Rolling Fire Door Repair & Testing in Huntsville, AL
For rolling fire door repair and testing in Huntsville, AL, call (385) 325-7138 about a fire door that failed a drop test, won't close all the way, or was written up in an inspection. This covers fire-rated rolling steel doors and counter fire doors at commercial buildings in Madison and Limestone counties.
Call to describe the problem—if the door is stuck open or the dock is down, say so first.
Independent service-request website. Calls may be shared with an independent commercial dock-and-door repair company. That provider confirms availability, scope, pricing, and service terms.
Facts checked: September 24, 2026.
How do I know it's a rolling fire door?
A rolling fire door looks a lot like a regular roll-up door. The difference is that it's built to close by itself when there's a fire. It usually carries a fire label on the frame, hood or guides. Many are held open by a fusible link that melts in heat, or are tied to the fire alarm.
| Clue | What it tells you | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fire label on the frame, hood or guides | It's likely a rated door | Mention the label when you call |
| A past inspection or drop-test report | It's been tested as a fire door | Have the report handy (optional) |
| A fusible link or a connection to the fire alarm | It closes by itself in a fire | Describe what you see, but don't test it yourself |
| A small rolling door over a counter or pass-through | May be a counter fire door | Check for a label from where you stand |
| No label, no records | Could be a regular roll-up door | See roll-up door repair |
A missing label doesn't prove the door isn't rated. Labels get painted over or lost. The provider and your fire official decide.
Swinging fire doors (the hinged walk-through kind) aren't covered here. Neither are fire alarm and sprinkler systems.
How often do rolling fire doors need to be tested?
Industry guidance based on NFPA 80 says rolling fire doors "shall be inspected and drop-tested not less than annually by a Trained Rolling Steel Fire Door Systems Technician." It also says the door must be tested again after any repair. Your local fire official decides which rules and code edition apply to your building.
That guidance comes from DASMA's technical data sheet on rolling fire doors, which we read on September 23, 2026 (DASMA TDS 271, rev. 6/25). DASMA is the door and access systems manufacturers' trade group. The sheet also says:
- In a drop test, the door's average closing speed must be at least 6 inches per second and no more than 24 inches per second.
- After repairs, the door must be tested to make sure it works and closes on its own.
- Repair parts must come from the original manufacturer.
A drop test means releasing the door the way a fire would, watching it close all the way by itself, then resetting it. It's a job for a trained technician. Don't try it yourself. A fire door can come down hard.
Our fire door drop test guide goes deeper.
Which fire code applies to my building?
It depends on where the building is. Each office below publishes its own code information.
| If your building is in… | Office to ask | What it publishes | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Huntsville | Huntsville Fire & Rescue (Fire Marshal's office) and the Inspection Division | The city's code page lists the 2021 International Fire Code | City of Huntsville adopted codes |
| City of Athens | Athens Fire Prevention | The city uses the 2018 International Fire Code and requires service providers to upload third-party fire and life-safety inspection reports to The Compliance Engine. Ask the office whether this door report is covered. | Athens Fire Prevention |
| Unincorporated Madison County | Madison County Building and Fire Inspection | 2018 International Fire Code and 2018 NFPA 101 | Madison County inspection |
| City of Madison | Madison Building Department | Ask the city | Madison Building Department |
| A building the State Fire Marshal reviews | Alabama State Fire Marshal | The state rule adopts the 2021 International Fire Code. Ask whether your building falls under state review. | Ala. Admin. Code 482-2-101 |
| Unincorporated Limestone County or another town | That county or town | Ask the office | — |
Notice that Huntsville and Athens list different fire code editions. If you manage buildings in both, don't assume the same rules. The provider and the fire official confirm what applies to your door.
What problems show up on inspection?
| What you see or what the report says | What a qualified provider may look at | Why it matters | How to say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door didn't close all the way in a test | Closing mechanism, curtain, guides | The opening won't hold back fire | "It stopped short in the drop test." |
| Door closed too fast or too slow | The part that controls closing speed (the governor) | Speed must fall within a set range | "The report says the speed was off." |
| Door won't reset after a test | Release device, operator, springs | The door can't be put back in service | "It came down and won't reset." |
| Fusible link or release device damaged | Release parts | The door may not close in a fire | "The link looks damaged." |
| Curtain or guides damaged | Curtain, guides, bottom bar | Damage can stop it from closing | "Forklift hit the fire door." |
| Label missing or painted over | Door records | Proof of rating is missing | "We can't find a label." |
| Door dropped on its own and is blocking an opening | Release device, alarm tie-in | Affects traffic and exits | "The fire door dropped and is blocking the aisle." |
Repair or replace a fire door?
A fire door can often be repaired. The parts matter, though. DASMA's guidance says repair parts must come from the original manufacturer. When those parts can't be had, replacement is often the path. After any repair, the door must be tested again.
A qualified provider weighs:
- Whether original-manufacturer parts are available
- How badly the curtain, guides or hood are damaged
- Whether the label and records are intact
- What the fire official requires
What happens when you call
- Call and describe it. Where the door is, what happened, and whether it's on an inspection report.
- Your call may be shared. It may go to an independent commercial dock-and-door repair company.
- That company confirms the details. Whether it works on rated doors, its technician's training, the scope, the price, the schedule and what records it provides.
Uptime Dock & Door is an independent commercial service-request website for loading-dock and commercial door repair. We don't test or certify fire doors. Read how Uptime works and about Uptime.
For example, you might say: "Our inspection report says the rolling fire door between the warehouse and office in Huntsville didn't close fully."
If you reach voicemail, leave the facility address, the door or dock number if known, what's wrong, and a callback number.
What to have ready (optional)
You can call without any of this.
- The address and where the door is in the building
- The inspection report, if you have one
- The label information, if you can read it from the floor
- Whether the door is tied to the fire alarm
What affects cost?
We can't quote your fire door work from a web page. The price depends on the door, what failed, the parts, and access. Here's what to ask before you authorize work.
| What drives the price | Why it changes things | Ask before you say yes |
|---|---|---|
| Test only vs. repair and retest | A passing door costs less than a failing one | "What's the price for the test, and for a retest after repair?" |
| Original-manufacturer parts | Must match the door | "Are the parts from the original manufacturer? How long to get them?" |
| Door size | Bigger doors take more time and parts | "Does the size change the price?" |
| Alarm tie-in | The alarm company may need to be there | "Do we need our alarm contractor on site?" |
| Records | You'll need documentation for the fire official | "Will you give us a written test record?" |
| Number of doors | Several doors may be done in one visit | "Is there a price for testing all our doors together?" |
Ask whether you're getting an estimate or a quote for a set scope, and what's included.
Ask what records you'll get, then call.
What's covered and what isn't
Covered: fire-rated rolling steel doors, counter fire doors, their release devices and operators, repair and the testing questions that come with them.
Not covered:
- Swinging fire doors and other hollow-metal walk-through doors
- Fire alarm and sprinkler systems
- Home garage doors
- Orders for parts only
Where in the Huntsville area
Facilities across Madison and Limestone counties can call, including Huntsville, Madison, Athens and the towns around them. See the full service area.
For non-rated roll-up doors, see roll-up door repair. For the full dock and door picture, go back to the Huntsville dock and door repair page.
Questions about rolling fire doors
Is an annual fire door drop test required in Huntsville?
DASMA's guidance based on NFPA 80 says rolling fire doors shall be inspected and drop-tested at least once a year. Huntsville's fire officials decide what applies to your building. Ask the Fire Marshal's office or your provider.
Who can do a fire door drop test?
DASMA's guidance says a trained rolling steel fire door systems technician. Ask the company about its technician's training before you book.
What happens if a rolling fire door fails its test?
It needs repair and then a new test. Ask the company what failed, what parts it needs, and when it can retest.
Can a rolling fire door be repaired with generic parts?
DASMA's guidance says repair parts must come from the original manufacturer. If those parts can't be had, replacement may be the answer.
Call about your Huntsville fire door
Give the address, where the door is, what happened and whether it's on an inspection report.
Independent service-request website. Calls may be shared with an independent commercial dock-and-door repair company. That provider confirms availability, scope, pricing, and service terms.
Sources
Sources checked September 23–24, 2026.
- DASMA TDS 271: Rolling Steel Fire Doors, Periodic Inspection and Drop-Testing (rev. 6/25)
- City of Huntsville inspection requirements and adopted codes
- City of Athens Fire Prevention
- Madison County Building and Fire Inspection
- City of Madison Building Department
- Alabama Administrative Code 482-2-101 (State Fire Marshal)