Power Operated Doors


Closers on doors are required to have a 5 pound maximum pull resistance to comply with accessibility codes.  The trick with this is that at an exterior commercial building public entrance, 5 pounds of resistance is not sufficient to keep the door closed when the wind whips.  So commercial spaces with public entrances and accessible routes are all supposed to have power operated or power assisted doors to assure accessibility for all and prohibit Winter winds blowing through.  There are a variety of options and one that is often the most practical is to have the power operation only work per request of a paddle button.  This makes for a long lasting unit and lower costs of electricity.  It is something that often raises queries from owners about the need to do.  But for both new and for the existing spaces undergoing sufficient qualifying updates that trigger the 20% rule of improving the accessible route, power operated doors are a must do so as to achieve compliance.  In New Hampshire, this is spelled out even more clearly than it is illustrated in the national codes to start with:   https://www.nh.gov/safety/boardsandcommissions/bldgcode/documents/bd-15-12-18.pdf     Welcome one, welcome all!