ANSI/DASMA 107 - Room Fire Test Standard for Garage Doors Using Foam Plastic Insulation

Foam plastic insulation burns. Building codes normally require a thermal barrier (typically half-inch drywall) to separate foam from occupied spaces. Garage doors are a special case. ANSI/DASMA 107 is the room fire test that proves a foam-core door is safe without a separate thermal barrier.

What this standard says

ANSI/DASMA 107-2012 is the fire test procedure for sectional garage doors that incorporate foam plastic insulation in their panels. The test was developed specifically to support the IBC thermal barrier exception for garage doors.

"This standard provides the test method and acceptance criteria for evaluating the fire performance of foam plastic insulated garage doors when tested as a complete door assembly."

The test exposes the door to a calibrated fire in a full-scale room. Acceptance criteria measure flame spread, heat release, smoke, and the structural integrity of the door assembly during the fire exposure. A door assembly that passes ANSI/DASMA 107 has demonstrated that its foam core does not contribute to flashover under those test conditions.

IBC Section 2603.4.1.9 (and earlier IBC editions) contains the language that makes this test matter:

Foam plastic insulation in garage doors is exempt from the thermal barrier requirements of Section 2603.4 when tested in accordance with ANSI/DASMA 107 and meeting its acceptance criteria.

Without a passing ANSI/DASMA 107 test result, an insulated garage door with foam plastic panels would need a thermal barrier on the interior face. That is impractical for a door that opens and closes. So in practice, virtually all foam-core residential and commercial garage doors on the market are tested to ANSI/DASMA 107.

When it applies

Buying an insulated garage door. Any foam-core door sold for garage use in a building regulated by the IBC or IRC should have an ANSI/DASMA 107 test report in its product documentation. Ask the manufacturer for the report number if it is not listed on the spec sheet.

Commercial building permits. A plan reviewer for a commercial garage in Denver may ask for the door's ANSI/DASMA 107 test report as part of the fire code review. This is more common for multi-tenant garages and commercial buildings than for single-family homes.

Attached garages. An attached garage with an insulated door must meet IBC 2603 requirements. A door with a passing ANSI/DASMA 107 test satisfies the foam plastic exception in 2603.4.1.9.

Fire inspection after a renovation. If a fire inspector questions whether a garage door's foam insulation is code-compliant, the ANSI/DASMA 107 test report is the documentation that answers the question.

What this means for you

For residential customers in Denver: most major brand foam-insulated doors already have ANSI/DASMA 107 test reports. You do not need to research this separately when buying from a reputable manufacturer.

For commercial projects: ask your contractor or supplier to provide the ANSI/DASMA 107 test report for any foam-core door before you submit construction documents. It is much easier to supply this during permitting than to track it down later.

For older insulated doors: doors manufactured before ANSI/DASMA 107 was in widespread use may not have a test record. A building official may accept an alternative documentation path, but confirming compliance can take time.

G Brothers supplies insulated doors from manufacturers that carry ANSI/DASMA 107 test documentation for all foam-core products.

Full text and source

ANSI/DASMA 107-2012 is listed on the DASMA standards page at https://www.dasma.com/dasma-standards/. Contact DASMA directly to obtain the standard document.

ANSI/DASMA 107 addresses the fire performance of the foam-core door assembly. It does not cover the fire-rated separation between the garage and the dwelling (that requirement is in IRC R302.5 and IBC Table 508.4). A passing ANSI/DASMA 107 test does not substitute for the required fire-rated door between garage and living space.