Back in the late 1990’s (yes, kids – the 1900’s!) I was asked to write a specification for a project at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center, Vermont.  Having graduated from VTC around a decade before, I was very familiar with the harsh weather conditions in that part of the world.  One of the doors on the project led from a roof terrace area back into the building, and the architect wanted me to specify panic hardware.

The facility standard was Von Duprin, so I spoke with our engineering department about my options, given the exposure to the weather.  I could use a Von Duprin 55 or 88 crossbar device, mounted in a bed of sealant to prevent water from entering behind the panic hardware.  Or I could specify a Von Duprin 98 series panic with weep holes to allow the water to escape.  This option would require the internal parts to be lubricated periodically, to help prevent corrosion.

I went with the 98 series, and hopefully it worked out well.  But the fact that I still remember this one door and its challenges 25-ish years later is why I was so excited to hear about the Von Duprin Outdoor Defense Option (OUT).  I can think of plenty of other applications – gates, courtyards, rooftops – where panic hardware designed for exterior use would be really handy.

The Outdoor Defense Option is designed to safeguard against moisture, temperature variations, and corrosion in exterior applications, and is available for the 98/99 series rim and surface vertical rod panic hardware in satin chrome or matte black finish.  It’s listed to UL 305 and ANSI/BHMA A156.3, Grade 1, and it’s also available with the UL 10C listing for fire door assemblies.

But what’s extra-exciting is the availability of electrified options for exterior use – latchbolt monitoring (LX), request-to-exit (RX), quiet electric latch retraction (QEL), alarm kit (ALK), and Chexit delayed egress (CX), with Allegion Connect connectors (CON).  Electrified hardware is becoming more and more common, so it’s fantastic to have these options available for the Outdoor Defense product.  The warranty for this device is 10 years for mechanical hardware and 3 years for electrified devices.

For more information about the Von Duprin Outdoor Defense Option (OUT), refer to VonDuprin.com, the cut sheet, the customer bulletin, or the FAQ document.

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