I need some help. (And you could win!)
What are the options when a fire door assembly is too difficult for an assisted living resident to open? I'd love to hear your ideas, but I'm also looking for some help with one particular application.
QQ: All-Weather Closer Fluid
Today's Quick Question: Our doors have trouble closing every time the weather changes and it’s making our AC work overtime. Is there any way we can avoid adjusting each door every season?
FF: Drop Plate Alternative
Allen Huguley of Wagstaff Taylor & Associates, Inc. sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo...he's not responsible for detailing this "fix"! (Although I'm kind of impressed with the workmanship!)
WW: Oh dear.
I had the hardest time deciding whether this should be a Wordless Wednesday or Fixed-it Friday post...what do you think? Thank you to Steven James Rone for sharing this classic!
Security Today: Creating a Safer World
There's another new voice on iDigHardware! Karen Keating is Allegion's Senior Manager, Brand & Solutions Marketing for the locks category, and today I'm sharing her recent article published in Security Today.
TBT: LCN
If you have been reading iDigHardware for a long time, this 1943 LCN ad from Architectural Record might remind you of a story that one of my own kids wrote back in 2010 - she's now 23 years old!
FF: Creative Drop Plate
Chuck Gulla of Allegion sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, which has inspired me to put drop plates on the list for the next "What's that?" post. Stay tuned, and happy Friday!
FF: Rescue Hardware Closer
Paul Goldense of Goldense Building Products (one of the most creative door opening engineers I know) sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo of a rescue hardware closer alternative.
FF: Rescue Hardware ST
This is a true test of who the most loyal readers of iDigHardware are...what is my FAVORITE special template from LCN?? Hint: It's an ST for the 4020T closer.
WW: Closer Creativity
I had a tough time deciding whether to post today's door closer photos for Wordless Wednesday or for Fixed-it Friday, but I'm definitely wordless! What do you think?
What’s that? CUSH Shoe Support
I tend to notice and appreciate details, and I get a little thrill when I see that someone has taken the time to install hardware with the correct components. So what's a CUSH shoe support?
FF: Stacked Shoe Shim
Hal Kelton of DOORDATA Solutions sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, and I'm curious about the reason but also surprised that someone would cut four closer shoes to make a shim. Yikes!
FF: Alternative Closing Mounting
I received today's Fixed-it Friday photos from Herman Hauer of M&D Door...I wonder how long the closer will survive mounted this way. Any bets?
TBT: Bardsley Checking Spring Hinge
Mike Robinson sent me these photos of a mounted sample of a "spring hinge" and asked if I knew anything about this product. Have any of you seen this product before?
FF: More Doors of Querétaro
Yesterday I posted some photos of the wicket doors I saw during a recent visit to Querétaro, Mexico, and here are a few Fixed-it Friday photos from the same trip. Enjoy the long weekend!
What’s that? Thick Hub Shoe
Continuing with my posts on "unidentified hardware objects," the hub on this closer shoe is much thicker than on a typical arm, AND...the arm has an extra bend in it. But why?
Hold-Open Application
There's (almost) nothing I love more than seeing our Early Careers cohort checking out doors! What do you think about this hold-open application we saw on our field trip last week?
Do assisted living units need fire protection?
A code change proposal has been submitted that would remove the self-closing/automatic-closing requirement for assisted living unit entry fire doors. I OBJECT! How about you?
Decoded: Door and Gate Closing Speed
I am working on a new series of Decoded posts, which will be compiled into a reference library addressing each of the code requirements related to door openings. What do you think?
FF: Parallel Arm Shoes
I received today's Fixed-it Friday photo from Eyal Bedrik and Danny Estryk of Entry Systems Ltd., and I'm a bit Wordless. Have you seen any creative fixes lately?
QQ/WWYD? Self-Closing Doors on Individual Restrooms
I'm finally writing this post so I can find the answer quickly next time...today's Quick Question is this: Are doors serving single occupancy restrooms required to be self-closing?
FF: Italian Ingenuity
It has been a while since my trip to Italy, so I'm living vicariously through a retired AHJ, who never forgets to send me photos of the marvels of creativity that he sees in his travels. :D
FF: Transom Bar
I saw this interesting Fixed-it Friday transom bar application posted by Jeremy Guthrie of Omega Door & Hardware...what do you think?
Closers for Arched Doors
Tim Weller of Allegion sent me a photo recently that reminded me about a past post addressing door closers for arched doors. I went back to find the post, and I can hardly believe that I wrote it in 2011!
FF: Fixed Forever
Joe Phillips of Allegion sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, and I'd love to hear from iDigHardware readers - under what circumstances (if any) would you install a closer this way? The photo was taken in a high school.
Decoded: Closers on Classroom Doors
Questions about door closers on classroom doors have been coming up frequently, so I have updated this Decoded article to reflect the current code requirements. What are you seeing in the field? Closers, or no closers?
WW: How many more cycles?
