# The Doorbell – Transient Lodging and Dwelling Units



## mark handler (Jul 21, 2016)

The Doorbell – Transient Lodging and Dwelling Units
https://steppingthruaccessibility.com/doorbell-transient-lodging-dwelling-units/#.V5F3HvkrL4Z
Janis Kent, Architect, FAIA, CASp © July, 2016

Doorbells have a variety of requirements with the implementation of the 2010 ADA Standards. This would be within communication feature units both for transient lodging guest rooms as well as for dwelling units. These features are for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and blind or partially sighted.

The issue, as I see it, is that the regulations state the sound and visual notification devices for doorbells are NOT to be tied into the emergency warning system. Therefor, everyone assumes you use the same devices but just not connected to the alarm system. This is an incorrect assumption and not only is it not required but it leads to much confusion and uncertainty.

If I can not see well or at all, how do I know that the alarm sound is really a door bell? It doesn’t sound like one. In fact it can cause panic since it sounds like an emergency alarm. If I am hard of hearing or can not hear at all, I see just the flashing strobe which also appears like an alarm notification. I have seen some guest rooms where the emergency alarms are labeled, so I suppose I am suppose to first check if there are other alarms labeled as emergency and if this flashing strobe does not have a label (could fall off) then I presume it is the doorbell?

And then the best part is, the doorbells on the hallway or corridor side are labeled ‘depress the button for at least 5 seconds’. So now I get to see the flashing light or hear the noisy alarm for a period of time. Does this really trigger the reaction that there is someone at the door or does it trigger emergency? In my opinion it triggers the latter.

A communication feature dwelling unit, is to have a button or switch hard-wired at the corridor or exterior side of the primary entry. This is to trigger both a visible and audible signal on the interior. If there is a visible appliance in a sleeping room then it is also to have an on-off control to deactivate it in that room. This does not mean there is a requirement to actually have the notification device placed in the sleeping room – just if there is one.

Now a transient lodging communication feature guest room is only required to have a doorbell or a door knock tied into a visible notification device, not an audible signal. Again, this should not be tied into a visible alarm signal. A visible alarm system (not a doorbell) is required to be hard-wired for new construction or when an existing fire alarm system is upgraded or replaced or a new fire alarm system is installed. Regardless of whether there is a visible alarm system in existing facilities, a visible notification device is to be provided both for an incoming phone call and for a door knock or door bell.

There are a number of products that allow for an adjustable volume that sounds like a normal doorbell as well as a flashing light. There are also products that are sensitive to someone knocking at the door or stepping on a mat at a door. Some products have sophisticated receivers that will recognize a doorbell, or an incoming phone call, or an alarm clock, that will vibrate or flash a LED light or that can connect to a watch or a smartphone. These transmitters do need to be hard wired for residential dwelling units with communication features. So just because the regulations state door notification systems are not to be tied into a fire safety system does not mean it should look and sound like one. And one other item – dormitories, one of several types of student housing, are considered transient lodging, so only a visible, not audible, notification device is required for a door bell or door knock and the phone.

Be aware that your local City or County may have additional requirements that are more restrictive and providing greater access than the State or Federal requirements. Also, this article is an interpretation and opinion of the writer. It is meant as a summary – current original regulations should always be reviewed when making any decisions.

© Janis Kent, Architect, FAIA, CASp 2016


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## Yikes (Jul 22, 2016)

Mark, I'm surprised that Janis mentioned smartphone option - - do you think it would fulfill the code requirement?  I would anticipate that a fully functional visual doorbell must work whether or not the occupant owns a smartphone.
for our visually impaired units, we've been using the Chime + LED, linked here, which was probably originally developed for a small retail store entrance "electric eye" or door contact.  The wiring diagram allows for an "optional pushbutton", which is our typical doorbell button.


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## conarb (Jul 22, 2016)

I've wondered about that too, everybody who comes to my house calls on their phone when they drive up, if the bell does ring it's always a solicitor and we don't answer it.  I recently built a home with security gates, the gate company said nobody installs the gate column communications devices anymore since everyone has a cell phone.  When the home was complete the doorbell didn't work, it obviously had a short in a wire, I told the owner I'd fix it when I had the electrician back, he said not to bother, he didn't want anybody ringing the bell, I did fix it because it would be dumb to have a button on the wall that didn't work.  Are doorbells going the way of buggy whips?  Are they in the code?


