How often do I need to maintain and replace door closers on my properties?

When maintaining a commercial property, it is important to take heed of even the smallest of features; door closers may often be overlooked, but they play an essential and irreplaceable role in the safety and security of your property.

Better understanding your door closer will allow for improved door maintenance, and a greater awareness of when your door closer may need repair or replacement.

What is a door closer?

A door closer is a device, fitted to a door, which assists in its automatic and restrained closing after it has been used. Not only is a door closer a legal obligation on fire doors, but can help prevent safety issues, security or privacy breaches, improve hygiene (such as in bathrooms), and maintain temperature.

A door closer can be placed on several areas of a door, such as in the hinges or at the bottom of the door. Most commonly, door closers can be found overhead.

Though they are usually placed on security doors and fire doors, essentially a door closer can be used on any door within a property in order to improve safety, hygiene, or even aesthetics.

What are the different types of door closers?

There are several configurations of door closers, depending on its function; however, they can generally be categorised as either manual or automatic. Both manual and automatic are available as concealed mechanisms.

Manual door closers allow a door to close slowly after it has been manually opened through a spring or hydraulic mechanism. An automatic door closer, on the other hand, holds a door open or closed until otherwise alerted by push of a button, input of a passcode, or swipe card.

How long does a door closer last?

In spite of heavy usage, a door closer may last around seven years. It is important to pay attention to the efficiency of your door closer in order to repair or replace door closer when it begins to show signs of wear.