Outdoor door closers often rust over time when exposed to temperature swings and humidity. While they may work fine at first, most require frequent lubrication and adjustments. As they wear down, oil leakage becomes common, and prolonged exposure eventually renders them non-repairable.
So how long can a typical hydraulic door closer last outdoors before it starts leaking, squeaking, or seizing up? Many appear reliable initially, but weather quickly exposes their limits. If you’ve ever dealt with a rusted or leaking closer, you know how frustrating it gets.
What exactly goes wrong with outdoor door closers over time?
What are the Common Problems of Outdoor Door Closers
When constantly exposed to the external environment, door closers can encounter various issues due to deterioration, impacting their functionality and safety. Here is an overview of the problems arising from rust and wear:
- Noise: Rusty door closers become squeaky, noisy, and eventually stuck. Critical rust requires replacement.
- Unappealing: Rust on door closers ruined aesthetics and disrupted the overall design harmony.
- Leaking oil: May lead to bad functionality, increased wear and potential failure, signaling neglect.
- Dangers: The most significant issue with rusted door hardware is safety; stuck or uncontrollable closers pose physical injury risks.
- Hard-to-open: Rust makes doors difficult to open, challenging for children and those with limited mobility, potentially leading to injury due to excessive force required.
- Out-of-control: Rust can damage internal mechanisms, leading to unpredictable and dangerous door movements.
- Waste-of-money-and-time: Replacing rusted closers is costly and time-consuming.
Are There any Effective Solutions with Unique Hydraulic Door Closers
To avoid the hassle and expense of repeatedly repairing problematic door closers, Waterson heavy-duty hydraulic door closers are designed with durability and efficiency in mind, featuring:
- 316 Stainless Steel: Waterson hydraulic door closers boast exceptional resistance to weather, combating rust and degradation.
- Buffering Feature: Provides further control over door closing speed, ideal for doors that open ≤ 120° and operate in environments above 32°F (0°C), thereby ensuring the longevity of the hinge mechanism.
- Weatherproof: Designed to withstand most storm door closer problems, such as strong winds, rusty, squeaky, noisy, and eventually stuck.
- Hold Open: Allowing doors to remain open as needed.
- Fire-rated: Meet NFPA 80 and are UL 3-hour fire-rated.
- Door Stop Mechanism: Prevents wall damage by controlling the door swing.
This design addresses common outdoor hardware issues, offering a maintenance-free solution. They’re crafted with special surface treatment and coating, ensuring optimal performance in various outdoor conditions, from wind and corrosion to humidity. However, kindly note that Waterson closers are unsuitable for light applications such as cabinet or toy box closers. For optimal performance, doors should weigh at least 40 lbs.
The hydraulic buffer is adjustable. You won’t feel too much resistance if you are trying to close the door by yourself.
Waterson Stainless Steel Hydraulic Door Closers
Waterson stainless steel hydraulic door closers combine the function of an overhead closer and a hinge into a single, sleek component—complete with optional hold-open and door-stop features. Designed for commercial openings, gates, and glass doors, these hinges are easy to install and adjust to meet ADA and ICC A117.1 standards for opening force, while ensuring quiet and secure closure. Crafted from durable stainless steel, they are NFPA 80 compliant, UL 3-hour fire-rated, and built to perform reliably in both interior and all-weather exterior environments. See all our features.
In addition to these performance advantages, Waterson offers flexible customization services. As a direct manufacturer, we can tailor hinge sizes, finishes, and especially hinge leaf designs to meet the specific structural needs of your doors. This makes our hinges an ideal solution for door manufacturers seeking custom options that integrate seamlessly with their existing frames.
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Please note that Waterson Closer Hinges start from a size of 4″x4″. If you’re in need of smaller self-closing door closers, we’d recommend checking out some other resources! Also, we only provide single acting closer hinges. Thank you.
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