FF: Ditch the drapes!
I have mentioned this before...it's great when I receive photos or emails from "door people", but I absolutely LOVE when family members of iDigHardware readers start weighing in on door issues. :)
Enclosed Courtyard Study
This enclosed exterior space adjacent to the hotel where I'm currently staying has an interesting egress situation. What do you think about this patio's egress routes? Would this situation keep you up at night?
WW: Antiquing!
I have shared Wordless Wednesday photos of antique store exits before, but this time I was the one on an antiquing expedition. As soon as we parked in front of the store I knew I would find some issues...
WWYD? Interlocks + Delayed Egress
Yesterday in an airport I saw a bank of interlocks and an adjacent pair of doors with delayed egress locks. What do you think about this application? Do some AHJs require delayed egress doors where interlocks are installed? WWYD?
BHMA: Hardware Highlights
I'm on my way to the BHMA Spring Technical Committee Week, so today I'm sharing a helpful BHMA resource. Hardware Highlights are one-page summaries for each ANSI/BHMA A156 series standard - there are 42 in the series. Check out this post for the link!
FF: Assembly Exit
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos were taken at the main entrance of a function space that has an occupant load of 600 people. I was so fixated on the creative locking method that I didn't take a close-up of the closer fix, but the security fix has me wordless.
Door Handing – International Methods
To help support our international readers, I will be sharing some posts from the Allegion team around the world. Today's post comes from Hamza Ali DHT and Sushil Kumar Dip GAI, both of Allegion.
WW: School Exit
Joe Hendry of Navigate360 sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photos, taken in an occupied school. This door serves the means of egress from the administrative office area. I'm wordless.
Decoded: Update on Storm Shelter Doors
This Decoded article addresses the requirements of the International Building Code and ICC 500 for storm shelters, and I have updated the original article with current code references.
Infographic: Recommended Lock Functions for Classrooms
There isn't one lock function that works for every school - in some schools, only staff members with keys are able to lock the classroom doors, and in other schools anyone can lock the doors. WWYD?
FF: Closer Edition
I saw Alexander Wright of Allegion in my code update class at UNC-Charlotte yesterday, which reminded me that he sent me these Fixed-it Friday photos of door closers in the wild! Keep 'em coming!
School Security Best Practices for Openings
A new educational resource for school security and safety is now available, which provides a combined overview of industry recommended best practices for door openings as recommended by security organizations, federal reports, and past incident reports.
WW: Hotel Stair
During a 1:00 a.m. fire alarm, Denise Gorski took note of the damaged latchset on a hotel's stairwell fire door. If the door wasn't propped open with a wedge, the missing lever may have prevented hotel guests from exiting. Which is worse? The open door or the potential lack of egress??
AIA Webinar – Sustainability, Transparency, and Door Hardware
Whether you’re designing a LEED certified building or not, every building created today includes sustainable features. Join us on May 25th for an AIA-approved webinar, presented by Aaron Owens, Sustainability Specialist for Allegion.
Decoded: Fire Door Closing Cycle
When testing a fire door to determine whether it is closing and latching properly, from what open position should the door be tested? I have updated this Decoded article about the closing cycle of fire doors for positive latching, to reflect the current codes.
FF: Wordless
I once wrote a hardware spec for the hotel chain where today's Fixed-it Friday photos were taken. Based on that experience and the architect's attention to detail on that project, I'm positive that this is not what they would expect to see on a return visit.
USGNN: Quick Code Q+A
I recently started a new column in USGlass Magazine, and each month I will be answering a code question related to door openings. The question in the current post is one that many of you are familiar with: Where is panic hardware required?
WW: Down at the Packie
Tim Weller of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photos of an obstructed means of egress in a liquor store (we called them "packies" in New England). I'm at a loss as to how to educate retail workers on the code requirements. Any ideas?
Last-Minute Training Announcement!
Last week I posted about some upcoming code training that I'll be conducting in the Southeast, and it turns out that there is some availability in my class at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville on May 16th. There's more info in today's post.
Allegion 101: The Door and Frame – Republic
The Allegion 101 training series was designed for people who are new to the industry, new to the Allegion family of brands, or just want to learn more about doors and hardware. Feel free to share this post with anyone who could benefit from this introductory training.
FF: High Security Hold-Open
My ooooold friend and coworker, Chuck Gulla of Allegion, sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo from a school in Vermont. Since it's not a fire door, it's not a code issue, but it's definitely a creative solution. I'm sure the school is trying to cut down on "mischief" in the restroom.
Code Update: Chute Doors
This was not the first (nor the last) time that I have seen a conflict between a chute door and a swinging fire door that provides a convenient way to hold the doors open. This has now been addressed in the International Building Code (IBC).
WW: At the Craft Expo
These Wordless Wednesday photos from Charles Anderson (retired AHJ) speak for themselves... Don't forget to send me photos of the interesting doors you see in your travels!
Training Opportunity – with me! :)
In a couple of weeks I will be conducting some code training in the Carolinas and Tennessee. There are a few spots available in the class in Clemson, South Carolina on Tuesday, May 9th, so if you are within driving distance, check out the training invitation here.
Calling all architects and specifiers!!
I am wearing my BHMA Marcom Chair hat today...if you are an architect or specifier, I would love to have 5 minutes of your time to take a short survey that will help guide some of the organizations' upcoming initiatives. Thanks in advance!
