Doors and Codes in the News
Open fire door killed 2 at Mont Blanc - The Free Press Journal
FF: Exit Alarm
I just realized that this post had not been published yet...but it's still Friday! Enjoy the weekend!
Happy Holidays!
And if you decide to decorate your door this holiday season, make sure you don't create a problem with egress, fire-resistance, or accessibility!
WWYD? Museum Gates
I'm looking for some ideas to help a designer with the gates in the sketches below. Here’s the scenario:
WW: Overlapping Astragal
Last week on The Building Code Forum, one of the members mentioned that their local police department recommended the installation of overlapping astragals on the exterior pairs at their schools. This left me WORDLESS! It definitely feels like 2 steps forward - 1 step back some days.
WWYD? Connecting Classroom Doors
Many classrooms have a door connecting to the adjacent classroom. Correct me if I'm wrong, but since most classrooms do not require a second means of egress, I think those doors are typically there for convenience. I tried to find something in past codes that would have required the second door, but so far I only see the requirement for a second means of egress when the occupant load reaches 50 or more. (Note: There are some situations where a classroom may need to have a second means of egress because it is not located on the ground floor.)
School Security in the News
If you search Google News for the words "school" and "security", the search engine will return millions of results. There are stories about many cities, states, and school districts working on plans and funding to increase the safety and security of their schools. There are reports about incidents at schools, and products that may help improve security. It's tough to wade through it all. The following articles address the topic with a slightly different focus.
School Security After Sandy Hook
Saturday, December 14th, marked the one-year anniversary of the senseless violence that took the lives of 20 children and 6 staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. I don't think there's any doubt that the tragedy has resulted in increased focus on the security of our schools.
FF: Lock Fix
I will admit...new mortise locks can be pricey. Luckily they usually last for decades. But there comes a time when even a heavy duty mortise lock needs to retire.
WW: Ice Time
This photo, from an ice arena, gives me the chills. Ice rinks are notoriously difficult locations for doors and hardware...lots of abuse, often a high occupant load, humidity and corrosion issues, and other contributing factors. In case you don't see the problem right away, look at the top of the mullion. Angle brackets have been bolted to each door, and there is a pin inserted through one bracket, through the mullion, and through the other bracket. Someone trying to exit through these doors would likely have no idea why they won't open.
Swing Free in School?
Over the weekend I visited a local high school for a swim meet. Right away I noticed MANY pairs of fire doors equipped with LCN Sentronics, which are designed to hold the doors open until the fire alarm sounds and then close the doors to deter the spread of smoke and flames. Some of these doors were propped open with wood wedges (uh-oh). When I took a closer look, I realized what the problem was.
FF: STOP!
When you're faced with an opening where a floor stop or wall stop just won't work, you could use an overhead stop. If that's not enough protection, you could use a door closer with advanced variable backcheck (AVB), which starts the backcheck (cushioning effect) earlier in the opening cycle and keeps the door from gaining momentum. Or you could get creative and make your own stop, cover it with carpet so it looks pretty, and then buy a new door...
