Why Install Screw Plugs for Doors at Your Facility

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:

• Independently tested and certified plugs
• Plugs with multiple size options to fit various door frame openings
• Plugs designed to fit seamlessly in the doorway without interrupting the door’s movement when opening and closing 
• Snap-in options for non-screw installations
• Plugs designed for broad code compliance requirements
• Custom order options for large quantity orders or non-standard dimensions

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. 

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