WW: Positive Latching??
Rit Bellefleur of Accurate Commercial Door & Hardware Services, LLC sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo. This is a fire door in a school, and the bottom latch clearly serves no purpose. What's the point??
Spec Update: Oversized Fire Door Assemblies / Construction Labels
I have posted a couple of spec updates in past weeks, both related to one small portion of an actual project specification. Today's post addresses the remaining paragraph in the example - oversized fire doors.
Spec Update: Fire Door Testing
Last week I posted the first in a new series of posts, with the goal of delving into some specification sections to try to understand the intent and see where updating is needed. Another question came up regarding the same spec section.
Spec Update: Temperature Rise Doors
I have been thinking about adding a new type of post for a long time, and today's the day I will try it out. I can't tell you how many times I've opened a specification to estimate a project, and found outdated information...
Download the 2021 Allegion Code Reference Guide today!
The new version of the guide is available for download now - just visit iDigHardware.com/guide. Feel free to share this link with your coworkers and others who may benefit from using the Allegion Code Reference Guide!
QQ: Gasketing Requirements of NFPA 101
Last week, I updated the Decoded article on smoke door requirements of the IBC, and I was asked to update this NFPA 101 post as well. There were not many changes in the 2021 edition of the Life Safety Code, but here is the revised post.
What’s new? I’m going to tell you!
On Thursday, August 26th, I will be hosting a webinar covering some of the important changes to the 2021 editions of the International Building Code (IBC) and NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code. Are you up to speed on what's new?
Decoded: Smoke Door Requirements of the International Building Code
By request, I have updated this article on smoke doors to include the requirements of the 2021 IBC. When you have a question about a smoke door, just decide which of the 5 types it is and refer to the section for that type.
Coming Up!
There's more online training available this week...whether you are new to the industry, responsible for maintaining a facility, or interested in one of this week's Webinar Wednesday topics, there are lots of classes to choose from!
Upcoming Webinar: 2021 Model Code Update!
On Thursday, August 26th, I will be presenting a webinar covering the 2021 updates to the International Building Code (IBC) and NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code. The webinar qualifies for AIA and DHI continuing education units. I hope to see you there!
Choose Your Path
There are so many options for online training this week! Whether you're an architect, end user, distributor, locksmith, installer or security integrator, new to the industry or with years of experience, there's something for you to learn.
WWYD? Fire Door Assembly Labels
Thank you for all of your comments and feedback on last week's Fixed-it Friday post - I really appreciate the help! I'd love to hear what you think about fire door assembly labels as an educational tool for building occupants.
Onward and Upward!
When I wrote the title of today's post, I wondered where the term "onward and upward" came from. I found that the original source was from a poem called "The Present Crisis" by James Russell Lowell (1819-1891)...
FF: Just Dropping In
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos come with some questions...is there a way to make this opening code-compliant? It's obviously not an egress door, but how can building occupants be protected from falling?
Decoded: Fire Door Assembly Inspections in Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
My next Decoded article for Door Security + Safety magazine highlights the importance of fire door assembly inspections in multi-unit residential buildings. Enforcing the inspection requirements and repairing deficiencies will undoubtedly save lives.
Alphabet Soup! AIA, XP, AD-SUS, FDAI, GMK, ICC
There are so many online classes to choose from this week! Which one(s) will help you stay up to date on what's happening in the door and hardware industry?
Enforcement of Fire Door Assembly Inspections
What will happen when a fire occurs in the US, where an adopted fire code requires periodic fire door inspections and a state or local jurisdiction decides not to enforce the requirement? I'm afraid we'll find out before too long.
FF: 4 Little Problems
Steve Budde of Greenwood Care sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo, taken in an apartment building he was visiting. Although I'm a big fan of instructional signage, does anyone see the 4 little problems here?
FF: Jamb Protection
Fabricating this protector and welding it to a rated frame to protect the door edge from cart/bed traffic would not be allowed by the frame manufacturer's listings - at least not any listings that I've ever seen. WWYD?
WW: Hotel Fire Door
Fire doors in hotels are critical for helping to deter the spread of smoke and flames during a fire. To perform as designed and tested, the fire door needs to be closed and latched if a fire occurs. This is why we need annual inspections of fire door assemblies!
The Essentials of Fire Door Inspection (and more!)
Fire door inspection is a hot topic these days, and one of this week's Webinar Wednesday classes covers The Essentials of Fire Door Inspection. You can also learn more about fire door assemblies on iDigHardware's fire door page.
Fire Door Clearance Follow-Up
Last week I answered a Quick Question about whether a listed threshold could be used to reduce excessive clearance at the bottom of a fire door. I always appreciate the heads-ups when I make a typo, but this time I didn't! :-)
Queens Fire Follow-Up (video)
Last week I wrote about a fire in a Queens apartment building, where an open door allowed a fire to spread. FDNY shared a video that shows some of the interior of the building after the fire that left more than 200 people homeless.
QQ: Fire Door Bottom Clearance
Today's Quick Question: Can a threshold be used to address oversized clearance at the bottom of a fire door? What do you think?
