Friday, October 25, 2013

Save Money When Your House Sells By Inspecting The Doors Before The Home Inspector Arrives

As with windows, doors come in many different sizes and materials. Examples of materials are wood, metal, fiberglass, glass, acrylic and composite.

Styles include solid core, hollow core, raised panel, flat panel, louvered, bifold, bypass, accordion, pocket, hinged, tracked, fire, pet, garage, patio, "French", "Dutch", double and so forth.

Each door has specification requirements for its use. With their many components and functions, doors are a bit more complicated than windows but some of the information is similar.

Don't get distracted by door descriptions. When inspecting you will be looking for the physical condition and operation of the door and also making sure that the proper door is being used.

Requirements for interior doors are less restrictive than for exterior doors. Exterior doors may be used on the interior of the building but an interior door should not be used for an exterior application.

In other words, a hollow core door should not be used for an exterior exit door. This is not only for security reasons but also hollow core doors do not provide adequate insulating properties and resistance to weathering.

In addition, a solid core fire rated door is required between the living space and the attached garage. I will elaborate more on the fire door requirements below.

Begin your inspection at the front door, which is usually the first door encountered when entering the home.

Look at the front door. Is there anything that jumps out at you?

Is it a solid core exterior door?

How do you determine if it is a solid core door?

Knock on the face of the door with your knuckles to hear if it sounds solid. If you are not sure, try comparing the sound made by knocking on an interior hollow core bypass closet door. The solid core door will create a dull noise and the hollow core door will sound like a wooden drum.

As you approach the door, look at the way it hangs in the jamb (the trim material that makes up the frame surrounding the door).

Check the reveal (the space between the door and the frame or jamb).

Is the gap in the reveal relatively even? An eighth of an inch variance in this area is common. Any more than that could be due to loose hinges, deterioration or poor installation.

Next, inspect the condition of the door face or surface. Is it deteriorated, scratched or damaged in any way? Hollow core doors and even solid core doors with a veneer skin may delaminate when subjected to severe weather conditions.

Are there any cracks in the door edge around the latch?

Front exterior wood doors often have panels. Check to see if any of the panels are cracked or damaged.

Front exterior doors may also have glazing (glass) panels. Check to see if any of the glazing is cracked, broken or has lost its seal. Is the glass tempered?

Next, open the door, straddle the front edge of the door and grab hold of the knobs. Gently lift up using your legs (NOT your back or arms) to determine if the doorknob is tight and the hinges are well secured to the jamb. If you notice a lot of play or movement at the hinge area, it may simply mean that the screws are loose. Tightening them with the proper screwdriver may resolve this symptom. Sometimes the hinge screws are fine but the hinge pin may be worn. In that case the hinge may need to be replaced.

Once you have made certain the hinges are secure recheck the reveal around the door. Securing the hinges may correct some if not the entire reveal problem. If the door did not latch properly before, that problem may also be corrected by tightening the hinges.

Next, check to see if the door will actually latch.

You would be amazed how many times I encountered doors that did not latch. The homeowners were often surprised and commented, "We never close that door." I replied, "Well I can certainly understand that but the new owners might want it to latch for some reason.

Doors that do not latch could indicate a number of issues discussed below. Make a note at this point if the door does not latch.

Does the door stick in the frame at any point, drag on the floor covering or bind at the striker plate of the latch? The striker plate is the metal plate screwed into the doorjamb where the latch catches to secure the door. Does the door swing open or close on its own?

Is there any unusual noise or squeaks when the door is opened, closed or latched?

Do the knobs and door lock operate properly or do they need some lubrication or possible adjustments? Sometimes just tightening the screws of the hardware will eliminate problems.

I often noticed that when the doorknob screws were positioned top to bottom instead of side to side, the privacy lock would not work properly. Check the orientation of the doorknob screws. They should be parallel with the floor.

Check to see if the deadbolt latches are able to fully extend into the mortise hole in the jamb. If the deadbolt latch does not fully extend, the bolt can be pushed back into the unlocked position.

Try this if you have access to a deadbolt lock. With the door open, engage the deadbolt part way. Stop before you hear the "click" of the lock mechanism. Push on the bolt. You will actually be able to push the bolt back into the door with your finger. Push on the bolt after you hear the "click." The bolt will not move.

