Fire Rated Pocket Door - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

adirusso · 04-20-2009, 07:23 PM

Our architect did not realize that we need fire rated pocket doors in a bathroom that houses a gas fired furnace. Multiply this by ten apartments in a roughed in building and I have a problem.
Anyone know of a available fire rated pocket door??

Thanks.

greg24k · 04-21-2009, 03:56 PM

Why you need a fire-rated door, the bathroom will face the living space...If anything, the wall adjacent to the boiler room should be fire-rated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by adirusso

Our architect did not realize that we need fire rated pocket doors in a bathroom that houses a gas fired furnace. Multiply this by ten apartments in a roughed in building and I have a problem.
Anyone know of a available fire rated pocket door??

Thanks.

**genecarp** · 04-21-2009, 03:59 PM

The bathroom is the boiler room.....G

Century Man · 04-21-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adirusso

Our architect did not realize that we need fire rated pocket doors in a bathroom that houses a gas fired furnace. Multiply this by ten apartments in a roughed in building and I have a problem.
Anyone know of a available fire rated pocket door??

Thanks.

Sounds to me like the architect has a problem.

greg24k · 04-21-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genecarp

The bathroom is the boiler room.....G

dahhh me

It went right over me

Thanks!

Anti-wingnut · 04-22-2009, 10:22 AM

As much as you can, make this the architects problem.

Fact is I do not think there is such a thing as a fire rated pocket door. Fire rated doors are assemblies. They should have closers or bommer hinges to ensure that they are closed except when they are being actively used. And they often will incorporate smoke gaskets around the perimeter.

How can a closer be built into a pocket door? What kind of gasketing will work? I do not think that any manufacturer builds a affordable UL rated pocket door assembly

**Leo G** · 04-22-2009, 10:26 AM

The architect will turn it into someone else's problem. How can it posibbly be the architects fault.

Anti-wingnut · 04-22-2009, 10:32 AM

Well, the architect is going to have to come up with a solution. The entire wall is probably going to have to be ripped up and replaced. I do not think that a pocket door frame can be part of a fire wall assembly

tom m · 04-23-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti-wingnut

Well, the architect is going to have to come up with a solution. The entire wall is probably going to have to be ripped up and replaced. I do not think that a pocket door frame can be part of a fire wall assembly

Im pretty sure you're correct the assemble would leak air. Apartments with a furnace in the bath is messing with my head too. When is that ever allowed? Perhaps an R-1 with a rated corridor. INFO is missing somewhere for sure.

catspaw · 04-23-2009, 06:28 PM

gas fired heaters or boilers in a bathroom or bedroom need to be in a closet with weatherstripped doors and pull combustion air from outside.

macatawacab · 04-23-2009, 06:52 PM

This does not add up to me either. I can't put a gas fired dryer in a bathroom only electric.

Google "UL one hour wall assemblies" and you will find 50 or more configurations but a pocket door assembly will not meet a one hour requirement.

Interesting first post question from someone not listed as remodel or builder

tom m · 04-23-2009, 07:36 PM

He was a drive by poster....... It sparked my interest so I replied. You can have a sealed combustion direct vent water heater if you wanted too......... but a furnace? Either way who would design such a horrible situation. The door has to be self closing and there may actually be unit that automatically draws itself to a tight close. I'm a residiential and the IBC does clarify this possibility.

Gene I like Jim much better than Neil.

**genecarp** · 04-23-2009, 07:46 PM

[quote=tom m;663888

Gene I like Jim much better than Neil.[/quote]

, Neil will hang for awhile, but your vote is noted.

G

Anti-wingnut · 04-24-2009, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macatawacab

Interesting first post question from someone not listed as remodel or builder

He seems to have disappeared. He listed himself as an electrician. Why was he even concerned, unless he himself was the developer?

Depending on how the codes are interpreted, if a fire door is required, it is not too much of a stretch to think that fire dampers will/should/could be required for penetrations through the enclosing walls.

Seems like the architect, GC, mechanical contractor, and the sparky! have a problem

Jason W · 04-24-2009, 08:40 AM

I think it could be done, but you'll need an automatic closer for the fire rated assembly to be correct. That would be costly with a pocket door.

adirusso · 04-25-2009, 04:24 AM

I am both an electrical contactor and developer. The design was questionable from the beginning but I had the archtect put in writing that a fire rated door was not required back in August of last year when I thought that the design was questionable, and now he has made a 180 degree turn and said that it is required. So it is definitely a problem that will required some major work. he has offered his E & O insurance to cover the costs but i never made a claim on that type of policy before and I can assume that the cost of repair will be substantial.
Hence my post.

adirusso · 04-25-2009, 04:26 AM

By the way it is a sealed combustion, direct venting furnace/ with a coil for the Ac condenser.

macatawacab · 04-25-2009, 08:04 AM

Adirusso - you need to post your location. I know code for three states but maybe not where you are.

An architect made a mistake, did a 180, and now offers E&O? Two out of three sound right.

adirusso · 04-25-2009, 10:12 AM

This project is in New York City...

tom m · 04-25-2009, 10:35 AM

Hmmm....So combustion is a non issue. I guess its design places continuity on a party wall or its being classified as incedental use. IBC says any furnace room with equipment of 400,000 BTU or greater needs protection. Most tankless units draw over 200k themselves. That may be why. Good luck, thats a big change order. As you know all the penetrations need special attention too.