As always, I’ve been noticing interesting doors everywhere I go…
On this new grocery store, I saw a bank of doors with LCN 4040SEH holders, LCN 4041 closers, and Von Duprin 9927 panic hardware. The SEH units caught my eye because they’re not that common. The 4040SEH is an electric hold-open for use on fire doors, along with a separate door closer. The closer typically incorporates a stop, which is an advantage of using the two separate components vs. a closer/holder unit.
I was so surprised to see ANOTHER set of 4040SEH holders on this pair in the corridor of a hotel I stayed in recently. This pair of fire doors was missing something though.
I was passing this door on a retail store and of course the sign stating “Watch Your Head” drew my attention. The old pot-belly closer on a corner bracket was the reason for the caution, but I wonder whether there was “an incident” that resulted in the sign being added.
At my niece’s college graduation, held in a hotel ballroom, I noticed that two of the exits were partially covered. After the ceremony, about 600 people filled the main corridor and all headed for the one visible exit. I was in the middle of the crowd, so there were as many people behind me as you can see in front of me in the photo below. I heard a guy say something about yelling “fire” and I turned around and said, “Don’t even think about it.” I’ve obviously been in crowds before but there was something about this situation that made me nervous.
Have you seen any interesting doors lately? Send me a photo!
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THe SEH is great. It must be used with a positive stop, Cush, no spring Cush. I saw an SEH application on the top rail of a herculite doors and floor closers! How cool is that?
Where are the latch and rod guards (Von Duprin RG-27) on the cafe door exposed vertical-rod exit devices?
That’s a good question, Morriss. In Massachusetts, we don’t have the requirement for the 10″ flush area at the bottom of the door, so surface vertical rods are still fairly common here.
Lori, doesn’t the new ADA require 10 inch flush bottom rails now?
I know it does not require retrofit, and previously there was nothing for Mass.
I think from here on out we have to be mindfull of this for manual doors. Is that correct?
Yes Dave, the 2010 ADA requires a flush area across the push side of manual doors – 10″ up from the bottom. ICC A117.1 has the same requirement. Mass has their own accessibility requirements (521 CMR) which does not include this requirement. BUT…I think we should definitely be mindful because there could be situations where another standard is used.
LBR- Less Bottom Rod. The answer to so many problems. Can even be used on Fire Rated with Auxilary Latch Bolt. Your maintenance staff will love you. Security might not.
LBR would have been fine for this location. It’s a small dining area within the grocery store. Not a high-security situation.
Question – How does a GJ 904 SE fit into the mix?
The GJ 904SE is an overhead stop without a spring, which can be used with the 4040SE combination closer/holder unit. The SE provides a positive stop, like the Cush arm does in the 4040SEH application. Either application accomplishes the same result.
I saw these doors recently, as well. You can’t tell from the photos, but only one out of the four doors has a strike for the bottom latch. Very strange.
You shop there too?? 🙂
I didn’t look at the strikes but maybe after the first one the installer decided to lose the rest.
Hello Lori,
Congrats to the Niece with her graduation, hope she does well with whatever she does,
as for the sign on the back of the closer, its possible that the owner is just taking precaution before someone complains or does hit their head on it while going through the door, is there also a possibility it’s lower then the ADA’s requirements for hardware in the doorway (78 inches i think from floor, may have changed).
the closer, it is a Corbin model 126/127, this one looks exactly like the one I see when I take the dog to the vet on the exam room door, (accept his is all black)
-Jess the door closer doctor