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Annual Testing Is Required, Even for Doors That Never Move
NFPA 80, which Florida adopts in its Fire Prevention Code, requires rolling fire doors to be inspected and tested at least once a year, and that includes doors that stay closed and never get used. Guaranteed Garage Doors & Repair can coordinate fire door testing with your scheduled overhead door maintenance across the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches, so both get handled together for further savings.
This page covers rolling steel fire doors: overhead doors designed and tested to close automatically and provide the fire protection shown on the fire door label.
What a Rolling Fire Door Inspection Covers
A fire door has one job it has to do on its own: close completely when the building needs it to. The visual inspection comes before the operational check and the drop test, and it covers:
- Damage to the guides, curtain and endlocks, bottom bar, hood and operating mechanism
- Fuse links and release chain or cable that are painted, coated in dust or grease, or covered in debris
- Flammable materials stored on either side of the fire wall opening
- A full open and close cycle to spot damaged parts
Problems found in the pre-test inspection get corrected before the drop test. That cuts the risk of a failure during the test itself.
How the Drop Test Works
The drop test proves the automatic closing feature actually works. The door starts fully open, the release is triggered, and the door has to close completely and rest on the sill. NFPA 80 caps the average closing speed at 24 inches per second, with a minimum of 6.
Every door gets dropped twice: once to confirm it closes fully, and again to confirm the automatic closing device was reset properly. The results go on a written record, and DASMA publishes a standard drop test form for it.
One thing worth knowing going in: parts can fail during a drop test through no fault of the technician, and those repairs aren't part of the test. DASMA recommends putting the cost of the inspection and drop test in the service agreement.
Who Should Test Your Fire Doors
DASMA says drop tests, resets and repairs should be done by a trained door system technician with complete knowledge of that type of fire door and the manufacturer's instructions. Repair parts have to come from the original door manufacturer, and a repaired door has to be tested again.
Fire Door Testing on Your Maintenance Schedule
Fire door testing can be coordinated with your overhead door maintenance, so both happen on the same visit. Our maintenance plans come in quarterly, semi-annual, and annual options, with automatic scheduling and convenience reminders.
The same visit can cover the rest of your overhead doors: lubricating rollers, tracks, hinges, and counterbalance assemblies, adjusting counterbalance and motor settings, tightening or replacing fasteners, and checking for worn parts.
If a maintenance visit turns up a problem, we'll tell you right away and prepare a proposal for the repair.
Buildings We Serve
DASMA writes its fire door guidance for facility managers. Our commercial door service covers facilities like these:
- Warehouses and storage facilities
- Service bays
- Retail back-of-house
- Multi-tenant properties
Keeping Fire Doors Ready Between Inspections
The annual test is the minimum. DASMA says fire doors must be checked regularly for conditions that could affect how they operate, and a lot of that is housekeeping your staff can handle: keep fuse links and release chains clean and unpainted, and keep flammable materials away from both sides of the fire wall opening.
Coastal buildings need a closer eye. Humidity and salt air are hard on doors, tracks and hardware, and a fire door that sits closed for months is still exposed to all of it.
Fire Door Inspection FAQs
Is annual testing actually required, or just recommended? Required. NFPA 80 and the model codes call for fire doors to be inspected and tested to show proper operation, full closure and proper reset.
Can our maintenance staff adjust the door after a test? No. Rolling door counterbalance assemblies are under extreme spring tension, and DASMA says to call for service rather than adjust the tension wheel.
What happens if a door fails the drop test? It needs repair with parts from the original door manufacturer, and it has to be tested again once the work is done.
Our fire doors never get used. Do they still need testing? Yes. The annual requirement applies to every fire door, even one that stays closed all year.
Where do you work? We work from offices in Jupiter, Stuart and Port St. Lucie and serve homeowners and businesses throughout the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches.
Why Facility Managers Choose Guaranteed Garage Doors & Repair
- More than 20 years of experience
- Licensed, bonded, and insured, Florida State License SCC131154032
- An A+ Better Business Bureau rating
- A guarantee on our parts, our service, our workmanship and our price
More Commercial Door Services
Coordinate Your Annual Fire Door Testing
Coordinate your annual fire door testing with a maintenance plan anywhere on the Treasure Coast and in the Palm Beaches. See our commercial door repairs, or check our loading dock doors while we're on site. Running a community? Look at our community association programs, then get in touch today.
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