It’s pretty much impossible to control access into your building if people are constantly forgetting to shut the door behind them. But what can you do about it? Put up a sign by the door to serve as a reminder? Or maybe you should just hire a doorman instead? There’s no need for such radical measures when you could just install self closing front door hinges and forget about the problem once and for all.
What are Self-Closing Hinges, and Why Do You Need Them?
As the name indicates, self-close hinges have a built-in mechanism that shuts the door automatically when someone goes through. This mechanism could be a hydraulic system or, more commonly, a spring. Whatever you choose between the two, self-closing hinges will help keep your property secure and bring a few additional benefits:
- Keep doors from slamming: Self-close hinges are fitted with dampers that control the speed at which doors close. This keeps the door from banging on the frame, even when one pulls it forcefully behind them. As a result, the risk of damage is greatly minimized — this feature can be very helpful if you have glass doors. Controlled closing will also keep people from getting hit by doors, thus preventing injury.
- Controlled opening: The feature we’ve just highlighted above also prevents doors from being opened too quickly. This can be a huge problem on interior doors if you’re in a windy location; there have even been cases of doors getting blown off their frames. Again, that’s something you’ll never have to worry about once your doors are equipped with self-closing hinges.
- Convenience: How convenient is it going to be to not have to close the door behind you? Or to keep reminding others to do the same? It might not sound much, but the convenience afforded by self-closing doors can be a huge lifesaver for wheel-chair bound individuals and small kids. Not to mention someone who might have to go through with their hands full at one point…
- Heating and cooling efficiency: Now here’s something you probably hadn’t considered before. An open door provides a channel for air to move into/out of the building, and this interferes with indoor temperature. Installing self-closing hinges will save your HVAC system the need to work extra hard to maintain a comfortable temperature.
You’ll be pleased to know that self-closing front door hinges can be retrofitted onto doors of all kinds. Get in touch with a locksmith near you to explore your options and learn more.