Balanced Doors
These doors are generally used on the exterior of a building and are designed to overcome high wind loads, which can overpower a standard door closer. The unique pivoting action of these doors seems awkward at first, as the pivoting edge of the door returns back into the opening when swinging. Due to this action, only push-pad type exit devices are permitted with these doors (Re:LSC 5-2.1.13). The activating portion may extend only across half the width of the door, as a pushing force applied to the pivoting half of the door may not open it unless an excessive amount of force is applied.

Fire-Rated Doors
Exit devices for these doors must be listed “fire exit hardware.” One important difference is that this type of device cannot have a manual “dogging” feature, which holds the latchbolt in the retracted position. Some manufacturers offer listed fire exit devices in which the latchbolt is held back by a fail-safe method. These devices, when activated by a smoke detector, release the latch bolt and allow it to engage the strike. A few manufacturers of automatic door operators list this type of device in their literature, for use as part of a fire assembly.

Non-Fire Rated Doors
Doors that require “panic hazard” listed exit devices are often located at the exterior of a building. For operational convenience, the latchbolts of these devices are often manually held retracted or “dogged” during normal business hours to simplify passage through the openings. After hours, the exit devices must not only continue to insure free and immediate egress, but they must also prevent unauthorized entry. Security deadlatching is an important feature that renders the latch immobile when the deadlatch trigger is depressed by proper engagement with the strike. Security deadlatching is a feature available on all types of exit devices and is strongly recommended.

Use of Exit Devices When Not Required by Code
While the model codes may not require the use of exit devices due to the occupant load of a particular area, their use is often more convenient. Using two exit devices on a pair of doors allows use of both leaves simultaneously. This method is desirable when there is likely to be a large number of people coming and going. Making each leaf of the pair operable causes people to “stay to the right,” and thus those going in do not interfere with those going out.

Aesthetics may also play a role. Pairs of doors at the end of a hall or room look better if hardware is balanced. Making both leaves operable gives the opening a balanced appearance and provides more than adequate exit and access.

For pairs of doors, each of the model codes, including the LSC, prohibits or has strict limitations regarding the use of manual flushbolts, as follows:

BOCA 813.4.1.1 — “Manually operated edge or surface mounted flush bolts and surface bolts are prohibited, except on doors not required for means of egress within a dwelling unit. Where means of egress doors are used in pairs and approved automatic flush bolts are used, the door leaves having automatic flush bolts shall not have a door knob or surface-mounted hardware. The unlatching of any leaf shall not require more than one operation.”

Comments:

1. Manual or surface bolts are permitted only in dwelling units.
2. Automatic flush bolts are permitted. However, the inactive leaf cannot have surfaced-mounted hardware. The intent is that it cannot be mistaken for the exit door.
3. Only one operation is permitted to unlock both door leaves.

SBC Section 1113.1.7 — “Required exit doors shall be openable from the inside with the use of a key, tool, special knowledge or effort. Manually operated flush bolts or surface bolts are prohibited. All hardware must be direct-acting, requiring no more than one operation.”

Comments:

1. Required exits must be operable without any special knowledge or effort.
2. Manually operated flush or surface bolts are prohibited outright.
3. All hardware must not require more than one operation.

Exceptions:

1. Private residences.
2. When pairs of doors are needed for the movement of equipment but the room is not normally occupied, manually operated edge or surface bolts may be used, and a door closer need not be provided on the inactive leaf.

1. Manually operated flush or surface bolts are prohibited outright.
2. Automatic flush bolts are permitted. However, the inactive leaf cannot have surface-mounted hardware. The intent is that it cannot be mistaken for the exit door.
3. Rooms not normally occupied, such as building equipment rooms, may have manual flush or surface bolts.
4. Only one operation is permitted to unlatch both door leaves, i.e. 2-point locks.

Exception: “Where exit doors are used in pairs and approved automatic flush bolts are used, the door leaf having the automatic flush bolts shall have no doorknob or surface-mounted hardware. The unlatching of any leaf shall not require more than one operation.”

Comments:

1. The key appears to be whether both doors are required for egress. The LSC Handbook explains that if the second leaf is not required for egress, the provision does not apply. However, it further states, “In a situation where a second leaf is provided for a reason other than egress, the second leaf must be arranged so as not to be mistaken for the exit door.” Therefore, the second leaf cannot be equipped with trim, which could cause it to be confused with the true exit door. Because pairs of doors generally are provided with hardware to balance them aesthetically, they are often in conflict with this LSC provision.
2. Automatic flush bolts are permitted. However, the inactive leaf cannot have surface-mounted hardware. The intent is that it cannot be mistaken for the exit door. This type of hardware does not appear to be applicable to exterior doors.
3. Only one operation is permitted to unlatch both door leaves, i.e. 2-point locks.
4. Pairs of labeled doors are covered in NFPA 80 “Fire Doors and Windows,” paragraph 2-8.3.5, which states that labeled self-latching or automatic flush bolts or 2-point latches are acceptable for “pairs of doors needed to move equipment… where the inactive leaf is not required for exit purposes.” The exception allows manually operated, labeled top and bottom flush or surface bolts on the inactive leaf when acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, provided they do not pose a hazard to life. The exception further states, “This provision limits their use to rooms not normally occupied by humans (e.g. transformer vaults, storage rooms).”
5. Very few projects are under only the LSC; therefore more stringent hardware requirements may come from one of the three model codes.

BOCA — Section 813.4.3

SBC — Section 113.2

UBC — Section 3304(h)

LSC — 5-2.1.9

Exit hardware that may be electrically dogged can eliminate the need to visit each door and reset the exit device. A latchbolt monitor switch included as a “safety” in the door operator control circuit can prevent potential damage to the door operator from attempts to power the door open while the exit device latchbolts are projected.

This type of installation should be closely coordinated between the exit device and door operator manufacturers, as well as the hardware and fire alarm installers, to insure compatibility and more importantly, the integrity of the opening as a fire door assembly.

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