Door closers serve to control the speed at which a door closes. They can also ensure that a door closes completely every time, protecting business assets.
What else can door closers do to help your commercial property? Read on to find out!
There are numerous types of door closers on the market. These include the following:
These door closers all provide benefits for your business or other commercial building.
Fire doors are an important security feature in any commercial building. They can significantly delay the spread of fires, which can ultimately save lives. Stopping or slowing the spread of a fire provides time for emergency responders to arrive and allows occupants of a building to evacuate.
Fire doors are a fantastic safety feature, but they have to be closed to work. When they are propped or left open, they do not prevent a fire from spreading, nor can they stop the free flow of air from feeding that fire.
Even if they are left only slightly ajar, doors will provide significantly reduced protection. The rapid flow of air feeding the fire can cause the door to open entirely if not latched. A door closer will firmly close, latch, and seal your fire doors when they are left open at any angle. A high-quality door closer can ultimately improve fire safety in your building.
Fire codes vary between jurisdictions, but every fire code will require fire doors to have door closers. They will especially necessitate door closers for doors that protect stairwells, lead to a fire escape, or cross escape routes.
Security is the benefit that most people think of when they consider door closers. Needless to say, keeping your doors closed increases security. If an external office door is left ajar, intruders can simply walk into your business.
Door closers are critical because an open door can cause other security measures to fail. Even a card-access security system that requires each employee to swipe their card for entry will not work if the door is open.
Even if the door isn’t typically locked, an open door invites potential intruders. When they see a closed exterior door, people have no reason to believe that the door isn’t locked. If the door is open, they will know for a fact that they can gain entry.
Door closers are the most reliable way to ensure that doors remain closed when they are not in use. Simply reminding employees or putting up signage if often unreliable and ineffective.
When doors are closed, they provide an effective seal against drafts. External doors prevent cold winter air or hot summer air from entering your building. If these doors are open even a bit, they allow air inside and increase heating and cooling costs.
For multistory buildings, door seals serve an essential function. Tall buildings unintentionally provide an environment like a chimney, where warm air rapidly travels upwards. That means that any doors that aren’t firmly closed can allow significant gusts to travel through the building.
In short, a door closer can reduce your utility costs. There’s a good chance that your systems won’t be able to keep up with the temperature change when doors are left open.
Lastly, a door closer keeps your doors from closing too quickly by providing control and cushioning. Heavy doors can close incredibly rapidly and with significant force. That can cause damage to the frame, hardware, and the door itself. It can also become dangerous when your facilities are accessed by people who have disabilities, as they may not be able to pass through the doorway before the door closes.
Door closers are particularly important in cases of high wind, where a heavy door could cause injury if it closes too quickly. A door closer allows the closing speed to be controlled and adjusted, preventing injury and damage to any door hardware.
Ready to see the benefits of door closers for yourself? Call CDF Distributors or visit us online to explore our extensive array of door closers, door hardware, and commercial door options. Our quality products are customizable and can ship fast. We’ll even provide a custom quote for solutions to meet your needs. Reach out today!