LGreene
REGISTERED
I will try to keep this brief, but I want to explain fully. Manual flush bolts are mounted on the edge of the inactive leaf of a pair of doors, and the bolts are projected and retracted with a little lever on the door edge. You often see them on retail entrance doors (the door that you try to push open and it doesn't open).
NFPA 80 - Standard for Fire Doors typically requires positive latching, which would require automatic flush bolts, not manual. There is an exception for manual flush bolts on unoccupied rooms like a storage or mechanical room where allowed by the AHJ. The door closer on that inactive leaf can also be omitted if allowed by the AHJ.
The 1999 edition of NFPA 80 was pretty clear on this, but the 2007 edition makes you hunt around for it and people are asking questions. So, here are my questions for you:
1) Do you have any concerns about using manual flush bolts and omitting a closer on the inactive leaf of a fire door leading to an unoccupied room?
2) Since the standard allows this application "where approved by the AHJ," would you expect the hardware consultant or architect to seek official approval, or is it just part of the plan review? I have specified this application hundreds of times and never had a problem with an AHJ.
I just pulled this out to answer someone's question, so I'll post the NFPA 80 sections below in case you want to reference them:
NFPA 80 - 1999: 2-4.4.5 Where a pair of doors is needed for the movement of equipment and where the inactive leaf of the pair of doors is not required for exit purposes, labeled, top and bottom, self latching or automatic flush bolts, or labeled two-point latches shall be permitted.
Exception: Manually operated, labeled, top and bottom flush-mounted or surface-mounted bolts on the inactive leaf of a pair of doors shall be permitted to be used where acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, provided they do not pose a hazard to safety to life. This provision limits their use to rooms not normally occupied by humans (for example, transformer vaults and storage rooms). The inactive leaf shall not require a closer.
NFPA 80 - 2007: 6.4.4.3 All single doors and active leaves of pairs of doors shall be provided with an active latch bolt that cannot be held in a retracted position as specified in the individual manufacturer’s published listings.
6.4.4.5.1* Manually operated, labeled, top and bottom flush mounted or surface-mounted bolts on the inactive leaf of a pair of doors shall be permitted to be used where acceptable to the AHJ, provided they do not pose a hazard to safety to life.
A.6.4.4.5.1 This provision limits their use to rooms not normally occupied by humans (e.g., transformer vaults and storage rooms).
6.4.1.1* Unless otherwise permitted by the AHJ, a closing device shall be installed on every fire door.
A.6.4.1.1 It is the intent of the standard that most fire doors will have a closing device. However, in limited circumstances the closer might not be necessary because the door leaf is inactive and is normally in the closed position. Examples of such applications include pairs of doors to mechanical equipment rooms and certain industrial areas where an inactive leaf is provided and is infrequently used to permit large equipment to be moved through the door opening. In such instances, the AHJ should be reasonably assured that the inactive leaf normally will be closed and latched. Another example where the AHJ can omit the requirement for a closer involves communicating doors between hotel/motel sleeping rooms. In this instance, when the communicating rooms are occupied by separate parties, the communicating doors are part of the guest room separation and normally would be closed. However, if the suite of rooms is occupied by a single party, the communicating doors are no longer part of the guest room separation because the suite of rooms would be considered a single guest room.
NFPA 80 - Standard for Fire Doors typically requires positive latching, which would require automatic flush bolts, not manual. There is an exception for manual flush bolts on unoccupied rooms like a storage or mechanical room where allowed by the AHJ. The door closer on that inactive leaf can also be omitted if allowed by the AHJ.
The 1999 edition of NFPA 80 was pretty clear on this, but the 2007 edition makes you hunt around for it and people are asking questions. So, here are my questions for you:
1) Do you have any concerns about using manual flush bolts and omitting a closer on the inactive leaf of a fire door leading to an unoccupied room?
2) Since the standard allows this application "where approved by the AHJ," would you expect the hardware consultant or architect to seek official approval, or is it just part of the plan review? I have specified this application hundreds of times and never had a problem with an AHJ.
I just pulled this out to answer someone's question, so I'll post the NFPA 80 sections below in case you want to reference them:
NFPA 80 - 1999: 2-4.4.5 Where a pair of doors is needed for the movement of equipment and where the inactive leaf of the pair of doors is not required for exit purposes, labeled, top and bottom, self latching or automatic flush bolts, or labeled two-point latches shall be permitted.
Exception: Manually operated, labeled, top and bottom flush-mounted or surface-mounted bolts on the inactive leaf of a pair of doors shall be permitted to be used where acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, provided they do not pose a hazard to safety to life. This provision limits their use to rooms not normally occupied by humans (for example, transformer vaults and storage rooms). The inactive leaf shall not require a closer.
NFPA 80 - 2007: 6.4.4.3 All single doors and active leaves of pairs of doors shall be provided with an active latch bolt that cannot be held in a retracted position as specified in the individual manufacturer’s published listings.
6.4.4.5.1* Manually operated, labeled, top and bottom flush mounted or surface-mounted bolts on the inactive leaf of a pair of doors shall be permitted to be used where acceptable to the AHJ, provided they do not pose a hazard to safety to life.
A.6.4.4.5.1 This provision limits their use to rooms not normally occupied by humans (e.g., transformer vaults and storage rooms).
6.4.1.1* Unless otherwise permitted by the AHJ, a closing device shall be installed on every fire door.
A.6.4.1.1 It is the intent of the standard that most fire doors will have a closing device. However, in limited circumstances the closer might not be necessary because the door leaf is inactive and is normally in the closed position. Examples of such applications include pairs of doors to mechanical equipment rooms and certain industrial areas where an inactive leaf is provided and is infrequently used to permit large equipment to be moved through the door opening. In such instances, the AHJ should be reasonably assured that the inactive leaf normally will be closed and latched. Another example where the AHJ can omit the requirement for a closer involves communicating doors between hotel/motel sleeping rooms. In this instance, when the communicating rooms are occupied by separate parties, the communicating doors are part of the guest room separation and normally would be closed. However, if the suite of rooms is occupied by a single party, the communicating doors are no longer part of the guest room separation because the suite of rooms would be considered a single guest room.