RBD Locksmith and Security of Washington DC

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ADA Automatic Door Operators in Washington, DC

RBD Security installs, retrofits and services automatic door operators: the push-button and touchless openers that make a heavy door usable by everyone. We fit them to new and existing doors in condo and apartment lobbies, offices, medical suites, shops and community buildings across Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Then we tie each one into the door’s lock, access control and fire alarm so it opens when it should and stays secure when it shouldn’t. Call (202) 709-9466.

Stainless steel ADA "Press to Open" push plate with wheelchair symbol mounted on a brick wall beside an entrance

What an ADA door operator does

An automatic door operator is a powered arm mounted above a swinging door. When someone presses a push plate, waves at a touchless sensor or presents a fob, it opens the door, holds it, and closes it again. Most “ADA operators” are low-energy swing operators added to an ordinary door so that people using wheelchairs, walkers or strollers, or carrying packages, can get through without pulling a heavy door.

Overhead automatic door operator on an aluminum apartment lobby door, with an access control card reader on the wall below, installed by RBD Security
An overhead operator on an apartment lobby door, with the card reader on the wall below. Installed by RBD Security.
ADA push-to-open plate with an Activate Switch to Operate sign, next to a green push-to-exit button, installed by RBD Security
A push plate next to a push-to-exit button, with the operator’s ADA label below. Installed by RBD Security.

Low-energy and full-power operators

  • Low-energy operators (ANSI/BHMA A156.19) open slowly and with limited force. They are usually activated by a push plate or wave sensor, and they are the standard choice for accessibility retrofits on lobby, office and restroom doors.
  • Full-power operators (ANSI/BHMA A156.10) open quickly when a motion sensor detects someone approaching, like a grocery store door. They need safety sensors and guide rails, and the industry calls for an annual inspection by a certified inspector.

Most buildings we work in need low-energy operators. We will tell you if your traffic or layout calls for full power.

What the codes say

The 2010 ADA Standards limit the opening force of interior hinged doors to 5 pounds. Exterior door force is left to local code. The ADA does not require automatic doors at most entrances, but an operator is often the simplest way to make a heavy, windy or tightly closed door usable.

Building codes are moving further. Newer editions of the International Building Code (2021 and later) require at least one power-operated door at the public entrances of larger assembly, business, mercantile and hotel buildings. DC’s construction codes are based on an earlier edition, so ask your architect or the DC Department of Buildings which edition applies to your project. We install to whatever standard they specify.

Making the operator work with the lock

The most common problem we fix is an operator pushing against a door that is still locked. An accessible door has to unlock and open in one step, so the operator and the lock must work together:

  • An electric strike or electrified exit device releases when the button is pressed during open hours, or when a valid fob, card or phone credential is presented after hours.
  • Access control integration lets the push plate work only on a schedule, or only after a resident badges in.
  • A fire alarm interface makes the door behave correctly in an alarm.
  • Vestibule sequencing opens the inner and outer doors in turn.
  • Hold-open and closing speeds are set so the door is easy to use without staying open long enough to let someone tail in.
ADA press-to-open push plate mounted between a fire alarm pull station, an access control reader and an intercom panel, installed by RBD Security
A push plate set between the fire alarm pull station, the access control reader and the intercom: three systems the door has to answer to. Installed by RBD Security.
Pair of glass entrance doors with an overhead automatic door operator header and sensors, during a retail fit-out
A pair of glass entrance doors with an overhead operator header and sensors. On a pair, the operator, the lock and the exit hardware all have to be coordinated.

Because RBD Security is a locksmith and an access control installer, the operator, the lock hardware and the reader are set up by the same team. See our access control products and doors and door hardware.

Where we install them

  • Condo and apartment lobbies, garage-to-lobby doors, and package and amenity rooms.
  • Office suites, medical and dental offices, and clinics.
  • Shops, restaurants and storefront glass doors, which RBD also services for grille locks and exit hardware.
  • Houses of worship, schools and community buildings.
  • Homes, for owners or family members who need a hands-free entry door.
Overhead automatic door operator on a doctor's office entrance door, installed by RBD Security
An operator on a doctor’s office entrance. Installed by RBD Security.

Condo boards weighing an operator alongside a new intercom or access control can see our guide to condo building security and cloud vs. on-site costs.

Repair and service

We service operators that open too fast or too slowly, slam or fail to close, fight the door closer, ignore the push plate, or stopped working after a power outage. Typical fixes are adjusting speeds and force, replacing push plates or wireless actuators and their batteries, and repairing the arm, hinges and strike that the operator depends on. Automatic doors should be checked daily by staff and serviced at least once a year.

Brands we install and service

We install and service automatic door operators from LCN, Arrow, Stanley and dormakaba, and we match the operator to the door, the traffic and the lock or exit device it has to work with.

Related services

Need an automatic door opener installed, repaired or tied into your access control? Call (202) 709-9466 or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

In most cases, no. The 2010 ADA Standards limit the opening force of interior doors to 5 pounds and set rules for clearances and hardware, but they do not require power-operated doors at most entrances. Newer editions of the International Building Code do require them at public entrances of some larger buildings, so check which code applies to your project.

Usually, yes. We check the door, frame and hinges first. A heavy door may need a continuous hinge or heavier-duty hinges, and the existing closer and lock must be compatible with the operator or replaced.

Yes. With an electric strike or electrified exit device, the door stays locked outside the hours you set, and the push plate works only for people with a valid credential, or not at all, after hours.

A quick daily check by staff that the door opens, holds and closes properly, and service at least once a year. Full-power doors should also get an annual inspection by a certified inspector.

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