The Guide for Selecting Great Screw Plugs for Doors in Your Building 

In some large facilities, doors need to be replaced frequently. Doors wear out from use. Sometimes they need to be replaced to meet new building code requirements.

 The door frame, however, typically goes unchanged. As a result, holes in the door frame occasionally need to be addressed in order to maintain a fire-safe facility. 

Why Install Screw Plugs in Doors?

Door frame screw plugs improve fire safety and keep your facility in line with certain building code regulations. Here are a few reasons why it’s important to plug up any openings in your door frames. 

Door Frame Openings Pose a Fire Risk

Holes in the door frames from older installations can pose a fire hazard by creating an additional opening for smoke and flames to travel through in the event of a fire. This can significantly accelerate the spread of a blaze. Fires that travel quickly from room to room may cause extreme property damage before the local fire department can arrive on the scene. 

Fire doors are designed to prevent the dangerous movement of fire and smoke. These doors are given a fire-resistance rating and they’re a critical component of a facility’s fire safety. 

Gaps and holes in a fire door or its door frame compromise that capability. Installing frame plugs restores the effectiveness of a fire door by sealing up holes that fire and smoke could otherwise travel through. 

Old Frame Plugs Might Need to be Replaced or Upgraded

Most frame plugs are built to last, but everything wears out eventually. Frame plugs withstand years of friction caused by the opening and closing of a door. In time, plugs wear out and need to be replaced. Upgrading to the finest-quality frame plugs ensures that they will last even longer after a new installation. 

Local Building Codes Might Prohibit Excessive Door Frame Openings

Depending on where your building is located, local building code regulations might require you to cover any excess door frame openings. The easiest way to accomplish this is by installing a fire-rated door frame screw plug. 

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes fire safety codes and standards that are widely adopted around the world. The requirement stated in 2019 NFPA-80 5.2.3.5.2 (2) for fire doors is as follows: “No open holes or breaks exist in surfaces of either the door or frame.” 

What to Look for in a Great Screw Plug for Your Fire Door

Is it time to buy some new door frame plugs? Here’s what to look for:

Find a supplier that meets the criteria above and you’ll know you’re dealing with a team of fire-rated door safety pros. 

Safety Upgrades for Your Fire Doors

Active Fire Door Products provides fire-rated door accessories. Our products help you to establish fire-safe doorways that contain the spread of smoke and flames in the event of a fire. 

If your facility has a door frame with holes from older installations, this can result in a fire hazard or a building code violation. To remedy this issue, shop our selection of snap-in and screw-in frame plugs. Our plugs are Intertek-tested and certified for up to 90 minutes of extra fire protection. 

Door frame plugs from Active Fire Door Products improve your facility’s fire safety and code compliance. Our frame plug products meet the code requirements of UL 10C, UBC 7-2, NFPA 252, and NFPA 80. 

If you have customer order requirements, click here. 

When it comes to fire safety, most workplaces have room for improvement. Office spaces are no exception. 

Does Your Office Contain Fire Safety Hazards?

When a fire starts in an office, it can grow quickly if not properly contained. Common equipment like wooden furniture, paper, and drywall can all contribute to the spread. 

To keep your workplace protected, here are our top 10 office fire safety tips: 

Proper Cigarette Disposal

Most offices in the US don’t permit indoor smoking. However, many employees take outdoor smoke breaks. If cigarette butts aren’t properly disposed of, they could catch fire in a trash receptacle or a patch of leaves. 

To prevent a cigarette fire, provide a safe disposal solution such as a smokers’ pole. Clean it out regularly and provide information on proper use. If butts build up inside a receptacle and a lit cigarette is added, the inside of the receptacle can catch fire. 

Manage Flammable Materials Safely

Depending on your industry, your workplace may contain flammable liquids, gases, and other hazardous materials. Store them in dry, secure, and temperature-compliant spaces. Restrict access to those areas to authorized personnel only. 

Regularly inspect flammable materials containers and be sure to promptly address any structural issues within the containers and their storage spaces. 

Don’t Daisy Chain Cables

Daisy chaining is the practice of connecting multiple extension cords or power strips together to reach an outlet. This can cause a power surge that could result in an electrical fire. 

Instead of daisy chaining, invest in extension cords that are long enough for use without additional connections. Regularly inspect your cords and outlets to ensure that they aren’t damaged, broken, or sparking. 

Mind Your Space Heaters

Many office spaces contain large, wide-open areas that tend to get quite cold. Some employers permit their staff to bring in space heaters to warm up their immediate areas. 

If a space heater is left on, it can overheat and cause a fire. So, ensure that they’re always turned off before locking up for the night. Establish a policy that ensures that someone is always responsible for confirming that all space heaters and similar appliances have been turned off at the end of each day. 

Check Your Fire Extinguishers

Check that your office fire extinguishers have not expired. If they have, replace them as soon as possible. If a fire breaks out and you don’t have a working extinguisher, the risks for safety hazards and property damage will be much higher. 

Dust Often

Dust is highly combustible. Allowing dust to accumulate on indoor surfaces creates a fire hazard. Make sure that your maintenance crew dusts surfaces and air vents frequently to prevent buildup. 

Test Your Smoke Alarms

Test smoke alarms often. Include testing with regularly scheduled events to be sure that it gets done. The best time to test your alarms is after regular business hours so that the noise doesn’t create a distraction. 

Safe Kitchen Management

A common office fire hazard is overheated food catching fire in a workplace oven or microwave. To prevent a kitchen fire from catching or spreading, take these steps:

Well-Lit Exit Signs

Your building exits should be clearly highlighted throughout the workplace. Whether you use highly visual signage, light-up signs, or another method, make sure everyone knows where the fire exits are so that a speedy evacuation could occur in the event of a fire. 

Close the Gaps in Your Doors

If a fire breaks out in an individual office, smoke and flames can quickly spread through the doorway if the door is not properly protected. That’s why all interior doors should be fire-rated doors. 

Fire-rated doors are more likely than regular doors to withstand fire damage and help contain the spread of a blaze. 

Some doors have gaps that could increase the risk of a fire escaping a room and spreading throughout a building. To combat this hazard, Active Fire Door Products offers a wide range of fire-rated door accessories to fill in doorway gaps. 

Closing doorway gaps helps secure your building against the spread of a fire. Thus, property is better protected and first responders are more able to arrive in time to limit a fire’s damage. 

Office Fire Safety Upgrades

Fill in your office’s doorway gaps to prevent the spread of smoke and flames. Visit the Active Fire Door Products online store for gap fillers, strike extensions, and frame plugs to help protect your workplace. Contact us any time to discuss your workplace fire safety solutions.