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by admin on November 20th 2024
understanding

What Are the 4 Standards for Door Closers? A Comprehensive Guide

Door systems with mechanical means of closure are of paramount importance in the contemporary context of safety and usability of construction elements. Simultaneously, the automated and hydraulic systems of door movement must comply with many different states’ standards. Two corps. OUDE has been well-experienced for over twenty years; the company is one of the leaders in producing door-closing devices that meet these critical requirements.

The certification of door closer standards primarily involves ADA accessibility certification, UL10C for fire door certification, BSI 1154:1997 for European certification, and ANS 156.4 for American certification of standards. These requirements must be met in order for a building design professional, a building operator, or a security professional to understand how to effectively combine regulation with a building’s integrated functions.

Door closers are mandatory and must adhere to a certain standard as set by different governing bodies and institutions. These include the following:

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Details standards regarding usability

UL 10C: Specifications including requirements and associated tests regarding fire rating.

BS EN 1154:1997: Controlled door-closing devices developed in Europe.

ANSI 156.4: The American National Standard for Door Controls and Door Closing Devices.

Each standard relates to a specific feature of the door closer, such as its efficiency and safety performance, thus providing a guideline for manufacturers and installers.

These standards are not implemented merely as a matter of regulatory obligation – they are about achieving:

Safety: Saving the users of the structure during fire accidents.

Accessibility: Making sure that the doors are usable by all.

Durability: Guaranteeing long-term performance

Reliability: Operability under different circumstances.

OUDE is committed to quality, as evident from our CE, UL and ANSI certifications. Our closers are subjected to a number of tests as well as quality control inspections to ensure that they meet and surpass international standards.

StandardFocus AreaKey Requirements
ADAAccessibilityOpen force limits and closing speed
UL 10CFire SafetyFire resistance and positive pressure testing
BS EN 1154PerformanceDurability cycles, door mass, corrosion resistance
ANSI 156.4Overall QualityOperational testing, closing force, and finishing requirements

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) there are certain parameters that have to be followed in regard to door closers:

  • Interior doors should require a maximum force of about five pounds to be opened
  • During movement, the time taken from 90 deg to 12 deg should be over 5 seconds.
  • Closing the door should be consistent and not show any pick-up or drop-in speed
  • The user should be able to operate the door with one hand only
  • No tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist required
  • The minimum opening for the door should be 32inches in width

There is a definite but low-rating fire doors and door closers installed on them should be UL 10C rated fire door closers. The main requirements include the following:

  • Must undergo positive pressure fire testing
  • During fire conditions, the door must be kept closed.
  • Such conditions include exposure for a period of one minute to temperatures of 1,925 degrees F (1,052 degrees C) or greater
  • Fire hose stream exposure must be passed after the door has been tested with fire.
  • This type of certification fulfills the bare minimum expectation of a full verification in terms of smoke and fire-sealing properties.
  • Fire doors, fire shutters and fire dampers should be kept in working order to meet the fire rating.

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a critical piece of legislation for all door closers because it identifies key limitations or standards which would make these doors absolutely usable by everyone. This includes people with disabilities. As such, OUDE’s closed systems, particularly the 1000 Series and 8100 Series, are able to function within these parameters in a substantive manner, and are therefore manufactured to meet these practical access requirements.

  • Interior doors should not require an opening force greater than 5 pounds.
  • For a period of 5 seconds, there shall be no more than a 90-degree angle turned down to 12 degrees.
  • Moving parts operate uniformly, while sudden changes in speed are absent

BS EN 1154:1997 breaks down the classifications into a six-digit classification as follows:

  1. Category of Use:
    • Grade 3: Will close at angles not less than 105 degrees.
    • Grade 4: Will close at angles not less than 180 degrees.
  2. Test Cycles:
    • Grade 8: Will withstand no less than 500,000 cycles.
  3. Door Mass/Size:
    • Grade 1-7 based on door weight and width
    • More than one size is provided.
  1. Fire Behavior:
    • Grade 0: Cannot be used for fire doors.
    • Grade 1: Ideal for fire doors.
  2. Safety:
    • Grade 1: All door closers are required to satisfy safety conditions.
  3. Corrosion Resistance:
    • Grades 0-4: No resistance to very high resistance.

This classification system is employed in order to make certain that door closers are able to meet the intended performance and safety features for the doors they are used on.

Fire safety is one of the major considerations when it comes to designing buildings and as part of the fire-rated devices, UL 10C is the most important certification for door closers. Some of the products that OUDE offers include UL-certified door closers such as:

  • The 9000 Series boasts further developments in the fire protection realm
  • The 6000 Series is made for door fire protection hardware used in areas of heavy use
  • 3000 series embedding fire safety measures in their construction

The European standard, BS EN 1154:1997 employs a complex six-figure code of classifying numerals for door closers and their subsequent fittings. Our products in general and EU-approved ones in particular satisfy these norms.

