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Commercial fire doors are one of the most crucial components of your building. Proper commercial door inspections and maintenance plan will ensure that your entryway functions correctly and your business is prepared for its next commercial door inspection. Just as importantly, keeping your door in excellent condition will prevent you from paying non-compliance penalties.
No business owner enjoys paying maintenance expenses. However, it's a necessary evil to keep your doors working the way they’re supposed to. You can decrease your commercial door maintenance expenses by completing the following checks routinely.
Start by inspecting the edges of your door. If you can see light peeking through, replace your weather stripping.
Keep in mind that issues like drafts will worsen if you don’t replace the weatherstripping. Over time, these conditions can contribute to higher energy bills.
Ensure that the door and threshold are correctly aligned. If there’s an excessive amount of space at the bottom of the door, your entryway will be less secure, and unwanted invaders like moisture and pests will have an easier time finding their way in.
Check for oily residue at the bottom of the closer and the floor underneath. This residue can indicate leakage, which needs addressing to prevent the closer from failing.
If your door no longer stays open on its own, you may have used some object to prop it open as a temporary solution. Unfortunately, makeshift door-holding devices can put pressure on the door’s hinges, leading to future alignment issues.
Keeping the door hinges well-lubricated will help with overall function and potentially increase the lifespan of the hinges.
Next, examine the latch and strike of the locking hardware. When these components fit closely together, your door will seal tighter, decreasing drafts and keeping energy costs low.
Have you changed the batteries in your exit device recently? If the answer is no, it's likely time to change them. Use high-quality, name-brand batteries, as generic batteries sometimes have a shorter lifespan.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) creates safety standards and codes used by local governments to ensure that various buildings are safe. NFPA 80 pertains to the inspection and testing of commercial fire doors. The building owner or manager is responsible for scheduling the test with a qualified inspector.
The inspector will check all doors in your facility individually to ensure that they meet the applicable required codes. You (or the building owner) will be penalized if they notice any violations. The penalties for a fire code violation vary between states but typically include:
The timeframe is often between 30 and 90 days, depending on the violation.
You can prepare your commercial space for a visit from the fire inspector and avoid non-compliance penalties by understanding common fire door violations.
Obstructed entryways are among the most common fire code violations and the easiest to avoid. Remove all tools, equipment, packages, and trash from the entrance. Doing so will give people easy access to the door in the event of an emergency.
Another common violation is not maintaining the fire extinguishers. Ensure a qualified professional regularly inspects and maintains every fire extinguisher. Refill them after each use and annually.
Many commercial building owners expect the exit sign to adequately illuminate the fire exit. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough. Every entrance must have proper lighting at all points along the exit path, allowing patrons to easily see the way out during evacuation.
A professional fire protection company should test all fire alarms and their components yearly. A qualified inspector should also review every aspect of the fire protection system, including the sprinklers, fire pumps, and standpipes.
Furthermore, ensure the fire alarm pull station remains visible and unobstructed. Regularly check smoke detectors to ensure they function properly.
As the building owner, you’ll be expected to keep a written log of each inspection.
Looking for a new fire-rated door to help your business remain in compliance? Contact CDF Distributors today to browse our inventory and find out more about the services we offer.
