Protecting against the silent killer

It’s a known fact that smoke kills more than fire. In the event of fire, deadly smoke rises up through a building, and it’s for this reason that compliant smoke seals are of such high importance — occupant safety is paramount.

Achieving a compliant smoke seal

A common question we are asked by door manufacturers and contractors is how a smoke seal can be achieved when installing a concealed closer. In this article, we’re using the Rutland ITS.11204 Concealed Cam Action Door Closer as an example.

In some instances, incorrectly installed smoke seals have led to door inspection failures — and for good reason. In order to ensure both fire- and smoke-compliant installations of the Rutland ITS.11204 Concealed Door Closer, the key is to fit the smoke seal to the rebate or door stop prior to any frame machining for the closer rail. This way, the smoke seal remains uninterrupted — we typically advise using a product like the Norseal NOR710 or similar for this application.

The images below demonstrate the location of the smoke seal within the door frame: