garage pedestrian door

12/23/2021

Safety and appearance are likely the two things that most people consider when choosing an exterior door. Protection from intruders is important and everyone wants the best-looking door in the neighborhood, but many people don’t realize that the door separating the house and an attached garage should also be of exterior grade. The reason for this is not only to protect against the outside temperatures and intruders, but also the risk of fire entering the home from the garage. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) states that about 3% of structure fires start in an attached garage. It is important to note that even though the percentage is low, garage fires tend to be very hot and can spread very quickly to the house if not detected early.

The International Residential Code (IRC) requires that the door separating the garage to the home must be 20-minute fire-rated. This means that the door has successfully passed a test in which it has been subjected to fire, without the use of a hose stream, for 20 minutes without the fire breaching through to the other side.

One of the most common deficiencies found in fire rated doors are “Doggie Doors”. These openings are very convenient for pet owners, but any opening in a fire rated door voids its fire rating. Several manufacturers advertise a fire safe door but if air can pass through the opening, so can fire. The other factor to consider is that any window in the door must be constructed with glass that is also fire rated to retain the overall door’s fire rating.

Do you have a question or concern about the fire rating of your garage door or wall between your garage and the interior? Contact a CAI Home Inspector to speak with a licensed home inspector that can help guide you on best practices and repairs.