Last Call!
There are SO MANY great opportunities to learn something new this week! Please share this list with any of your colleagues who might be interested!
FF: Foamy Fix
Sometimes it's painful to see what people will do to their doors and hardware. Trying to solve one problem can lead to another...
Decoded: Egress From Exterior Spaces
My next Decoded column for Door Security + Safety Magazine addresses an approved code change related to locking roof terraces and courtyards.
Distance Learning this Week
This is one of my favorite weeks of the year, but maybe for a different reason than you might expect. :-)
Tomorrow is Webinar Wednesday
Our national trainers are continuing with their Webinar Wednesday series - classes are currently scheduled into August. Feel free to share this information with your colleagues.
Code Update: Egress from Exterior Spaces
The 2021 IBC will specifically address the acceptable means of locking egress doors that serve exterior spaces - like balconies and roof decks - where the path of egress goes through the interior of the building.
There’s always more to learn.
One thing I have found during my 35 years in the door and hardware industry is that there is always more to learn. Check out the online classes available this week!
FF: 4-Point Lock
This is a feat of engineering and might even be compliant with the code requirement for one operation to unlatch the door. If only I had a video...
Decoded: Touchless Solutions for Healthy Environments
My next Decoded column for Door Security + Safety Magazine addresses the code considerations for facilities where changes are being made in order to limit the spread of germs.
Webinar Wednesdays!
Because our team of national trainers is not on the road these days, they have begun offering multiple webinars every Wednesday! Check today's post for tomorrow's line-up!
FF: ADA Turn
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo shows someone's attempt at solving the problem of a non-ADA-compliant thumbturn in a veterans' home. Fortunately, the locks have since been replaced.
WWYD? Standard Mounting Height
Several people have asked me lately about the standard mounting height for two products - deadbolts and hospital latches. WWYD?
FF: Only in Alaska
The extreme weather we're experiencing may open up new opportunities for hardware design...today's Fixed-it Friday photos could be a prototype for a future product. :)
Schlage L9000 Thumbturn Change
This news makes me really happy - there's a new standard thumb turn for the Schlage L9000 mortise lock! Don't worry - the "old" standard thumb turn and the EZ Turn are still available.
QQ: Door Bolts on Classrooms
Today's Quick Question: Are door bolts - like the surface bolts made by commercial hardware manufacturers - allowed to secure classroom doors during a lockdown?
The Story Behind Schlage (video)
We're kicking off Schlage's 100th anniversary with a new video that provides a fascinating look (really!) into the history of Walter Schlage and the Schlage Lock Company - check it out!
WW: Strike Out
I have seen some questionable workmanship in my career, but this has to be one of the least effective strike installations I've ever come across. Can you top it? You can submit photos using the option on the Tools menu.
WWYD? Gender-Inclusive Restrooms
Shared restrooms that are not segregated based on gender are becoming more common in schools, universities, and other types of facilities. What's the ideal hardware solution for these doors?
Double-Cylinder Deadbolts Revisited
Can a double-cylinder deadbolt be installed on a multi-stall restroom door in an office building? Of course not! But wait...are you sure about that?
WW: Hole-y Moly!
Bryce King of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo...I guess this is one way to deal with a lockout! Send me your WW/FF photos to register to win some Yeti merch from iDH!
FF: Lever Return Spring
I'm sure you have some photos hiding in your phone that could be suitable for Wordless Wednesday, Fixed-it Friday, or to illustrate a question or problem. Submit them and you might be a winner!
Lock Function Conversion Kits
If an existing lockset on a classroom door requires a teacher to open the door when locking it (potentially exposing the teacher to danger), there is a way to change the lock function at a reasonable price.
Indicator Deadbolt Modification
This is a "pod" in an airport, to be used by nursing moms. I've seen them myself, but the one I looked at only had the keypad lock and did not have the separate deadbolt.
WWYD? Double-Core Cylinder
I know there is someone out there reading this who can tell me more about this type of cylinder. How does it work? What's the purpose? WWYD?
