Rolling fire doors exist to protect your commercial building and the people inside it from harm in the case of an emergency. As such, each commercial building must meet certain safety standards. If your business has a rolling steel fire door, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines require you to have it inspected and tested at least once a year.
A rolling steel fire door drop test must be performed by a trained garage door technician who has complete knowledge of your business’ type of fire door. Different checks will be performed during the test to ensure your commercial building is protected against the spread of smoke and fire from the inside out.
Visual Inspection
A certified technician will visually inspect the entire garage door system to identify anything that could affect the operation or resetting of the door. Guides, curtains and endlocks, bottom bars, hoods, and operating mechanisms will be thoroughly examined during this part of the test. If anything is found lacking, it must be addressed before the test can continue.
Operational Check
After visually inspecting the entire system, the technician will then ensure that all operating mechanisms, fuse links, and release chains and cables are not painted, coated with dust or grease, or covered with debris. The technician will then watch the door open and close.
If the door is imbalanced or malfunctioning in any way, it will need to be fixed at that time, and any damaged parts must be replaced. The door must function properly once the operational check is complete before the drop test can be performed. If it does not, the door will fail the test.
Related Article: 7 Signs of a Trustworthy Garage Door Repairman
Drop Test
The drop test is performed in order to make sure your fire door will close on its own in case of an emergency. It must be performed twice: once to verify that the door is operating and closing correctly and a second time to ensure the automatic closing device was properly reset. The fire door needs to close completely and rest on the sill, and the closing speed must be between 6–24 inches per second in order for the door to pass the test.
Documentation
A standardized drop test form is used to record all results throughout the examination. This, and potential additional paperwork, must be filled out for your records. A verification letter will also be sent, if necessary.
Signing a service contract with a certified and qualified professional allows you to have all your commercial doors inspected and tested on a regularly basis, increasing the chances that each rolling door will pass the annual drop test with flying colors. During these scheduled maintenance checks, the technician will ensure all of your garage door systems are in perfect shape and correct anything that could cause damage to the door or any part of your system.
At Doors by George, our experienced technicians are well versed in safety practices, up to date in industry training, and knowledgeable about the latest garage door products and service tips. Subscribe to our blog today to get ongoing expert information to keep your garage door up to code and running smoothly!
