Fixed-it Friday
Most people don’t realize how much force the components of a door closer have to withstand. I don’t think this repair is going to handle the pressure for long.
According to Bob Larson of Builders Hardware & Supply Company, these double closers are doing a good job of controlling this 7-foot x 12-foot pair of doors at the Bamburg Cathedral…
Although this is not one of the most beautiful solutions I’ve seen, I couldn’t think of a code issue as long as the hold-opens are above the minimum clear headroom of 80 inches. What do you think?
This pair of doors had one of my least favorite applications to begin with, and then access control was added. It’s a challenging modification, and something is missing here.
Although electromagnetic locks are easier than some other electrified hardware to retrofit, I try to avoid using them in schools whenever possible. How about you?
Top jamb brackets for mag-locks are not the most aesthetically-pleasing application, and this installation has some extra modifications that will definitely affect the strength and durability.
The director of maintenance for some nursing homes in NYC sent me this photo and asked how to avoid this problem in future installations. Any constructive suggestions?
If you can prove to me that you were the detailer for this project (or otherwise responsible for the details), I’ll send you something from the iDigHardware prize vault!
I love this Fixed-it Friday photo – it reminds me of my husband’s efforts to secure one of our doors.
One more photo from our time in Asheville…this is not how I would have handled the need for additional airflow at this church entrance.
Is it just me, or does this seem questionable on several levels (encroachment, projection into the clear opening width, potential for damage)? Is this an actual product or a creative modification?
I saw this photo posted by Stephen Connor on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page, and it left me Wordless even though it’s Fixed-it Friday.
I’m curious about what age children are prevented access by the 54-inch mounting height, and whether that jives with the age of children who can read the sign and enter the code.
While this may seem like a great idea at first glance – a wireless actuator mounted on the door to open the door automatically – this does not meet the recommended guidelines for actuator location.
Let’s do a better job of planning. Teachers should not have to resort to this.
There is a lesson behind today’s Fixed-it Friday photo. Upon first glance you see an exterior door locked with padlocks and a chain attached to the lever on an adjacent door. But why?
As hopefully most of you know by now, corridor doors in health care facilities are required by NFPA 101 to have positive-latching hardware. Lance Werner of Allegion sent me this photo of a pair of fire doors in a nursing home, leading to a linen storage room. A Schlage LM9200 would have been a much […]
This is not the first time I’ve seen this problem, but this is a pretty labor-intensive solution. Hopefully this wall is not a fire barrier.
This product isn’t door-related, but I’m curious what y’all think…
I recently ran across a Facebook page that could supply us with Fixed-it Friday photos until the end of time (or until I retire).
It is just me, or does it seem like antique stores often have creative ways of deterring egress?
Colin Watson of Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of a surface bolt. Zip-tied for extra security. In a school. I guess they don’t want anyone using that leaf.
Where have you seen this type of “fix”? What was the cause and what would have been a better solution (that didn’t involve tape and cardboard)?
It’s too bad someone at this facility didn’t ask for help BEFORE coming up with these locking “solutions.” 🙁
This is a classic. Gary Huizen of Huizen’s Locksmith Service posted today’s Fixed-it Friday photo on iDigHardware’s Facebook page, and I love it…
Yesterday, I read an article about a college in California that purchased and installed 1,000 barricade devices at a cost of more than $200,000, as recommended by the local police chief. The college later removed the devices, as they are not compliant with the building code and fire code in California, or with the ADA.
Jon Millsap posted this Fixed-it Friday photo on his Facebook page (Locksmith’s Journal), and he gave me permission to share it here. What do you think? Yea or nay, and why or why not?
Looking at the signage, the unfamiliar locks, and the exposed wiring, I wondered if the average person would instinctively know how to exit, or whether an AHJ might think this opening requires “special knowledge”…
Howard Krutzler of Mr. K’s Lock and Key sent me this photo of a panic hardware modification he found. For the record, panic hardware is UL listed and can not be modified except as allowed by the listings.
Joel Sellinger of LifeDoor sent me these photos of the bedroom door in an AirBNB, along with a note that said, “When you realize the importance of a closed door at night…but can’t!”
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo is from Jason Relyea of Allegion…I’ve seen keyed removable mullions, and removable mullions that are secured with screws, but this one must get removed A LOT.