FF: Italy Finale
Yesterday I posted a Fixed-it Friday photo even though it was Thursday, but don't worry! I saved up some FF photos during my trip to Italy, and I'm sharing them all today!
WW: Function Fix
Check out this Wordless Wednesday application from our hotel in Milan. This could end badly if there is ever a fire within this area which has a handful of hotel rooms.
Push Button to Retract Latch
Continuing on the theme of Italian hotels (spoiler alert - there's another one tomorrow), what do you think of this lock on our hotel room in Montecatini?
UHO (Unidentified Hardware Object)
'Enquiring' minds want to know...what was this used for? It's in the closet of an apartment building built in 1919, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Key Boxes – Crucial Life Safety and Security Equipment
Media outlets have reported that locked electronic doors hindered law enforcement response in the recent Virginia Beach shooting. Authorized access should be addressed in each facility's emergency plan.
WWYD? Tenants Sue for Physical Keys – and Win
I can definitely see how a lock that is only controlled by a phone could be a problem, and the court agreed - the tenants now have keys. WWYD?
WW: I think I’ll call it a night.
Where do people get these ideas? #wordless
A Little Help?
One of the things that I love most about iDigHardware is the readers' willingness to help each other. I hope you have some insight to share on these two questions.
Decoded: Locks Used Only for Security Purposes
The IBC exempts locks used only for security purposes from the mounting height requirement. The accessibility standards exempt locks operated only by security personnel. What's the difference?
FF: Sweet Spot
When classroom doors are kept locked all the time, it can be inconvenient for teachers and for students trying to enter the classroom when the door is closed. This is one school district's solution.
School Security and Safety in the News
Twenty years ago, I had no idea how the shooting at Columbine High School would affect our industry and my career. It was impossible to imagine that it was more than an isolated event. But here we are.
FF: Nailed It!
What in the world? How long could this Fixed-it Friday repair possible last?? I just love Crap Locksmithing's Facebook page!
WW: Shark Tank
I thought everyone in the world of hardware had already seen this video, but last night I ran across someone who hadn't, so here it is. I do feel bad for Alex, but LOCKS ROCK!
WW: Cold as Ice
It's been a long cold winter in many parts of the US, but I think spring is on its way!
Decoded: Why Barricade Devices? (May 2019)
Why would a school district consider using unregulated security devices, given the associated risk and liability? The answer may surprise you.
FF: Out of Alignment
I've seen a lot of fix-it attempts. But I don't think I have ever seen one quite like this.
Johnson Security Lock
I need some help tracking down this lock (if it's still available) for a current project. Have you run across anything like this before?
WWYD? Deadbolt + Mag-Lock
Is it code-compliant to add a deadbolt to a door with a mag-lock, that can be used to lock the door during a power failure?
WW: What in the world?
I wonder how many people look at this door and wonder what the reasoning was behind this installation. Maybe we're the only ones.
Share with your family and friends…
These two videos regarding closed doors and double-cylinder deadbolts will save lives - IF you help spread the word. Who will you share this post with?
FF: Steve’s got this.
I don't think there's anything more that needs to be said, except thank you to Ian Baren of Katonah Architectural Hardware for today's Fixed-it Friday photos.
WWYD? Hole, No Strike
On a fire door assembly, is it acceptable to drill/cut a hole in the frame for the latchbolt, and not install the strike?
Church Pair Revisited
Do you know what I love even more than photos showing a door problem? Photos showing a solution! Do you have any before-and-after photos to share?
WW: Work It Out
Have your friends and family started noticing hardware problems and code issues? Or do they still roll their eyes when you stop to take photos to submit for Wordless Wednesday or Fixed-it Friday?
QQ: Turn-Buttons vs. Push-Buttons
Are turn-buttons on cylindrical locks compliant with the accessibility standards? The answer to this question is really up to the AHJ, but here are a few things to consider...
Dwelling Unit Clarifications
While most dwelling units and sleeping units are allowed to have hardware on the entrance door that requires two operations to unlatch, there are a couple of important considerations.