FF: Two Bars Are Better Than One?
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...
Garage Fire Door
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...
WW: Trouble in Texarkana
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? More Big Doors
WWYD if asked to specify/supply oversized doors for a commercial or institutional project? How would you hang doors like this?
Fail Secure vs. Fail Safe (video)
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!
FF: Custom Dogging
I received this photo from Tabor Stride of Commercial Door Company...at least it doesn't appear to be a fire door!
Stairwell Reentry (video)
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!
WW: High School Gym Exit
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.
Fire Exit Hardware – Under Fire
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?
WWYD? Roller Latches in Health Care Corridors
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...
FF: Inconsistent Mounting Strategy
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?
Horizontal Sliding Door
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?
WW: Barricade Bolt
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...
Classroom Barricade Proposal – North Carolina
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...
WWYD? Bifold x Self-Closing Swinging Door
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...
FF: Twist Harder
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo is from Kayla Pollock of Allegion. Why fix the problem when you can just make a sign?
What is CPTED?
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...
WW: US Bank Stadium
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...
BUILDINGS BUZZ – Voices from the Industry
I currently have an article on BUILDINGS BUZZ…the blog for BUILDINGS, a magazine for commercial building owners and facilities management professionals. The article covers some of the code changes...
WWYD? Hardware for Glass/Aluminum Doors
If you're involved in specifying, supplying, coordinating, or maintaining hardware for aluminum or glass doors, WWYD? Where should the hardware be specified and how do you ensure that all of the details are addressed...
FF: Mismatch
This brings back that old sinking feeling that most door and hardware distributors have felt at some point. I haven't worked as a distributor for more than 20 years, but I can remember the mistakes...
Decoded: NFPA 80 Requirements for Hinges, Pivots, and Continuous Hinges
With the continued focus on fire door assemblies, it’s important to be familiar with the basic requirements as well as what has changed in the more recent codes and standards. This article focuses on hinge requirements for fire doors...
WW: Benched
It's Wordless Wednesday again, and there are 3 days left in the iDigHardware celebration and $100 gift card giveaway!
This Old Marketing
Along with Joe Pulizzi, Robert Rose hosts a weekly podcast called This Old Marketing, and this week's podcast mentioned iDigHardware and the community we have created here!
Fire Door Hardware vs. Builders Hardware
I've been asked several times - what is the difference between a swinging door with builders hardware (addressed in Chapter 6 of NFPA 80) and a swinging door with fire door hardware (covered in Chapter 7)?
FF: Hinge Side Latch
For 6 more days, we're celebrating the exciting milestones recently achieved by iDigHardware and giving away one $100 Amazon gift card each day! Visit iDigHardware.com/celebrate to find out how to enter today's drawing, or click here to read about why we're celebrating!
Thank You!!!
To celebrate some exciting milestones and the 7-year anniversary of iDigHardware, we’re giving away a $100 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner every day for 7 days!
WW: Warehouse Exit
It's a good thing it's Wordless Wednesday, because I'm running out of words. Thank you to RB Sontag of Allegion for the photos.
Elopement from Schools
I read an article this morning about a 3-year-old boy who eloped from his preschool in Bangor, Maine. The teacher saw him go through the exterior door...
Fire Door Win!
Kudos to the fire department, but the fire doors got some recognition too! From KCRA News...
FF: Dutch Door Modification
This Wordless Wednesday photo from Paul Shaaf and Kevin Lach of Twin City Hardware is a first for me. And after 7+ years of writing this blog, I don't say that very often. Enjoy.
Fire Door – Time to Close
How quickly should a fire door close? If the door closes too slowly, could it negatively impact the ability of the fire door to deter the spread of smoke and flames?
WW: Exploding Closer
WHOA. Today's Wordless Wednesday photo courtesy of Deputy Jeff Tock of Allegion.
WWYD? Multiple Delayed Egress Locks
There is some confusion surrounding the use of multiple delayed egress locks in a means of egress – in part because of variations between the codes...
FF: Barricade Box
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer is hoping a device he invented will be in your child’s school soon. It’s designed to keep active shooters out of classrooms...
Fire Fight – ProPublica
For the last year or more, our industry has been dealing with legislation overriding the code development process in several states, with regard to classroom security...
WW: Double Egress?
This Wordless Wednesday photo from Scott Straton of Allegion shows not just an exit that requires two operations to release the latch...the operations must be performed simultaneously! NOOOO!!!
Guide to the ADA Standards – Chapter 5
The United States Access Board has been slowly but surely building an online guide to the ADA. Chapter 5 - General Site and Building Elements, is now available...
Double-Acting Doors
Every so often, I'm asked whether a double-acting door can be used in a location where egress is required in both directions. A double-acting door is one that swings in and out...
FF: Sensor Release
Sometimes a system incorporating a sensor can be problematic, because traffic moving past the door can inadvertently unlock the mag-lock...
Classroom Locking Device – One Motion Egress
We have been asked to share our expertise and constructive feedback on this product idea for locking classroom doors...
WW: Conduit Conflict
I could hardly believe my eyes when I received these photos from Kevin Wiley, a fire marshal. These doors are in a college dorm, and he said at first he didn't know why the door didn't close when he removed the wood wedge holding it open. Look closely...
New CMS Final Fire Safety Regulations – Ober|Kaler Health Law Group
This article about the updated CMS fire safety regulations crossed my desk over the weekend, and it contains a lot of information about how these changes will affect health care facilities...
Decoded 4 – Codes for Electrified Hardware
I am SO EXCITED that the last class in the Decoded series is finally available on-demand, so you can take all 4 classes any time - for free!
FF: Expensive (and Painful) Ride
Thank you to Estefano Pilonieta of M&D Door & Hardware, who found this on Imgur and knew it would make my day. :D
Repairing Holes and Dents in Fire Doors
A very common repair includes installing steel fasteners in unused holes, grinding off the fastener heads, and concealing the repair with Bondo, but this is not specifically mentioned in NFPA 80...
Decoded: Small Assembly Occupancies
It is not uncommon for a building classified as another occupancy type to include an area used for assembly. For example, a nursing home would typically have a dining room, an office building might have a large conference center, or an apartment complex could have a function room that can be used for parties...
FF: Custom Dogging Mechanism
From a code perspective, there's nothing wrong with today's Fixed-it Friday photo, sent to me by Jim Jennings of Oregon Lock. It's not a fire door, so mechanical dogging isn't a problem. It is, however...
WWYD? Concealed Closer for Heavy Door
This is a real-life problem on a current project and I know someone out there has a good answer. Here is a description of the doors...
WW: Emergency Exit Only
Anyone see a problem with this Wordless Wednesday photo sent in by Art of Doors?