There are numerous benefits to having a screen door at the front of your home. Not only can it add another layer of protection and comfort to your home, but it can also provide a way for more natural light to enter your home.
Screen doors are pretty maintenance-free, but they may require an adjustment to their closer mechanism at some point. There are a couple of ways that you can adjust your screen door's closing mechanisms. Here are the steps for each:
Method 1 - Adjust The Closer
- Find the screw
- Adjust the screw on the closer
- Adjust the screw on the opposite end
Method 2 - Adjust The Bracket
- Slide the stop down
- Loosen the bracket screws
- Move the bracket
- Move the cotter pin
It's disappointing to come home and find that your screen door has completely blown open with the wind. And it can be annoying when it scrapes the back of your ankle from closing too fast.
This post will discuss how to adjust the mechanism on a screen door to help you avoid these scenarios. Please, read on for helpful information to adjust your screen door!
How To Adjust A Screen Door Closer Mechanism
Whether it's their own door or a door at someone else's home, most people have come across a faulty screen door at some point in their lives.
The closing mechanism on screen doors is fairly simple to adjust, but the process may vary depending on your screen door's model and brand. To adjust the closer mechanism, you may need a Phillips screwdriver.
Method 1 - Adjust the Closer
1. Find the screw
Find the mounting screw located at the end of the pneumatic door closer.
2. Adjust the screw on the closer
Use a Phillips screwdriver to turn the screw to the right (clockwise). This will keep the door from slamming too hard, which over time, can cause a lot of wear and tear on the door's hardware.
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3. Adjust the screw on the opposite end
Take your screwdriver and locate the other screw on the other end of the door closer, turning it counterclockwise. Next, open and close the door a few times to test the new setting.
Method 2 - Adjust The Bracket
1. Slide the stop down
Start by sliding the metal stop from behind the inside of the door. Continue sliding the stop down until it reaches the cylinder of the door closer. This will allow the door to stay open while you adjust the screws.
2. Loosen the bracket screws
Take a close look at the door's closer, and you will see two screws located on it. Use your screwdriver to turn the screws about 1/4 of the way counter-clockwise. Be sure not to remove the screws completely; you only need to loosen them up a bit.
3. Move the bracket
After you have loosened up both screws, move the bracket closer toward the door's handle. Next, take your screwdriver and tighten both screws by turning them clockwise.
4. Move the cotter pin
Once the screws are securely tightened, pull out the cotter pin from the door closer (it should be located on the mounting bracket). To remove the pin, simply squeeze it and pull it straight up.
Next, stick the pin into a hole that is closer to the handle of the door. The pin should snap once it's inserted into the bracket, and you will hear a clicking sound once it's secure.
Always adjust the door closer to decrease or increase the closing force of the door. If the door is not closing completely, it's best to make a bracket adjustment instead.
Positioning the pin (or bracket) away from the door handle will keep the door from slamming shut. Try to adjust door closers in small increments so that you can easily check the new setting and make additional adjustments as needed.
How do you prop open a screen door?
If you have a standard pneumatic door closer, propping it open should be a fairly simple thing to do. To do this, open the door until it reaches the desired position.
Once it does, hold the door with one hand and take your other hand and slide the bracket on the closer down toward the closer tube until it's positioned directly against it.
Next, release the door to ensure that it stays in position. If it begins to close, hold it open again and make sure that the bracket is closely nestled against the closer tube.
How do I keep my screen door from blowing open?
The first thing to do to keep your screen door from blowing open is to check the latch on the door. If the latch is damaged or loose, even the smallest breeze can cause the door to fly open and slam against the outside of your house.
If the latch is what's causing the door to fly open, you can simply replace it. If it's ok, you may want to consider adding what's referred to as a catch to your screen door.
Screen door catches are small metal fixtures that are used to place a significant amount of tension on the door to keep it closed, whether it is latched or not. The catch can be placed on the outside of the door, and its installation process is fairly simple. Let's look at how to install a catch on a screen door.
How to Install a Catch on a Screen Door
Remove the door catch from its packaging and position it on the door so that its screw holes sit above the door. Make sure that the roller on the catch sits right on top of the door.
If your screen door opens outward, you need to place the catch on the exterior of the door. If it opens inward, the catch should go on the interior of the door. While holding the door catch in place, slowly open the screen door to move it into the correct position.
Next, take a pencil and mark the holes at the base of the catch. You will use these marks to create pilot holes for the catch's screws. Grab a screwdriver and drill the pilot holes over the marks that you've just made.
Make sure that your drill bits are the size. Their size recommendations should be listed in the packaging that came with the catch.
After you have drilled the holes, place the door catch back on the door and line it up to the pilot holes that you just drilled. Take the screws that came with the catch and drill them into the pilot holes.
It's best to use a Phillips screwdriver for this to prevent drilling the holes too tightly. If you don't have a Phillips screwdriver, just be sure to drill the screws slowly when using your electric drill.
How do you adjust the hydraulic door closer?
On most hydraulic door closers, the three hydraulic valves are adjustable and work together to ensure that the door closes smoothly. However, they can sometimes get a bit out of whack and require an adjustment. Here is a quick way to tweak them if the door is not closing properly.
1. Remove the cover and close the valves
There may be a few fasteners on the top of the cover; you'll need to remove them to gain access to the cover to adjust the valves. Turn the valves clockwise until they stop; you should find three valves.
2. Adjust the backcheck
To adjust the backcheck, turn it 1/4 of the way counter-clockwise so that the door opens wider. It should begin to slow down, coming to a steady hard stop.
3. Adjust the door's sweep speed
To adjust the sweep speed, turn the valve one complete turn clockwise so that it slows down the speed of the door.
4. Adjust the door's latch speed
To adjust the latch speed, you'll simply need to turn the adjustment screw 1/4 to 1/2 way counter-clockwise. This will also slow down the closing speed. Turn it clockwise to speed it up.
How do you adjust a Corbin Russwin door closer?
Corbin Russwin closers also use hydraulic pressure to control the latching speed of doors. Here's how to adjust them if your door is opening or closing too fast. You'll need an Allen key to complete this job.
1. Remove the Cover
Start by taking the cover off of the closer and removing the screws at both ends of it. The latch speed valve will be located on the end between the power labels. And the closing speed valve should be located beneath the closer unit.
2. Turn the Allen Bolt
Use an Allen key to turn the Allen bolt on the slatch speed valve clockwise about 1/4 of the way to slow down the door or counter-clockwise to speed it up.
Do the same for the latch speed dial, as this will adjust the last two to five inches that the door travels. Lastly, open and shut the door repeatedly to check the new settings.
Which oil is used in a door closer?
Door closers typically come with a compressed air pneumatic system (which doesn't require oil or lubricant) or with a silicon-based lubricant.
If your door closer needs a bit of a lubricant, you can use any silicone or petroleum-based lubricant to reduce the friction or keep it from squeaking.
How long do door closers last?
On average, door closers tend to last around seven years.
Wrapping Things Up
We hope that this post has provided you with enough information so that you can adjust your screen door as needed. Before you go, be sure to check out our other posts: