When Should You Use A Door Closer?

A door closer or sometimes referred to as an automatic door closer, is a mechanical device that mounts at the top of the door and uses an internal spring to close the door while using hydraulics to control the closing speed. Door closers are most commonly found on commercial doors such as banks, schools, offices, retail stores, and more. In this article we explain when you should consider using a door closer.

Fire Doors

Under the NFPA 80, fire doors must be self closing. The simplest way to accomplish this is with a commercial door closer with a UL10C label showing approval for use on 3 hour fire rated door assemblies. If the door is a fire rated door, then a door closer must be used. Having a fire door that automatically closes and latches is very important for fire safety as it prevents the spread of fire.

Security Doors

Many security doors feature some form of automatic locking such as magnetic locks or electric strike locks. These doors are often accessed by a card reader or digital keypad. These doors must remain closed and locked in order to prevent unwanted individuals from entering the building. For this reason security doors must close after a person uses the door. To accomplish this an automatic door closer is used.

Hotel and Apartment Doors

Hotel or apartment doors are similar to security doors, where the residents depend on the front door automatically closing. If a hotel or apartment front entry door did not have an automatic door closer, residents could forget to close the door, leaving their apartment or hotel room vulnerable to burglaries and unwanted vandals. Hotel room doors and apartment front entrance doors are also fire doors, so they must use door closers. This is a huge safety requirement because if there is a fire in hotel room, having that room's door automatically close, ensures that the fire is unable to spread through the entire hotel hallway.

Door That Gets Foot Traffic

Any door that gets foot traffic should have a door closer on the door. A door closer provides a level of safety to any person using the door. A door closer ensures that a door gently closes and does not slam. As an example a door without a closer, will open or close as fast as the person using the door pushes or pulls it open. If a person is upset and swings the door open very fast, it could potentially hit another pedestrian on the other side of the door who is trying to use it. This could result in major injuries leading to lawsuits on the commercial property. If the door is outfitted with a commercial door closer, a person will be unable to swing open or close the door at full speed, since it will be regulated by the hydraulic door closer.

Storage and Closet Doors

Storage room doors also benefit from automatic door closers. Many storage rooms in commercial buildings are used to house janitorial supplies such as cleaning chemicals, brooms, and other equipment. Having an automatic door closer on the storage room door ensures that the door is always closed and locked, so unwanted pedestrians or children do not have access to the room.

Commercial Restroom Doors

When someone uses a restroom in a commercial building they expect privacy. Having a door closer on a restroom door, ensures that the door automatically closes after a person enters or exits the restroom. This provides privacy that all people expect when using a restroom in any building.

Conclusion

The door types that benefit from door closers is endless. When safety, security, and building codes are considered, there really are no doors that do not benefit from a door closer. If you are in need of a commercial door closer we recommend Liberty Door Closers. Liberty door closers are high quality and easy to install. Best of all they can be installed on all commercial doors. If you need help in choosing the right door closer, be sure to read our complete guide "How To Choose The Right Door Closer", which explains everything you need to know in order to purchase the right door closer for your door application.


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