A door that slams, a door that never quite latches, a door that takes two hands to open: the closer is usually the reason, and Tampa heat and humidity are hard on closers. Priority Lock and Security adjusts, repairs and replaces door closers on commercial doors across Tampa, matched to the door's size, weight and traffic.
A door slams when the closer has lost control of its closing speed. A closer is a spring that shuts the door and a sealed hydraulic cylinder that slows it down. Two valves set the speed: one for the main swing and one for the last few inches before the latch. If a valve has been opened too far, the door slams and the valve can be reset. If the closer has leaked its fluid, no adjustment will bring it back and the closer needs to be replaced. Tampa heat thins the fluid in closers on sun-facing doors, and wind or air pressure from the air conditioning can push an exterior door shut hard. A slamming door is hard on the frame, the glass, the hinges and the lock, so it is worth fixing before it breaks something else.
Usually something is resisting the door in the last few inches, or the closer does not have enough force left to finish the job. The common causes are a closer with its latch speed set too slow or its spring set too light, a latch that is hitting the strike plate instead of dropping into it, sagging hinges or worn pivots that let the door rub the frame, new weatherstripping that is too tight, and air pressure inside the building holding the door open. We check the door first and the closer second, because a stronger closer on a door that is binding only hides the problem and makes the door harder to open. A door that does not latch is an unlocked door, even when the lock is locked.
That closer has to be replaced. The oil is the hydraulic fluid that controls the door's speed; once a seal has failed, the door will close faster and faster until it slams, and adjusting the valves will not help for long. When we replace a closer we match it to the door: the size and weight of the door, interior or exterior, how the old closer was mounted, and how much traffic it sees. Sizing matters. A closer that is too light will not latch the door, and one that is too heavy makes the door hard to open. We clean up the oil too, because it stains the door and makes the floor slick.
Most often the closer spring is set stronger than the door needs, or the door itself is binding. Somebody may have turned the spring power up to force a door to latch, which treats the symptom and makes the door heavy for everyone. Other causes are a backcheck setting that starts resisting too early in the swing, hinges or pivots that are worn or dry, a door rubbing the frame or the threshold, and air pressure working against the door. Accessibility rules also limit how much force a door can take to open, so a heavy door is more than an annoyance. We find what is fighting the door, fix that, then set the closer to the lightest setting that still closes and latches the door reliably.
Aluminum storefront doors often hide the closer in the frame above the door or in the floor. Those closers wear the same way and are replaced with the same care about size and mounting, alongside the pivots that carry the door. See the storefront door hardware page.
Text a photo of the door and the hardware to 813-421-4787. We will tell you what it is and what it takes to fix it.
Text a photoMost slamming doors can be adjusted: the closer's speed valves are reset and the spring is checked. A closer that is leaking oil has to be replaced, because once the seals are gone it cannot be refilled and will slam again within days.
Accessibility rules limit the force on interior doors to about five pounds, and exterior doors are expected to open with reasonable force as well. A door that takes a shoulder to open usually has a closer set too strong or a door that is binding, and both are fixable.
Heat. The hydraulic fluid in a closer thins as the door warms in the sun, so a closer that is marginal in the morning loses control by afternoon. A closer in good condition can be set to hold across that range; one that is worn or leaking cannot.
Yes. A fire door has to close and latch on its own every time, so a failed closer on one is a life safety problem. We replace it with a closer rated for the door and set the latch speed so the door seats. See the panic bar and exit device page for the rest of the fire exit hardware.
More answers: the full question and answer page. If your question is not there, text a photo of the door to 813-421-4787.
We will tell you what it is, what it takes, and when we can be there.
