Lori Greene

About Lori Greene

Lori is the Manager, Codes and Resources for Allegion, and the creator of iDigHardware. With more than 35 years of experience in the door and hardware industry, in her current role she focuses exclusively on the code requirements that apply to door openings.

FF: Rodless

Instead of maintaining the fire exit hardware on this pair of fire doors, the rods and most of the latches were removed and an exit alarm was installed.  The most disturbing part is that there are doors like this EVERYWHERE...fire doors and egress doors that will no longer perform as designed, tested, and required by code, because of lack of maintenance or improper modifications.  And without widespread adoption of the fire and egress door inspection requirements, we're left to address these problems one door at a time.  In each fatal fire the main focus seems to always be on sprinklers, but compartmentalization is key to preventing the spread of smoke and flames.  It goes without saying that code-compliant egress is a life safety feature which can't be compromised.

By |2014-02-20T18:06:09-05:00February 7th, 2014|FDAI, Fire Doors, Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|7 Comments
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PSA – 9-volt Batteries

This is not door-related, but consider it a public service announcement that shows how much I care about you.  I don't know how common this is, but I did confirm that a 9-volt battery can be used to start a fire and improper storage has led to several residential fires.  If we proactively replace our smoke detector batteries and store the partially-used batteries until they are recycled, we need to take precautions to avoid the situation in the video below.

By |2014-02-03T14:10:31-05:00February 3rd, 2014|General Info, Videos|2 Comments
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FF: Polar Vortex

I live just outside of Boston and I'm so tired of the cold winter weather we've had this year.  I went to a meeting last week and the entrance to the meeting room was from an interior corridor, but there was an exterior door at the end of the corridor nearby.  I noticed that the closer on the interior door had an allen wrench stuck in the adjustment valve.  I asked someone who worked in the facility why it was there (like I didn't know), and he told me that they leave it there permanently because they have to adjust the closer every time the outside temperature gets above or below a certain point.  Otherwise, on cold days the interior door to the meeting room creeps closed, letting in the colder air from the corridor, and on warmer doors the door slams shut.  LCN's all-weather fluid (supplied standard), would have helped here...it will maintain the same viscosity for temperatures between 120 degrees F and -30 degrees F, so seasonal adjustment is not required.

By |2014-02-20T18:05:27-05:00January 31st, 2014|Door Closers, Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|1 Comment
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WW: L’Isle Verte Fire Doors

These photos leave me Wordless in a different way than the usual WW photos.  This is a great illustration of what a code-compliant fire door can do.  In the foreground of the top photo...the portion of the senior home in L'Isle Verte that is a total loss, with 32 presumed dead.  In the background, the newer portion of the building that suffered little damage and from which the occupants were able to be evacuated.  That portion was reportedly equipped with sprinklers, but without the fire wall and closed/latched fire doors visible in the photo, the fire would not have been compartmentalized as it was.  We will undoubtedly learn more about the specifics as the investigation continues.

By |2014-02-27T14:09:14-05:00January 29th, 2014|Fire Doors, News, Wordless Wednesday|3 Comments
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Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art – Bentonville, Arkansas

Almost exactly 7 years ago I began working on one of my most beautiful and challenging projects - the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.  I remember the start date because I had just returned from leave after having my youngest daughter.  The architect contacted me many months prior and asked me to act as the hardware consultant on the project, and to be honest, I didn't want to do it.  I already had several "high-maintenance" projects on my desk, and with most of those fancy, prestigious projects, you also get frustrations and headaches.  You get architects with door-related ideas that have never been attempted...gigantic doors, openings that are invisible (codes be damned), doors made out of unusual materials, sliders that slide with the touch of a finger and no sound, and security applications that require variances from the local AHJ.  It was during one of those projects that I first stated, "Sorry, I left my magic wand in the car."  On another I earned the nickname "the anti-fairy godmother" because I told an architect that the doors in his interior elevation would not look the way he had drawn them because of code-drive hardware requirements.

By |2024-02-13T12:31:23-05:00January 28th, 2014|Beautiful Doors, General Info, Videos|4 Comments
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Senior Home Fire – L’Isle Verte, Quebec

One of the worst feelings for me is that of being powerless...of seeing a critical need before me and having no way to help.  I can't imagine how it felt for the firefighters, neighbors, family members, and others who were forced to watch last week's senior home fire in Quebec, without any way to rescue most of the residents - some of whom could be seen or heard until they were taken by the smoke and flames.  Heartbreaking stories are emerging, including one of a man who was able to reach his mother on her balcony and wrap her in warm clothing or blankets, but could not rescue her.  The fire in L'Isle-Verte is believed to have killed 32 of the home's elderly residents, although recovery of the victims is extremely slow because the remnants of the building are encased in ice.