Thank you to Brendan Daley for this Fixed-it Friday photo. I could fix this pretty quickly with a set of bolt cutters.
A few weeks ago I was in an old factory that is now a complex of art galleries. It took me a minute to figure out what these tubes were for.
I know some of you are good at hardware forensics…what was the motivation for this and what modifications were made? BTW…this is a fire door.
Well, this is one way to solve the problems with your panic hardware – NOT! Thanks to Charles Anderson for these Fixed-it Friday photos!
Michael Wallick of Kelley Brothers sent today’s Fixed-it Friday photos of a DIY application he spotted at a hotel. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen swing-clear hinges that appear to have been fabricated on-site…
Any bets on how long this installation will last? Thank you to Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems for this Fixed-it Friday photo…
Joe Prosser of LaForce, Inc., sent me a link to an article about a product called Surfaceskins, which is a “push-pad” (pulls are also available) that releases a small amount of antibacterial gel when touched…
I know…these would not be code-compliant on the egress side of a door in the means of egress, but you have to admit they’re cool. Thanks to Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware for sending me the links to these Fixed-it Friday videos!
I don’t know if this is a fire door, but it looks like it might have some sort of access-control lock. Unfortunately, convenience often prevails over fire protection and security…
Guess what this is for. And once you figure it out, what do you think about the potential impact on free egress?
Jeff Dunham of BEA sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photos. While this fire door looks pretty good at first glance, a closer look reveals someone’s creative and inexpensive method of keeping the latch retracted…
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photos are from Leo Lebovits at M&D Door & Hardware. Someone had the forethought to remove the exit sign…I wonder if this was approved by the AHJ…
This makes me wonder what incident prompted the need to control which leaf is used for entrance/egress – especially on full-glass doors…
Derrick Riding sent me today’s Wordless Wednesday photo of a hold-open device on a fire door (note the painted label)…
This post has a lot going on. First, since it’s Fixed-it Friday and I don’t want to disappoint anyone, here’s a photo from Bill Stock of Johnson Hardware…
Wrapping up my summer road trip through Guatemala, here are a few Fixed-it Friday photos – and a question.
In the case shown in today’s Fixed-it Friday photo, a retail store has implemented this creative hold-open because of an assault that occurred in their public restroom…
These photos, from Kelly Reese of Allegion, qualify for the double-whammy – Wordless Wednesday AND Fixed-it Friday. But don’t worry…it is indeed Friday! Have a great weekend!
Ian Baren of Katonah Architectural Hardware sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photo. This mortise lock is on a very fancy clothing store, and apparently it was an aesthetic problem for someone that the gasketing did not continue down the lock face. So they drew it in with a Sharpie! You’d think that if they were […]
I have run out of words. Is this the best we can do to secure our classrooms? 🙁
When Deputy Jeff Tock of Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of double kick-down holders, I knew what you would ask…
I have seen this many times with mechanical lever trim for panic hardware, but I have never seen this…
Even if this jurisdiction is not yet enforcing fire door assembly inspections for schools, the school is required to keep their fire doors code-compliant and to repair them in a manner that is acceptable to NFPA 80…
For today’s Fixed-it Friday photo, how about a little before-and-after action from Jimmy Resedean Jr. of A Better Door and Window Co.?
This Fixed-it Friday photo is from Paul Goldense of Goldense Building Products. Paul will be teaching a fire door class with Jeff Batick of Allegion at the NFPA conference next week…
Charles Anderson sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of a creative solution he saw at a university. Is it me or do some of those parts look like they came from the “leftover box” in the lockshop?
Here’s what I know. At one time, this door was in an isolation ward that was part of a Maine psychiatric hospital campus built in 1957…
The application in these Fixed-it Friday photos looks like a result of poor planning to me. Thank you to Mark Kuhn of Allegion for sending them!
After a lockdown system was installed at this elementary school, a piece of pipe insulation was glued to the entrance door leading to the day care center. Why?
This problem-solving application was found in a school, but at least the door is not fire-rated…
Rick Jermain of Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo. Very cute. 😀
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo came from Revelation Door Inspections. This is a pair of fire doors in a university education building. See any problems?
I have to agree with Behrnt Aaberg of Aptus Group, who sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo…signage like this is a sure indication of a Norman Door.
