ADA full power and heavy-duty swing
Houston automatic doors offer an easy and cost-effective way to furnish businesses with accessible entryways. Our swing door operators can help you outfit a store or facility with an ADA-compliant entrance or convert manual doors to automatic for ease of access without the hassle or costs associated with rebuilding an entire doorway.
When it comes to compliance, you can't afford to skimp on your automatic door mechanisms. ADA swing power operators are often the most popular choice for businesses in need of an automatic entry because they are simple to implement and come in a wide range of power types. It's important to find an operator that not only fits your budget but also accommodates your business' specific needs in order to keep your establishment in compliance with the ADA.
A full power swing doors and operators are designed for the most demanding applications. Multiple configurations available including overhead concealed and surface applied mounting with choice of inswing, outswing, and parallel inswing configurations. We can convert your existing manual doors to automatic to reduce the strain on you and your employees, making it easy for them to enter and exit.
It is important to note that with automatic door operators, one direction of entry must be standard. In a parallel opening a left swing will not work with a right swing and vice versa. They also require a method of power entry depending upon the number of doors. Power requirements for automatic openers are dictated by the National Electrical Code (NEC). If an opening has more than one door it will require a higher amperage as well as voltage.
ADA meets the requirements of a forceful opening and a smooth closing door with a full power and heavy-duty breakaway mechanism to eliminate the risk of users being trapped between the door and the jamb. Our adjustable closing speeds allow a door to close sooner for energy savings or slower for increased pedestrian safety.
The ADA swing speed requirements for doors in accessible routes depends on the type of door. Full-powered and heavy-duty doors must close slowly when complying with the ADA requirements. The new system allows a swinging door to close when it should instead of bouncing open too quickly for pedestrians to enter or exit the building safely.
The ADA multipurpose door offers a full-power and heavy-duty swing with a breakaway mechanism, all for your ADA compliance. Adjustable closing speeds prevent injuries to those using wheelchairs or strollers. It’s a great choice for your entry door, as well as a meeting room door.
The breakaway mechanism to eliminate the risk of users being trapped between the door and the jamb. For your home or business, you can choose different closing speeds that fit your needs. Our full power ADA swing door operator can be configured for speeds ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 feet/second. When closing, each door will begin to move at a speed of 2.0 feet/second and adjust down to the proper speed of 1.0 feet/second at the approach of a person at a distance of 18-20”.
Common door accessibility Issues
Clear width
Accessible doors should provide at least 32 inches of clear width. Clear width is measured between the face of the door itself and the opposite stop.
Hardware
Door hardware must not require more than 5 lbs. of force to operate. It must also be operable with one hand and without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. Lever handles and some other types comply with this requirement. Traditional round doorknobs are not accessible, as they require tight grasping and twisting to turn.
Thresholds
Thresholds cannot be higher than 1/2 inch at accessible doors, including sliding doors.
However, 3/4 inch is allowed at all existing doors when beveled on each side with a slope not steeper than 1:2. Thresholds higher than 1/4 inch must be beveled at 1:2 slope maximum.
Maneuvering space
Doors require a certain amount of clear space around them to allow individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices to:
- Approach the door
- Reach the door or door hardware
- Open the door while remaining outside the swing of the door (if it’s a swinging type);
- Maneuver through the doorway; and
- Close the door behind
The space required varies depending on the type of door and the direction of approach:
- Door swings toward maneuvering clearance at door to pull face of door is 18 inches minimum.
- Door swings away maneuvering clearance to push the face of the door with a closer and latch is 12 inches minimum.
In all cases, the maneuvering space should have a level surface, that is, a maximum slope of 1:48.
Closing speed
Doors that snap closed quickly make it difficult for users, particularly those with disabilities, to get through safely.
- Doors with closers should take at least 5 seconds to move from the open position at 90 degrees to 12 degrees from the latch.
- Doors with spring hinges should take at least 1.5 seconds to close from the open position of 70 degrees.
Closing times for automatic doors vary depending on the type of door [swinging, sliding or folding] as well as the dimensions and weight of the door. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A156.10 covers the requirements for “full power” automatic doors; ANSI A156.19 addresses “low energy” or “power assisted” doors.
Force
Interior accessible doors should require no more than 5 lbs. of force to open. This applies to interior hinged doors and gates, as well as sliding and folding doors. The ADA Standards do not specify the opening force for exterior doors, though some state and local building codes may have requirements. Typical maximum opening force for exterior doors ranges from 8.5 to 10 lbs. Doors designated as fire doors must have the minimum opening force allowed by the local authority.
Smooth door surfaces
Canes, wheelchairs, and other mobility devices can snag on projections on door surfaces. The push side of new swinging doors and gates that are within 10 inches of the finish floor or ground must have smooth surfaces. The smooth surface should extend the full width of the door. Any spaces created by the addition of kick plates should be capped. These requirements do not apply to sliding doors and some tempered glass doors.
