How to Adjust a Pneumatic Door Closer

Pneumatic door closers that apply too much force can break glass doors.

The speed and force of the door closer dictates how long a person has to enter or exit through the doorway before the door closes.

Door Closer Adjustments

1. Locate the screw on the end of the pneumatic door closer.

2. Turn the screw clockwise with a Phillips screwdriver to prevent the door from slamming and closing too hard.

3. Turn the screw on the end of the door closer counterclockwise to make the door close more quickly.

Bracket Adjustments

1. Open the door with one hand and slide the square metal stop out from the hinged side of the door. Slide the stop out until it touches the cylinder of the door closer. Release the door and it will stay in position.

2. Loosen the two screws on the bracket that holds the pneumatic door closer onto the door. Turn the screws partially counterclockwise but do not remove them.

3. Slide the bracket toward the door handle. Tighten the two screws fully in a clockwise direction.

4. Remove the cotter pin that attaches the door closer to its mounting bracket. Pull the pin straight up and out. Move the pin to a hole closer to the door handle and inset the pin into the bracket.

Tip

Door closer adjustments will add or reduce the amount of air pressure inside the pneumatic cylinder to increase or decrease the closing force of the door closer. Bracket adjustments adjust the door closer to make it close entirely. Moving the bracket or pin in the bracket to a position farther from the door handles will reverse the process and stop the door from banging shut. Adjust a door closer with small incremental changes and then check the results after each adjustment to see if it corrects the problem.

Warning

A door closer that operates slowly allows extra air conditioning and heating loss from a home.

A door closer that operates too fast will close onto a person and push him through the door.