Appeal 33556

716.2.2.3, 716.2.2.3.1

Fire Door Assembly in interior exit stairs are not required to meet temperature rise requirements in buildings with NFPA 13 sprinkler system per 903.3.1.1. Fire resistance rated glazing in excess of 100 square inches shall have a maximum temperature rise requirement in non-temp rise rated door.

Provide temp-rise resistance within opaque portion of door, as opposed to glazing. All components to be 90 minute rated.

The project has several door type "K" interior exit stair doors. The procured type K doors for project whiskers are 3'-0" x 8'-0" 90 minute, hollow metal doors (temp rise rated) with 76"x6" 90 minute relites (non-temp rise rated). The code requirements per 716.2.2.3.1 mandates temp rise rated glass in a door that is not required to meet temp rise requirements. The Building has a full NFPA 13 sprinkler system per 903.3.1.1 and does not require temp rise performance in opaque 90 minute rated interior exit stairway doors.

Doors in the building have been procured with a 90 minute rated, non temp rise/fire protection rated glazing. Proposed design is to provide 90 minute, temp rise performance at opaque portion of door with non temp rise 90 minute rated glazing. Please see attached diagram.

The intent of temp rise requirements seems to be an reduction in radiated heat from a "hot" element that has not structurally failed - the 30 minute temp rise required by 716.2.2.3.1 only accounts for a small time period of its 90 minute rated performance. It is assumed that this is meant to protect egressing occupants from excessive heat exposure during an initial evacuation, and perhaps the early stages of firefighter ingress and response.

Explicit code compliance with 716.2.2.3 and 716.2.2.3.1 creates a scenario that would provide a small 76"x6" (3.2 sf) of temp rise rated relite within the larger remaining 20.8sf of non-temp rise rated hollow metal door. The benefit to occupants or first responders of a small temp rise rated area within a non-temp rise door is unknown. During high heat exposure the heat potentially radiating from the non temp rise hollow metal would likely offset the reduced radiation from the temp rise rated relite. Door operating components and hardware would be within the "hot" portion of the door and would not benefit from the relite's temp rise resistance.

Doors currently installed provide 20.8sf of temp rise rated hollow metal and 3.2sf of non-temp rise rated relite. All components are still 90 minute rated. This provides roughly 6x more surface area with temp rise resistance than the code requires and the scenario above. This provides substantially more protection to occupants and first responders either interacting with or passing by the doors. Please reference the attached diagram for graphic representation.

Providing the temp rise protection at the portion of the door with operating components and hardware also makes the door more useable to occupants or first responders.

As all components within the installed assembly comply with the 90 minute performance requirement of the fire door, there will be no change to the doors theoretical resistance to flame or smoke impingement, and substantially better temperature rise resistance than code minimum. As such we feel that this design provides equivalent or better life safety and fire protection than the code requires.