Boston’s Professional Automatic Door Closer Installation, Repair, and Maintenance
Automatic door closers are just about everywhere in commercial buildings, and hardly given a first thought let alone a second thought. Until they start causing problems. Disconnecting the linkage is a quick fix, but you loose all the benefits. Besides convenience they’re an important part of climate control (especially in cold Boston winters and muggy summers) as well as fire safety. And door closers that don’t complete the job with proper latching and locking are a big security risk. Unique in the Boston area we’re commercial locksmiths with experts in all types of automatic door closers for installation, repair, and adjustment.
Types and Trade-offs
Besides simple spring hinges and pneumatic door closers for homes, commercial buildings almost always use hydraulic door closers. The force is still supplied by a spring, but the speed is controlled by a hydraulic fluid (oil) rather than air (pneumatic). That gives better performance. Aluminum construction is acceptable for medium-use doors such as offices, but something more durable is necessary for high-traffic areas.
TIP: Fire rated doors must be self closing. That may mean electromagnetic or fusible link releases, but for doors that should remain closed automatic closers have very little additional cost.
Installation
Think you can quickly pick one out of an online catalog? Think again. There’s actually many more types and features to consider, and we’ll be happy to bring our experience and expertise to the table with services that include selection and sizing as well as mounting and adjustment.
The door’s size, weight, jamb, and nearby construction all affect selection of the right make and model for installation.
- Door closers can be surface mounted, concealed, or stile mounted. Mounting on the frame rather than the door itself requires a longer arm. These types are more durable but need to be more powerful.
- Swing types can be left, right, or universal.
- Arms can be push (parallel) or pull (regular)
- Some offer the option of delayed action (slower start)
- Optional back-check features avoid slamming against a nearby wall or other obstacle.
- Openers, plates, brackets, and adapters all need to be compatible.
The swing of the door (degree of opening) depends on the mounting location. We’ll make sure that you get the right balance of strength, durability, convenience, and cost with high-quality closers, expert installation, and fine-tuned adjustments.
Repair and Maintenance
With a properly installed and adjusted door opener a person experiences a little resistance when first opening, then it becomes easy and smooth. When they let go the door should gently and quietly close with proper latching and locking. But wear, corrosion, drifting adjustment, and excessive force can all lead to problems.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of adjustments. Those include sweep adjustment (closing speed, about 5 second) and latching speed (faster for the last second or so). Other times oil and seals may need replacing. Linkage connections may need tightening or lubricating. Or the problem may actually be with hinges, a warped door, or even indoor versus outdoor air pressures (especially on windy Boston days).
Bent arms are a common problem, and they can be economically replaced. But if the entire unit needs replacing the new mounting position may need to be different and new mounting hardware may also be necessary.