If you are not able to hear or feel the "click" when locking the deadbolt, the lock is not properly engaged. The mortise hole in the jamb is not deep enough to allow the bolt to travel far enough to fully engage. It is not secure.

Home inspectors will report on the presence of double deadbolt locks. Some will report them as a hazard. Double deadbolts are those locks that can only be opened from the outside or the inside with a key. My reports used to say this:

FYI: A locked double deadbolt lock could be a hazard in the event of an emergency if the key is not available. 

I recommend double deadbolt locks be replaced before the home inspector arrives.

Check the striker plates in the jamb. If the striker plates are loose, damaged or missing, repair or replace them.
Check the jamb itself. Is it split, damaged, deteriorated or water stained? Make a note on any of these conditions.

Home inspectors and termite contractors carefully investigate water stains found around doorframes. Water intrusion is a serious issue particularly when addressing walls and exterior siding.

Exterior doors will need to be weather-stripped. There should not be any light passing in around the door from the exterior.

Pay particular attention to the sweep at the bottom of the door. Weather-stripping is inexpensive and easy to install. The bottom sweep can usually be adjusted downward to sweep the threshold properly.

Is there a doorstopper preventing the knob from hitting the wall?

As you move into other areas of the building, check the condition and operation of any bifold, bypass and accordion closet doors. Along with the considerations mentioned above, they should slide in the tracks and operate with ease without coming off the track or dragging the floor covering. Broken mirrors on bypass closet doors should be replaced.

When checking any interior or exterior double doors, determine if the pins of the secondary door can be properly secured at the top and bottom. Do they operate and engage smoothly?

Check patio doors and screen doors for smooth operation and proper locking. Home inspectors will report missing or damaged screen doors.

Patio doors often have window coverings. Many home inspectors do not report on window coverings but you should check and note their condition to be sure they operate properly. Your Realtor will usually not recommend replacing window coverings unless the home shows badly. The buyers will probably want to select their own.

On many of my inspections the buyers were present. I could hear them discussing how they would redecorate the building to reflect their own personality. New floor and window coverings were almost always on the list for replacement. Realtors often suggest cleaning or removing these items but not replacing them.

The glazing in patio doors should be tempered. Check for lost dual pane seals in dual pane patio doors and the fixed glazing.

Fire doors are an important consideration. Such doors are located between the living space and an attached garage. They may also be located at the stairway to the basement or any other area that may contain flammable materials, a water heater or furnace.

Fire doors should have an operable automatic closer that will cause the door to self close and latch when it is released. If the fire door has an automatic closer but does not latch when it is released, the closer should be adjusted or replaced. Sometimes the floor covering can obstruct the proper operation of the closer causing the door to drag.

Fire doors are installed to suppress fire from entering into a living space but only for a limited amount of time. Any modifications to these doors create a possible hazard, such as a pet door.

Pet doors installed in a fire door compromises its fire suppression function. I realize we need to help our pets get in and out of our buildings for obvious reasons. I have pets too, but you need to know the home inspector will write up a fire door that has a pet door installed.

Some home inspectors will write up a fire door that has a door stop installed because it overrides the purpose and proper function of the door.

The swing direction of a door is also VERY IMPORTANT. The code requires a 36" landing if a door swings out over a step.

HAZARD

A door should not swing out over a step as a person could trip and fall.

This error is common when homeowner alterations are conducted.

Keep in mind that we are primarily concerned with the appearance and operation of the doors. Interior hollow core doors with holes larger than a nail or screw should probably be replaced.

Exterior doorjambs that are deteriorated at the threshold may also have to be replaced. Probing with an awl or screwdriver in these areas will help you determine if deterioration is present.

Check all the remaining doors in the house using the same procedures stated above. Again, do not be discouraged when you find an item. That is the reason for the work you are doing.
 
DOOR FINDINGS: REMEDIES AND SOLUTIONS HARDWARE OPERATION
If you notice a lot of play or movement at the door hinge area, it may mean that the screws are loose. If so, tighten them with a screwdriver.

