Should I add an extra hydraulic closer to a storm door?

[Thomas Cormen]

I am in the midst of replacing two wooden storm doors with
metal/wood-core doors. The new doors are quite a bit heavier than the
old doors. Each of the new doors comes with two rod-&-piston type
closers, but each closer is fairly small. (I don't know if they work
on air or hydraulics.) The instructions say to use both closers, one
near the middle of the door and one near the top.

Instead of using the closers that came with the door (which are
painted white, but I've painted the door dark red), I used a
higher-grade closer, which is hydraulic (and is silver, so it look
better with the red door). It's mounted by the middle of the door.

I find that when the door closes, it gives quite a "whump" against the
frame. I've got the speed on the closer just where I want it, so I
don't think that adjusting the closer is the answer.

The question is whether I should install a second closer (presumably
at the top). I could see it going both ways...perhaps the second
closer would damp the closing enough to reduce the "whump"...or
perhaps it would create even more closing force and increase the
"whump".

The obvious solution would be to try it and see. But that would
necessitate drilling holes in the door to attach the second closer,
and I don't want to do that unless I'm really going to keep the second
closer in place.

Anybody got an informed answer?

--THC

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Associate Professor Fax: (603) 646-1672
Dept. of Computer Science Email: t...@cs.dartmouth.edu
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[Colbyt]

There is no informed answer unless you ask to engineer that designed the
door why he selected two closers of the size and type that were shipped with
the product. And then try to get an opinion of the one you chose to
substitute. This is your door now. You are manufacturer. R & D is your
problem.

I like storm doors that go "whump" because it means they close securely all
the time. Leaving it that way is probably your best option at this point.

Colbyt

"Thomas Cormen" <t...@salsipuedes.cs.dartmouth.edu> wrote in message
news:wr4rrtf...@salsipuedes.cs.dartmouth.edu...

[Dan Hicks]

Thomas Cormen wrote:
>
> I am in the midst of replacing two wooden storm doors with
> metal/wood-core doors. The new doors are quite a bit heavier than the
> old doors. Each of the new doors comes with two rod-&-piston type
> closers, but each closer is fairly small. (I don't know if they work
> on air or hydraulics.) The instructions say to use both closers, one
> near the middle of the door and one near the top.
>
> Instead of using the closers that came with the door (which are
> painted white, but I've painted the door dark red), I used a
> higher-grade closer, which is hydraulic (and is silver, so it look
> better with the red door). It's mounted by the middle of the door.
>
> I find that when the door closes, it gives quite a "whump" against the
> frame. I've got the speed on the closer just where I want it, so I
> don't think that adjusting the closer is the answer.
>
> The question is whether I should install a second closer (presumably
> at the top). I could see it going both ways...perhaps the second
> closer would damp the closing enough to reduce the "whump"...or
> perhaps it would create even more closing force and increase the
> "whump".
>
> The obvious solution would be to try it and see. But that would
> necessitate drilling holes in the door to attach the second closer,
> and I don't want to do that unless I'm really going to keep the second
> closer in place.

You should be able to adjust the single closer to work, though it often
is a bit of a trial-and-error process over several days. Often it takes
a few days for the closer to "break in", and when adjusting you often
don't operate the door "naturally", so it takes some regular use to
fine-tune it. But I suspect that they gave you two to help keep the
door from buckling if caught by a strong wind, not because one wouldn't
handle closing it smoothly.

--
Dan Hicks
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a septuagenarian eat?

[Camster]

Should has one at the top ,one at the bottom,most come with a screw you turn to
adjust how fast it closes.
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"

[ornery1]

You may have mounted the bracket onto the jamb too far away from the storm
door. BTW, those cylinders are not a perfect science. I would imagine if
you were to walk out your doors closing the entry door and then letting your
storm door shut the way it is, it will probably create enough backpressure
to shut without slamming. It can be a damned if you don't- damned if you
do situation. If it is set to close without the thump then many times the
storm will not latch when the entry door is closed.

"Thomas Cormen" <t...@salsipuedes.cs.dartmouth.edu> wrote in message
news:wr4rrtf...@salsipuedes.cs.dartmouth.edu...

[Edwin Pawlowski]

> Thomas Cormen wrote:

> > Instead of using the closers that came with the door (which are
> > painted white, but I've painted the door dark red), I used a
> > higher-grade closer, which is hydraulic (and is silver, so it look
> > better with the red door). It's mounted by the middle of the door.

The manufacturer spent many hours testing the closers under many conditions.
Since you chose to improve upon his idea, you now have to do the engineering
yourself.

Adding a second closer had many advantages. If the wind catches the door,
you have twice the number of screws taking the load, you have two points of
absorbing the stress. Why not repaint the original closers?
Ed
e...@snet.net
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome