Flipping Your RV Door: A Word of Caution
Dave SolbergDescription
We’ve received numerous messages from RV Repair Club members asking if it’s possible to turn around their RV door so that it swings inward rather than outward. The urge is understandable, and while it is possible on some vehicles to flip the hinges and change the direction the door swings, RV maintenance expert Dave Solberg strongly recommends against doing this.
The reason is more rooted in legality than difficulty. Dave explains that fire codes in most states prevent having doors that swing inward, and talks about what could happen if you do decide to flip your RV door. So before you go pulling screws, heed this word of caution!
We've gotten a few questions from RV owners asking if they can take their door, and turn it around to that it actually opens inside rather than outside. And although this can be done, not very easily, it's against RVIA code because this door, in case of a fire, needs to be an exit door that comes out rather than fighting it coming in. So there are some regulations and some reasons that these door open to the outside on the passenger or on the curbside.
I just finished reading NFPA 1192 which is the standard for RVs. I find nothing in this document requireing a door to swing to the exterior. I am not trying to be argumentative just trying to find the requirements in the codes. After spending a career working with, in and on the fire codes I always want to read the requirements. It has also been very common for many entities to state that the fire codes require something when in fact they do not. I also found a referenced ANSI standard but those standards are not available except by purchasing them. NFPA and ICC make all codes available free of charge on line. ANSI wont play. It does make sense to have the door swing to the exterior and close to the rear of the vehicle to prevent inadvertent opening and subsequent damage. And while it would make exit easier if swinging to the exterior I would like to see the section in print before advising anyone that it is require in the fire codes.
I am a retired Fire Marshal and served for many years on national code development committees. You cited a document I am not familiar with but if you would let me know what document and section # it is I would love to review it. I can assure you that most residential doors in the US swing in and no code issue with it. One of the exceptions is in south Florida as part of their amendments for hurricanes and they require the doors to swing outward with a solid rabbit as part of the jamb. It has nothing to do with the fire codes. There are definitely requirements in the fire codes for doors to swing in the direction of exit travel in many commercial occupancies, but not all. It is based on occupancy classification of number of occupants.
Egress not ingress!
Good Answer. Inward swinging doors are against most fire codes. Quite often the design of the RV doesn't allow the door to open completely. Listened to a neighbor in my RV park complain long & loud about their inability to open the door completely or easily once the door had been switched. They had to switch the door back.