Fire rating for exterior doors?

[Linda]

If the exterior walls of a building are not required to be rated, do any of the exterior doors have to be rated? We have an electrical equipment room which has to be 1-hr. rated, and its only door opens to the exterior. Door swings out. I've just never seen a requirement for an exterior door to be rated.

Thanks

 

[globe trekker]

Linda,

Welcome to the Building Code Forum!

What codes are you using? Why the 1 hr. rating of the electrical room? How

close is the nearest property line to those exterior doors? Thanks!

.

 

[Linda]

2010 California Building Codes, property line is >30' away from the walls and those doors. Electrical consultant says the electrical room has to be 1-hour; I assume due to Calif. Electrical Code.

 

[Codegeek]

The one hour separation for the electrical room applies to separate uses adjacent to it in an effort to protect the electrical equipment, not to the exterior walls. Exterior walls are not required to be rated like interior walls if the exterior walls do not have to be rated for other reasons like distance to property lines or type of construction.

 

[Linda]

The one hour separation for the electrical room applies to separate uses adjacent to it in an effort to protect the electrical equipment, not to the exterior walls. Exterior walls are not required to be rated like interior walls if the exterior walls do not have to be rated for other reasons like distance to property lines or type of construction.

So, if the exterior walls don't have to be rated, and we are not too close to the Prop. Line., then the exterior door would not have to be rated, right?

What if the wall DID have to be rated, like for a V-A, II-A, etc. building? The DOOR would still not have to be rated if opening protectives were not required, right?

 

[Codegeek]

So, if the exterior walls don't have to be rated, and we are not too close to the Prop. Line., then the exterior door would not have to be rated, right?

Correct, provided the opening does not have to be protected per Table 705.8 based on distance to property lines. If the opening is greater than 20 feet to the property line, it does not have to be protected assuming the building is sprinklered. If the building is not sprinklered, the opening will have to be protected if it is less than 30 feet to the property line.

What if the wall DID have to be rated, like for a V-A, II-A, etc. building? The DOOR would still not have to be rated if opening protectives were not required, right?

The opening would still have to be protected per Table 715.4.

 

[Linda]

Correct, provided the opening does not have to be protected per Table 705.8 based on distance to property lines. If the opening is greater than 20 feet to the property line, it does not have to be protected assuming the building is sprinklered. If the building is not sprinklered, the opening will have to be protected if it is less than 30 feet to the property line. The opening would still have to be protected per Table 715.4.

Thanks, Codegeek! By the way, altho I am a Californian now, I got my Bach. of Architecture from KSU many eons ago.....

 

[Codegeek]

I got my Bach. of Architecture from KSU many eons ago.....

I'm a KSU grad too and eons ago as well. My son is a student there now!

 

[Linda]

I'm a KSU grad too and eons ago as well. My son is a student there now!

Small world -- go Wildcats!

 

[RLGA]

For this, you may have to look at the National Electrical Code. Rooms with transformers (i.e. vaults) are required to be a minimum of 1-hour construction with a 1-hour door if a fire protection system is installed (otherwise, it's required to be of 3-hour construction and a 3-hour door).

However, the NEC only require the door to be protected it leads to the interior of a building. They do state that the requirement may apply to exterior doors if the AHJ believes it is warranted.