Classification DigitMeaningOUDE Compliance
Digit 1Category of useGrade 3-4
Digit 2Test cyclesGrade 8 (500,000 cycles)
Digit 3Door mass/sizeMultiple size options
Digit 4Fire behaviorGrade 1 for fire doors

The American National Standards Institute’s 156.4 is a very important complement to the high quality and performance of door closer devices. Manufacturing company OUDE puts its products through reliable testing and passes the following tests:

  • Cycle testing up to 2 million operations
  • Temperature range performance from -31°F to 180°F
  • Closing force consistency throughout the door’s swing

OUDE has a modern manufacturing setup providing uniform quality across all product lines. The modern testing facilities allow for:

  • Resilience evaluation
  • Heat tolerance
  • Closing speed calibration
  • Force requirement verification

Healthcare establishments are seen to have the highest need for door closers’ performance because of the operational environment’s peculiar needs. Doors Closers made by OUDE are purposefully designed for the highly demanding and hygienic environment associated with the medical field. Our 5000 Series has a special finish that is antimicrobial, and has mechanisms that are made to close doors on good performance, featured in hospital corridors subjected to lots of traffic. 

Most of these door closers are suited for bed closing in patient rooms where silence is desired by the health professional’s career. The combination of these two factors: ADA regulation adherence and infection control, make these units extremely appropriate for usage in healthcare institutions where accessibility and high hygiene standards are major issues.

It is to be noted that educational setups provide special deterrents in regard to the application of a door closer where a consideration has to be placed regarding safety, strength and usability. OUDE’s 8100 Series specifically provides for these factors by offering strong construction with daily use of a particular door closer and still being in compliance with ADA. 

There are a wide variety of opening and closing systems for doors located within educational institutions, hence, the door closers must be suitable for the type of environment they will be used in. Our products have an adjustable end stroke and a backcheck to prevent demolition of walls and adjacent appliances owing to robust students.

A single set of closers that would work well with the varied climatic conditions of the lot’s doors and gates would require a lot of research. In modern commercial architecture, a phenomenon is introduced quite often which is related to the so-called upgrades and remakes of existing ones, which requires me. 

OUDE’s commercial-grade door closers are able to meet any challenge handed to them as they are capable of withstanding high volumes of business wear and tear. This is best for buildings not only in congestion but definitely those in high traffic, because the units can be changed from one extreme to another without overheating. As a result, many certification requirements can be embodied in one unit, which makes specifications and installation work easier, faster and cheaper for managers and contractors of buildings.

Taking into account safety issues, it is not unusual for large doors in industrial buildings to be installed with door closers. OUDE’s heavy-duty door closers range is more suitable for manufacturing and warehouse units, which are designed specifically with increased corrosion protection and strengthened structure. 

Such doors are designed for use in areas with extreme temperature fluctuations and high dust concentrations. Mechanically, contamination of internal structure is avoided with advanced sealing technology allowing successful long-term service in harsh industrial environments.

The same functions are required of the closers but placed in a more presentable manner where the amount of aesthetics is the deciding factor and security functions must as well be used. OUDE extends the idea further with its designer series with an emphasis on stylish finishes and concealed mounting, while the safety requirements are met. 

A feature of these door closers is fully adjustable closing forces, which is needed when air pressure conditions are extreme and when controlling the room temperature. Using noise reduction technology would allow keeping comfort for the guest without compromising security and fire prevention.

In residential applications, such doors may require usage that provides security without too much effort for access by all users. OUDE’s residential series meets the requirements by having small dimensions and working quietly in the context of apartment houses and condominiums. 

These units incorporate temperature compensation valves that are designed to maintain optimal performance during seasonal changes. With the visual aspects being harmonized with the usage of doors and being photographed, these door closers are acceptable for new house construction where glass and modern aesthetics prevail.

Today’s building codes and accessibility requirements will not be complete if the door closer standards are omitted. These standards determine the heretofore mentioned door control systems’ capability to operate correctly in emergency scenarios or physically challenged access on doors. 

OUDE complies and goes beyond these standards, therefore demonstrating our commitment to quality and safety in the production of door hardware. The need to look for a door-closer company that has all the necessary certificates today is very high as the market gets more complex. Thanks to OUDE’s vast product line, which has passed rigorous quality assurance, these products are manufactured in line with existing market requirements while preparing for changing market needs. Please view the entire catalog and talk to our technical experts for specialized door closer applications that meet your requirements and specifications.

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