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## ADAguy (Jul 22, 2016)

1132A.10 *Door Signial Devices. *Every primary entrance to a covered multifamily dwelling unit shall be provided with a door buzzer, bell, chime, or equivalent. The activating mechanism shall be mounted a maximum of 48 inches above the floor and connected to permanent wiring.


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## Francis Vineyard (Jul 22, 2016)

And where localities have adopted Appendix E

*E104.2.4 Notification devices. *Visual notification devices shall be provided to alert room occupants of incoming telephone calls and a door knock or bell. Notification devices shall not be connected to visual alarm signal appliances. Permanently installed telephones shall have volume controls and an electrical outlet complying with ICC A117.1 located within 48 inches of the telephone to facilitate the use of a TTY.

Commentary; A type of visual notification, such as a flashing light, must be provided in the hotel rooms specified in Table E104.2.1. The purpose of the visual notification is to alert a person with a hearing impairment to incoming phone calls or someone knocking at the door. The notification cannot be connected to any type of visual alarm system.
ICC A117.1 also requires a peephole, so that once the visible doorbell flashes, the person in the room can visually verify who is on the other side of the door. The doorbell height should be based on a standing person. If phones are provided within the dwelling or sleeping unit, they must be equipped with a volume control and be located within 48 inches (1219 mm) of an electrical outlet to accommodate a TTY. Specific requirements for telephones are provided in Section 704 of ICC A117.1.


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## Francis Vineyard (Jul 22, 2016)

*ICC/ANSI A117.1 2009
1006 Units with Accessible Communication Features

1006.5 Unit Primary Entrance*. Communication features shall be provided at the unit primary entrance complying with Section 1006.5.
*
1006.5.1 Notification*. A hard-wired electric doorbell shall be provided. A button or switch shall be provided on the public side of the unit primary entrance. Activation of the button or switch shall initiate an audible tone within the unit.
*
1006.5.2 Identification*. A means for visually identifying a visitor without opening the unit entry door shall be provided. Peepholes, where used, shall provide a minimum 180-degree range of view.


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## mark handler (Jul 22, 2016)

Yikes said:


> Mark, I'm surprised that Janis mentioned smartphone option - - do you think it would fulfill the code requirement?  I would anticipate that a fully functional visual doorbell must work whether or not the occupant owns a smartphone.
> for our visually impaired units, we've been using the Chime + LED, linked here, which was probably originally developed for a small retail store entrance "electric eye" or door contact.  The wiring diagram allows for an "optional pushbutton", which is our typical doorbell button.


An option. not the only option.
More and more buildings are being controlled by smartphones


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## conarb (Jul 22, 2016)

Just for your information, from the practicable side, I can't hear very well at all anymore, the worst, like most older people, are the high pitched sounds like bells, whistles, telephones, and some women's voices.  Hearing aids are better now, the system I have is not only hearing aids but a device that hangs around my neck connected by bluetooth, the device has a series of buttons to answer the phone in my pocket and three different settings for different voices and sounds along with volume controls for each setting, I cannot hear smoke alarms at all since their pitch is so high, plus we don't wear hearing aids when we are in bed anyway.  If the batteries go dead in the smokes my wife has to tell me to change them since I can stand right under them and not hear the chirping on any of my settings.  

One of the most difficult things is the counters of government agencies, plan checkers and others tend to mumble while they are talking, we learn over time to read lips in combination with hearing what we can hear, I always tell them I can't hear and to please speak up and look at me when they speak, they all do it but within a few minutes they are back to looking down at the plans and mumbling again.  Years of Skilsaws whining and for years I had a trailer mounted 5 hp DeWalt Radial saw running 8 hours per day right near my job trailer did me in, along with some open cockpit aerobatic flying.  It's God's way of protecting us from wives nagging.


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## Yikes (Jul 22, 2016)

By the way, Francis, you reminded me: many apartments have main lobby or gate entrance security systems that include a card reader and a keypad so that guests can call up to the unit to get "buzzed in".  ADA and CBC require the keypad units to also have a TTY jack, but VERY FEW of the manufacturers provide a TTY jack.  A couple of years ago I called up one of the biggest manufacturers and asked why they didn't have TTY jack to meet ADA.  They told me ADA did not require it. 
I showed them 2010 ADA 809.5.6.
They called me back and said they could not modify their existing circuit boards and they did not plan a refresh on their design for another 3 years.  Basically, they acknowledged that they did not comply with ADA, and they weren't in any rush to do so, and they were just going to keep selling the non-compliant units.
Buyer beware.


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