QQ: Panic Hardware on Residential Occupancies
This question keeps coming up...Is panic hardware required for the residential floors of hotels and apartment buildings?
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?
FF: Hard-Wired Exit
Take a look at these egress doors serving a large arena. The struggle for security is real, but we can't forget about life-safety in the process!
FF: Electric Strike Mismatch
This one is a real head-scratcher. How did this happen, AND what's the card reader for? #hardwaremysteries
FF: Southeast Asia Airport
A knob, lever, AND a mag-lock? And what's with the stainless plates? Are they covering old vision lights or do you think they were "original equipment"?
WW: Take a Closer Look
Sometimes door problems are not evident until you take a closer look. I wonder how many people have walked past these doors and never noticed...
Enforcement of 5-Pound Operable Force Limit
Heads up - the 5-pound force limit on operable hardware is something everyone should be aware of long before the final inspection by the AHJ.
FF: Rim Strike
There is actually a strike designed for this purpose, but without job-site creativity I wouldn't have any posts for Fixed-it Friday.
QQ: Field Painted Panic Hardware
Can panic hardware be painted in the field without voiding the label?
FF: Fight Your Way Out
This Fixed-it Friday photo is of an egress door serving a martial arts studio. It's a good thing the students have special skills they can use in an emergency.
Etched Labels – UL 305 / UL 10C
On numerous occasions I've gotten the call - a painter/cleaner/mischievous kid peeled the UL label off of the panic hardware or fire exit hardware.
WW: Von Duprin 44s!
I admit it. I have a thing for old hardware - especially when it's still functional, and even better when it's ours!
Bullpen Doors
In case you haven't had enough baseball, John Cohrs of Central Indiana Hardware sent me this photo of the bullpen door from last night's World Series game (nice hardware!).
FF: Classic Fix
Fire marshal to restaurant owner: "This door requires panic hardware because the occupant load is over 50 people." Restaurant owner: "Done!"
QQ: Field Preps for Auxiliary Fire Pins
Can less-bottom-rod (LBR) fire exit hardware with an auxiliary fire pin be installed on an existing fire door? If you have anything to add, please weigh in!
WW: Special Knowledge and Effort
These doors are an egress problem waiting to happen, and on an assembly occupancy where large numbers of people may need to exit quickly...
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?
FF: Fragile Door
Don't worry about this fragile door, the "fix" has completely solved the problem. Thank you to Colin Watson of Allegion for today's Fixed-it Friday photos!
Fire Door Latching – After the Fire
What happens to fire exit hardware during a fire test, and why doesn't the force of the hose stream actuate the touchpad and cause the door to unlatch?
FF: Pair Power Transfer
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.
WWYD? Library Entrance
Do these doors on a college library meet the requirements of the International Building Code (IBC)? Why or why not? WWYD if you were the AHJ?
FF: Pocket Pivots
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!
Security for Higher Ed
Imagine that you work for a university, you read iDigHardware, and you find out that I'm wandering around your campus. I'm guessing there were some mixed emotions...
Mini Doors
What do you think about these mini doors? Any code issues?
WW: What’s wrong with this picture?
See anything odd in these Wordless Wednesday photos from Scott Straton of Allegion?
FF: Foolproof Dogging
Before someone else says it...at least this isn't a fire door.
FF: Definitely Not an Exit
#Wordless Friday from Gregory Kelly of Allegion...
WWYD? Panic Hardware, No Closer?
Have you ever run across this application in the field or been asked to specify or install panic hardware on a door with no closer? What is your response to this request?
WW: Is this panic hardware?? (no)
This type of lock is not panic hardware. We need to be aware of these claims and prepared to address them when questions arise.
QQ: Panic Hardware and Mag-Locks
The 2018 edition of the IBC includes an important clarification regarding doors with panic hardware and electromagnetic locks.
FF: Latch Retraction
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)?
FF: Panic Protector
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?
FF: Branching Out
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.
QQ: Airport Jet Bridge Doors
Yesterday someone asked me about hardware requirements for doors serving the jet bridge - the walkway leading from the airport terminal to the door of the plane.
FF: Pin-Removable Mullion
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.
Decoded: Panic Hardware Requirements for Rooms Housing Electrical Equipment
NFPA 70 – National Electrical Code (NEC) has been adopted by most US states, and includes requirements for panic hardware or fire exit hardware on certain rooms housing electrical equipment; the voltage and amperage thresholds that determine which rooms require panic hardware were changed in the 2017 edition of this code.
FF: Locks and Chains
Thank you to Brendan Daley for this Fixed-it Friday photo. I could fix this pretty quickly with a set of bolt cutters.
Fuzzy Wuzzy
I'm very curious to know what happened here. I've never seen anything quite like it. Any ideas?
FF: LTR Panics
Well, this is one way to solve the problems with your panic hardware - NOT! Thanks to Charles Anderson for these Fixed-it Friday photos!
Guest Post: Electromagnetically locked egress doors: Safe or unsafe? – David Glorioso
I occasionally publish a post from a guest blogger – if you have a post you’d like to share, drop me an email. Today’s post is from David Gloriso of Allegion...
Specifying Zombie-Resistant Door Openings (Update)
While ensuring code-compliance, of course!
WW: School Entrance Security
Today's Wordless Wednesday photos were sent by Austin Bammann of Central Indiana Hardware. This is NOT the way I would provide security at the entrance to a school. :(
FF: Doggie Door?
Guess what this is for. And once you figure it out, what do you think about the potential impact on free egress?
FF: Fork Fix
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...
FF: Find Another Exit
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...
Fire Door Latching
In order for a fire door assembly to perform as designed and tested, it's critical for the door to be closed and latched if/when a fire occurs...
WW: Emergency Exit
I. Have. No. Words.
Decoded: Securing Parking Garages (September 2017)
Without proper planning, parking garages can present security and life-safety challenges. People who are authorized to use the parking area – or unauthorized people who are able to enter an open parking garage – may attempt to gain access to other floors of the building...
WW: Too Short
The most amazing thing about today's Wordless Wednesday photos is that the panic hardware has been installed this way for YEARS, and on a fast-food restaurant!
WW: Mall Exit
Why is it that when something goes wrong with the existing hardware, some facilities use the hardware equivalent of a band-aid rather than repairing or replacing the hardware?