FF: Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
This is an amazingly beautiful church right on the main square in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico. As you can imagine, there have been a few "fixes" in the last 300 years. TGIF-iF!
More Doors of Aguascalientes
In yesterday's post I shared some Wordless Wednesday photos from my trip to Aguascalientes, Mexico, and I have some others prepared for Fixed-it Friday. There are more of my favorites here in today's post!
WW: En La Ciudad De Aguascalientes
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I took my family for a short trip to Aguascalientes, Mexico last week. It's a beautiful city, and of course I took lots of photos of amazing doors!
IBC Update: Puzzle Rooms
Last week while I was on a short spring break trip with the kids, I was perusing the IBC, and I found a change that I forgot to write about; the change is related to escape rooms. The 2021 IBC now includes three options for egress from these rooms.
Allegion 101: The Door and Frame – Steelcraft
The Allegion 101 training series was designed for people who are new to the industry, new to the Allegion family of brands, or just want to learn more about doors and hardware. Feel free to share this post with anyone who could benefit from this introductory training.
FF: Spring Break
I received today's Fixed-it Friday photo from Scott Tobias of arkaSpecs, and I definitely did a double-take. Then I found out that he's on vacation with his family, and this egress door serves a ride at a popular theme park. What do you think?
Decoded: Communicating Doors Between Sleeping Rooms
As I mentioned last month, my Decoded column has a new question-and-answer format. This month's question: "Are communicating doors between adjoining hotel rooms required to be self-closing, self-latching fire door assemblies?"
TGP: Street Talk
TGPs Street Talk series is an on-demand video channel where the team goes on location to see how architectural glazing products solved design challenges. Check out this video about a fire-rated stairwell that was added to a historic building in Seattle.
BSJ: How Building Codes Inform Architectural Design
A recent article in the International Code Council's Building Safety Journal addresses the critical role that the International Building Code (IBC), International Fire Code (IFC), and International Residential Code (IRC) play in how architects design buildings.
FF: Paniquito
Jim Billings sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, which was posted in a Facebook group with a comment that it was found in a postal facility. Any theories about what happened here?
Murals on Egress Doors in Health Care Occupancies
Beginning with the 2015 edition of NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code, a section was added that allows doors in some types of health care units to be disguised with murals. This updated post includes a clarification from the 2021 edition of the code.
WW: Lockstar?? :)
Why is this a Wordless Wednesday post? Because I am flattered to the point of wordlessness by the article that the Yankee Security Convention shared about me. An "industry icon and lockstar"?? Just one of many!! :D
Follow-Up: Locked Stairwell Doors
Last week I answered a quick question about locking stairwell doors, and Jim Elder of Secured Design raised a great point in a comment on the post. Here is a follow-up related to the release of locked stairwell doors upon fire alarm activation.
Allegion 101: Protect the Door – Ives, Zero, and More
Many years ago, I worked with an architectural firm that always had me write the hardware specifications for their projects. On one small job they had a tight deadline, so they edited some hardware sets from another spec...
FF: Delayed Action Closer
For today's Fixed-it Friday photo, I am updating an old post from almost 10 years ago. This week I have received several questions about holding open and locking doors in schools. Could delayed action closers be a good solution?
QQ: Locked Stairwell Doors
Several people have asked the same Quick Question this week: Is it permissible by code for stairwell doors in schools to be locked during a lockdown? The answer is in today's post.
Safe and Sound Schools: Supporting Schools and Communities
The mission of Safe and Sound Schools is to support school crisis prevention, response, and recovery, and to protect every school and every student, every day. Download their free toolkits linked in today's post.
PASS Guidelines Version 6 Now Available
The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has published the 6th edition of their Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools. These guidelines include a comprehensive list of best practices, and can be downloaded for free from the PASS website.
Allegion 101: Control the Door – LCN
The Allegion 101 training series was designed for people who are new to the industry, new to the Allegion family of brands, or just want to learn more about hardware. The video in today's post addresses the basics of door closers.
FF: “Proper Coordination Creating Great Design”
Credit for the post title - and for today's Fixed-it Friday photo - goes to Tyler Michieli of Alan Ford Architects. It's so rare to see doors where such careful coordination is apparent...maybe the whole point is for us not to notice the doors at all.
1982: Westchase Hilton Hotel Fire
As I have said many times before, we have a responsibility to learn from past fires and other tragedies where door openings played a role. This month is the anniversary of a fire at the Westchase Hilton Hotel in Houston, Texas, where 12 people lost their lives.
WW: Limbo Lower Now
These Wordless Wednesday photos show a restaurant's patio exit...a great reminder that when we're specifying and selecting doors and hardware we need to try to anticipate how the openings will be used in the future.
Decoded: Current Requirements of the I-Codes for Classroom Door Locks
As I mentioned last month, my Decoded column has a new question-and-answer format. This month's question: "How do the changes made to the 2018 and 2021 I-Codes affect the requirements for locks installed on classroom doors?"
STANLEY Access to Know-How: Sensor Monitoring
Yesterday, March 19th was National Automatic Door Day! To commemorate this annual observance, the video in today's post addresses a change that I've received some questions about lately...the ANSI/BHMA requirements for monitored safety sensors.
FF: WWYD?
I received these Fixed-it Friday photos from Steve Quinn of The Flying Locksmiths. This panic hardware is installed on some service doors in a mall, and clearly they have seen a lot of cart traffic and the resulting damage. WWYD?