While door and lock maintenance isn’t the most glorious topic, we’re on a mission to get it into the “It’s not pretty but we have to talk about it” category.  Many retailers and restaurateurs are heading into the busy season – the last thing you need is for malfunctioning doors and locks to slow you down.  Let’s face it; having a technician working on a main entrance to your facility is less than convenient.  Regularly doing these five things can help you save hassle and money in the long run.

Five Door and Lock Maintenance Tips

Is your door slamming?  Check the closer.

Nothing says “welcome to my establishment” like a swiftly closing door pushing you through the opening, not to mention the loud noise that accompanies a slamming door.  Fixing the closer can be as simple as adjusting the closing speed by turning the screw on top of the closer.  However, you may need to replace the closer.  From general wear and tear to doors being ripped open by high winds, a number of things can cause closers to fail.  One sure sign of closer failure is oily residue on the bottom of the closer or on the floor below the closer.

Don’t close your door by pulling the key.

Pulling on your key puts pressure on the inner chambers of the lock; over time this will cause your lock to fail.  Trust me, you can’t make this stuff up – shortly after I graduated college as I was locking the door and heading to work, my front-door lock exploded – tiny pins flew everywhere.  Needless to say I quickly put a call into my landlord.  Word to the wise – pull the door closed with your hand and then lock the door.

Need to prop the door open?  Use a door stop.

Whatever you do, don’t jamb something in the hinge.  I can’t begin to count the number of service calls we’ve had for sagging doors that won’t secure properly. The root cause is often that the door is regularly propped open by jamming a broomstick or other object into the hinge.  Doing so puts pressure on the hinges and ultimately causes a host of alignment issues.

Weather stripping is a good thing.

Can you see light around your door?  If so, it’s time to install new weather stripping, otherwise you’re in for a drafty winter.  While it doesn’t do anything to protect your door, weather stripping will help protect your bottom line by keeping energy costs down not to mention keep your temperature consistent by reducing drafts.

Replacing batteries in your locking hardware?  Always use brand-name batteries.

Unless you want to be regularly serenaded with chirping devices, use brand-name batteries in your locking hardware.  Off-brand batteries drain much faster than their brand-name counterparts.
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