How to Adjust Your Commercial Door Closer Speed & Tension

Tweaking commercial door closers is a knack that demands know-how, a dash of patience, and the knack for going up and down a ladder a bunch of times. But with these attributes and the appropriate wrench, hex key, or screwdriver, you can adjust an automatic door closer by yourself.

This article is primarily about commercial door closers, but the ideas here can be applied to other kinds of door closers as well. Most of the adjustments to the automatic door closer are implemented by opening and closing hydraulic valves. When it comes to turning the screws that operate these valves, a little goes a long way. A turn of just five degrees can significantly increase or decrease closing speed.

How to make a door close tighter

When you examine the commercial door hydraulic closer, if you can’t see adjustment screws, chances are the closer has a cover. The cover is usually plastic, but it could also be metal. If you see no fasteners holding the cover on, that means the cover is held on by tension. Pull it off and if you do see fasteners, you can loosen, but not remove, the fasteners and the cover will slide off.

1. If you find that there is oil in the cover or oil on or leaking from the closer body – stop right there. You need a new door closer. If, however, it is not leaking, you can proceed.
2. Now that you have the cover off, you should be able to see the adjustment screws. They should be marked on the closer body as to what they are or there will be a diagram inside the cover. If not, you may have to experiment a little to see which is which.
3. Remember, when it comes to turning commercial door closer adjustment screws, a little goes a long way. Start with no more than 1/8 of a turn. Turn the adjustment screw clockwise to slow the closer down, counter-clockwise to speed it up.
4. Open the door and watch it close. If it closes right the first time, check it 10 more times. If it closes correctly every time, you’re done. If not, go back up the ladder and make another adjustment.
5. When it closes the way you want it to 10 times in a row, it will probably continue to do so.
6. Ideally a non-delayed action door closer will close and latch the door in seven to eight seconds.

Troubleshooting a commercial door closer

1. If there is an adjusting self-closing door hinge problem, a warped door, or the door must swing uphill to close, a door closer will only go so far to solve the problem. Sometimes a door must be repaired before it will close and lock automatically.
2. If the closer stops closing the door before it’s closed all the way, or actually springs back when you try to manually shut the door, the arm is probably installed on the shaft incorrectly. Download the instructions from the commercial door closer manufacturer’s website and see if it is installed correctly.
3. If the arm makes noise and bounces up and down while the door is in motion, tighten the fasteners that hold the arm to the closer, to the header, and at the knuckle that holds the two parts of the arm together.

How to know when it’s time to replace your commercial door closer

1. If oil is leaking from your door closer, it must be replaced.
2. If your door closer is slamming the door and cannot be adjusted to do otherwise, either the fluid has leaked out or the valve seals are worn out. In either case, your best option is to replace it.
3. If the door closer has no spring tension and the spring tension adjustment turns around with no effect, the spring is broken and the door closer must be replaced.