Today’s “shoulda” Fixed-it Friday video came from Luis Gabriel Gonzalez, one of Allegion’s specwriter apprentice. What happened here???
Frankly, I’m surprised this magnetic holder has enough strength to keep the door open, considering that the armature is mounted right at the closer instead of near the door edge…
Before any of you point out that we don’t know whether this is a fire door – that is true. But it opens from a stairwell, so there is a high probability that it is a fire door assembly. And maybe the door is still in use…
Am I the only one who is curious about whether the tape is to keep the bolt projected for security, or retracted for safety? (I have my suspicions.)
One of my fire marshal pals sent me this Fixed-it Friday video. Neither of us recommending the use of these gadgets, but the dogs are super-cute and I always like to see people’s lock-related inventions…
Sometimes when I ask people if the door they are asking about is a required means of egress, the response will be “No – there is no exit sign.” Lots of required egress doors don’t have exit signs…
This is the outside of a door leading to a single restroom in a well-known sandwich shop chain. Anybody see the problem?
I received this photo from Scott Aikenhead – Tech Support for Allegion Canada. I’ve never seen anything like this and all I can think of is that this contraption is dogging and undogging the panic hardware on a timer…
If you read my recent article on code requirements pertaining to signage, you’ll be able to identify the problem with this creative Fixed-it Friday signage on a fire door assembly…
Here’s a little holiday leftover…Ed Shimpock of Seven Oaks Hardware sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of a pair of doors that were tied shut to prevent latecomers from entering during the holiday church service…
I wish I had a nickel for every storage room door like this one I’ve seen. The flush bolts end up breaking through (as evidenced by the lovely repair to the bottom bolt area), and in this case the strike is gone too…
I am often asked to provide “proof” that this type of repair is unacceptable. Often the most direct route to find that evidence is to ask…
From these photos it looks like the holes for the hinge screws were stripped, so the wrap was added – but that doesn’t add a whole lot of strength to the installation.
Not to name-drop, but when the executive leadership team starts noticing and sharing oddball hardware applications, it warms my heart. 😀
Today’s Fixed-it Friday post includes a serious question for all of you to ponder. I’ll get to it in a minute. First…I received the photos below from a code official…
Maybe this is cracking me up because it’s the middle of the night…I guess we’ll see if it’s still funny in the morning.
I’ve shared lots of photos from my travels over the years…in fact, I went on a quick road trip this week and will have some photos to post soon. In the meantime, check out today’s Fixed-it Friday photos from Mongolia…
I love this door (although I question its structural integrity) – and yes, I have been called quirky a few times. Why be normal?!
Alec Walsh of Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo and we’re both scratching our heads wondering what would cause someone to install a closer in this manner. Any ideas?
Julia Bradley of Willis Klein sent me this photo of a closer she saw in a restroom. Yes, the mounting is not per the manufacturer’s instructions, but what’s really odd is the paint job. Why bother?
Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware sent me these photos from his summer vacation…this is a particularly egregious situation – very scary.
If an automatic operator is properly coordinated so the latch is released when the actuator is pressed, only the signage required by the BHMA standard should be needed. This is an accident waiting to happen.
Alex Howe of Allegion sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photo of a piece of hardware he recently saw on a restroom door. Although I have never seen this product before, the plastic cover on the pull made it pretty easy to track down…
This is the perfect image to reinforce why it’s so important to coordinate the electrified hardware / access control in advance. I have to admit – I learned this lesson the hard way…
David Toloday of Allegion sent me these photos and I had to ask – does the lever move? Was I seeing things? No – the lever does not move. Turn the key to retract the latch. I can’t say that I’ve seen this application before…
I received these photos from Don Funsch of Commercial Mill & Builders Supply. The interesting thing about these photos is not that the mailbox has been placed in front of the door, because this door isn’t a required means of egress. What makes them worthy…
A while back, I posted some photos of a door that had panic hardware along with several stationary push bars. Although the model codes don’t specifically address this application, I don’t think it’s acceptable…
I received this photo from Tabor Stride of Commercial Door Company…at least it doesn’t appear to be a fire door!
This was one of those photos from a recent road trip where the kids were like, “MOMMMMM…We just want a 5-dollar footlong!” and I was fixated on why these two closers would have different mounting locations for the shoe. How did this happen?
