FF: Garrafones de Agua
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...
FF: High Winds
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?
FF: Unequal Leaf Pair
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...
FF: Bodega Emergency Exit
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...
FF: School Safety “Sew-cials”
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...
FF: Cabinet Hardware
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)
FF: Screwed Up
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)...
FF: School Security Vault
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. :)
FF: Access Control Override
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...
FF: Double-Egress Pairs
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...
FF: Funky Floor Stops
I don't know that I've ever seen floor stops like these...
FF: Barricade Device Epidemic
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...
FF: Do Not Bend
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!
FF: Wireless Actuator
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...
FF: Unfixable
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!
FF: Blocked Exits? Or Not?
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...
FF: Automatic Flush Bolt
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...
FF: Panic Problem? No Problem!
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.
FF: Emergency Exit Alarm
What's wrong with this Fixed-it Friday photo, sent in by David Seeley 0f Clark Security Products?
FF: Rubber Band Repair
What problem is being solved by this creative Fixed-it Friday modification?
FF: Bungee (Again)
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!
FF: Latch Preventer
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...
FF: Viral Door Problems
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)...
FF: Spoon Retrofit
Christy Cross of Schiller Architectural Hardware sent in today's Fixed-it Friday photos of a lock repair seen on a restaurant mens' room...
FF: Classroom Latch Preventer
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...
FF: VA Hospital
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...
FF: Fire Code Fines
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!
FF: Multicultural Madness
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...
FF: Fire Escape Exit Alarm
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...
FF: Panic Problem
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?...
FF: Cut Once
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!
FF: Floor Stop Location
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...
FF: Missed Opportunity
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 doors in your single-family home. I would have mentioned the need for protection between the garage and the house - the International Residential Code requires a solid wood door, or a solid or honeycomb core steel door, or a 20-minute fire door:
FF: Power Transfer?
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...
FF: Hinge Pin Stop
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...
FF: Lego Automatic Door Operator
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...
FF: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
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...
FF: Screwed Up
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 rectify that "problem," someone installed a screw in the panic hardware so the touchpad will not retract the latch.
FF: Security Mesh
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 working on. If you're tired of school-related posts, feel free to suggest something else you'd like me to write about - I'm easily distracted (Hey look! A squirrel! :) ) For today's Fixed-it Friday post I have yet another school security topic (although it could apply to other types of buildings), and I'd love your feedback.
FF: Residential Corridors
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...
FF: Do Not Pull
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...
FF: New LCN Special Template
It's called the Ives Cush Stop (just kidding - we don't endorse this application!)...
FF: I’m Wordless
I know it's Fixed-it Friday, but I'm Wordless. Maybe you can help? Caption this...
FF: Dutch Door and More
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.
FF: Serendipitous Hold-Open
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!
FF: Panic Hardware Hacks
Here are two creative fixes for problems with panic hardware...what issues were these Fixed-it Friday "solutions" designed to rectify?
FF: Curved Keyway
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...
FF: Fire Exit Hardware
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...
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...
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...