Fire Rated Door??

[Imagination's Creations]

Ok, so Im expanding to a group home (IL) and a new fire marshal came and says I need a fire rated door down in my basement, which isnt on or wont be used for my new license. Anyone else have to do this???

[Margarete]

I know building code requires a fire rated door and wall between the garage and house, I'm not sure about basements. It makes sense that some of those type of bringing up to code things (like fire alarms in all bedrooms) could be required for upgrading to large. The fire rated wall to the garage I believe has to do with what type of things typically stored in the garage. What type of basement do you have... is it storage, or a part of the home?

[Imagination's Creations]

It's storage. I just dont understand. The whole basement is cinder block except for the stairs leading up to the house. If a fire started down there it would burn through the stairs and floor anyways.

[Cat Herder]

It's storage.

The whole basement is cinder block except for the stairs leading up to the house.

Storage = fuel

Cinder block = oxygen depletion = fire goes out

Fire wants to live + weak doorway = path of least resistance

Path of least resistance + burst of oxygen = ball of happy flames upstairs

Fire works in predictable patterns. The fire Marshall does not get kickbacks from door companies. :::: He is trying to save lives, cut the man a break.

I know they are expensive, but worth it. Your insurance company may even give discounts for having one. Be sure you check with them. happyface

[Imagination's Creations]

Storage = fuel

Cinder block = oxygen depletion = fire goes out

Fire wants to live + weak doorway = path of least resistance

Path of least resistance + burst of oxygen = ball of happy flames upstairs

Fire works in predictable patterns. The fire Marshall does not get kickbacks from door companies. :::: He is trying to save lives, cut the man a break.

I know they are expensive, but worth it. Your insurance company may even give discounts for having one. Be sure you check with them. happyface

I didnt know that, thanks! I was going to put one in anyways. Never questioned him. I just thought it was weird because the stair well is not cinder block. Its all wood and all exposed to the room, so Im wondering what difference is a door going to make when the fire will burn around it to the stairs? Either way, my family lives here too, so if he thinks it will give more time during a fire, Ill do it. Ill have to check into my insurance too!

[Moppetland]

I had to put in a fire door that goes to my basement too. All you have to do is go to Home Depot or something and get those spring hinges. That way the door automatically closes when you come through it. The fire marshal was okay with that.

[Imagination's Creations]

Yeah, we have to have the self shut hinges too. I guess Im just frustrated because we have to custom order the door to fit the opening since our basement is short. It's going to run me almost $900!!

[kelseys kids]

Sounds a lot better than what I have to have. The new fire marshal is enforcing a code that you need overhead sprinklers to watch more than 4 kids. And they have to be through the whole house.

[Margarete]

Sounds a lot better than what I have to have. The new fire marshal is enforcing a code that you need overhead sprinklers to watch more than 4 kids. And they have to be through the whole house.

That's ridiculous. I would ask to see the code. I know they are often required in schools in California, but I think there are exceptions. Family child care home's also should still be considered a residential occupancy, not a 'school occupancy'.

[spinnymarie]

Yeah I saw that, IL too We are going to be USING the basement, so we don't need one, but should we want to use any part of the upstairs I'd have to put one in.
Statistically, many fires do start in the basement, too.

[kelseys kids]

It doesn't matter what part of the house we use the whole house has to have them.