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Glazing in 60 min. Stairwell door

Fort

Silver Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Messages
128
Location
California
3 story

Type V-A

R2 apartments in CA,

60 min rated door to stairwell,

4x24 inch vision glazing.

Question: Does glazing need to be installed as part of the UL listed assembly for the door?

Sometimes the door is shipped preglazed, other times just a door with a hole in it.

Local glass shop then supplies the rated glass and a carpenter installs. So question arises...
 
The glass needs to be part of the rated assembly that was tested. Is the local installer insatlling the correct glass? is the local instaler using the proper caulks and sealant for the the pane if required?
 
715.4.4.1 Glazing in doors. Fire-protection-rated glazing in excess of 100 square inches (0.065 m2) shall be permitted in fire door assemblies when tested as components of the door assemblies and not as glass lights, and shall have a maximum transmitted temperature rise of 450°F (250°C) in accordance with Section 715.4.4.
 
A door manufacturer has a procedure the he is required to follow in order to rate their door assemblies. This procedure cannot be deviated from, or the fire label is void.

It is acceptable to MOST manufacturers that the rated assembly be comprised of components from different vendors: that is to say, it is acceptable (to all manufacturers that I know of) that the glazing be done on site, as long as the glazing material is listed in their procedure manual.

IN GENERAL, as long as the glazing meets ANSI Z97 and CPSC 16CRF 1201 Cat I and II it will be okay. BOTH of these marks must be on the glazing.

Then, other particular issues begin: Positive pressure/Neutral Pressure? Temp rise? Lock/Lite conflict?

You can make yourself nuts trying to figure all of this out. Temp rise is probably the biggest thing to watch and worry about.
 
Thanks, you've confirmed that the particular case I am referring to does not need to be part of the tested assembly, since it is less than 100 square inches.
 
Fort said:
Thanks, you've confirmed that the particular case I am referring to does not need to be part of the tested assembly, since it is less than 100 square inches.
But

As Doorman Stated Most door manufacturers Void the listing if you alter their door

If you alter the door, you no longer have a rated door.

Don't alter the door without the door manufacturers approval
 
You just need to follow their written instructions for glazing installation...not a problem.
 
Fort said:
You just need to follow their written instructions for glazing installation...not a problem.
If the door manufacturer gives written instructions for glazing installation.
 
Glazing the door leaf is not an alteration; neither is field applied finish nor surface applied door closer.

You have a good point about supplied instructions. While manufacturers do a very good job of it, some vendors or distributors are not quite as diligent about this as they should be.
 
To expand on the subject:

There are two entities at play in this supply chain of fire rated doors: The manufacturers, and the distributor. Any one manufacturer designs, tests, and manufactures certain components. There are very, very few manufacturers that are single source for everything that is required of a fire rated assembly (I can't think of any other than vault doors). The wood door manufacturer, for example, doesn't make glazing or hinges or exit devices. These varied items are scheduled and acquired by a distributor (the door guy) for specific applications.

If any of these items supplied for an opening are not U.L. listed (or ULC or WH or...), or are not included as a part of the door and frame manufacturers' fire door procedure manual, then the entire opening fails. The chain is as strong as the weakest link. A hollow metal frame in a CMU wall may be labeled as 3 hour, but when you hang a 20 min door in that frame, the rating of the opening becomes 20 min.

I believe that as an inspector, it would drive you nuts trying to confirm all of this. Are those chrome plated brass hinges? Fail. Okay, steel hinges but you used brass screws? Fail. The glazing tape used is FGS3000S45, you didn't use FGS3000S90 in this 60 min door? Fail.

This is why doormen everywhere drink. :cheers
 
Doorman said:
This is why doormen everywhere drink. :cheers
And DoorGirls! :agree

Just to make things interesting, the 2010 edition of NFPA 80 includes this:

"4.4.3.1* For new wood doors, glazing materials in vision panels shall be installed in labeled glass light kits or in accordance with the fire door listing and shall be installed in accordance with inspection service procedure and under label service.

A4.4.3.1 The 2010 version of NFPA 80 has been modified to now require that new wood fire doors have the glazing and light kit installed at the door manufacturer or under that manufacturer's label service. This ensures that all components of the glazed assembly in the new wood door have been properly installed per the manufacturer's follow-up service procedure."

I don't know whether "under label service" would include field installation. I was told that for wood doors the glass would now have to be installed at the factory. I also don't know why hollow metal doors would have different requirements than wood.
 
I don't really know about DoorGirls, but I figured you'd set us straight!

"A4.4.3.1 The 2010 version of NFPA 80 has been modified to now require that new wood fire doors have the glazing and light kit installed at the door manufacturer or under that manufacturer's label service."

I was unaware of this change. I'll have to be certain our design professionals watch for it.

The phrase "under label service" would include second location manufacturing facilities, Door Guys. But this would preclude field glazing, as label service is restricted to a physical street address.
 
Lori, I have a question for you regarding your comment.

I searched the 'net for NFPA 80 4.4.3.1, and I find:

Vision panel kits consisting of multiple pieces (stick kits) shall be installed by the manufacturer of the door or a distributor with inspection service procedure under label service. Installation of two piece metal vision panel kits shall be permitted in the field. It is explained... However, it is totally unnecessary when two piece metal kits are involved since those are made to fit only the cutout in the door and when glass is furnished, it can only fit those kits. The installation of two piece metal kits are routinely and properly installed in the field without special training or qualifications. This is the NFPA document from where I got this.

So, the question is...
 
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