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo is from Kayla Pollock of Allegion. Why fix the problem when you can just make a sign?
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…
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! ~~~ Heather Hedrick of Martin Architectural Products sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photo…of […]
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.
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…
Sometimes a system incorporating a sensor can be problematic, because traffic moving past the door can inadvertently unlock the mag-lock…
Thank you to Estefano Pilonieta of M&D Door & Hardware, who found this on Imgur and knew it would make my day. 😀
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
In addition to yesterday’s applied panels, which qualified as Fixed-it Friday photos, here are a few more applications from the conference center where I’m spending one more night. If you’re in Orlando and saw any Fixed-it Friday doors during your stay, send them along!
This closer repair obviously qualifies as a Fixed-it Friday photo, but it also left me Wordless. Thanks to Jim Lenox of Allegion.
This Fixed-it Friday solution is ok for a preschool since the average height of the occupants is 26 inches, right? WRONG!
Here’s how you master-key a gate without the complications of master-keying the padlocks…
While I was at the BHMA meeting this week, my dinner companions pulled out their phones to compare photos of bad hardware and code problems (yes, this is the fun stuff we do at these meetings). Tim Weller of Allegion had these Fixed-it Friday photos…
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo is not an April Fool’s Day joke, the result of a bad camera angle, or an image that has been Photoshopped. The doors are skewed to the left, and it looks like the floor is sloped. The hardware is horizontal, as is the graphic on the wall…
This photo was taken at a VERY well-known theme park which does a great job with their door-related code-compliance, and is frequently inspected by the local code officials. The black part of this chain looks like it might be a magnet…
It looks like this TV show needs a new quality-control expert with some experience in doors!
According to Ken Cook of Allegion, today’s Fixed-it Friday photo is from a church in Indianapolis, where a small earthquake in 2004 broke some underground pipes. This is one way to solve the problem…
“The violations included a window that was screwed shut with three wood screws; an evacuation sign that labeled three exits to the home, even though there were only two; and one of the two exits, leading out to the back, was jammed by a chair that was screwed to the deck…”
This Fixed-it Friday photo could easily cross over into Wordless Wednesday territory…a fire-rated stairwell door in a day care center, where the installer obviously had an accident that he didn’t think was important enough to address…
I don’t like to be critical of peoples’ work, but this Fixed-it Friday retrofit could use a little TLC. Thank you to Deputy Jeff Tock of Allegion for thinking of me whenever he sees a problematic door. 😉
I guess this application would work if there wasn’t a real need for security, but if someone is able to press the touchpad from outside the gate, they will be able to enter the secure area after waiting 15 seconds. It’s a lot of money to spend for security that can be so easily defeated. I’ll give them credit for installing the signage though!
Sort of like the chicken and the egg, this Fixed-it Friday photo from Steve Turner and Ray Valentine of Precision Doors & Hardware made me wonder…was the closer added because the automatic operator wasn’t closing the door properly, or was the automatic operator added because the closer required too much opening force? Or one or the other stopped working completely but was not removed?
I think if I passed this Fixed-it Friday door while visiting this memory care unit my mind would have gone right to the NFPA 101 section that addresses exits disguised by murals in certain types of health care units. Maybe I wouldn’t have focused on the actual artwork, but as Gail Erickson of Allegion pointed out when she sent the photo (“I wonder how many times the alarm goes off when they go to get a cup of tea?”), what is depicted in the mural could affect how well the disguise works…
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo was posted on the Truck Floor Training Facebook page by Brandon Stroud, a firefighter from Anderson, South Carolina. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry…
This photo from Kristi Dietz of LaForce, Inc. (check out their blog!), is not just your everyday Fixed-it Friday photo. It is one of my favorite Fixed-it Friday photos OF ALL TIME! And no, it’s not code-compliant…at least not in any jurisdiction that I know of…
There are many commenters who feel that while the blocks are a danger to firefighters, they’re not a code issue if the building is not occupied. If the pallets are blocking required exits, I think they are a code issue, unless one of you can find something in the International Fire Code that says the means of egress requirements only apply when the building is occupied…
What do you think about the idea of using a children’s book, like this one from the ALICE Training Institute, to teach kids about preparing for a school shooting?
