Why are door closers required?

Author: Shyanne Dibbert  |  Last update: Sunday, October 26, 2025

Door closers slow the closing of a door and help them securely latch by pulling the door shut. Damage can come in several forms, including damage to the opening itself or even injury to a person as they are using the opening.

Are door closers required by code?

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.

Do you need door closers?

Either residential or commercial, in these environments, any fire door that acts as a 'dead end' to a common corridor, or any corridor that connects two or more storey exits, or any fire door providing access to external escape stairs or other exit routes, should ALL have fire doors fitted with appropriate automatic ...

What are the ADA requirements for door closers?

Doors must be operable with a maximum force of 5 lbs and if closers are provided, the minimum closing speed shall be 5 seconds when closing from 90 degrees to 12 degrees.

Do exterior doors need closers?

Security – again, an external door is an important final defence against intruders and unauthorised personnel. So a door closer can be set to close quickly and minimise any risk, even if you have an access control system in place.

Are Door Closers Required By Code

Is a door closer necessary?

Damage can come in several forms, including damage to the opening itself or even injury to a person as they are using the opening. By preventing slamming, door closers lengthen the life of the door, the frame, and other door hardware on the opening.

Do door closers push or pull?

A door closer can be mounted on the push or pull side of the door. The push side of the door means the door will swing away from you when opened. When the door closer is mounted on the pull side of the door, the door swings toward you when opened.

What does l and s mean on a door closer?

“S”- Swing Speed: adjustment for the long swing of the door. “L” - Latch Speed: adjustment for the short final swing of the door. “BC” - Back Check: adjustment to limit/slow the maximum swing of the door.

Are door closers required on restroom doors?

The most basic doors that require closers are: Fire doors. Doors to single-stall bathrooms. Bathroom stalls made for wheelchair access.

What are the requirements for ADA front door?

By ADA standards, the clear width of a door opening must be a minimum of 32 inches. This clear width measurement is taken between the face of the door and the stop of the frame with the door open to 90 degrees (Figure A). In pairs, at least one of the active leaves must comply with this clear width requirement.

What is the purpose of a door closure?

Helps to ensure a door is closed once someone has passed through it, for fire safety reasons and to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. Ensures a door closes slowly and safely to prevent noise, injury or damage to the building.

Does a storm door need two closers?

Your storm door may use a single closer or dual (2) closers, depending on your storm door style, vintage, and model.

Does cold weather affect door closers?

Why does the weather affect your door closer? Inside of the door closer is hydraulic fluid. The change in cold or hot weather can affect the hydraulic fluid and lead to a loss of pressure. They should be checked in every season and adjusted as the weather changes.

Do all doors need closers?

Fire doors must be fitted with closers to ensure they shut correctly, preventing the spread of fire and smoke. This is particularly important for multi-occupancy buildings like residential flats, student accommodation, schools, hospitals, care homes and hotels.

Can you put a door closer on any door?

The answer is a resounding yes – you may install door closures on any type of door. However, the effectiveness depends on each door's characteristics such as weight, material, and design.

Are door closers left or right?

Go to the push side of the door opening. See above illustration. If door swings out to the left, it needs a left hand door closer. If door swings out to the right, it needs a right hand door closer.

Where are door closers required?

The International Building Code requires door closers on fire door assemblies and smoke barriers in certain circumstances. The IBC requires that doors in means of egress, doors in exit enclosures, and exit passageways be equipped with door closers.

What are the ADA standards for door closers?

The closing, or swing speed must not be faster than five seconds. The closing or swing distance is from the open position at 90 degrees to 12 degrees from the latch. Latching speed isn't specified, but should be fast enough to latch the door but not slam it.

Do kitchen doors need to be self closing?

This means that each fire door must be fitted with an appropriate self-closing device to meet safety standards. The only exception to this rule is if the fire door in question leads to a service duct or a locked room.

What does door type F mean?

Flush door (Design F) The term “flush,” when used to describe a door type, refers to a door without lites or louvers. Full flush door. Features no visible seams on the surface of the faces. Full height vertical seams are visible on door edges.

Why are there two holes on a door closer?

The holes are there for installing the pin and connecting it to the door bracket. You can use either hole, depending on how much latching/slamming force you want for your door closer. The farthest hole will allow for more slamming and the hole nearest to the jamb will reduce slamming.

Can door closers stay open?

Hold-open door closers will stay open after the door passes the 90 to 110-degree point. You can override this function by simply pushing the door toward the closed position. The closer will start closing the door automatically.

What is the arm above a door called?

Head jamb. The top horizontal section of a door or window frame is called the head jamb.

Do door closers prevent slamming?

Hydraulic or Pneumatic door closers are a great way to prevent your door from slamming, and they can be used on both internal and external doors. These work by using either air or oil pressure to slowly close the door, rather than it being gravity that does it.

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