ALOA AFL key terms

The complete installed unit - door leaf, frame, hinges, closer, latching, and other hardware - that together resists fire when closed and latched. Each component must be listed for the assembly, and inspection covers the whole unit.

A permanently affixed metal or foil tag on a door leaf or frame showing the listing agency, fire rating in minutes or hours, and the manufacturer. It is the primary evidence that a component is a listed fire door product.

The standard governing installation, care, and maintenance of fire doors and other opening protectives. It sets requirements for clearances, latching, closing, labeling, and the annual inspection that keeps an assembly compliant.

The Life Safety Code, which regulates means of egress and protection features in occupied buildings. It works with NFPA 80: NFPA 101 requires the assembly, while NFPA 80 explains how it must be installed and maintained.

Hardware that returns a door to the closed position automatically after each use, without human help. It must fully close and latch the door from any open angle, and it cannot be defeated by blocking or disconnecting.

The condition where the latch bolt or fire exit device engages the strike or keeper far enough that the door stays shut under pressure or a fire hose stream. A door that merely swings shut is not latched.

Exit device hardware listed for fire-rated openings that also provides free egress. It carries both a fire rating and an exit rating, and it must latch positively, unlike hardware listed only for panic.

An exit device that releases with a single motion and limited force, letting a crowd leave quickly. On a fire door it must also be listed as fire exit hardware, because panic-listed hardware alone may not latch.

A spring-and-hydraulic device that closes the door and controls its swing speed. Sweep, latch speed, backcheck, and closing force must be adjusted so the door closes and latches reliably.

A device on pairs of doors that makes the active leaf close before the inactive leaf, so the leaves do not strike each other and both latch. It is needed where an astragal or overlapping seal exists.

A sliding bolt set into the edge or face of an inactive door leaf, engaging the frame or floor when the leaf is closed. It must be extended for the pair to latch, and inspectors check it is not left retracted.

A strip fixed to one leaf of a door pair that covers the gap where the leaves meet, adding smoke or fire resistance. It affects closing order, so a coordinator is usually required.

A resilient or intumescent seal around the door perimeter or meeting edge that limits smoke and hot gas leakage. It must remain intact, flexible, and correctly fitted, not painted over or torn.

A material that swells when heated and seals the gap between door and frame or around glazing. It protects the opening's integrity in a fire and must not be removed, painted over, or damaged.

A glazed opening in a fire door leaf that lets occupants see through while preserving the assembly's rating. Glazing must be listed fire-rated glass installed with the correct glazing compound or bead.

The fixed surround that holds the door leaf, anchors to the wall, and carries the strike, hinges, and label. It must be listed and installed plumb, square, and securely anchored as the listing requires.

A leaf hinge with knuckles, usually two or three per door, sized for the door's weight and labeled for fire use. Missing, broken, or non-listed screws and hinges undermine the assembly's rating.

A full-height hinge that spreads load along the door edge and is common on heavy or high-traffic fire doors. It must be listed, correctly fastened, and free of wear that lets the door sag.

The sill element at the bottom of the opening that the door closes against. It must not be built up or altered in a way that stops the door from closing, latching, or clearing the floor.

The gap at the bottom of the door, measured from the finished floor. NFPA 80 limits it, typically to three-quarters of an inch for non-smoke doors; a raised floor covering can quietly break that limit.

The way a door swings - left or right hand, inward or outward - determined by which side the hinges are on. Correct handing matters when ordering replacement hardware for a fire door.

A magnet that holds a fire door open during normal use and releases when the fire alarm sounds, letting the door close and latch by itself. It must release on alarm and on loss of power.

Fail-safe hardware unlocks when power is lost, which is generally required for free egress; fail-secure hardware locks when power is lost. A door on a required exit must not fail in the locked condition.

An electrified strike that releases the latch when powered, or when power is cut, depending on its design. On a fire door it must be listed for fire use and must not stop the door latching.

The ability to leave through a door without a key, tool, or special knowledge, using one operation and limited force. No lock, access control device, or added hardware may compromise it on a required exit.

The continuous path from any point in a building to a public way: exit access, exit, and exit discharge. Fire doors along that path must swing in the direction of travel where the code requires.

The calculated number of people who may occupy a space, based on its use and floor area. It drives required egress width, exit count, and hardware type, such as panic hardware above certain loads.

An independent organization, such as UL, that tests products to published standards and publishes listings. Its label on a door or hardware item shows the product was evaluated for that fire application.

The official - fire marshal, building official, or designee - who enforces the code and accepts inspections. Reports and repairs should meet the AHJ's expectations, and its local interpretation governs.

A documented yearly check of each fire door assembly, required by NFPA 80, covering labels, clearances, latching, closing, hinges, and hardware condition. Findings must be recorded and deficiencies corrected.

Any condition that prevents a fire door assembly from performing as listed - a missing closer, a painted label, a blocked door, a broken latch. Deficiencies must be reported and repaired, and some require immediate action.

The written record of an inspection: date, inspector, door identifier, tests performed, findings, and corrective actions. It should be clear enough for the owner and the AHJ to act on and keep on file.

Hands-on verification at the installed door: unlatch and let it close, confirm latching, measure clearances, test release of hold-opens, and check hardware operation. It supplements, and does not replace, a careful visual review.

Anything that interferes with the door's swing or closing: stored items, a warped floor, a new lock, or an added stop. Inspectors check the clear swing path and confirm the door closes fully.

Holding a fire door open with a wedge, hook, or object defeats the assembly's purpose. Doors may be held open only by listed release devices that let them close on alarm.

A situation where an inspector's other interests - selling the repairs they recommend, or being employed by the owner - could bias findings. It should be disclosed so the inspection remains objective and trusted.

The professional standards an inspector follows: honesty, competence within one's scope, confidentiality, and reporting findings truthfully regardless of who pays. Violations can cost certification, credibility, and the public's trust in fire door inspections.

The limits of what an inspector is trained and qualified to evaluate. Work outside those limits - engineering judgments, electrical wiring, structural repairs - should be referred to a qualified specialist rather than guessed at.