How Long Should It Take For A Door To Close?

One of the most common questions any person installing a door closer has is "how long should it take to close?" After all a fast closing door closer that slams closed is dangerous. At the same time a door closer that takes 30 seconds to close is a long time especially during the winter when it is cold outside. In this article we go over the proper time it should take for a door closer to close the door.

ADA Standard For Door Closing Speed

According to the Americans With Disabilities Act Standards, or ADA standards, it states that door closer should take atleast 5 seconds for the door to close from the 90 degree open position to the 12 degree open position (Section 404.2.8). If the door uses self closing spring hinges instead of a hydraulic door closer, the door should take atleast 1.5 seconds to close the door from the 70 degree open position to 0 degree fully closed position. The illustration below shows ADA recommended speed requirements.

Extra Safety Should Be Considered

The latch speed, or speed when the door is closing frim 12 degree open position to 0 degree fully closed position is not specified. However, the door should never slam. Latch speed should always be slower than the main closing speed that takes place at 90 degrees to 12 degrees of the door closing swing. Remember a door that slams is not only dangerous but will also destroy your door hinges, door, and frame.

Delayed Action Can Increase Door Closer Hold Open Time

Some door closers have an additional adjustment known as delayed action. This is essentially a hold open time delay for the door closer, which allows the door to stay in the full open position for a specified period of time. Delayed action door closers can be adjusted anywhere from 0 to 30 seconds, with some door closer models that can be adjusted for an even longer hold time. The delayed action function is not a requirement of ADA, but does greatly ensure pedestrians including the elderly or children have ample time to pass through the door way.

Conclusion

A door closer should take at the minimum 5 seconds to close the door from the 90 degree open position to the 12 degree open position, according to section 404.2.8 of the ADA Standards. If your door closer cannot be adjusted to meet these conditions your door closer may be the wrong size for the door, or is defective. Please see our article on "What Does Door Closer Size Mean", in order to find the correct size door closer for your door. We recommend Liberty Door Closers. Liberty door closers are easy to install and they can be used on all commercial door sizes. Liberty door closers are also ADA compliant.


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