By |2014-01-27T14:54:01-05:00January 27th, 2014|Fire Doors, Means of Egress, News|0 Comments
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FF: Lock Jaw

I know some of you will have something to say about this video, sent to me by Jim Elder of Secured Design...the ease of lock bumping, code-compliance of the product, ineffectiveness of deadbolts, double-sided tape...what do you think?  The national security expert explains the product at 3:25.

By |2014-01-24T09:37:18-05:00January 24th, 2014|Fixed-it Friday, Locks & Keys, Means of Egress|6 Comments
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Variable Door Thickness

I've specified hardware for A LOT of doors.  Thousands.  But I've never worked on a door like this one, where the door thickness varied from top to bottom.  When you have a door with an unusual thickness, you need to consider the interface between the lever trim/control, the lock body, and the panic hardware, along with the length of the fasteners and cylinder.  With a mortise lockset or a mortise panic like this Von Duprin 5575 device, the location of the lock body within the door thickness factors into the equation.  For example, if it was a 3" thick door but the lock body was installed at the push side face of the door, only the connection between the lever and the lock body would need to be addressed.  If the lock body was installed at the pull side face of the door, only the connection between the lock body and the panic hardware would need to be addressed.  If the lock was centered in the door thickness, both connections would be affected, as below.

By |2017-05-30T16:08:09-04:00January 21st, 2014|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|0 Comments
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CBS Chicago: Would-Be Burglar Thwarted After Pulling Door Marked ‘Push’

The fact that this door swings in instead of out seems to confuse the burglar enough that he can't figure out how to get in. However, I would NOT recommend inswinging doors as a security measure! Considering that people generally try to exit the way they came in, I think this opening could be an egress problem unless it is serving a very small bar.  What do you think?

By |2015-12-23T08:58:32-05:00January 19th, 2014|Means of Egress, News, Videos|1 Comment
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BUILDINGS BUZZ – Voices from the Industry

I always enjoy having a chance to work with facility managers to make sure they're up to date on what's new in my world - whether it's a new product or a recent code change.  I often answer specific questions and help with product applications one-on-one, but I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with them en masse.

By |2014-01-29T13:25:53-05:00January 16th, 2014|Accessibility, Fire Doors, Means of Egress, News|1 Comment
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Q&A: Life Safety Code 2012

A few years ago I met Brad Keyes of Keyes Life Safety Compliance, who is a terrific resource when it comes to life safety questions about health care facilities.  When I received the question below I sent it to Brad, and his answer was so comprehensive and helpful that I asked if I could post it here.  It is relevant to all types of health care facilities, not just ambulatory health care.  Thank you Brad, for allowing me to share this information!

By |2014-01-29T13:26:56-05:00January 13th, 2014|Electrified Hardware, Health Care, Means of Egress|2 Comments
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FF: Random Creativity

If any of you attended DHI's AH2 class in Savannah, Georgia back in the Good Old Days, you may have had one of my all-time favorite instructors - Bob Jutzi.  I actually use a lot of his techniques when I teach, to try to make my classes more engaging and dare I say "fun"?  I don't have a flat-cat Earl, but I still have the monkey from my AH2 class (and a monkey arm from another year).  Bob sent me the photos below so if you want to leave him a "howdy" you can do so in the comments.

By |2014-01-29T13:31:55-05:00January 10th, 2014|Door Closers, Fire Doors, Fixed-it Friday, Panic Hardware|11 Comments
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Manhattan High Rise Fire

On January 5th, a fire in a Manhattan high-rise apartment building resulted in the death of building resident Daniel McClung, who was found in a smoke-filled stairwell.  Several other residents were injured, including Mr. McClung's husband who was also found in the stairwell.  The fire appears to have been the result of an overloaded extension cord or power strip.  The apartment's resident was not at home when the fire started, and reportedly opened his door upon returning home, saw the fire and escaped leaving the door open.  This provided oxygen to the fire, and allowed the smoke and flames to spread.

By |2016-12-02T22:45:11-05:00January 7th, 2014|Fire Doors, News|8 Comments
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Back to Cape Cod

A few years ago I took my family to a resort on Cape Cod for winter break, and I spent this past weekend at the same resort.  On our first visit, I found a lot to write about...the hinges on all of the cross-corridor doors had been modified (sometimes very badly) and were no longer code-compliant for fire doors, the fire doors connecting the 8 buildings were propped open with wedges and the latches had been removed, the swimming pool egress doors were questionable, and there were a few other issues.

