In case you think I have all of the answers, I don't know why this door has been designated an emergency entrance. And if it's supposed to be used to enter the building during an emergency, why doesn't it have any hardware on the outside?
Sometimes a Fixed-it Friday photo is so good (or bad!) that it qualifies for Wordless Wednesday status. Ted Wightman of Allegion sent me this gem...found on a restroom door where they have apparently had one too many lockouts.
Last night, my friend posted on Facebook that her daughter, a freshman in college, had received a text warning from the school that there was a creepy clown nearby...
Manual flush bolts on pairs of fire doors leading to rooms not normally occupied by humans? WWYD?
If an automatic operator is properly coordinated so the latch is released when the actuator is pressed, only the signage required by the BHMA standard should be needed. This is an accident waiting to happen.
Electrified locks using motors can offer users several advantages over solenoid technology. Do you know what the advantages are?
I received today's Wordless Wednesday photo from LaForce, Inc. It was taken in a Chicago Public School. Wordless.
Some days I just need to take a break from the code questions and check out a really cool door. Luckily, George Everding (and his wife Maureen who suggested that he take the photo for me) saw this door...
Last week I received questions from two different facility managers about egress requirements the evacuation of people with disabilities. More than 43 million Americans have a disability...
Alex Howe of Allegion sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo of a piece of hardware he recently saw on a restroom door. Although I have never seen this product before, the plastic cover on the pull made it pretty easy to track down...
Last night, my oldest daughter told me that her science assignment was to explain how inclined planes are used in keys. She had researched it, and described how the pins go into the cuts on the key...
Steve Murray from Security Lock Distributors sent me these Wordless Wednesday photos...see any issues?
On past kitchen projects, I addressed the potential for frequent cleaning by specifying stainless steel hardware. But floating particulates?
What drives the need for thermal-break frames and similar products in your jurisdiction? Is it an energy code, another code or standard, LEED...
This is the perfect image to reinforce why it's so important to coordinate the electrified hardware / access control in advance. I have to admit - I learned this lesson the hard way...
According to the International Building Code (IBC) and NFPA 101 – The Life Safety Code, most doors in a means of egress are required to unlatch with one releasing operation. One exception to this rule is when a door leads to a residential dwelling unit or sleeping unit...
Thank you to Ted Wightman of Allegion for today's Wordless Wednesday photo! I have no words...
Here's another of our latest set of whiteboard animation videos - taking it back to basics and discussing continuous hinges. If you know someone who is learning about hardware and could benefit from these "intro" videos, please share a link with them!
The classroom security change that will be included in the 2018 IFC is consistent with the IBC, and early adoption of this language would go a long way toward maintaining life safety and creating a uniform set of requirements across the United States.
I occasionally publish a post from a guest blogger, and I just learned that sometimes the author can receive CEUs for these posts through various industry organizations. Today's post is from Don Cherry of Allegion.
Dave Carter of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo - taken in a restaurant. You might be thinking, "Maybe this isn't a required exit..."
I'm not a spotlight-seeker...when I was growing up, I wanted to be a back-up singer - not the headliner. But there's a member-spotlight article about me in this month's issue of Doors & Hardware that I feel like I should save for posterity (and Mom). I even got a new head shot...
David Toloday of Allegion sent me these photos and I had to ask - does the lever move? Was I seeing things? No - the lever does not move. Turn the key to retract the latch. I can't say that I've seen this application before...
Here's another of our latest group of whiteboard animation videos; this one covers electromechanical locking hardware like electric strikes, electric latch retraction panic hardware, electrified locksets, and electrified trim for panic hardware...
The exit sign over the door was washed out by the flash, but it is there and it is illuminated as required. I wonder if this door would/could actually be used in an emergency...
Last week I got a call about a problem that led me to do some research on the difference between the clearance and the undercut on a fire door. On the project in question, the fire doors were supplied with a 5/8-inch undercut...
Deputy Jeff Tock of Allegion sent me this photo, showing some confusing signage on an automatic door (push to operate an outswinging door?) - which reminded me that it's been years since I've written about the signage requirements for low-energy automatic doors...
I received these photos from Don Funsch of Commercial Mill & Builders Supply. The interesting thing about these photos is not that the mailbox has been placed in front of the door, because this door isn't a required means of egress. What makes them worthy...
Many of today’s architectural designs incorporate outdoor spaces such as balconies, terraces, and courtyards, allowing building occupants access to natural light and fresh air. How do the model codes handle these areas?
This Wordless Wednesday door is for a Florida public school's hurricane shelter. :(
In the wake of any tragedy, society struggles collectively to process the loss. For some it is the loss of friends and loved ones, but for most it is our feelings of safety and trust in the overall goodness of our fellow man that are diminished or seemingly lost entirely. In their place, we are filled with an overwhelming desire to do something...
For health care facilities, controlled egress can provide a greater level of safety for patients who require containment because of their clinical needs. This video explains the requirements for controlled egress and delayed egress...
A while back, I posted some photos of a door that had panic hardware along with several stationary push bars. Although the model codes don't specifically address this application, I don't think it's acceptable...
These photos from the Glassboro Fire Department are a terrific reminder of the value of fire doors. Although most doors in single-family homes are not required to be fire-rated, the International Residential Code does require protection between the garage and the home...
I am writing this blog post from a hotel in Texarkana, Arkansas, where I saw the Wordless Wednesday door in the photos below. I hope that by the time you read this post I will be back on the road. Fingers crossed!
WWYD if asked to specify/supply oversized doors for a commercial or institutional project? How would you hang doors like this?
When working with electrified hardware it's very important to understand the difference between fail secure and fail safe products. I hope this video helps!
I received this photo from Tabor Stride of Commercial Door Company...at least it doesn't appear to be a fire door!
I've received a lot of questions about stairwell reentry lately, so I think it's time for me to address that topic in another article for Doors & Hardware. In the meantime, here's a new whiteboard animation video about stairwell reentry!
These were taken DURING a high school basketball game. Thank you to John Borchmann of Allied Building Products for this week's Wordless Wednesday photos.
I received a question recently about testing of fire exit hardware - when panic hardware is tested for use on fire doors, is it mounted on the fire side (facing the furnace) or the non-fire-side of the door?
I've received quite a few questions about roller latches lately, with regard to the CMS prohibition on using roller latches on corridor doors in health care facilities...
This was one of those photos from a recent road trip where the kids were like, "MOMMMMM...We just want a 5-dollar footlong!" and I was fixated on why these two closers would have different mounting locations for the shoe. How did this happen?
Charles Anderson sent me this photo of a horizontal sliding door he found on a marked exit in an antique store. So...is it code-compliant?
I received this photo from Guardian Fire Testing. The bolts have been installed on existing fire-rated doors in a school, and Guardian was asked to relabel these fire door assemblies...
A code change proposal has been submitted to the North Carolina Building Code Council, to address "emergency lockdown safety mechanisms" (AKA barricade devices) in schools, government buildings and office buildings...
OK - this one is going to take some thought, so let's focus. Paul Nykiel of Johnson Hardware sent me these photos of an opening he's trying to help with...
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo is from Kayla Pollock of Allegion. Why fix the problem when you can just make a sign?
CPTED (pronounced sep-ted) stands for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, and is defined as a multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behavior through environmental design...
I might need to go on a field trip to the Vikings' new stadium...just to see these doors! WoW! Blake Nelson of Allegion sent me these photos from a recent site visit...
