WWYD? Panic Hardware on Electrical Rooms
Today's question is whether one or both of the highlighted doors on this partial plan require panic hardware in order to comply with the IBC or NFPA 70. If you have info to share, please leave a comment!
FF: Hamilton, Bermuda
My old pal, John Linehan, sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo along with a note that cracked me up: "I found this in an alley in downtown Hamilton, Bermuda and thought of you." :D
WW: Wow!
Maybe I should start a series called "My Neighbors' Doors." I saw this beautiful door while walking home the other day, and I was wordless! I'd love to see your beautiful door photos!
PASS: NEW Digital School Safety and Security Checklist
As part of a collective effort to improve their safety and security guidelines, the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has launched the highly anticipated digitized security checklist.
What’s that? Gang Bus Option
I was working on a presentation the other day about questions on delayed egress locks, and I came across the term "gang bus" related to the Von Duprin Chexit. When would you use it?
FF: Trimco Cool Touch Finish
We've all seen creative methods of protecting users from touching hardware that has been heated by the sun, but did you know that Trimco has an actual solution to this problem?!
QQ/WWYD? Roof Doors
For a roof door that allows access to mechanical equipment on the roof, what are your preferred locking methods or functions - both electrical and mechanical? What would you do?
WW: Oak Hinge Reinforcement
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo was taken by Justin Lambert of Goldense Building Products, who arrived to check out a "sagging door" and was left wordless by the previous repair.
QQ: Push Plates and Door Pulls
A post from last month has raised another Quick Question: Why would a push plate or door pull require a UL 10C listing, when fire doors need to having latching hardware?
Large Language Models in AEC: Transforming Workflows, Not Replacing Expertise
I've been doing some research into the use of AI - I find it fascinating! But will it eventually replace us??? Check out this article from Unicel Architectural, an Allegion company.
FF: Arched Door Potbelly
In 2012, I shared some photos from a trip to Universal Studios, and this week, Todd Bushmaker of Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc. sent me some photos of a door that I missed.
Decoded: Locks on Dwelling Units and Sleeping Units
Are the electromechanical locks typically used for individual residential entry doors required to be listed to UL 294 or UL 1034 in order to comply with the model codes?
WW: Bergen, Norway
Tim Weller of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo of a door he saw on his recent trip to Europe. I need to put Norway on my list!
WWYD? Rearming a Delayed Egress Lock
The model codes are not very specific about this topic, so my question for you is this: What's your take on the manual rearming of a delayed egress lock? WWYD?
FF: Buffalo Bill’s Wild West
I saw this door in the Theater District in Denver, with an art project preventing the door from opening. I'm assuming the door is no longer used...I wonder what it looks like from the inside.
Decoded: Encroachment Into the Egress Path
This is Part 2 of an updated Decoded article covering door swing and encroachment, along with some new photos illustrating how a door might encroach into an egress path.
WW: Invisible Latch
Imagine walking up to a pair of fire doors that are not closing and latching properly. You climb the ladder to check the closer, look down into the latch case cover and see...nothing.
Crossbar Panic Hardware
For many of my final projects as a hardware specwriter, I specified crossbar style panic hardware because most architects find it more aesthetically pleasing. Do you agree?
QQ/WWYD? Institutional Function Lockset
Today's Quick Question: Would an institutional function lockset (always locked on both sides) be permitted on a door between two single restrooms?
FF: Iron Pull
I took today's Fixed-it Friday photo of my neighbor's door, where they have repurposed an old iron and also modified the masonry for the lock. I love the functional creativity!
Decoded: Door Swing
As part of an ongoing project, I'm updating my Decoded articles - the previous version of this one, addressing the requirements for door swing, was first written in 2012! Here's the updated version.
WW: Still Scratching My Head
I saw today's Wordless Wednesday photo on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page, and I'm still wondering what is happening here. Any ideas?
BHMA Blog: Advancing Sustainability Through PCRs
Last month I shared an article on sustainability, and it's definitely a topic that we need to learn more about. This week I'm sharing more info on PCRs and EPDs. What are PCRs and EPDs? Read on!
FF: Screwed Up
Well, this is one way to solve the problem of an incorrect lock function (not recommended!). Thanks to Tim Weller of Allegion for today's Fixed-it Friday photo!
QQ: Door Guards and Privacy Latches
Today's Quick Question is a common one related to entry doors serving hotel rooms and apartments: Is a UL listing required for auxiliary items mounted on a 20-minute-rated fire door?
WW: Observations?
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo reminds me of the time that I wrote a specification for a hotel and the architect told me that the entry doors did not have to be lockable - ever.