This week there’s something for everyone…
We've got you covered! Up this week...Security in 30 for integrators, a webinar on the ABCs of Access Control that offers AIA CEUs, Allegion 101 for newcomers, and 4 Webinar Wednesday classes.
How many more will it take?
I like to think that I'm pretty even-tempered...I don't get mad very often (and when I do - RUN). But every time I see an apartment fire where the door was left open as the apartment residents escaped, I feel even more frustrated and angry.
So much to learn!
The next series of Allegion 101 begins tomorrow, Webinar Wednesday continues with 4 classes available this week, and next week there's a live presentation on the ABCs of Access Control that offers AIA credit.
FDAI – Here’s why.
In my opinion, removing the fire door assembly inspection requirements through a state modification of the model codes is detrimental to the safety of building occupants. What do you think?
FDAI – Why?
As I talk to people about fire door assembly inspection, two sides of the discussion have emerged. Many understand the increased life safety and fire protection provided by code-compliant fire doors - others think the deficiencies are too overwhelming to address.
Decoded: Corridor Doors in Health Care Occupancies
Past fires in hospitals and nursing homes - and the resulting fatalities - have shaped the codes that we use today. Although today’s codes do not typically require patient room doors to be fire door assemblies, these doors provide a critical layer of protection for patients.
Decoded: Double-Egress Pairs in a Health Care Occupancy
Questions about double-egress cross-corridor pairs in health care facilities arise frequently, so I have updated this article to reflect the current requirements of the model codes.
FF: Hold onto those hold opens.
This elementary school fire door "fix" is one way to keep the wedges from disappearing but might be tough to explain when the fire marshal shows up for an inspection.
Distance Learning this Week
The opportunities for distance learning continue, and here's what's on the docket for this week. The recording of my fire door session from last Friday is available on-demand, along with the Q&A from the session.
WW: What’s the big deal??
Have you ever pointed out a door problem to someone and had them respond with a shrug and some form of "so what"? A fire door is held open improperly...so what - chances are slim that the building will catch on fire today. Right??
Application of the PASS Guidelines (and more!)
There's more virtual training available this week, and an early notification of a session being hosted next week by DHI and DSSF. This webinar covers application of the 5th edition of the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools Guidelines.
WW: My work here is done.
There were plenty of times over the years when my kids reluctantly tolerated my "teachable moments" about life safety. I'm so happy to know that some of it stuck! I hope you are talking to your family and friends about doors! :-)
Security in 30 – Encore!
Security in 30 is BACK, and I'm so excited that one of the requested topics is...CODES! If you are an access control integrator, please join me next Friday, February 19th at 12:30 EST, for Security in 30: Live with Allegion.
Does your garage have a fire door?
If you have a garage attached to your home, it is very likely that the swinging door between the garage and the house is required by code to be a 20-minute fire door assembly or the equivalent. Here's why...
On the Schedule This Week
It's hard to believe that it has been so many months since we've been able to gather in a classroom together, but during that time Allegion has provided more than 150 online classes. Here's what's coming up this week...
WW: Fire Door Field Modification
At first glance this may look like just another creative Fixed-it Friday alteration, but upon deeper investigation it's a cringe-worthy Wordless Wednesday application. How will this opening protective perform during a fire? Who knows??
WW: Fire Door – Do Not Block
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo is shared with permission from Vince Davis, who posted it on the Fire and Life Safety Inspectors Facebook page. If this is a fire door it's got some other issues, but the egress problem is clear.
2020 Top 20
In 2020, iDigHardware readers visited the site more than half a million times and spent thousands of hours reading my posts and articles. These are the most popular posts of 2020...did you miss any?
New Year, New Opportunities
It's a new year, and the online training opportunities continue! Here's what's available this week in both the Allegion 101 series and the Webinar Wednesday series. Feel free to share this information with others in your office.
WWYD? Sound-Activated Automatic-Closing Devices
I have not commonly seen automatic-closing devices on fire door assemblies released by the sound of the fire alarm system vs. the detection of smoke, but maybe it's a viable option for the US market? WWYD?
Door Closers are Life Savers
Blaming fire victims for leaving the door open as they escape is not the answer. And why wait for a tragedy to occur before enacting laws that require existing apartment doors to be self-closing?
FF: Another Day…
...Another propped-open fire door. When are people going to learn?? If you don't know why this is a problem, click the link to watch a video that will teach you all about fire door assemblies.
There’s still time…to learn
As 2020 (finally) draws to a close, we have year-end projects to finish and hopefully some down-time with our families. But there's still time to learn, and our training team has plenty of options available.
The Art of Shimming a Door
Having the proper clearance around a door helps the door to close and latch correctly, affecting function, security, egress, accessibility, and fire protection, so knowing how to shim a door can come in really handy.
Minneapolis High Rise Fire – Lessons Learned
We MUST continue to educate people on the importance of keeping their fire door assemblies performing properly. An annual fire door inspection could have saved lives in this fire.
REEB: Understanding Fire Door Ratings
Someone asked me recently why distributors are still ordering swinging fire doors with a neutral pressure fire rating. I don't know the answer to that...do you?