No inspector will approve a DIY door holder.

It needs to be part of a UL Listed fire door electromagnet system, then it would be approved.

Would the inspector approve a wedge that "flattened out" every 15 minutes or if it was on fire?

In the meantime, the key words are "Best Efforts", which means you put a sign on the door that states it is a fire door and must remain closed at all times, if you see one open, you close it and give a written warning to tenant, etc Keep records of those occurances.

If a tenant leaves their's open, it wasn't because you didn't alert them of the fact, and, more importantly, it wasn't because the circuit you designed and installed failed when it caught on fire.

When people lose everything they own, they WILL SUE ANYBODY to get something back. Best to give them as few reasons as posssible.

 

It's all well and good quoting regulations and issuing written warnings, but the tenants have to live with the conditions I provide. If rules make it unbearable (dangerous to get through the door carrying hot food/drinks, a closed door in the summer making the temperature unbearable etc) then that is unfair on them and they shouldn't be expected to comply to inappropriate rules.

I lived in the house for 10 years before the firedoors and I can totally understand why it doesn't work to just impose rules on people that won't work in the real world. Some summers it would have been impossible not to have the door open for circulation.

I think a system that automatically closes when the alarm sounds should be a reasonable sell to the inspector. They have been flexible in the implementation of some of their other rules when I explained the problems involved.

 

Your inspector is either an idiot or you have the strangest fire codes on the face of the earth. What mcgyvr suggested is not his idea, it's AHCA code in every hospital in Florida and I suspect across the U.S. too. We have fire doors throughout the hospital and they are kept open by magnetic door holders 24 - 7. They are all interfaced to the fire alarm system and will release the electromagnets when fire or smoke is detected anywhere in the hospital.

If this system is good enough to be accepted as SOP for hospitals it certainly should suffice for your situation. I suggest you do an on line search for fire door codes in your area, so you'll know if this guy is just blowing wind. BTW, I see little benefit of fire doors without fire walls and ceilings. It's like putting a screen door on a submarine.

 

Your inspector is either an idiot ...little benefit of fire doors without fire walls and ceilings. It's like putting a screen door on a submarine.

Not much of a stretch to assume he's an idiot; look at what you just pointed out. Idiot or not, he wield supreme power and must be obeyed.

I've read stories of people who pised off the inspector, who would then not sign off on anything until they had the plans redrawn by an architect and the work done by a licensed contractor.

 

Not much of a stretch to assume he's an idiot; look at what you just pointed out. Idiot or not, he wield supreme power and must be obeyed..............

I'm not suggesting that he should be disrespectful to the inspector. That's equivalent to smart mouthing a cop when pulled over, it's a no brainer. If he finds the applicable code he can respectfully query the inspector, in its regard, instead of taking his word for it.