Once a door and hardware professional starts looking at the hardware as they pass through a door opening, that habit is difficult (or impossible?) to break. I received today's Wordless Wednesday from my retired Allegion coworker, Chris Clark.
FF: One of these things is not like the others…
One of these things is not like the others...one of these things just doesn't belong. If are a Sesame Street fan, this song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Can you see the problem in today's Fixed-it Friday photos?
Accessibility Requirements for Operable Hardware and Door Control Devices
In this article for Door Security + Safety, I have used information from various sources to support interpretations of the intent of the accessibility standards. If you have anything to add, leave a comment asap!
FF: Anchors Aweigh!
Drywall anchors, that is! This is a 90-minute wood fire door, and someone tried to install the door closer (twice) with drywall screws and plastic anchors. I'm wordless! Happy Fixed-it Friday!
FF: Closer Edition
I saw Alexander Wright of Allegion in my code update class at UNC-Charlotte yesterday, which reminded me that he sent me these Fixed-it Friday photos of door closers in the wild! Keep 'em coming!
FF: High Security Hold-Open
My ooooold friend and coworker, Chuck Gulla of Allegion, sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo from a school in Vermont. Since it's not a fire door, it's not a code issue, but it's definitely a creative solution. I'm sure the school is trying to cut down on "mischief" in the restroom.
FF: Delayed Action Closer
For today's Fixed-it Friday photo, I am updating an old post from almost 10 years ago. This week I have received several questions about holding open and locking doors in schools. Could delayed action closers be a good solution?
Allegion 101: Control the Door – LCN
The Allegion 101 training series was designed for people who are new to the industry, new to the Allegion family of brands, or just want to learn more about hardware. The video in today's post addresses the basics of door closers.
FF: I wonder how long this “fix” will last…
When Stan Hubbell posted these Fixed-it Friday photos in the "There's no crying in Hollow Metal" Facebook group, I knew I had to share them (with permission). How would you handle this installation properly?
Communicating Door Follow-Up
When I posted my updated Decoded article about communicating doors earlier this week, I remembered these photos. I think that looking at an issue in different ways can really help to get the point across, so here goes...
Christianshavn Preschool
It's hard to miss this preschool in my neighborhood (I'm temporarily working from Christianshavn, Copenhagen), but I'm guessing most people don't notice that this preschool has the same problem with elopement that is common in the U.S.
FF: Closer/Holder Fix
You may have to look closely at this Fixed-it Friday photo from Brian Lavallee of Doors by LAVA Inc. Have you ever seen this "creative" application in use?
Fire Door Assemblies: Control the Door
Earlier this year, a fatal fire in a Bronx apartment building demonstrated the importance of code-compliant fire door assemblies that are closed and latched when a fire occurs. Today's post addresses NFPA 80's three categories of fire door operation.
FF: Custom Concealed Closer
David Seeley of WESCO | Anixter sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo of a door closer he saw in a Cape Cod restaurant...what do you think? Was it worth the extra effort to partially conceal the closer?
Closer Covers on Fire Doors – Revisited
A while back, I posted a Quick Question about whether a missing closer cover on a fire door assembly should be noted as a deficiency during a fire door inspection. There is finally an official answer!
FF: Universal Closer
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo came from Lloyd Raforth of Allegion, who found this parallel arm closer with a "twist" mounted on a restaurant exit. Whatever it takes to get the job done!
WWYD? Opening Force
On behalf of an iDigHardware reader, I need help from someone with a really long memory or a better filing system than mine. Where did the limit of 30 pounds to set the door in motion and 15 pounds to open the door fully come from?
Security in 30 and a whole lot more!
Coming up this week: The next Security in 30 session for integrators, two more Webinar Wednesday classes covering electrified hardware, Door Drills on access control and the Von Duprin 98/99 series, and Allegion 101 on LCN - take your pick!
FF: Road Trip Part 3
I've been home from my road trip for a few weeks now, and I finally found time to go through all of the photos I took and put together this final Fixed-it Friday post. Don't forget to send me some photos from your holiday road trips!
Manufacturing Day 2021
If you're not familiar with Manufacturing Day, it's an annual series of events aimed at helping to fill 4 million high-skill, high-tech and high-paying manufacturing jobs over the next decade. Check out our US facilities in this video!
Never Stop Learning!
"The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process, and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity. Usually, growth comes at the expense of previous comfort or safety." ~ Josh Waitzkin
WW: Wordless “Fix”
This could have been a Fixed-it Friday contender, but the "fix" left me Wordless. Thank you to Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems Ltd for today's Wordless Wednesday photos and video!
Let’s Play: 1 vs. 100!
If you will be at the DHI conNextions conference in New Orleans, I hope to see you in my class on Thursday, October 21st! And if you are a local architect/architectural specwriter or code official, you can attend my class for free!
Up Next…
Thanks to everyone who attended my webinars last week - the recording of the session will be on the webinars page of iDigHardware within the next few days. Here's what's coming up this week.