Fire door closers and latching
If the door does not shut itself, nothing else on it matters.
Get a priceA fire door has to close fully and latch on its own. On a lot of inspection reports it does not.
The door may stay ajar. It may stop an inch short of the latch. Or it may slam so hard that the frame shakes. These all count as failures, and most of them are cheap to put right.
Why they stop closing
Often nothing is broken. A closer has small valve screws that control the closing speed and the final push onto the latch. If a resident finds the door heavy, they sometimes turn the valve down, and then the door no longer closes properly. We see this more than any other closer fault. A screwdriver fixes it.
A loose arm is the second cause. One fixing works free, the arm drops and the closer loses its pull.
Size is the third. Solid fire doors are heavy. A closer one size too small looks the same as the right one, but it fails when the door is let go from wide open.
Some closers have simply worn out, and oil on the face of the door shows it.
What we do on the day
First we test the door from wide open and from about 90 degrees. Often the valves just need resetting and the arm tightening.
A closer that has failed is replaced with one that suits the weight of the door and is marked for fire door use. We fix it into the door and the frame so that it will not pull out.
Then we test the door again. It has to latch from both positions without anyone helping it.
When the closer is innocent
A sticking latch looks just like a weak closer. If the door has dropped, the latch tongue meets the keep a little low and never gets home. A stronger closer will not change that.
We check the latch and the hinges before we blame the closer. On some doors the cheapest fix is a hinge.
Wedged doors
People wedge a fire door because the landing is warm, because they have shopping, or because the door is a pig to open. Setting the closer slightly lighter helps, within what the door allows. We will not take a closer off so a door can stay open.
Cheaper in batches
One closer on one door is a visit. Ten on a landing cost much less each. If you have a list, send the lot.
Questions we get asked
Can I tighten a closer myself?
The arm screws, yes. Leave the valves to someone who will test the door afterwards.
Does the closer need to be a particular type?
It has to suit the door and be marked for fire door use. We check that on every one.
Send the list with the postcode. We will come back with a price for each door.
Get a price