The Hague Condo Association

DCA

Door Closers

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Taken from Technical Bulletin No 2

Question: N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.11(1)2 refers to “listed closing devices.” How do you determine if a closing device is listed? Also, what is the difference between a “self-closing” and an “automatic closing device”?

Answer: Equipment is “listed” if it appears in a list that is published by a nationally recognized testing laboratory that makes periodic inspections of the production of such equipment and which states that such equipment meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found safe for use in a specified manner.

Often, listed equipment is “labeled” with a plate, tag, or other device that is permanently and
prominently affixed to the equipment, indicating that it has been tested and evaluated by a recognized agency. This labeling provides a way to determine if the equipment is listed. Where such labeling is not found on a closing device, the owner shall provide documentation verifying that the device is listed.

The difference between a “self-closing” and a “automatic closing device” can be explained by
utilizing the following definitions taken from the ICC International Building Code:

  • Self-Closing: As applied to a fire door or other opening protective, it usually means closed and equipped with an approved device that will ensure closing after being opened for use.
  • Automatic: As applied to fire protection devices, automatically refers to a device or system that provides an emergency function without the necessity of human intervention and is activated as a result of a predetermined temperature rise, rate of temperature rise, or increase in an automatic sprinkler system, automatic fire door, etc.

Question: N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.11(1)3, refers to “approved door closers”. What is considered an approved door closer? Will a list of such devices be issued?

Answer: An approved door closer is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. When performing fire-safety-related inspections, you must determine if the installed device is
acceptable.

According to the Division of Fire Safety, a device that will easily close an opened door without
applying additional manual force is acceptable. Additional items to be considered when determining acceptability are whether the closer device is of a type that will not require above-normal maintenance to function correctly at all times, and that the closer device effectuates positive latching of the required door lockset hardware to maintain dwelling unit security per N.J.A.C. 5:10-19.2(a)4 requirements.

The Division of Fire Safety will not publish a list of approved door closers. Therefore,
consideration of the above-mentioned performance criteria is necessary when determining
acceptability of the door closer.

If building owners should seek assistance from you to select an approved door closer device, instruct them to contact their local construction official for such information.

Unit Security and Safety

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Summary

Common Items To Fix:

  • Smoke Detectors (Must Be 10-Year Sealed Battery Backup)
  • Carbon Detectors
  • Fire Extinguishers (2A-10BC Rated)
  • Peeling Paint
  • Cracked Tiles
  • Doors Not Self-Closing
  • No Chains On Doors
  • No Peep Holes On Doors

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:10-19.2

(a) The following provisions apply to multiple dwellings.

1. Every building entrance door or other exterior door permitting access to two or more units of dwelling space shall be equipped with heavy duty dead latching locksets (series 161, FF-H-106c, minimum, with a minimum 7/8 inch by 5/8 inch with 1/2 inch minimum throw latch bolt with automatic dead-locking plunger, or ANSI/BHMA A156.2 Grade 1). Outside cylinders of main entrance door locks shall be operated by the tenant’s key, which shall not be keyed to also open the tenant’s dwelling unit entrance door.

2. All exit and exitway doors shall be freely openable from the inside at all times.

3. All exterior entrance doors to common basement, cellar or storage areas shall be self-closing and lockable.

4. All entrance doors to dwelling units shall be equipped with a medium duty dead latching lockset (series 160, FF-H-106c, minimum, with a minimum 11/16 inch by 1/2 inch with 1/2 inch minimum throw latch bolt with an automatic dead-locking plunger, or ANSI/BHMA A156.2 Grade 2) or with a deadbolt lock separate from the latch set.

5. All entrance doors to each dwelling unit shall be equipped with a chain door guard so as to permit partial opening of the door, and a viewing device installed on the designated main entrance door to the dwelling unit, located so to enable a person on the inside of the entrance door to view a person immediately outside.

6. All openable windows, sliding doors, basement windows and windows opening onto exterior stairways, fire escapes, porches, terraces, balconies or other areas affording easy access to the premises shall be equipped with a locking device of some kind.

7. Grilles lockable from the inside only may be placed on the inside or outside of windows only if the windows do not serve to provide access to exits.

8. Every exterior entrance door leading to interior common areas which provide access to two or more interior dwelling unit entrance doors shall be a self-closing and self-locking door, shall be kept closed at all times except when in actual use and shall be equipped with a viewing device if it would not otherwise be possible to see a person seeking to enter without opening the door. In addition, the main entrance door shall be either attended at all times by a doorman or equipped with an electrically operated buzzer and latch-release system, individual exterior door bells connected to each dwelling unit, or an approved alternative security and entrance system. However, no building shall be equipped with an electrically operated latch-release system if such building is not also equipped with an intercommunication system allowing effective communication between a person in any dwelling unit and a person standing outside of the main entrance door.

9. When the main entrance to a building contains a vestibule with doors at both ends, only the inside set of doors must conform to the security requirements.

10. Buildings with fewer than six dwelling units shall not be required to have bells in every dwelling unit provided there is at least one exterior door bell connected so as to ring at least one bell in the common areas which will be audible in all dwelling units.

11. Exposed hinges on building entrance doors and entrance doors to dwelling units are either to be removed and replaced with hinges which have nonremovable hinge pins, or altered so that the door would be protected against being lifted from its hinges by pulling the hinge pin. (An acceptable alteration method to an existing door would be to remove two screws, opposite each other, from both leaves of the hinge, insert screw, steel pin or equivalent into jamb leaf, protruding 1/2 inch, drill out the opposite screw hole in the door. Do this in the top and bottom hinge of the door. When closed, the hinge pins may be removed, but the door will remain firmly in place.)

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:10-19.2

Amended by R.1993 d.464, effective 9/20/1993.
See: 25 N.J.R. 2627(a), 25 N.J.R. 4482(a).
Administrative correction.
See: 46 N.J.R. 436(a).Amended by 55 N.J.R. 1687(a), effective 8/7/2023

Source: https://casetext.com/regulation/new-jersey-administrative-code/title-5-community-affairs/chapter-10-maintenance-of-hotels-and-multiple-dwellings/subchapter-19-building-security/section-510-192-multiple-dwellings

References:

https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/preinspection.html