A screw that will not tighten could mean that it is stripped. A longer screw may be required to secure the hinge into the jamb. Be sure to use a screw with the proper bevel and head size or it could interfere with the hinges ability to close properly.

Doors that do not latch could indicate a number of issues.

A very common occurrence is a door that will latch during one part of the year or season and not during another. This is an indication of normal changes in the shape of the building during temperature or humidity variations.

Plumb bob The design of the striker plate will usually account for these variations unless the plate was not installed in the proper position during construction.

The door may be warped or the doorframe may be out of plumb (a plumb bob or a plummet is a weight with a pointed tip on the bottom that is suspended from a string and used as a vertical reference line. This instrument has been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians by bricklayers, masons and carpenters to ensure that their constructions are "plumb", or perfectly upright. The plumb bob is still used to this day but the builders level has replaced this ancient tool in most construction applications.)
Doors that bind, stick, open or close by themselves may do so for the same reason the doors do not latch. The hinges might be loose, the striker plate may need to be adjusted or the doorjamb may need to be repositioned.

A qualified handyman should be able to adjust or repair a door or jamb that is out of alignment or not plumb. You could also hire a licensed contractor to refit the door.

Although a bit more complicated, secondary doors that do not secure properly are usually adjustable provided the internal hardware is operating properly.

Knobs and locks that do not operate properly may require lubrication. Dry graphite is recommended rather than oil based lubricants. Oil will accelerate the problem by attracting more dirt. A locksmith can help with fussy knobs and locks.

Install any missing or damaged striker plates.

CONDITION

Jambs and Frame
Cracks in the jamb and around the hinges can be filled with putty or caulking if not too badly damaged. Repainting the trim will be optional, depending on your particular situation and realtor's recommendation.

Door
The door surface itself is often difficult to repair if badly damaged or worn. Cracks in the door edge can be filled with putty or caulking if not too badly damaged.

If the door drags the floor covering or binds in the casement frame, it may have to be shaved to allow for more clearance. This can happen when new thicker flooring materials like hardwood, tile or carpet are installed.

If simple repairs can bring a door back to serviceability that's good. However, if the door is damaged so badly that repairs would cost nearly as much as a new door, replace it. This is particularly true of a front door.


Door Defects & Related Injury Claims - A Guided Tour of Manual Doors & Hardware

We are all used to opening and closing doors on a daily basis. Unless you encounter a problem with the function of your doors, you probably don't give their operation and component make up much thought. I am continually contacted by attorneys seeking my advice on an injury that took place because of an improperly adjusted or malfunctioning door. In this article, I am simply discussing manually operated doors. Nothing fancy or automatic about them, the kind where you grab a lever, push a plate or bang on a bar to enter or leave a room or building. So, if you want to learn to communicate professionally and simply with your door expert or even your building manager, read on.
Doors are actually a pretty simple and early invention. They probably started with a couple of wide planks to enclose an opening to keep out the weather or separate your belongings from the animals. Modern door systems are much more complex, but still do the basics. They keep your stuff protected from the elements, animals and other people.

While this article is in no means meant to be exhaustive and highly technical, there are a few things that need identification in order for all of us to properly understand their functions and be able to effectively communicate information.

A basic door system is made up of a framed opening, hinges, door, and door latch or lock. As separation and security requirements increase, the door system begins to increase in complexity. The basic door is either considered an unrated fire separation component or a rated fire separation component.

Unrated doors, frames and hardware:

Unrated doors are installed in locations that do not participate in keeping a fire contained. They are typical in most home locations, with the usual exception of a garage to interior home doorway. Unrated doors may be approved for some exterior exit doorways in commercial buildings, as well as interoffice openings. You have probably seen wooden raised panel doors, hollow slab doors, or hand carved ornate doors that appear more like artwork than a doorway. These doors are typically unrated, and do a fine job maintaining separation and privacy in our homes and offices. We are able to use these types of unrated doors in many locations, both residential and commercially, because designers or architects have located fire control walls and separations as part of the building design that make individual fire walls unnecessary. These doorways do not have the stringent requirements for their hardware, frames or doors that a fire rated doorway must have.

