FF: Custom Wide Throw Hinges
Check out this Fixed-it Friday photo of a creative hinge modification, sent in by Andy Armstrong of BR Johnson. At least it doesn't appear to be a fire door...
Breaks on Impact, by Rob Botman
It has been a while since I've posted about the hazards of traditional wired glass, but the problem has not gone away. Although the US codes have changed, there are millions of existing pieces of this glass in schools and other buildings. Canada has seen several lawsuits lately - 1 worth more than 5 million dollars, and what's particularly interesting is that some of the glass in question met the code requirements in place in Canada at the time of installation, but facilities may still be held liable for wired glass injuries because they should have been aware of the hazard and addressed it. I am posting the article below with permission from the author, Rob Botman. The article first appeared in Glass Canada, and a reprint can be downloaded by clicking here. There is additional information about the requirements for glazing on the Glass tab above.^
WW: School Security
These are egress doors in an occupied school gym. Luckily they are going to be replaced shortly, but meanwhile, I'm Wordless.
More on Electric Strikes on Fire Door Assemblies
Recently a question from a code official landed in my inbox - "Can an electric strike on a fire door be operated by a motion sensor?" For example, if a door was often used by people carrying boxes or other large items, could a sensor release the strike so the building occupants could just push on the door rather than turning the lever to exit?
Allegion Support
I receive lots of questions daily. Usually they are code questions, but I also receive questions about our products. To help you find answers to some of the product questions more quickly, I have added links to some Allegion support resources in the right sidebar. -->
FF: Thru-Bolts, Who Needs ‘Em?
It's my 20th anniversary with the company, my site has had more than 1 million pageviews, and I just received one of my favorite photos EVER! Check it out...
OTU (Openings Terminology for the Unenlightened) – Frames
This is SO COOL. I LOVE it. I know it probably seems like it doesn't take that much to excite me, but when this hit my inbox, it really made my day...all because Dan Dateno of BR Johnson combined his sketching ability with his career in doors and hardware to illustrate alternate definitions for common door and hardware terminology.
WW: Hole in the Wall
It's Wordless Wednesday again! When I was in Baltimore a few weeks ago, I was loitering around these pairs of fire doors leading from the exhibit hall to the service corridor...
Hardware Finishes
When I worked for a hardware distributor back in the 80's, I had a secret hiding place where I kept my prized possessions...including a small cardboard "book" that contained samples of each of the common finishes used for hardware. I had to keep it hidden, because people were always trying to steal it, or rip out the little metal pieces to send as finish samples...
Another Open Fire Door
A 42-unit apartment building was destroyed by fire last week in Columbus, Ohio. The fire began in a second-floor apartment, and the door to the apartment was left open when the resident evacuated. According to investigators, fire doors in the corridor and stairwell were also propped open, allowing the smoke and flames to spread and leaving the residents no safe escape route...
FF: The EasyLock
Most of you know that I'm not a fan of the retrofit security "inventions" that seem to be flooding the institutional market lately, but I do admire creativity, and since it's Fixed-it Friday I thought I'd share a product I recently saw in the news - The EasyLock. I have no idea how effective it is as a security device, but the design is pretty clever...
New Resource for Current Codes
Check out the new resource on iDigHardware and you might win a $50 Amazon gift card for helping to validate the current codes in your area!
WW: Hotel Exit
When I stay in a hotel I always check the fire doors and egress doors, and unfortunately I usually find issues. I guess I'm not the only one...
Fire Doors in the News
Lots of fire doors in the news, in large part because of Fire Door Safety Week last week!
Memo from the New York State Education Department
It seems like just about every week I see a new classroom security device that promises to thwart intruders and help keeps kids safe in school. As I've said multiple times, many of these devices are not code-compliant, and trade security for life safety. In evaluating these products, my criteria are...
FF: Thru-Wire Hinge
On a thru-wire hinge, the wires are typically run through the thickness of the hinge leaf. Like inside of the hinge leaf where you can't see them. Not actually through the hinge. Oh never mind. You're doing it wrong.
Access to Panic Hardware
I'm sure you've seen panic hardware with some sort of guard or protection above, below, or around the panic. Should the codes define a certain area of free space around the panic hardware, ensuring that the actuating portion is obvious and readily available to someone using the exit? How much clear space is needed?
WW: Have a Coke and a Smile
It's Wordless Wednesday again, and these photos DEFINITELY left me wordless...
Time-Sensitive Opportunities!
There are 3 educational opportunities coming up, but you have to act fast! An on-demand video of a fire door test - 1 week only! Access Control Training begins Thursday! The next online Decoded course begins tomorrow!
Beautiful Doors of Baltimore
Here are some photos from last week's trip to CONSTRUCT in Baltimore...I'm headed to Phoenix & Scottsdale soon, so let me know if there are doors there that I should share!
FF: Bondo Hides All Sins (not)
All I can say about these photos of a field-prepped electric strike is...this is why we specify all of the hardware, including access-control hardware, in the hardware specification. Field preps do happen on occasion, but not all installers are created equal...
Assembly Doors with Mag-Locks
In a recent discussion about code change proposals, there was a question about whether electromagnetic locks should be an acceptable alternative to panic hardware, on doors serving Assembly occupancies - essentially the application shown in the photos below. If approved, a door serving an assembly space, and perhaps even Educational occupancies depending on how the proposal was written, could have mag-locks released by a sensor, and no panic hardware - no latching device at all...
WW: Fly Trap
What can I say? Thank you to Gary Huizen of Huizen's Locksmith Service for posting this Wordless Wednesday photo on the iDigHardware Facebook page!
Fatal Apartment Fire – Chicago, Illinois
According to news reports, it sounds like an open door or possibly two open doors, along with an illegally locked second exit and insufficient smoke detectors may have contributed to the deaths of 4 children in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood...
