating. Repairs should be done by someone who knows how these assemblies are built, which is exactly why Tony and Jake hold their fire door certification.

One crew for every door in the building

Buildings with rolling fire doors usually have overhead doors, rolling steel doors or counter shutters too. Since Tony and Jake are both fire door and rolling steel certified, we can handle the fire door testing and the everyday door service under one call to our office. Call Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, to schedule your annual inspection.

If you've taken over a building and have no idea when its fire doors were last tested, that alone is a good reason to start with an inspection now.