What is happening in this Fixed-it Friday photo sent to me by Daniel Cannon of Allegion? If the lever has to be turned up instead of down because it’s the wrong hand, shouldn’t the sign be on the other side of the door? Or…maybe someone could just make it right?
Some Fixed-it Friday photos result in mixed emotions – sadness that people resort to these methods, excitement that I have something to share with you that will make you shake your head, concern that the creative application could cause harm. Like these photos from Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware, taken at a public swimming pool…
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo was found on Imgur, so I don’t know where it originated. It shows the creative use of an access control keypad to control egress. If this application was used in a memory care facility, it would be code-compliant if a delayed egress system or controlled egress system was used…
According to the facility, the doors are no longer required as an exit, but if that’s the case, why not just lock them up, add some signage (“Not an Exit”), remove the exit sign, and make it look less like a Fixed-it Friday contender?
I saw this door as I was walking down the street an hour ago. It’s your run-of-the-mill trash-can hold-open, with an added security layer consisting of a stack of giant bottles of water (we call them garrafones) inside…
Andy Lindenberg, one of my Allegion coworkers, sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photos from a university that has an obvious wind condition. This door has a spring-cush arm on the closer, a heavy duty overhead stop, and a chain stop. Do you have any better ideas?
This is not how I would have specified the hardware for this unequal leaf pair. I think the panic hardware on the small leaf actually results in an opening that is less safe, because the removable mullion makes the small leaf difficult or impossible to use…
We still do almost all of our shopping in the small tiendas and larger mercados, but last weekend I saw this door at la bodega. At first glance I saw the sign and thought it had a delayed egress lock…
Ideally a classroom door can be locked from within the classroom without opening the door and potential exposing the teacher to an intruder in the hallway. Many schools have existing classroom function locksets, which have to be locked by inserting a key in the outside cylinder. When a district doesn’t have the funding to replace the locks…
This Fixed-it Friday photo was taken at an open house by JJ Normandeau of CFS Canada. I know that hardware can be difficult and confusing, but come on… (also – please help identify the access control product pictured at the bottom of this post)
I didn’t know whether this should be a Wordless Wednesday photo or a Fixed-it Friday photo, but it’s Friday so here goes (I AM Wordless though)…
What do you think of this new Fixed-it Friday product idea? It looks like it would be a little pricey and I’m not sure how a whole class would fit inside, but I give him credit for the engineering. I could use one of these to hide from my kids. 🙂
This Fixed-it Friday photo illustrates the common problem of an access control system that has been modified for convenience. No matter how much time and money are invested in planning and installing a system, human intervention is always a factor…
You may have to look at these for a few minutes to get the gist of what’s happening. These are double-egress pairs in a hotel I stayed in recently. Instead of using a double-egress frame so the doors were in the same plane, each door was mounted on the opposite side of a double-rabbet frame…
I’ve shared several news stories about high school students designing barricade devices (here’s one, here’s another), but now the Air Force Research Lab has joined the effort. Sadly, this “innovation” probably won’t stop until a tragedy occurs…
The theory is that the stick on this hold-open is there so you don’t have to bend over to install/remove the wedge. I’ll bet the architect who chose those door pulls didn’t have this aesthetic in mind. Thank you to Rachel Smith of Karpen Steel for this Fixed-it Friday photo!
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo is from Joe Cross of Allegion. This actuator mounting location does NOT meet the recommendations of the A156.19 standard…
Yesterday’s post was not ready in time for the afternoon notification, so in addition to today’s Fixed-it Friday photo, there’s a bonus set of photos from the Bronx Zoo. If you’re reading this on the email notification, you should see the zoo link below. Happy Friday!
The first response might be – there’s no exit sign, so no problem, right? Wrong! While I can’t say for sure that these particular doors are egress doors, using the presence of exit signs to determine whether the door is in a required means of egress is not a reliable plan. If a door has an exit sign, it needs to meet the egress requirements. And even if it doesn’t have an exit sign…
Jenny Pauley of Kendell Doors sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of a non-code-compliant repair that was made because the top corner of the fire door split. This is pretty common when corner-wrap flush bolts are used, because of the amount of wood that is removed…
This could definitely be a Wordless Wednesday photo, but I couldn’t wait to share it so here’s an excellent (terrible) Fixed-it Friday photo from Rachel Smith of Karpen Steel. Unbelievable.
