Elevator Door Brush Sizing & Installation Guide: Hoistway Smoke & Draft Control
Engineering guide for sizing elevator door brush seals. Single speed, two speed, center opening & side opening calculations for smoke containment & stack effect.
Elevator Hoistway Smoke & Draft Containment
Single Speed, Two Speed, Center Opening & Side Opening Calculations
High-rise elevator hoistways suffer from the stack effect—intense vertical airflow caused by indoor/outdoor temperature differentials. This pulls conditioned air up the shaft, causes elevator doors to rattle or fail to latch, and poses severe smoke migration hazards during a fire event. SEALEZE® Therm-L-Brush elevator perimeter seals seal header, jamb, and inter-panel gaps to satisfy UL 1784 air leakage standards and NFPA 105 smoke containment.
Header + 2 Vertical Jambs
Header + Jambs + Meeting Stile
Inter-Panel Bypass Seals
Sizing & Installation Steps
Identify Elevator Door Configuration
Determine whether the elevator is Single Speed Side Opening (SSSO), Single Speed Center Opening (SSCO), or Two Speed Center Opening (2SPSCO). Each style dictates header, jamb, and inter-panel brush positioning.
Measure Clear Opening Dimensions
Measure the clear door opening width (W) and height (H) in inches. For center-opening doors, measure the meeting stile gap between panels.
Calculate Perimeter Brush Strip Lengths
Calculate header strip length = door width (W) + 2 inches overlap. Vertical jamb strip length = opening height (H). For multi-speed doors, calculate inter-panel bypass brush lengths.
Dry-Fit and Cut Retainers
Cut aluminum holders to calculated dimensions. Ensure mounting slots provide vertical and lateral clearance from door sill guides and track rollers.
Mount Retainers and Insert Brush Strips
Fasten aluminum retainers securely to elevator entrance frames. Slide brush strips into channels and adjust filament deflection to lightly touch door panel faces.
Cycle Elevator Doors and Inspect Clearance
Run the elevator car through full door opening and closing cycles. Verify zero interference with mechanical door interlocks, safety edges, and optical sensors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:How do brush seals reduce stack effect in high-rise elevator shafts?
Stack effect creates powerful pressure differentials that pull cold or hot air through elevator hoistways, whistling through door gaps and overworking HVAC. SEALEZE perimeter brush seals seal perimeter gaps, equalizing shaft pressure and cutting air leakage by up to 98%.
Q:Are SEALEZE elevator brush seals fire-rated and smoke-tested?
Yes. SEALEZE elevator brush weatherseals are tested and listed under UL 1784 air leakage standards and meet NFPA 105 smoke and draft control requirements for fire-rated hoistway openings.
Ready to Order or Require Custom Engineering Sizing?
SEALEZE® application engineers provide custom brush designs, CAD files, and immediate quote turnaround for commercial facilities and OEMs.
Providing innovative sealing solutions, guiding, positioning, and static dissipation for industrial applications.