DOORCLOSERS&HINGES
SPONSORED BY EURO ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE
ALLEGION OPENS THE DOOR TO
SMART SPECIFICATION
Mechanical door closers are frequently
specified on the basis of initial
purchase cost, but all too often the low
purchase price impacts upon on-going
maintenance costs and performance.
Paul Barrows of Allegion – formerly
Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies
– explains how these factors can be
considered at the specification stage to
save on costs, and the inconvenience of
re-visiting previous projects later along
the line.
Door closers are regarded as a
commodity product, with very little
thought given to their performance other
than the initial purchase price. When
anything goes wrong, end-users turn to
the subcontractor who originally fitted
them who has to pick up the problem and
process the associated costs.
The problem with a purchase price
approach to specification is that
mechanical door closers are often subject
to very heavy usage, particularly when
fitted in high traffic areas in public
buildings. But the problems don’t stop
with the mere opening and closing of
doors.
Real world conditions impose strains
on mechanical door closers which do not
come to light in manufacturer test bed
conditions. Forced openings and door
misalignment lead to sagging doors and
frames and bent arms, amongst other
problems. In turn, this causes damage to
the internal workings of the door closer
and can ultimately lead to the door closer
failing to perform as it should.
At this stage, bigger problems start to
occur. There will be a loss of door control,
with unreliable closing and associated
safety and security risks. Inevitably, this
will lead to increased costs and re-visits
for door replacement, maintenance and
door frame repairs.
What’s more, associated ironmongery
is always subject to additional stress if a
door closer malfunctions and the lifecycle
of the door and hinges is seriously
impaired. Any carpenter will tell you that
there are only so many times that you
can put screws into the same fixing holes.
Eventually, repairs will have to be made to
To read more, visit www.locksmithjournal.co.uk
door closer will thus need to be replaced
on an annual basis, meaning a 20 fold
increase on the initial purchase price.
It’s clear how the whole life cost of a door
closer can quickly increase above and
beyond the initial purchase price. Damage
to associated products and inflation can
also be problematic whereas a premium
product tested to a level beyond the
current CE markings has the potential to
demonstrate significant savings within
two years, when fitted on high traffic
doors.
My advice is for high traffic applications
and performance to be considered above
and beyond the basic requirements of CE
marked products, it is necessary to look
at the whole life cost of a door closer and
capabilities once in place.
‘a host of innovative solutions
to meet the needs of the
healthcare, education and
commercial sectors’
the door and frame which causes further
inconveniences to the locksmith.
Unfortunately, whilst door closer
standards are useful in specification, in
the UK a