Fire rated door systems:

Fire rated doors, along with other augmented system components are able to contain a fire without burning through for a known and tested period of time. Typical ratings of fire doors are 20, 45, 60, 90, and 180 minutes. Uniform building codes and local fire codes determine the appropriate separations needed for a specific area of every building.

A fire rated opening is only as good as its weakest component. Therefore, along with a rated door, you need to have a rated frame assembly. There are many types of fire rated frames in the commercial market. Frames also undergo specific testing to rate their ability to withstand fire for a period of time. Commercially available standard rated frames are made from a variety of products. Rating can be achieved for hollow metal steel frames, aluminum frames, and specially treated wood frames. The correct application and method of attachment of each type of these frames will limit or rate the opening to match the condition and rating of the wall that it is part of.

Frames are made up of a minimum of three components: A left leg, a right leg, (both vertical pieces) and the header (horizontal piece of the frame). Other more complex frames have the three components plus a clipped on casing mold. Some frames, particularly when associated and required with more stringent fire ratings will be fabricated into one welded assembly. Appropriate installation of all frames requires sturdy and positive attachment to the wall opening and floor system. To assure that the door will not be blown out of the framed opening during a fire, fire rated hardware must be used in conjunction with the fire rated frame. Ratings are given to hinges, door locks, panic bars and other locking devices and related components. To increase the effective barrier from a fire, a seal or gasket of some sort must be used around the opening of the door, as well as along the door bottom. In conjunction with these smoke seals there needs to be a non-combustible threshold between the floor and door sweep. These seals are in place to protect the occupants of an adjacent room from smoke or poisonous gases released from a fire, and are designed to allow more time for evacuation from the fire zone.

Let's talk about how to describe a door opening:

It is important to accurately explain what a door opening looks like and how it functions over the phone so that both parties are visualizing the same type of opening. If you want to do a little preliminary investigation, here are some things that are helpful in describing the door and frame to your expert. First, measure the opening so that you know the rough height and width of the door. The height measurement is taken between the floor and header piece location where the door rests. The width measurement is taken between the door legs at the widest point where the door rests between the legs of the frame. More information about door frames later in this article. A typical commercial door measurement might be 84" high x 36" wide. The actual door size will be slightly smaller, but that is not important for this exercise. A residential door, particularly in older homes, may be 80"high x 32" wide. Obviously, site conditions vary from location to location. Exact measurements may be critical later on in your case, but that is why you have contacted an expert to investigate.

Next, determine if the door opens into the room that you are standing in or away from that room. Does the door swing from the left or right side? Here is a tip on how to figure this out. If you are standing inside a room that the door swings into: Place your back against the door and see if the hinges are on the right side of your body or the left side. If right, you have a right hand door, if left, it is left handed. Remember this saying: "Your BUTT to the hinge BUTT". If you are in a room outside of where the door swings into, it gets a little more confusing as to how to describe the handing, but for simplicity, just look into the room and see if the door swings to the right or the left. It may be important to know, as your case may "HINGE".... Ha, ha, ha...on this detail!

Now that the hard part is done, take a look at the door. What is it made of? Wood, Metal, glass, plastic laminate, etc... Does it have a label of any kind on it indicating a fire rating or special information? Does it have any distinguishing features such as scarring, scratches, damage of any kind? Generally, what condition is the door in? Does it look old or show wear, or is it new and in good shape? Is the door dragging on the floor or rubbing on the frame? Swing the door a few times to see if something is not working properly.

Now, check out the hardware on the door. How many hinges are attached to the door and frame? Do the hinges appear to be solidly attached to the door? Are the screws loose and pulling out of the door or frame? Measure what size the hinges are, if you can. Measure from the top of the hinge to the bottom of one hinge only. They should all be the same size. Are they? Note what color they are. Are they rusty, covered in dust or grease, old or new looking? Does the door have any type of knob or lever on it? Does it have a key lock? Is it activated remotely or by some sort of touch pad? Does it have a panic bar exit device on it, or are we looking at a conventional door lock set? Does it have a round orbit type of knob or a lever to activate the lock? Does the door have a door closer on it? Is the closer on the inside of the door or the outside of the door? What condition does the overall hardware seem to be in? Are there kick plates or push plates on the door? Take a photograph of the door, if you can, for your file.