What’s wrong with this Fixed-it Friday photo, sent in by David Seeley 0f Clark Security Products?
What problem is being solved by this creative Fixed-it Friday modification? Thank you to Thomas Chin of VAS Door & Hardware for the photo!
The funny thing about this Fixed-it Friday photo is that it arrived on the same day from 2 different people – Steve Murray of Security Lock Distributors, and Ed Marchakitus of Cornell Storefront Systems. Thanks to both of you!
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo came from Paul Cernak of Allegion. It’s another creatively-ingenious lockdown method that is not code-compliant. The white block is attached to the frame with a magnet. The outside lever of the active leaf is kept in the locked position, and the block prevents the door from closing completely…
I love when door-related issues go viral, and “regular” people focus on doors for a change. Unfortunately, it usually takes a broken door to make people notice. Just in time for Fixed-it Friday, here’s one from the Milwaukee Brewers blog, about when Bob Uecker and his crew got stuck in the radio booth during a game (click the photo to visit their blog)…
Christy Cross of Schiller Architectural Hardware sent in today’s Fixed-it Friday photos of a lock repair seen on a restaurant mens’ room…
These Fixed-it Friday photos depict one school’s method for providing classroom security. The outside lever is kept locked at all times, so closing the door is all that’s required to secure the classroom during an emergency. But having a classroom door locked all the time can be inconvenient – someone has to open the door each time a student or staff member wants to enter…
I’m spending time at a VA hospital, where my father is currently in hospice care. Even under these circumstances I can’t help looking at the hardware, and I know my father would tell me to go ahead and share it. I haven’t taken many photos but there are a couple below. In case I don’t get a chance to post tomorrow, consider this an early Fixed-it Friday post…
This news report is a great Fixed-it Friday example of how the city of Barrie, Ontario is going to fix their fire code violations – by giving fire inspectors the ability to hand out tickets for violations on the spot. The fine for propping open fire doors? $350 each! Click the graphic to access the […]
When I stopped for a snack yesterday, I didn’t expect to be called into service on a defective door that was threatening to crush someone while simultaneously preventing egress. The fun never stops…
This photo may be one of my favorite Fixed-it Friday photos ever. It was sent to me by Michael Carney of Allegion. This application is in place on the roof door and all of the fire escape access doors in a dormitory high-rise. A very creative way to install an exit alarm, but I don’t know how secure or how durable it is…
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo was sent in by Rick Turcotte of Horner Commercial Sales. A few questions for you:
a) This is a 4′-wide stairwell door. What’s wrong with this picture?…
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo was sent to me by Jeff Tock and Joan Yewell of Allegion. The story I heard was that the contractor didn’t know how to remove the lock, and this was how he addressed the problem. It’s unfortunate, since the door was supposed to be reused!
The current location of this stop is definitely not working – it is too close to the pivot and it’s damaging the door sweep. It could potentially damage the sweep regardless of where it is mounted…
This Fixed-it Friday news report about replacing entrance doors in multi-family homes makes a few good points, but misses out on the chance to educate people about how their fire doors should operate. I noticed a few things that weren’t 100% accurate or could have been more clear…like the statement that you don’t need fire […]
Today’s Fixed-it Friday photo from an anonymous friend is a classic example of the coordination problems that can so easily arise when doors, frame, and hardware from multiple vendors arrive on the job-site…
I have not yet seen this product (the DoorSaver II) in use, but I’ve definitely seen distributors enlarging the hole in a residential hinge pin stop in order to use it on a commercial hinge. This looks like an interesting idea…
I was a Lego Robotics coach last year, and we barely got our robot to knock down the cups in the maze. This Fixed-it Friday video of a Lego Mindstorm automatic door operator is impressive…
I really love this restaurant, but every time I go I wonder if someone approved this egress arrangement or it just sorta happened as they were hanging the drapes…
The card reader in this photo was installed to prevent access to the stairs on the other side of this door. A card reader on the push side of a door with an electric strike and panic hardware doesn’t provide security, because you can just push on the touchpad of the panic to exit. To […]
I’ve started 2015 with quite a few posts about school security. This is probably because I’ve been working so closely with the BHMA Codes and Government Affairs Committee and other organizations to review state requirements and propose code changes that will increase security in schools while maintaining safety. I tend to write about whatever I’m […]
The purpose of cross-corridor doors in this application would be to compartmentalize the building. The magnetic holders make it clear that the intention is for the doors to close if there is a fire alarm. This is obviously not going to happen if there are wood wedges in place…
Most magnetic holders provide 20-30 pounds of holding force, and can be released manually by pulling on the door to separate the door-mounted armature from the wall-mounted magnet. The signage here tells me that the magnet is probably not anchored to the wall properly, and I guess adding a sign is one way to fix the problem…
It’s called the Ives Cush Stop (just kidding – we don’t endorse this application!)…
I know it’s Fixed-it Friday, but I’m Wordless. Maybe you can help? Caption this…
Mark Lineberger of Valley Doors and Hardware sent me today’s Fixed-it Friday photo. This dutch door (I use the term loosely) was seen at the NYC Port Authority Bus Terminal. I know it’s Friday but I’m Wordless.
