Energy efficiency benefits of properly adjusted door closers

Door closers are an essential feature of a commercial business or a residential property. They serve to control the action of closing a door which is important in terms of ensuring security, for fire safety reasons and for practical reasons also, for example a person with limited mobility or accessibility issues won’t need to turn around and physically close the door after they have passed through it, because they know it will automatically close. The speed of door closers can be adjusted to ensure this process is safe and practical, and that the door is properly latched shut, and this adjustment has an important influence on another popular benefit of door closers; energy efficiency.

Why energy efficiency is important

A major cost to most businesses is energy, and the same is true of a residential property where energy bills are a central concern of the cost of living crisis. Of course we also have a commitment to fighting climate change and reducing our energy consumption because we have a mortal duty to, but reducing energy costs is also a primary reason why door closers are so popular, even if they are not a feature we would think to prioritise.

Fundamentally an employer has a duty to provide and maintain a safe and comfortable workplace, and a residential property is also classed as ‘home’, because it is safe and comfortable. And a major part of that is maintaining a stable temperature. Whether in the public or private sector, a business has to comply with safety legislation which dictates a working environment has to be comfortable, so not too cold in the winter and not too warm in the summer. Quite apart from legal compliance and being a major contributory factor to energy costs, maintaining temperatures in this way makes people more motivated and productive, and reduces discomfort, stress and fatigue.

How do door closers help with energy efficiency?

When assessing how door closers provide benefits in terms of the energy efficiency of a building it is quite simple. Door closers insulate the interior of a building from the cold or warm air outside. This reduces waste energy and also improves air quality, which has knock-on effects to improving employee health and wellbeing and reducing absenteeism.

A properly adjusted door closer can help to maintain a stable temperature in a building, and being ‘properly adjusted’ is an important point to look at. The speed at which a door closer closes can be accurately adjusted, and so can the speed at which it latches, ie. when the door clicks shut and is securely closed and will remain securely closed. So an effective and properly adjusted door closer benefits energy efficiency by:

No air leakage – If a properly adjusted door closer is working effectively it will create a secure seal around the door and there will be no air leakage through edges of the door.
Stable temperature – Ideally you want a room to be maintained at a stable temperature. It takes much more energy to warm a room from a colder temperature, or to cool a room from a warmer temperature. You want to maintain a temperature in the middle so that any mechanical systems only need to tick over and make small adjustments to the temperature periodically. If doors are left open this becomes much harder and the temperature of a room will be much more erratic. Depending on the time of year, this could mean warm air escaping or cool air escaping, and being replaced by an external air temperature you are wanting to avoid.
Reduces load on HVAC – Naturally if a door is letting in the wrong air temperature, HVAC systems, such as air conditioning or ventilation systems, will need to work much harder to replace the lost air and re-establish the stable temperature required. This puts a mechanical strain on these systems and of course, also means higher energy usage.
Lower energy bills – Lower energy usage is great for the environment and also great for your energy bills. The less an HVAC system needs to work, the lower your energy bills will be. So door closers are the ideal solution for overall energy efficiency.

How to ensure door closers improve your energy efficiency

Set the correct closing speed – This means a door will close at a safe speed to allow people through it, but you don’t want it so slow that all the conditioned air in a room escapes before the door closes. Set the speed right so that the room temperature remains stable.
Set the correct latching speed – Setting the correct latching speed means a door will securely close in the latching position and air will not be escaping through gaps around the door. If this is too slow or too fast, the door won’t latch properly and air will escape.
Test – Once you have set these speeds, repeatedly test the closing action to ensure the motion is regular and consistent, and make adjustments accordingly if you need to.
Maintain – Make sure you inspect, clean and lubricate your door closer so that it performs reliably and consistently. This will continue to regulate your room temperatures and ensure energy efficiency is maintained.

Order your door closer from MB Direct today

At MB Direct we are able to supply a range of quality door closers which can help you manage energy efficiency in your commercial building or residential property. So check out our range online and order today.