smoke seals

[cda]

Not a smoke seal person, and I do not have to approve this specific installation,

But

1. has anyone seen smoke seal pocket doors??

2. has anyone seen where someon has come in a retro a door for smoke seals

any other info on smoke seals would be welcomed

 

[Yikes]

I haven't seen smoke seal pocket doors (except that you could technically call a Won-Door a smoke seal pocket door).

The diffculty is in getting the seal to operate without too much friction on the door. That's why elevator doors are unable to have smoke seals - -the friction prevents the gravity operation of the door closing.

There may be a specialty intumescent seal that could work, but I don't know the number of operations after a fire before the seal "wears out". Check out this company:

http://www.zerointernational.com/catalogpage.aspx?page=65

 

[LGreene]

I've never seen a pocket door with smoke seals but one way to help minimize smoke transmission would be to add trim to the jamb on the "latch side" that the door is against when it is closed. I don't know if I'm explaining this well but it's what we sometimes do when we want to use a strike that projects out from the jamb (aka "pocket ripper") - we put two pieces of vertical trim so the edge of the door sits between them and it wouldn't be a straight shot for smoke to pass. You could also put a piece of compressible gasketing in that space. If you want a seal for the head that touches the door as it slides, the material that will provide the least resistance and hold up to the constant movement is angled nylon brush but it's not the best material for controlling smoke. If the track was recessed into the frame head - again, you wouldn't have a straight shot for smoke and you might be able to do something with gasketing that was hidden. You could use an intumescent material as Yikes recommended, but it wouldn't help with the smoke until it heated to a high enough temperature, so that might be too late.

I just started on a research project today regarding "smoke doors" because people ask about them almost daily. I did one blog post about smoke gasketing (not particular to pocket doors), which you can read here: http://www.ihatehardware.com/2009/05/smoke-gasketing/

The document that I mention in the post is available here: http://www.pfpa.com.au/docs/doors/9-performanceofdoorstosprinklercontrolledfirescenario-johnrakic.pdf

It's the only test report I've seen that demonstrates how much smoke passes through a typical door opening with and without gasketing.

 

[Coug Dad]

Why would you need a smoke seal on a pocket door?

 

[cda]

Coug Dad

very long story, but

residental asitedliving trying to get blessed by the state, state is not much help with what they require, and will not do a pre facility inspection,

so owner has two houses and had pocket doors installe so door swing would not block a few things, to include wheel chair movement

amd owner sprinkles and fire alarm system with smokes everywhere and all rooms except one had an additional door to the outside installed.

state does thier inspection ans says pocket doors are no good, wants them to latch and smoke resistant, so owner is trying to hit a compormise short of replcaing the doors.

I am not the state!!!!!!!!!!!!