Ohio State Modernization
I like to share case studies as a way to understand how certain products can help to fulfill design concepts, code requirements, or functional needs. Here's another great example.
Decoded: Separate Deadbolts on Classroom Doors
This month's Decoded article answers a common question: Is it acceptable by code to install a separate dead bolt along with a lockset or latchset on a classroom door?
FF: Full (and Half) Length Pulls
You just never know what's going to happen when a door is modified in the field. Today's Fixed-it Friday photo has an obvious "fix" but also...what's up with the old push plates?
Fire Door Inspections: What NFPA 80 Requires (video)
In this video from NFPA, Shawn Mahoney, P.E., Senior Technical Services Engineer at NFPA, provides a detailed overview of inspecting swinging fire doors with builders hardware.
WW: Readily Distinguishable?
I'm guessing this is how this folding partition and door were manufactured - unlike many door issues that happen in the field. What do you think? Is the door distinguishable enough to be code-compliant?
QQ/WWYD?: Closet Doors
Today's Quick Question came from one of our Allegion specwriters: "The architect for my project wants the closet doors to have no interior dummy trim. Is this acceptable by code?"
TGP Reflections: Secondary School
This video from Patrick Luther of TGP reminded me of my days as a distributor, and how important the support and flexibility of a manufacturer can be.
FF: LCN Senior Swing Auto Door Operator
This is a great Fixed-it Friday video about the LCN Senior Swing being used to address HVAC stack pressure on a problematic door, along with a bonus code application! Can you spot it?
LL: “Erasers are cheaper than bulldozers!”
Thank you to Larry Gallagher for sharing this "Lesson Learned"...for any of you who have learned tough lessons at the School of Hard Knocks (haven't we all?), send them along!
WW: Deadbolt Backup
Colin Watson of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo of an application that he and Eddie Dobbins ran across in a public library...mag-locks with deadbolts as the mechanical back-up. YIKES!
Decoded: Fair Housing Act
I've received some questions lately regarding accessibility requirements for multifamily buildings, so here's an updated Decoded article on the topic.
WWYD? Time flies!
Every year when this date - February 23rd - rolls around, I think about the time that has passed since February 23rd, 2009. I have a few questions I hope you'll weigh in on!
FF: Terminated Stops in the Wild
It's not very often that I see terminated stops (AKA hospital stops), so I'm sharing these Fixed-it Friday photos from one of the many airports that I've passed through recently.
Podcast: The Changing Face of School Security 26
In this episode of Paul Timm's podcast - The Changing Face of School Security, he talks with Lori Alhadeff of Make Our Schools Safe about Alyssa’s Law.
WW: Door Not Operational
Scott Taylor posted today's Wordless Wednesday photos and tagged me (love that!) on the Big Door Facebook page. They were taken in the men's room of an all-boys high school gym...
OOPS! Correction!
Oh well, nobody's perfect! I made a typo in my current article for Door Security + Safety Magazine, and Dave Jenosky of Jenosky Associates noticed...at least I know someone is paying attention!
TGP: Advancing Sustainability With Architectural Glass
Aaron Owens, Product Sustainability Specialist at Allegion collaborated on a recent article with Devin Bowman of TGP...learn more about how glass contributes to sustainability in today's post.
FF: Card Readers Coming Soon
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos remind me of a problem that I had on a project years ago, and a good question to ask during a project meeting...when will the access control system go live?
WW: Mag(Lock) Holder
I have occasionally seen mag-locks used to hold doors open, but not typically on the floor where they become a major tripping hazard!
Decoded: Smoke Door Requirements of the International Building Code
By request, I have updated this article on smoke doors to include the requirements of the 2024 IBC. When you have a question about a smoke door, just decide which of the 5 types it is and refer to the section for that type.
DoorCheck: Safe & Sound at Maplewood Elementary
DoorCheck recently created a children's book about school safety and security, and they allowed me to share it here. Read more from JB de la Garza, one of DoorCheck's founders...
FF/WWYD? Stop for an Arched Door
Jim Hooker of DH Pace sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, looking for advice on how to add stops to these existing chapel doors. WWYD? Any ideas?
BHMA A156.42 – Acoustic Performance Rating for Operational Noise of Architectural Hardware
In 2025, BHMA published a new standard to establish methods for defining levels of acoustic performance of door hardware. The article linked in today's post goes into more detail...
WW: Dead End?
If one set of doors was lockable and the other was always unlocked (not lockable), I think this could be considered a dead end corridor. How would you have specified the hardware for these doors?