Surface Mount Closers are not the easiest piece of hardware to install or to adjust

Surface Mount Closers are not the easiest piece of hardware to install or to adjust. There are many different preferences and opinions on how to do both. Reading some of the directions to these things are more complicated than the assembly instructions to the space shuttle. However I will try to make it as easy as I can.   You are looking for three measurements and three measurements only…..

1.   The top screw hole on the hinge side of the closer; this should be represented by a measurement like 6 5/8 or 7 1/4. Or by a letter that corresponds to a nearby table that should give you different measurements for different opening distances such as 90 or 120 Degrees. This measurement is typically taken from the edge of the door to the screw hole.

2.   The down measurement for that hole in roughly the same place. If you are mounting the closer Regular Mount then the measurement will be around ¾ to 1 ¼ from the top of the door. If you are mounting the closer Parallel Arm Mount then the measurement will be more like 2 5/8 or 3 inches from the bottom of the stop.

3.   The measurement for the arm is different depending on the mounting type. On a regular mounting style it will be from the inside edge of the frame on the hinge side to the screw hole in the face of the frame header. The Parallel Arm Mounting Style is a little different; it requires you to pull from the hinge side of the frame across the underside of the header. The Parallel Arm Bracket will mount under the header on the stop against the door. The measurement given will either be the first screw hole on the bracket or the centerline of the bracket.

All Surface Mount Closer instructions have these three measurements in common.  By always looking for these measurements you can level the playing ground and install closers like the pro's. 

Adjustment.....

The adjustment of a closer is very important,  A proper adjustment can prolong the life of the door, frame, and hardware.  A closer that slams will loosen a frame, damage the door, and prematurely ware and damage hardware.  The standard closing speed for a door closer is 6 seconds from 90 degrees to the latching point.  The closing speed should be smooth and continuous.  In the event of a HVAC problem called positive or negative pressure you can adjust the closer appropriately however the best thing to do is increase the power adjustment.  The adjustments you make may work if the HVAC is running but when the unit shuts off the door will either slam or close too slow.  This action is usually more damaging and annoying than the original problem.