By |2016-08-23T21:01:58-04:00January 6th, 2014|Door Closers, Fire Doors, Hold-Opens, Road Trips|13 Comments
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FF: Creative Doorknobs

The other day I ran across this glass globe doorknob, which allows you to see into the next room before you enter.  Pretty cool design, but not without its challenges, especially if it's not available with 1-way viewing.  I could use it to spy on my kids to see if they're playing video games when they're supposed to be sleeping, but I don't want them to be able to check to see if the coast is clear before leaving their bedroom to make a run to the cookie jar.

By |2016-01-13T11:09:41-05:00January 3rd, 2014|Fixed-it Friday, Locks & Keys|0 Comments
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WWYD? Connecting Classroom Doors

Many classrooms have a door connecting to the adjacent classroom.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but since most classrooms do not require a second means of egress, I think those doors are typically there for convenience.  I tried to find something in past codes that would have required the second door, but so far I only see the requirement for a second means of egress when the occupant load reaches 50 or more.  (Note: There are some situations where a classroom may need to have a second means of egress because it is not located on the ground floor.)

By |2013-12-27T00:08:36-05:00December 17th, 2013|Locks & Keys, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, School Security, WWYD?|19 Comments
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School Security in the News

If you search Google News for the words "school" and "security", the search engine will return millions of results.  There are stories about many cities, states, and school districts working on plans and funding to increase the safety and security of their schools.  There are reports about incidents at schools, and products that may help improve security.  It's tough to wade through it all.  The following articles address the topic with a slightly different focus.

By |2017-05-25T15:41:29-04:00December 16th, 2013|Glass, Locks & Keys, News, School Security|2 Comments
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WW: Ice Time

This photo, from an ice arena, gives me the chills.  Ice rinks are notoriously difficult locations for doors and hardware...lots of abuse, often a high occupant load, humidity and corrosion issues, and other contributing factors.  In case you don't see the problem right away, look at the top of the mullion.  Angle brackets have been bolted to each door, and there is a pin inserted through one bracket, through the mullion, and through the other bracket.  Someone trying to exit through these doors would likely have no idea why they won't open.

By |2013-12-18T15:34:37-05:00December 11th, 2013|Doors Gone Wrong, Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|9 Comments
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Swing Free in School?

Over the weekend I visited a local high school for a swim meet.  Right away I noticed MANY pairs of fire doors equipped with LCN Sentronics, which are designed to hold the doors open until the fire alarm sounds and then close the doors to deter the spread of smoke and flames.  Some of these doors were propped open with wood wedges (uh-oh).  When I took a closer look, I realized what the problem was.

By |2017-05-30T16:06:29-04:00December 9th, 2013|Door Closers, Fire Doors, Hold-Opens|16 Comments
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FF: STOP!

When you're faced with an opening where a floor stop or wall stop just won't work, you could use an overhead stop.  If that's not enough protection, you could use a door closer with advanced variable backcheck (AVB), which starts the backcheck (cushioning effect) earlier in the opening cycle and keeps the door from gaining momentum.  Or you could get creative and make your own stop, cover it with carpet so it looks pretty, and then buy a new door...

By |2017-05-30T16:00:50-04:00December 6th, 2013|Doors Gone Wrong, Fixed-it Friday, Stops|9 Comments
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WW: Look Closer

I just had an idea.  I'm putting together an online code class for my coworkers, which will be available to others outside of the company next year.  The way I like to teach about codes is to explain the intent behind the requirement, show examples, reference the applicable section of the code, and preferably to break up the education into small chunks so it's easier to absorb over time.  The way I initially tried to learn was to read the code books and highlight the sections, but it didn't really stick with me.  So many people email me to say, "I know the code says something about *this*, but where is it?"...something they have read or heard may have left an impression on them about the requirement, but it didn't settle into their brain for the long haul.

By |2013-12-04T23:27:53-05:00November 20th, 2013|Locks & Keys, Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|19 Comments
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FF: Lockdown

Eric Paul of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies sent me these photos of another school lockdown product that a local school was using.  The lock is kept locked, and the add-on product keeps the latchbolt retracted until there's an emergency and the teacher needs to lock the door.  This product can not be used on fire doors, which need to latch.  Have any of you ever seen or used this product?  Comments?

By |2013-12-04T23:19:28-05:00November 15th, 2013|Fixed-it Friday, Locks & Keys, School Security|11 Comments
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