Most fire doors that fail an inspection aren’t broken. Something has drifted, been changed or been added, and the door no longer matches the system it was tested as. The good news is that most of these defects are a repair, not a new door. This guide goes through the ten we find most often, what each one looks like, and what fixing it usually involves.
Why small things fail a fire door
A fire door is rated as a tested system: the leaf, frame, hardware, seals and the way it was installed, tested together in a furnace. At each inspection under AS 1851-2012, the Australian Standard for routine servicing, the door is checked against that system and against AS 1905.1, the Standard for fire doors. So a door that looks fine can still fail, because the question isn’t whether it works as a door. It’s whether it’s still the door that was tested.
The ten defects
1. The door doesn’t close and latch by itself
What you’ll see: let the door go from wide open and it stops short, bounces off the frame, or closes without the latch clicking in.
Why it matters: a fire door only works when it’s shut and latched. An unlatched door can be pushed open by the pressure of a fire.
The usual fix: adjusting the closer’s speed and latching action, or realigning the latch and striker plate. Usually a short job. If the closer is slamming or leaking oil, the closer is due for replacement. And if the latch is not retracting properly, that usually means a new lock.
2. A closer that’s been disconnected or taken off
What you’ll see: the closer arm hanging loose, unhooked from the frame, or no closer at all.
Why it matters: the door can’t close itself, which is the first thing it has to do. It’s usually done because the door slammed or was heavy to open.
The usual fix: reconnecting and adjusting the closer so the door closes gently, or replacing a closer that’s worn out or leaking oil with one that belongs to the door’s tested system.
3. The door is propped or held open
What you’ll see: a wedge, a hook, a door stop, a bin or a fire extinguisher holding the door open.
Why it matters: an open fire door protects nobody. This is one of the most common findings, and one of the easiest to prevent.
The usual fix: removing the wedge or hook and filling any holes it left. If the door genuinely needs to stay open, the answer is an approved hold-open device linked to the fire alarm, which releases the door when the alarm sounds or the power fails.
4. Hardware that isn’t part of the tested system
What you’ll see: a handle, lock, closer or hinge that doesn’t match the others in the building, or that was fitted after a break-in or a lost key. Extra fittings, such as a deadbolt, a chain or a second lock.
Why it matters: hardware is part of what was tested. A lock or closer that wasn’t in the test, or a deadbolt that could stop the door latching, takes the door outside its system even if it works perfectly.
The usual fix: replacing it with hardware that belongs to the door’s tested system, and filling the holes the old hardware left in an approved way. See the guide to fire door hardware.
5. Seals that are painted over, damaged or missing
What you’ll see: seals around the edges of the door or in the frame that have been painted, torn, pulled out or are simply gone.
Why it matters: seals that are part of the door’s system have to be able to do their job. Paint can stop a seal from working, and a missing one leaves a gap the test didn’t have.
The usual fix: replacing the seals with ones approved for that door.
6. The gaps around the door are too wide
What you’ll see: light around the edges of the closed door, or a big gap under it. It often follows a door being planed down because it stuck.
Why it matters: AS 1905.1 limits the gaps. Around the top and sides, the average gap between the door and the frame should be no more than 3 mm. Underneath, there should be 3 to 10 mm above the floor covering. A bigger gap lets fire through sooner.
The usual fix: if the gap comes from hinges or the frame moving, adjustment can bring it back. If the door has been cut down too far, it usually means a new doorset, because there’s a limit to how much a fire door can be trimmed.
7. A missing or unreadable tag
What you’ll see: no metal tag on the hinge edge of the door or on the frame, or one that’s been painted over until it can’t be read.
Why it matters: the tag is how anyone can tell what the door is and what it was tested to. Without it, the door can’t be shown to be a fire door.
The usual fix: a missing frame tag can often be put right at inspection, where the frame can be identified. A missing door tag usually can’t, because on a door already in the building its make and history generally can’t be proven. The usual answer is a new, tagged doorset.
8. Holes and cut-outs in the door
What you’ll see: a peephole, a letterbox slot, a pet door, holes left from hardware that’s been moved, or cable run through the door or frame.
Why it matters: every hole is a path for fire that the tested door didn’t have.
The usual fix: small holes from moved hardware can often be filled in an approved way. Larger cut-outs that weren’t part of the tested system usually mean a new doorset.
9. Damage to the door leaf or frame
What you’ll see: a warped, bowed or twisted door, facings coming away from the core, split or broken edges, or a frame that’s bent or loose in the wall.
Why it matters: a damaged leaf or frame may not hold back fire the way the tested one did, and a door that’s warped often won’t close and latch either.
The usual fix: minor frame problems can often be repaired. A delaminated, warped or badly damaged door leaf usually means replacement. See the guide to repairing or replacing a fire door.
10. Changes around the door
What you’ll see: new carpet or tiles laid under the door since it was installed, a missing striker plate, a kickplate coming loose, or the stops in the frame changed.
Why it matters: the door was tested with a particular gap to the floor, and combustible floor covering under a fire door wasn’t part of that test. The frame’s stops and striker plate are part of the system too.
The usual fix: adjusting or trimming the floor covering back, or refitting the missing parts. Worth checking whenever flooring is replaced near fire doors.
What happens after a defect is found
AS 1851-2012 sorts what’s found into three kinds. A critical defect is one likely to stop the door working and put people at real risk. The owner has to be told before the technician leaves, or as soon as possible, and in writing within 24 hours. Other defects, and non-conformances such as missing records, must be reported within a week.
Most of the defects above are fixed in a single visit. The ones that need a new doorset take longer, because the door has to be made to order.