The fire door problems we find most often
Most fire door problems aren't dramatic. They're small changes that build up over months: a wedge, a disconnected closer, a lock someone added. Here's what we find most, and why each one matters.
Last reviewed October 21, 2026.
The quick version
- Most fire door problems aren't dramatic. They're small changes that build up: a wedge, a disconnected closer, a lock someone added.
- The most serious ones are doors that won't close and latch on their own, and anything that blocks a way out.
- Fixing them is usually straightforward once someone has found them and written them down.
Wondering which of these your building has? Ask for a flat price on a walk. It takes about 30 seconds.
What we find, and why it matters
These are the problems that come up again and again in nursing homes, senior housing, apartments and commercial buildings. The rating next to each one shows how we'd typically score it, though every door is judged on what we actually find.
- 01
Door doesn't latch FAIL
A fire door has to close and latch on its own to hold back fire and smoke. A door that swings shut but doesn't latch can be pushed open by pressure from a fire.
- 02
Propped, wedged or tied open FAIL
Wedges, kick-downs, chairs and zip ties are the most common problem we see. An open fire door isn't protecting anything. Doors that need to stay open need an approved release device.
- 03
Closer disconnected, broken or leaking FAIL
Closers get disconnected to make a door easier to use, or wear out from heavy traffic. Without one, the door won't close on its own.
- 04
Damaged or missing label AT RISK
The label is how an inspector knows the door and frame are rated. Painted over, removed or damaged labels make that hard to show.
- 05
Holes and added hardware AT RISK
Old hardware removed, new locks or signs screwed on, cable runs drilled through. Changes like these can affect the door's rating if they aren't done the right way.
- 06
Door, frame or hinges damaged AT RISK
Carts and equipment bend frames, split edges and wear hinges until the door sags or drags. A sagging door often stops latching next.
- 07
Wrong glass or a bad repair AT RISK
Vision panels replaced with ordinary glass, or patches that don't match the door's rating. These are easy to miss and easy to get cited for.
- 08
Locks that slow people down FAIL
Extra deadbolts, chains or locks that need a key or special knowledge to open from the inside can block a way out. Secured units need setups that meet specific rules.
- 09
Exit path blocked FAIL
Storage in stairwells, furniture in front of exit doors, or items blocking a door from closing. Simple to fix, and one of the first things an inspector notices.
Don't know which ones your building has?
Start with a 5-door Door Risk Snapshot for $450. Pick the doors that worry you most, and you'll get a score, a photo and what to fix first, the same day. It comes off in full if you book the full assessment within 60 days. See pricing or ask for one.
It's not only the fire code
Blocked exits and locked exit doors are also workplace safety issues. OSHA's exit route rules say employees must be able to open an exit door from the inside at all times without keys, tools or special knowledge, that exit routes must be free and unobstructed, and that fire doors and other emergency safeguards must be in proper working order at all times. If you have staff in the building, the same doors answer to both.
Why nobody notices
People walk past the same doors every day, so changes stop standing out. A closer gets unhooked to help with a move and never gets reconnected. A wedge shows up during a hot week and stays. New hardware goes on after a lockout. None of it looks like a problem until an inspector, an insurer or a fire points it out.
A fresh walk with a written record breaks that pattern. Every door gets looked at the same way, and you end up with a list your team or contractor can work through.
What we do (and what we don't)
Check My Egress finds these problems before an inspector, surveyor or insurer does. We walk every egress door in your building (fire-rated or not) and score each one Pass, At Risk, or Fail. You get photos, the code reference behind each finding, a prioritized Corrective Action Plan with installed-cost estimates (materials plus labor), and a Door Schedule listing every door and its hardware as found. We don't sell hardware or do repairs, so we have nothing to gain from finding problems.
Our assessment is an independent, documented opinion. It is not a certification, not proof of compliance, and not an inspection by the Authority Having Jurisdiction or a CMS surveyor, who always have the final say.
Find them before an inspector does.
Tell us a little about the building and Ryan will get back to you with a flat price for an independent walk.
Sources
- Minnesota Rules 7511.0705, Minnesota Revisor of Statutes: revisor.mn.gov/rules/7511.0705
- CMS S&C 17-38-LSC, "Fire and Smoke Door Annual Testing Requirements" (July 28, 2017): hhs.gov
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.36 and 1910.37, Exit routes: osha.gov
This page is general information, not legal advice. Requirements for your building depend on its occupancy, your local fire marshal, your surveyor or licensing agency, and any accreditation or insurance terms you're under.