Doorknobs are a ubiquitous part of Door Hardware in Albuquerque NM and throughout North America. Oddly enough, one large Canadian city has put a ban on these devices. That legislation indicates some of the problems with the equipment and can help people understand why other options for opening and locking doors are more suitable. Levers are particularly helpful for a large percentage of the population. They are pushed down or up to open a door and can be pulled to close the door behind the person if the door is not designed to close automatically.
Vancouver’s law, which went into effect in 2014, doesn’t require building owners to replace doorknobs with other devices. Instead, it mandates that all new buildings have levers to provide the usual purposes of knobs. Levers have a significant advantage for people who have trouble gripping and turning knobs. These individuals may have arthritis in their hands, for instance, or they may have a health condition that makes their hands weak. Otherwise healthy elderly persons also may develop some weakness in the hands and fingers, making it difficult to grip and turn a knob. Someone who has experienced a severe injury also may be unable to turn a doorknob. An example would be a person who is dealing with hand burns and has bandaged hands. This person can easily move a lever but will be unable to grasp and turn a doorknob.
The Vancouver law recognizes the need for universal design, so people with disabilities have equal access to buildings. In fact, disability advocates have noted that knobs present a problem of inaccessibility for a large number of individuals. Someone thinking about buying new Door Hardware in Albuquerque NM may begin to remember how prevalent door levers have become in commercial buildings, including hotels. Although doorknobs are still very pervasive, this person might even begin to wonder why everyone hasn’t switched to lever models. In fact, in countries outside of North America, the use of knobs for opening and locking doors has dropped dramatically over the years. But old habits can be hard to break. Contact The Window Depot for information about various types of door hardware and other products available from the store.
