By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

The leak at the head of the door

Walk up to a commercial door on a windy day and put your hand along the top. If you feel air, or hear a whistle, the problem is usually the head, not the bottom. Most people go straight to the sweep and the threshold. The head is where a closer lives, and a door closer arm that touches the frame all day beats up the cheap stuff.

That is the spot the Pemko 2891AS is built for. The catalog calls it heavy duty solid perimeter gasketing: a mill finish aluminum retainer with a black silicone insert that Pemko calls Prene. It seals the head section and, as the catalog puts it, still gives the closer arm a clean mounting surface.

Why foam tape fails at the head

Adhesive foam gasketing is fine on a jamb that nobody touches. At the head, a parallel arm closer puts the arm in constant contact with the frame area. The foam gets crushed, then torn, then it hangs off the frame in a strip. The catalog says foam tape does not hold up there, and I agree. I have pulled enough of it off doors to say the failure always starts under the arm.

The 2891 profile is different. The catalog says it supports the closer arm at the head instead of competing with it. So it works with a parallel arm closer, like the one we cover in our LCN 4110 parallel arm closer guide, rather than being flattened by it.

36 in. or 84 in.: the two part numbers

There are two listings, and the difference is length and drilling, nothing else.

• 2891AS-36: a 36 in. head section. The catalog says it covers the head of a single 3 ft 0 in. door opening. It ships undrilled.
• 2891AS-84: an 84 in. head section for a double-door opening. It ships pre-drilled.

Same profile, same materials. For a pair of doors, order the 84 in. as one continuous piece. The catalog is clear that you want one run across both leaves with no seam in the middle, rather than splicing two shorter lengths. A seam is where the air comes in.

If your single door is wider than 3 ft 0 in., or your double opening is not a standard width, send us the measurement of the frame head. The catalog gives these two lengths and I will not invent a third.

Double doors deserve the extra attention. There is simply more length to seal at the head, and a gap you cannot feel with your hand still shows up on the energy bill. On a pair, the meeting stile gets all the attention while the head leaks along its whole width.

What the profile measures

• Height: 1-3/4 in.
• Width: 1/4 in.
• Retainer: mill finish aluminum (the AS in the part number is aluminum and silicone, per the catalog's breakdown).
• Insert: black silicone.
• Mounting: sheet metal screws, on the header or frame.

Mill finish means bare aluminum with no anodize or paint. Expect it to dull over time on an exterior head. The listings are for this one finish. If you need a different finish, call us.

The fire rating matters

This is the part I want contractors to read twice. The catalog says the 2891AS is UL listed to CAN/ULC-S104 and ANSI/UL10B and complies with NFPA 80 and NFPA 252. It is rated for hollow metal fire doors up to 3 hours and wood fire doors up to 90 minutes.

That matters because a lot of fire-rated openings lose their seal over the years. Someone peels off a damaged strip and slaps on whatever tape is in the truck, and the opening no longer matches its label. Gasketing on a rated door should be a listed product, not a guess. If the opening is rated, check the frame label and the inspector's requirements before you pick any gasketing, ours included.

Installing it

The 36 in. piece comes undrilled, so you lay it on the head, mark the screw locations and drill as you go. The 84 in. piece is pre-drilled. With the closer arm in mind, mount the gasketing first, then check that the arm clears the profile through the full swing before you tighten everything. Do not run a screw into a spot where the arm bracket will go. Dry-fit it and look.

While you are at the head, do the rest of the seal at the same time. The bottom is a separate job, and we cover that choice in our Pemko threshold or door sweep guide. A tight head and a loose sweep just moves the leak down the door.

Common questions

Will the Pemko 2891AS interfere with a parallel arm closer?

No. The catalog says the 2891 profile is designed to support the closer arm at the head, not compete with it.

Is the Pemko 2891AS rated for a fire door?

Yes. It is UL listed to CAN/ULC-S104 and ANSI/UL10B and complies with NFPA 80 and NFPA 252, for hollow metal doors up to 3 hours and wood doors up to 90 minutes.

Do I need one 84 in. piece or two 42 in. pieces for a double door?

One 84 in. piece. It is pre-drilled for a continuous run across both leaves, with no seam in the middle.

What is the difference between the 36 in. and 84 in. versions?

Length and drilling. The 36 in. ships undrilled and the 84 in. ships pre-drilled. The profile and materials are the same.

Browse the rest of our weatherstripping and thresholds and send us a photo of the head of your door if you want a second pair of eyes.