Closers for entrance doors: the subtleties of selection, installation and operation

On almost every modern front door, which is installed in the office of a company or enterprise, special devices are placed - closers. They allow the door to close softly, protecting the fittings, the lock and the door leaf itself from constant blows and mechanical damage.

There are various options for door closers that differ in the type of device and power, as a result of which, they can be installed on a door leaf with a light structure or on heavy metal doors.

In the structure of the door closer there is a special lever and the body itself, in which the mechanism is placed. Thanks to this element, the doors are automatically closed. A powerful spring is used as the main mechanism, which is compressed by the action of a piston. Often such a spring is made of steel and is housed in a special capsule. The capsule is filled with special oil.

Modern door models have a special valve for an additional reason, which ensures their holding. This effect is observed when the angle of the open door is approximately 70 degrees until the door is completely closed. In addition, if the door leaf is already almost closed (the angle is about 15 degrees), the sash movement accelerates, as a result of which the doors close very tightly. This design feature allows the door closer to cope with the force of the latches installed on the doors and overcome the air resistance that is observed during the closing process.

On sale you can also find devices that have additional capabilities and block the movement of the door. This design minimizes the risk of the door closing spontaneously. Such a function will become relevant when it is necessary for the doors to be open. In this case, you need to open the door at least 90 degrees, it will remain in a fixed position until it is pushed to close. The complete set of the closer will allow the sash to close smoothly and silently.

The principle of operation of the door closer for entrance doors is as follows: when the doors are opened, the gear starts to rotate, which transfers the force to the toothed rack. As mentioned above, the transmission is located in a special housing that has been filled with oil. The rack, transmitting movement to the piston, thereby pushes the spring, compressing it to a certain size.

During the movement of the piston, the oil, which is in the middle of the capsule, begins to flow from one compartment to another, due to which additional resistance is observed, which improves the compression of the elastic element. As a result, the door leaf will move slowly.

As soon as you let go of the sash, the external pressure ceases, the spring begins to expand. Since the spring mechanism is closely interconnected with the piston, it moves back.The oil also begins to move in the opposite direction, providing additional resistance, this further slows down the process of closing the doors.

Depending on the method and place where the door closer will be placed, there are several types of these devices.

• Upper - located in the upper part of the sash. They belong to the universal devices, they are placed on various doors.

• Floor standing - they are fixed at the bottom of the door leaf or on the floor. Often they are installed on glass doors, since they simultaneously function as hinges.

• Hidden - are mounted during the door manufacturing process. They are most often used for interior doors.

In order to choose the right closer, you should find out if this device can withstand a lot of weight. For example, floor devices can easily withstand a mass of up to 300 kilograms, so they will be the best option for a heavy iron door.

Due to the fact that hidden closers are placed in the end part of either the door leaf itself or the jamb, they are invisible, which is very important if such a device is used for interior doors.

Finding the right door closer can be quite difficult. For example, if it is better to install one structure in terms of dimensions, and another is suitable in terms of weight, then opt for a more powerful model. When the doors differ in their original design, then it is better to choose closers that have a margin of safety.

To accurately determine the type of mechanism that is used in the closer, you can look at the data in a special table. It indicates the equivalents of door closer classes and the main characteristics of the sashes. If you purchase a door closer for a metal door leaf, then pay attention that the kit includes a brake.

To choose the right door element, it is necessary to take into account the external conditions of its functioning. A very important factor is the temperature regime at which the closer can work. This is very important for spring devices that are installed on street doors. If the device does not have certain parameters, then problems may arise with the operation of the closer when the ambient temperature rises sharply, or, conversely, decreases.

Please note that specialized door types require the installation of certain door closers containing electromagnetic or electro-hydraulic elements. Such electrical devices must have documents that confirm the high quality of the product.

If you are attaching a door closer to the entrance door, then you should take a closer look at the options that have special anti-vandal protection. An important component of these types of devices is a safety valve and a housing made of impact-resistant material.

When purchasing a closer for entrance doors, pay attention to the brand. Trust only trusted manufacturers who care about the quality of their products. It will not be superfluous to study the reviews of customers who are already using this or that model from a certain manufacturer. This will help you make the right choice.

The demand for a variety of door closer models is due to a number of advantages.

• They protect the door leaf from impacts when the doors are opened and closed.
• They allow you to extend the life of a variety of sliding systems that are installed on the sashes, thanks to the soft and accurate movement of the door leaf.
• There is a tight fixation, that is, the sash snaps into place during the closing process.
• The sash movement speed can be adjusted to create the optimal closing option.
• This design is safe for young children who like to fool around with doors.

In order to install the door closer, it is necessary to check that the door sheds are of high quality, and that the sash itself is located evenly, without distortions.

Installation of such devices can be carried out either on the door frame itself, or inside. Often, the door closer comes with a detailed diagram of its installation and detailed instructions on how to adjust it. Since the dimensions of the diagram correspond to the parameters of the sash, it must be attached to the door leaf itself using tape. Thanks to this, it will be very convenient to mark the places for the holes.

Carefully following the instructions, you need to fix the body of this device.

Once you have secured the mechanism, proceed with the installation of the slide link arm. It contains two halves connected to each other by means of a thread. The length of the lever must be adjusted taking into account the opening angle of the sash by 90 degrees. If you did everything correctly, then the doors will close gradually and very quietly.

After the closer has been installed, it is necessary to adjust it. This process is carried out using screws at various stages:

• look at the main movement of the sash;
• finishing-slamming is the process of bringing the door leaf to full closure, which begins at an angle of 15-20 degrees before the sash is directly closed.

First, the opening angle of the sash is set. Using the screw, select a suitable position of 90 or 180 degrees. Then adjust the speed with which the flap will close by turning the second screw. You need to open the doors to the selected angle and release. By turning the second screw, you will be able to correct the uniform movement and, in the last degrees, the flop that appears.

Keep in mind that in the process of adjusting the closer, you should not apply much effort while turning the screw. Even turning the screw a quarter, you will notice how noticeably slowed down the movement of the sash. Please note that if you installed the closer correctly, then you will have to adjust it only when the temperature regime of the environment changes. If you have difficulties with installing and adjusting the closer, then it is better to seek help from specialists.

So that your door closer will serve you for a very long time, follow simple guidelines:

• you do not need to make special efforts to close the sash faster;
• do not support or brake the doors during the closing process;
• do not swing the door leaf, do not pull the lever of this device.

Otherwise, you can damage the oil seals of the mechanism by bringing the doors, break the piston or gears.

If you need the doors to be open very often, for example, when cleaning is carried out, then it is better to purchase a closer model that is characterized by the ability to hold the sash in the open position. Thanks to this, the doors can be left open for a certain period of time.In the structure of such a device, there is an additional lever that stops the flow of oil, as a result of which, the spring stops expanding, and the flaps are in the open state.

Carefully approach the choice of door closers for entrance doors, then such a mechanism will serve you for a very long time, you will not have problems opening and closing the sashes.

For what you need to know when buying and installing a door closer, see the next video.