Decoded Quick-Tips: Fire Door Assemblies
In preparation for an upcoming class for access control professionals, I'm putting together some printable summaries of code tips on security-related topics. The first sheet I'm working on addresses requirements specific to fire door assemblies that would be important to an access control integrator or security consultant...
FF: My Door Won’t Close
Thank you to Tim Meegan of Doors Incorporated for today's Fixed-it Friday photo! It's a classic! In case anyone is wondering, this article talks about the mounting guidelines for auto operator actuators!
Stairwell Reentry – Revisited
Something recently caught me by surprise and I feel like I should bring it to light so that anyone who is specifying, supplying, or installing electrified hardware on stairwell doors would be aware of the potential issue...
WW: Hot Mess
I'm working on a blog post - hopefully for tomorrow, about a code problem involving stairwell reentry requirements. And it's not good news. But for today, from Edward Marchakitus of Cornell Storefront Systems, the emergency exit on a retail store. You'll be happy to know that this is the "before" photo:
WWYD? School Security
In addition to providing support and training on door-related code requirements, my job also includes participating in code development - helping to propose changes to the codes that affect our business, and reviewing proposals from others. There is currently research underway that may propose to add school security requirements to a national code...
FF: Magnetic Holder Bracket
For the record, this is not a code-compliant way of providing an extension for a magnetic holder...
Decoded Online Training
In a few weeks I will be teaching my Decoded online course again, this time on behalf of the Center for Campus Fire Safety. The Decoded course is a 4-class series on code requirements applicable to doors and hardware, and is based on the following codes and standards...
WW: Obstructed Egress
An architect's office can't claim that they didn't understand the requirements for an unobstructed means of egress, right?
Doors in the News
Keith Brooks, Head of Prevention and Protection at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “This case is a perfect example of how important fire doors are when a fire breaks out both in the home and the workplace. They play a critical element in saving lives and property and should never be propped open..."
Gasketing on Stair Doors
If you read this paragraph in a vacuum, it seems like all fire doors have to limit the air infiltration to this level (in most cases this would require gasketing), but this paragraph falls under section 716.5.3 - Door assemblies in corridors and smoke barriers. There are two sections following 716.5.3 that apply to other types of fire doors...
FF: 5 Operations to Exit
Eric Rieckers of Yadon Construction Specialties sent me this classic Fixed-it Friday photo of a door gone wrong. Security must not be enhanced at the expense of life safety, and doors in a means of egress must be unlatched with one operation. Several of these locks are also mounted outside of the allowable range for operable hardware.
WW: Special Closer Mounting
These photos were taken by Todd Borsch from Allegion. This is not a special template authorized by LCN!
Back-2-Basics: Handing 101
I have been asked about door handing SO MANY TIMES over the years...hopefully with your help we can address the questions once and for all. Leave me a comment if I forgot anything!
School Shootings – A Closer Look at the Statistics
Every school shooting is disturbing, but seeing a number like 74 shootings is enough to drive schools to use any methods possible to protect students and staff from the imminent threat of an intruder. As we've discussed before, many of the security devices being employed by schools are not code-compliant, and/or not a good long-term solution.
FF: Essaouira, Morocco
And now...for my last post from Morocco, some Fixed-it Friday photos from Essaouira. If you've never visited, it is a beautiful city with an old fort, a busy port, talented wood carvers, a sandy beach, fresh seafood, and the fattest cats in all of Morocco. Oh - and lots of doors that are fighting corrosion from the salt air. Enjoy!
Locked in Mazagan
This was not the first time I've been locked in. My youngest daughter locked us in a hotel room on another summer road trip, and once I got locked in the Trinity Church stairwell. Hopefully being locked in Mazagan makes #3 of 3...
WW: Fire Extinguisher Access
When the wrong lock function is installed, there are ways to rectify the situation. Today's Wordless Wednesday post is one of them...
Lock Shopping in Marrakech
This is not the first time I've shopped for locks in Marrakech (here are some photos from the last time), but today I stumbled upon two craftsmen in the haddadine (metalworkers' souk) that made THE MOST AMAZING LOCKS. I bought one of the padlocks so I was able to take lots of photos of one of the shops. Check them out!
Decoded: Fair Housing Act
A common misconception is that the Fair Housing Act applies only to federally-funded housing projects, but according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, “The Fair Housing Act requires all ‘covered multifamily dwellings’ designed and constructed for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 to be accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Covered multifamily dwellings are all dwelling units in buildings containing four or more units with one or more elevators, and all ground floor units in buildings containing four or more units, without an elevator.”
FF: From Chefchaouen
As much as I love the beautiful doors of Chefchaouen, I think I love the well-loved old doors with their patches and repairs even more. Here are some of my favorites for today's Fixed-it Friday post...
Chefchaouen, Morocco
I have to get on the road early today, so I only have time to post a teeny preview...I will post more tonight!
WW: Fez Egress
In Fez, we stayed in two riads - beautiful old houses that have been converted to guesthouses. Check out the stairs...I wouldn't want to have to get out quickly. The egress rules are a little different here...
More From Fez
We spent a few hours in the Fez medina today. There are beautiful doors EVERYWHERE! Here are a few...
Dar el Menia – Fez, Morocco
It's that time of the year again, when I take a little time off and share some of the amazing doors I see in my summer travels. This is a little personal, but THIS is my bedroom door for tonight. Amazing right?
FF: Communicating Door Closers
Today's my birthday!! David Barbaree of St. Vrain Valley School District sent me this present...a special application for closers on communicating doors - two doors in one frame. Communication doors are usually found between hotel rooms and do not have door closers, but in this case the two doors are the exterior doors for a school kitchen...