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?
Paris Doors to Other Cities (video)
Several people have sent this video to me lately, so in case you're not one of the 10+ million people who have viewed it on Facebook, check it out! It's pretty cool.
WWYD? Fire Door Inspections
Will fire door inspections be enforced for health care facilities? NFPA 101-2012 clearly requires them, but it seems that more proof was needed...
FF: Access Control Alternative
According to Andy, this lock is on the exterior door of a school's bus garage. Inside the "bag" is a stack of large washers, and when it is attached to the lever it allows drivers to enter the garage without using the card reader. Even though it's Friday, I'm Wordless...
UCLA Students Unable to Lock Doors
During yesterday's shooting at UCLA, Brian Fochler tagged me in a photo tweeted from the engineering building where the shooting was taking place, which was my first indication that something lock-related was happening. Since then I've received many other emails...
WW: Cross-Corridor Door
Brian Lane of Allegion sent in the photos below (via Deputy Jeff Tock). This is a cross-corridor door in a health care facility. The wall behind the door MUST be temporary, but wow...
Oldest Panic Hardware Ever?
Deb Henson of DH Consulting sent me these photos of some REALLY old panic hardware. These doors were spotted at a home show, and were originally installed on a YMCA in Laurel, Mississippi, built in 1904. Do they look familiar to anyone?
FF: Pivot Problem
A reader from Armor Lock & Security sent me the first photo a couple of months ago. They had been called to a convenience store to work on the safe, and noticed that the top pivot on the front door was barely hanging on...
Classroom Security – Latch Prevention
Schools have been able to use magnets over locking mechanisms, allowing doors to be easily opened throughout the day and still lock quickly by simply removing the magnet. But by Jan. 1, 2018, that quick fix will no longer be enough...
WW: Gas Station Exit
I think we all know by now that egress doors are not allowed to be painted or covered in a way that would disguise them (except certain doors in health care occupancies where NFPA 101 allows murals)...
WWYD? Animal Research Facility
Last week, I was asked how I would handle the hardware for an animal research lab, where animals (particularly primates) may need to be prevented from eloping...
NFPA 101 – A few more changes…
Last week I posted my next Decoded article - about changes affecting door openings between the 2000 edition of NFPA 101 and the 2012 edition. Paul Dzurinda of Russell Phillips & Associates sent me a few more changes that we should be aware of...
FF: Kick-Up Holder
Tim Weller of Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo, which features a kick-down stop (holder) in the new and improved "kick-up" custom mounting configuration...
Decoded: Changes to the Life Safety Code for Health Care Occupancies (July 2016)
In case you haven't noticed, there is an interesting conversation happening on my post from earlier in the week about classroom barricade devices. If you have something informative to add in response to the manufacturers of these products...
WW: Kick-Down Stops
Nathan Burkhardt of Opening Technologies sent me this Wordless Wednesday photo of the kick-down stops (holders) they removed from the fire doors on one of their projects. Wow.
BBS Memo – Temporary Door Locking Devices
Here's the latest on classroom barricade devices...let me know what's happening in your state.
WWYD? MRI Room
I've never been able to get a good answer on this one, so hopefully someone out there has this information and is willing to share...
FF: 180-Degree Pair
Pete Schifferli of Expert Locksmith sent me these Fixed-it Friday photos (this is not his handiwork). These are new doors in a hospital corridor, and the closers are mounted to the wall on each side to allow the doors to open 180 degrees and engage the electromagnetic holders...
Locks for Multi-Stall Restrooms
According to the IBC Commentary, the purpose of this requirement is to prevent people from locking themselves in the toilet room to create a safe haven for illicit activities...