# Why does a door with closer and latch need 1'?



## gnarkill283 (Aug 12, 2020)

Can someone explain to me why a front approach push side door requires an extra 1' clearance if it has a latch and closer? Doesn't a closer help wheelchair bound people? Does this mean a door with just a latch does not require the 1' extra clearance? If not then why didn't they write it as latch OR closer and isn't a latch the same thing as a door knob, which means essentially every door will need the extra 1' clearance?


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## ADAguy (Aug 12, 2020)

Hmm? A knob is not the same as a lever, no knobs.


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## Mech (Aug 12, 2020)

I have always taken it to mean if both a latch and a closer are provided, then the extra one foot clearance is required.  If only one item, latch or closer, is provided, then the extra clearance is not required.

Diagram (c) of Fig 404.2.4.1 in the ADA indicates "front approach, push side, door provided with both closer and latch."  I bet the figures are commentary and not part of the ADA, but they go out of the way to say "both".  It would be nice if Table 404.2.4.1 also stated "both."


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## Yikes (Aug 12, 2020)

As it was explained to me many years ago, the practical reason is so that a person who is frail or does not have much "leverage" in their arms and fingers can stand with their body centered in front of the latch handle to both turn the latch and push open the door at the same time, with minimal exertion.

On a door with no latch, all you need to do is lean into the door at any point on the door panel.

On a door with (for example) a lever hardware latch, but no closer, you can push the lever down in one vector without also having to push forward at the same time in a second force vector, so working from just one side of your body takes little effort.  If, for example, you are opening a door with a right side strike and you are missing your right arm, you can reach across with your left had and open the lever and the door will easily stay in an "ajar" position while you pivot you body back to push open the panel.
You can imagine how it might be harder to do this if the door kept wanting to close right while you were trying to also unlatch it and reposition your body.  The extra 12" helps overcome this.


Back in the day, before ADA shakedown lawsuits took away the interest in finding reasonable accommodation / equivalent facilitation, building officials used to regularly grant a panic bar as being functionally equivalent to having 12" on the push side.  That way a frail person could simply push anywhere on the door and get it to unlatch and open in a single forward-pushing motion, no leveraging of dexterity required.


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## steveray (Aug 13, 2020)

A closer does not make opening a door easier for anyone.....


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## Anonymous283 (Aug 13, 2020)

ADAguy said:


> Hmm? A knob is not the same as a lever, no knobs.


Don't most door knobs turn to unlatch?


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## ADAguy (Aug 13, 2020)

You need to be able to "grasp" a knob vs using other appendages to activate a lever.


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## JPohling (Aug 13, 2020)

The only time you will be absolutely compelled to provide the 12" strike side clearance is on a fire rated door.  The fire rating requires a latch and a closer.  Non rated doors you do not necessarily need to have them.


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## ADAguy (Aug 14, 2020)

required for manuvering clearance, no?


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## JPohling (Aug 14, 2020)

ADAguy said:


> required for manuvering clearance, no?


Not sure if that is for me..............but on a non rated door you can either eliminate the closer or eliminate the latch and by doing so eliminate the 12" push side strike clearance requirement.


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## steveray (Aug 14, 2020)

Correct...no latch you can plow straight through...No closer, you can hit the latch and throw the door open....


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## ADAguy (Aug 17, 2020)

door face materials are not usually intended as regular push surfaces


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