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Closing off door in condo

jar546

jar546

CBO
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
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Not where I really want to be
I cannot find anything in the IBC/FBC for this situation and don't know if it exists elsewhere such as NFPA 101 or somewhere else. Here is the scenario.

Condo R2 dwelling unit accessible through common interior hallways just like a hotel. Unlike most, with only 1 entry door, this one has 2 with a second one entering into the kitchen. The marker on the outside is on the regular door that enters into the foyer. For a planned kitchen remodel they want to block off the door, frame over it on the inside only in order to reconfigure the kitchen area. From the hallway, you would not know it was blocked but it would not work.

If the door was considered properly rated during construction in the 70's / 80's why would we have to require that the door be removed and the wall on both sided meet the fire rating?

I can see during an emergency the FD making forced entry into a wall void blocked with the back of kitchen cabinets but I can't seem to find anything that would be a code violation. Thoughts?
 
Because that is what the code says to do.

If the door had not been there, it would carry the same rating as the wall.

Door is allowed lesser rating, because of the idea, no combustibles would be against the door.

My call opening shall be same rating as wall
How they achieve that is another story.
 
While the intent of the code is to allow doors to carry a lesser rater than the wall due to the assumed lack of combustible stored adjacent to the door, think if you will about where the fire exposure will now occur.

The exposure risk in the corridor has not changed. It is still a corridor with what appears to be a doorway.

The exposure risk in the dwelling unit has perhaps slightly increased because cabinets (combustible) are located adjacent to the door. However, I would presume that they will fur-in the interior side of the door and hang GWB for a finish. Then the cabinets will be installed. So if you are worried about it, have them use 5/8" GWB in place of 1/2" over the concealed doorway frame. The combination of the single layer of 5/8" and the door will most likely exceed the rating of the existing corridor wall.

From a Fire Dept. perspective, I would request that the door be marked on the corridor side be marked with "THIS DOOR BLOCKED". IFC Section 504.2 requires this at exterior doors, so I would ask that they do the same at the interior doorway.
 
Well, you have to ask yourself, why did they put that second doorway in the unit in the first place? If the unit has a significant floor area that provides an occupant load of over 20, then a second means of egress would be required; or, the common path distance may be exceeded. I do not know what the adopted code was at the time of permit, but you have two options: comply with the current code (not making it any less compliant than it was) or comply with the code adopted at the time.
classicT said:
The exposure risk in the corridor has not changed. It is still a corridor with what appears to be a doorway.
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Depending on the construction materials and elements added on the unit side of the door, the exposure risk probably has changed. The door is the weakest link in that wall as was previously mentioned; however, that means a fire would have quicker access to the concealed construction added behind that door. If wood framing or cabinets are used, the fire would gain access through the door and could spread laterally consuming the combustibles on the other side of the door.
 
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Have seen 2nd exit required, and for some reason they do it through the kitchen.
 
The door may have been installed for a past owner's convenience, especially if similar units don't have one.

If the building is sprinklered the door rating probably isn't an issue.
 
This was my response to my structural inspector who found this and had an issue with it:

Doors have a specific fire rating that is typically less than that of the rated wall that they serve. This particular door serves a fire rated assembly that leads to a common area. Now that this door is not being used as a door, the design professional of record must show that the combination of the existing door, only if the rating of the existing door can be verified with the tag along with the new framing equals the fire separation requirement between the R2 dwelling unit and the common area. In the absence of verifiable data and declaration by the registered design professional of record, we will need a design detail showing the specifics of how the rated assembly will be constructed with the removal of the door. There are plenty of Gypsum and UL rated assemblies to choose from for the RDP.
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As other have mentioned, my first concern would be related to ensuring the full rating is now provided and secondly, that first responders know the door is inaccessible in an emergency.
 
Under todays code the corridor rating is reduced to 30 minutes provided the system was installed with residential heads or quick response heads
 
e hilton said:
I didn’t realize you were qualified for that.
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Not sure what you mean. A B1 or B2 in Florida is called a Structural Inspector but that does not mean they are engineers or special inspectors. Code inspectors are either Structural, Plumbing, Electrical or Mechanical. No other category until you get to plans examiners and building officials. We don't have separate certs for accessibility & energy because they are part of the training and certification of the inspectors.
 
Ok, you have partially answered my question. You said inspectors are either S, P, E or M … thats what I thought, not everyone is qualified in all areas.
 
Did you ask the fire dept for an opinion? Not that a fire dept. opinion would be a code determination but if the fire dept needed to force entry any delay could make a difference. Even a sign would not be much help in a smoke filled corridor. Just say no.

I just found the other thread where you posted the attachment. I disagree.
 
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