Free-swing door closer
A door closer is a hydraulic device that is used to automatically close a door. For more information, see Door closer for more information.
Free-swing door closers are a type of door closer which can be used to increase fire safety of a building. They can be specified and installed as a means of easing access and in buildings where heavy traffic will be experienced through the doors, such as an office, school, hotel or commercial space.
The closers are installed at the top of a fire door, allowing the door to swing freely with little force required to open it, or to be held open in any position. The door closers will close the fire door automatically when a fire alarm sounds, providing a barrier to help reduce the fire’s ability to spread through the building.
The closers can be hard-wired to the alarm system, or can be battery-operated and wireless. In the latter case, the release trigger may react to the particular sound of the alarm, usually requiring that it exceeds a certain decibel level over a period of several seconds before releasing the door. This helps prevent false activations from occurring.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Automatic fire detection and alarm systems, an introductory guide to components and systems BR 510.
- Automatic release mechanism.
- Door closer.
- Door restrictors.
- Fire detection and alarm systems.
- Fire door.
- Fire Door Inspection Scheme.
- Fire safety design.
- Fire stopping.
- Hold-open device.
- How fire doors can save lives
- Installing fire doors and doorsets (GG 86).
- The causes of false fire alarms in buildings.
Featured articles and news
The increasing costs of repair and remediation
Highlighted by regulator of social housing, as acceleration plan continues.
Free topic guide on mould in buildings
The new TG 26/2024 published by BSRIA.
Greater control for LAs over private rental selective licensing
A brief explanation of changes with the NRLA response.
Practice costs for architectural technologists
Salary standards and working out what you’re worth.
The Health and Safety Executive at 50
And over 200 years of Operational Safety and Health.
Thermal imaging surveys a brief intro
Thermal Imaging of Buildings; a pocket guide BG 72/2017.
Internally insulating a historical building
An experimental DIY approach using mineral thermal lime plaster.
Tree species selection for green infrastructure: A guide for specifiers.
50 million new trees over 25 years.
Art of Building CIOB photographic competition public vote
The last week to vote for a winner until 10 January 2025.
The future of the Grenfell Tower site
Principles, promises, recommendations and a decision expected in February 2025.
20 years of the Chartered Environmentalist
If not now, when?
Journeys in Industrious England
Thomas Baskerville’s expeditions in the 1600s.
Top 25 Building Safety Wiki articles of 2024
Take a look what most people have been reading about.
Life and death at Highgate Cemetery
Balancing burials and tourism.
The 25 most read articles on DB for 2024
Design portion to procurement route and all between.
The act of preservation may sometimes be futile.
Twas the site before Christmas...
A rhyme for the industry and a thankyou to our supporters.
Plumbing and heating systems in schools
New apprentice pay rates coming into effect in the new year
Addressing the impact of recent national minimum wage changes.