It’s Fixed-it Friday! And just announced…I will be conducting my online Decoded course on behalf of the Door and Hardware Institute starting next week!
Here are two creative fixes for problems with panic hardware…what issues were these Fixed-it Friday “solutions” designed to rectify? (Hint: There was nothing wrong with the panic hardware.) Ready – GO! Thank you to John Sojka of Allegion, and Norm Carberry whose photo arrived via Jeff Tock of Allegion.
This cylinder is really cool…a curved keyway and a flexible key. I didn’t say it was practical. If you’re curious about how it works, you can check out the patent here…
I can’t count how many times I’ve been asked for help when a label from a listing laboratory has been removed by the painter/cleaner/installer/meddling kid from the door/frame/armor plate/fire exit hardware. Unfortunately, I’m not much help…I can’t send you a new label to stick on. That’s what makes these Fixed-it Friday photos so sad…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
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!
For the record, this is not a code-compliant way of providing an extension for a magnetic holder…
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.
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!
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…
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…
Products installed as part of a fire door assembly must be listed or labeled for that purpose. Components that are not listed or labeled must not be attached to the fire door and may void the label. In two recent cases I have seen non-listed protective guards for hardware as well as blinds installed on fire doors…
My friend Bill Elliott sent me these photos from a recent trip to Canada. The hold-open device is pretty crafty, but check out the non-slip surface on the ramp!
For those of us concerned with egress requirements, disguising the egress side of a door is a questionable method of preventing elopement, since egress doors must be readily distinguishable…
Jon Dudley from Allegion sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo after being called out to a hospital because of a panic device that was not functioning properly. The access control system would operate the device electrically, but two self-tapping screws had been installed on the underside of the device which prevented the touchpad from being actuated manually.
Another creative locking solution for Fixed-it Friday…I wonder if they lost the key to the trim cylinder, or if they are trying to keep the guy with the key out at certain times (when the padlock is in place)…
I know some of you (door closer lovers) will be very excited by today’s Fixed-it Friday special edition! Nathan Burkhardt of Opening Technologies sent me these photos from a California office building of something I’ve never seen before – an automatic operator on a stall door, with the new style vertical bar actuators…
After Tuesday’s school shooting in Oregon, there were several news reports about a school security product developed by a group of teachers. It’s called “The Sleeve,” a steel sleeve that fits over the door closer arm to prevent an intruder from opening the classroom door from the corridor…
Fire doors are required to have an active latchbolt, so fire exit hardware (panic hardware for fire doors) is not equipped with a mechanical dogging mechanism that could be used to hold the latch retracted. When the lack of dogging creates an inconvenience, creative modifications sometimes occur. The added slidebolt on this fire exit hardware […]
This video is pretty amazing. Swallows nesting in a university parking garage could have been locked in when doors were added to convert the garage to the campus bike center. Is this an example of the swallows’ intelligence, or dumb luck?…
This one goes out to my friends at Von Duprin Tech Support…I don’t think I’ve ever seen this particular modification before. How about you?…
These doors are fire doors and also a marked exit, so a) replacing the fire exit hardware with surface bolts negates the positive latching, b) the rim strike that has been installed with the rim panic is not acceptable for use on a fire door, c) the guide rails prevent the inactive leaf from opening…
I realize that almost-daily emails from me might be too much for some people, so we Fixed-it. There is now a weekly notification available, which will send you 1 email per week, on Friday afternoon, with a list of that week’s posts…
Here is yet another creative Fixed-it Friday method of holding open what I strongly suspect is a fire door based on the wire glass. If anyone has come up with a good process for educating custodians or other maintenance personnel about fire doors, I’m all ears!