Actual Case Experience: Several years ago an early photograph of a door problem, taken immediately after an injury happened, showed that changes had been made to installed hardware. It was claimed by the opposition, during written discovery and deposition testimony that no alterations of any kind had been done to the doors since the injury occurred. After a site visit, I was given the early photos to evaluate, and immediately saw that the hardware had all been changed. This revelation led to some pretty interesting settlement negotiations in favor of my client. So get the pictures, if possible!

As long as you are examining the door, you should take a brief look at the frame and the frames' attachment to the wall. How is the frame oriented to the wall? Is there any space on either side of the wall, and what proximity to a perpendicular wall does it have? Is the frame metal, wood or some other material? Does it have a fire rated label or specialty tag on it? Does it appear to be solidly attached to the wall? Are the hinges solidly attached to the frame and door? Does the frame look scratched or worn, and are there grooves or dents?

Now that you have made a preliminary evaluation of the door, you are through with your basic inspection. You have seen firsthand what the site conditions are, and hopefully used my suggestions to evaluate the door for yourself.

Summary:

While your door expert should be thoroughly versed on every aspect of doors, door hardware, and installation elements, your ability to effectively describe the site shows your professionalism and concern for your case.
Doors are either fire rated or unrated. Not all doors need to be rated. They all have basic components such as hinges, locks, or panic devices. Door swing can be determined, as described above. Early photos and expert inspection of an event site can be extremely important for your case. Hiring a competent door expert and capturing critical evidence is one of the most important things that you can do for your client.

Glossary of terms (as they apply to door components in this article):

Hinge: a device usually consisting of two leaves interlaced to receive a removable pin allowing for movement of the two leaves so that a positive attachment can be made to two individual stabile components.

Closer: A hydraulic or spring loaded device designed to draw, retard or bring together a door to the door framed opening.

Swing; The direction of movement and arced path of travel taken by a door in a framed opening.

Panic device: A piece of hardware designed to work without any special knowledge, activated by applying force to a bar usually positioned horizontally across the face of the door.

Frame: The product bordering a wall opening allowing connection between wall and door.

Lock set: Any lock device that works in concert with a latch and strike plate.

Smoke seal: Any material capable of gasketing a framed opening. The material that the seal is composed of is specifically designed to isolate transfer of smoke and poisonous gases emitted by a fire.

Door sweep: A piece of weather-stripping or smoke seal designed to stop air, smoke or other objects from entering underneath a closed door. Acts like a broom to sweep along the floor, sealing the door bottom.

Threshold: The boundary of two areas associated with a door way. The material located directly underneath a closed door. Depending on rating requirements, a variety of materials are used.

Latch: The bolt that physically holds a door closed when engaged in a strike plate working as part of a lockset.

Strike plate: The plate attached to a door frame, with a hole to receive the latch.

Michael Panish is an expert witness, forensic analyst, and consultant in the field of construction. He is licensed in the State of California as a Door, Lock & Security Equipment Contractor, General Building Contractor, Cabinet & Millwork Contractor, and Electrical Contractor. Michael has over 30 years hands-on experience manufacturing, installing, and servicing doors for most commercial and residential applications. His company, Door & Hardware Systems, specializes in ADA (American Disability Act) and Life Safety compliance issues for hospitals, hotels, County/State facilities, and specialty applications. He has extensive knowledge and experience as a door vendor and custom manufacturer, and is considered a sole source contractor for many California State and County projects. His company does historic restoration and preservation of doors for commercial and residential projects. The 2007 swing gate installation projects throughout the Los Angeles County Court System were designed, fabricated, and installed by Door and Hardware Systems. Michael has consulted and testified in many injury cases pertaining to door related issues as well as most aspects of construction defects, product liability, and poor workmanship. He has offices in California and New England and is available for nationwide consultation, forensic analysis, inspection, and testimony. Michael Panish can be reached at (818) 992-1975 or (818) 429-1963. Please visit http://www.ConstructionWitness.com for more information and other articles by Michael Panish.