Door Closer: Knowing to Choose the Right One!

Door closers are imperative in commercial buildings and offices. They are becoming increasingly necessary in homes too. While a home may not need door closers for every room, the main door, the one leading to and from the dining space or kitchen and even bathrooms can have a door closer.

Door closers must be customized

If not, they must be chosen exactly according to the needs. A random choice will always prove to be ineffective. In addition to the preference of the property owner or recommendations of the occupants of the building, options offered by manufacturers and the specifications of the building or home, there are some technical attributes of door closer that must be factored in.

Door weight and size

The first phase of choosing door closers should rely heavily on the weight and size of the door in question, where the door is installed and the purpose it servers, the frequency of opening the door and closing, the location where the door closer will be mounted, the desired backswing, the traffic it must cater to and cost of the option.

Traffic

Door closers are futile when there is very little or no traffic. They are necessary for doors that deal with moderate and heavy traffic, especially when the passersby will not close the door consciously every time. Once you have focused on the technical needs, you need to delve into the variations of designs, materials and the way door closers function. You could consider overhead spring door closer, floor spring closers, concealed door closers and frame mounted door closers. Whatever you choose, it must be a dependable and durable option.

Local Codes

Every region has its own building codes which must be adhered to. In addition to federal and state level building codes, there are local codes to follow. The norms specifically pertaining to door closers are laid out by the American National Standards Institute or ANSI and Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association or BHMA.

Grade

Door closers can be broadly classified into three categories, also known as grades. Grade 1 is usually for 2,000,000 cycles, grade 2 gets you 1,000,000 cycles and grade 3 offers 500,000 cycles. The effort needed to operate doors with closers installed has also been stipulated, particularly after the recommendations according to the American Disability Act. Door closers should not increase the effort needed to operate the doors. The ADA has stipulated that doors should be operable with less than 5 lbs of force. The ADA also mandates that the swing speed while closing should not be quicker than five seconds.

Aesthetic

In addition to functional and safety norms, there are aesthetic elements that will influence your choice of door closers. Check overhead door closers with regular arm, top jamb, parallel arm or you may want concealed closers, surface mounted closers or floor spring closers.

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