Paul Goldense of Goldense Building Products sent me these photos, taken in a 6-bay heavy truck repair garage. Lots of torches, welders, flammables, and other hazards present. Instead of replacing the door on the left, someone adept at welding Fixed-it…
These photos illustrate one school’s “fix” with regard to security on the cafeteria and gymnasium – unfortunately it happens to be completely non-code-compliant…
First, a few things…For everyone who still has their fingers and toes crossed from yesterday’s fire door test, the wood doors passed! In addition to addressing the perimeter clearance problems, a door shoe was tested…
My plan for harnessing the power of the Earth’s population to identify and respond to code problems is working! This antique store must have some REALLY valuable antiques in it, but it’s ok because someone has Fixed-It…
Here’s a little Fixed-it Friday quiz…how could this field modification have been avoided?…
The 5th and final recipient of a $50 Amazon gift card in honor of iDigHardware’s 5th birthday is Brian Adrian of DH Pace! Brian sent me a great collection of his favorites, some of which I’m saving for future posts, but check out this Fixed-It Friday winner…
All is not well… From Andy Swanson of Mid-Central Door. Today’s the last day to send in photos for a chance to win a 5th birthday present – a $50 Amazon gift card!
This photo from Linda Varnadore of Allegion left me Wordless, but I couldn’t wait until next Wednesday to share it. I guess this qualifies as a Fixed-it Friday photo, since someone obviously fixed whatever problems this fire door had by holding it open for the foreseeable future. 🙁
The design blogs and architectural sites are all abuzz about these doors designed by Austrian artist Klemens Torggler. I agree – they are very cool and it’s about time someone invented an alternative to the hinge, which has been around for thousands of years. Let’s not ruin the party by mentioning security, egress, durability, accessibility, fire […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
From Stephen Richardson and Joe Beeman of Allegion, here’s a hinge modification they saw recently. Would you consider this acceptable? Why / why not?
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 […]
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 […]
I just realized that this post had not been published yet…but it’s still Friday! Enjoy the weekend! The hardware on top is an old exit alarm, and the panic hardware has been modified so the vertical bar will actuate the exit alarm when someone pushes the crossbar of the panic. INGENIOUS! Thank you to Rick […]
When this great Fixed-it Friday photo showed up in my inbox (sent by John Emry), it made me think about the “why” behind the creative modification. This improvised hold-open device has been retrofitted on all of the stair doors in this particular school. Presumably, the teacher leads her line of students down the corridor, pushes […]
I will admit…new mortise locks can be pricey. Luckily they usually last for decades. But there comes a time when even a heavy duty mortise lock needs to retire. Thank you to Darren Patton and Nick Bobeck of Isenhour Door Installation Solutions for the photo!
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 […]
For the record, I DO know what happened here…do you? I’ve only seen this one other time in my travels. This photo is from Lloyd Seliber of Keying Solutions from Macau, China.
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, […]
Today’s Fixed-It Friday photos are fabulous!! Maybe I should add another F. 🙂 These doors were installed in a university classroom building, with louvers instead of glass. Interesting idea, except that it took the students no time at all to figure out that they could stick a ruler or piece of wire through the louvers […]
Depending on where this door is located, this creative solution either creates a security breach, or indicates that the wrong lock function was specified. Thanks to Greg Koers of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies for sharing!
Every school is looking for affordable ways to lock their classroom doors in an intruder situation. A group of students at Benjamin Banneker High School in Washington, D.C. have designed the “DeadStop”, a device that clamps onto the door closer arm to prevent the door from being opened. I don’t like to rain on anyone’s […]
Thank you to everyone who left suggestions for the name of the new Friday series. I’ve settled on Fixed-it Friday! With all of the creative hardware “fixes” out there, I think this series could run until I retire (don’t worry, that’s not for about 20 years unless I win the lotto). If you see an […]
People always tell me how much they love Wordless Wednesday – the day I post photos that leave me wordless (speechless). I think the steady stream of creative applications I’m receiving would support a Friday series to help ease us into the weekends. I need some help with a catchy name for this category of […]
