Closer force on exterior Gates across POT's

[ADAguy]

So, Lady of hardware: How much force allowed to latch a gate with a closer?

5lbs to release latch but how much swing force to re-engage it when closing?

Some say 5lbs is not enough to overcome latch ( does it take into account wind against 10" kick or panic hardware support rail)?

 

[LGreene]

The amount of force you will need to latch a gate varies by the type, size, and material of the gate, the type of latch, wind, etc. Generally, I think more than 5 pounds would be needed, and also, it takes more than 5 pounds of opening force to result in 5 pounds of closing force when using a door closer. But if this is an exterior gate, the ADA doesn't address the opening force, does it?

404.2.9 Door and Gate Opening Force. Fire doors shall have a minimum opening force allowable by the appropriate administrative authority. The force for pushing or pulling open a door or gate other than fire doors shall be as follows:

1. Interior hinged doors and gates: 5 pounds (22.2 N) maximum.

2. Sliding or folding doors: 5 pounds (22.2 N) maximum.

These forces do not apply to the force required to retract latch bolts or disengage other devices that hold the door or gate in a closed position.

 

[JPohling]

So Lori, How about an exterior door from an office building lobby? Are you saying that the ADA is not concerned about those? 5 lbs is never enough to overcome the wind and HVAC, etc. And they are not rated.

 

[cda]

Code only cares about opening and not closing?? Unless a rated door

There has been diss us soon about how long a closure takes to close.

 

[mark handler]

So, Lady of hardware: How much force allowed to latch a gate with a closer? 5lbs to release latch but how much swing force to re-engage it when closing?

Some say 5lbs is not enough to overcome latch ( does it take into account wind against 10" kick or panic hardware support rail)?

2013 CBC 1008.2 Gates. Gates serving the means of egress system shall comply with the requirements of this section. Gates used as a component in a means of egress shall conform to the applicable requirements for doors.

2013 CBC 1008.1.3 Door opening force. The force for pushing or pulling open interior swinging egress doors, other than fire doors, shall not exceed 5 pounds. For other swinging doors, as well as sliding and folding doors, the door latch shall release when subjected to a 15-pound force. The door shall be set in motion when subjected to a 30-pound force. The door shall swing to a fullopen position when subjected to a 15-pound force.

 

[LGreene]

2013 CBC 1008.2 Gates. Gates serving the means of egress system shall comply with the requirements of this section. Gates used as a component in a means of egress shall conform to the applicable requirements for doors.2013 CBC 1008.1.3 Door opening force. The force for pushing or pulling open interior swinging egress doors, other than fire doors, shall not exceed 5 pounds. For other swinging doors, as well as sliding and folding doors, the door latch shall release when subjected to a 15-pound force. The door shall be set in motion when subjected to a 30-pound force. The door shall swing to a fullopen position when subjected to a 15-pound force.

California has applied the 5-pound opening force to all doors except fire doors, which has been extremely problematic security-wise because it's difficult to get the doors closed. A lot of doors end up with auto operators because of this. In the ADA and A117.1, the opening force for exterior doors is not addressed, which leaves it to the local jurisdiction to set a limit. In Massachusetts, for example, the limit for opening force on exterior doors is 15 pounds. If a limit is not set locally, it would default to the IBC requirement (if the IBC has been adopted), which is 15 pounds to release the latch, 30 pounds to set the door in motion, and 15 pounds to open the door to the fully-open position.

 

[LGreene]

Code only cares about opening and not closing?? Unless a rated doorThere has been diss us soon about how long a closure takes to close.

The accessibility standards address opening force and closing speed (not closing force). The ADA also addresses force to operate the hardware, which is another whole can of worms (http://idighardware.com/2014/03/decoded-operational-force-for-door-hardware/). The closing speed is limited to 5 seconds minimum to go from 90 degrees to 12 degrees (http://idighardware.com/2012/05/decoded-opening-force-and-closing-speed/).

 

[LGreene]

So Lori, How about an exterior door from an office building lobby? Are you saying that the ADA is not concerned about those? 5 lbs is never enough to overcome the wind and HVAC, etc. And they are not rated.

As Mark posted above, California extends the 5-pound limit to exterior doors, but the ADA and A117.1 do not address opening force for exterior doors. So if a jurisdiction is using the ADA or A117.1, they would have to adopt their own limit for exterior doors, or it defaults to the IBC (if the IBC has been adopted). The IBC limits opening force to 15 pounds to release the latch, 30 pounds to set the door in motion, and 15 pounds to open the door to the fully-open position.

 

[ADAguy]

Thank you LG,

What we have here is a bag of worms:

1. Force to open addressed, but not force to close (if not addressed for closing force there may not be enough force to engage the latch/panic on an exterior gate - Gate being used interchangeably with doors?)

2. California's use of "all" doors is inclusive of gates too? Would this include turnstiles?

 

[JPohling]

2013 CBC 1008.2 Gates. Gates serving the means of egress system shall comply with the requirements of this section. Gates used as a component in a means of egress shall conform to the applicable requirements for doors.2013 CBC 1008.1.3 Door opening force. The force for pushing or pulling open interior swinging egress doors, other than fire doors, shall not exceed 5 pounds. For other swinging doors, as well as sliding and folding doors, the door latch shall release when subjected to a 15-pound force. The door shall be set in motion when subjected to a 30-pound force. The door shall swing to a fullopen position when subjected to a 15-pound force.

Mark, That section still specifically mentions "interior" swinging egress doors. What is the consensus on doors at the exterior of a building? 15# latch release, 30# set in motion, and 15# swing to fully open?

 

[steveray]

What rule requires the gate to close?

 

[mark handler]

What rule requires the gate to close?

Nothing in the code, unless it is a hazardous area, Pool, high power Elec, .....

 

[ADAguy]

Steve reply

What rule requires the gate to close?

No code requirement, client requested closer to maintain site security, so, if you provide it, it must comply ADA/code requirements as it crosses a POT/egress route..

 

[mark handler]

Mark, That section still specifically mentions "interior" swinging egress doors. What is the consensus on doors at the exterior of a building? 15# latch release, 30# set in motion, and 15# swing to fully open?

In CA, The "For other swinging doors, as well as sliding and folding doors, the door latch shall release when subjected to a 15-pound force. is not exclusive to the "interior" it is other swinging doors.

In the IBC, I believe it says per “authority having jurisdiction”

 

[mtlogcabin]

No code requirement, client requested closer to maintain site security, so, if you provide it, it must comply ADA/code requirements as it crosses a POT/egress route..

Not all egress routes are accessible means of egress routes. The code only requires two accessible means of egress routes, Is this part of the accessible means of egress?

 

[mark handler]

Mark, That section still specifically mentions "interior" swinging egress doors. What is the consensus on doors at the exterior of a building? 15# latch release, 30# set in motion, and 15# swing to fully open?

Also see CBC 11B 404.2.9 for access code

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Energy code may require door to close.

 

[JBI]

Make it motorized and that should solve the problem...