Keep bad weather at bay by replacing your storm door closer DIY style
If you’re dealing with a broken storm door closer, you know how pesky it can be. Either your door closes way too slowly (or doesn’t close at all) or too quickly, painfully nicking your heels on your way inside. While storm doors help add wind mitigation measures to your home, a faulty closer can be a nuisance. Luckily, learning how to fix a storm door closer is simple. With a new closer and a couple of tools, you can have a properly functioning storm door in minutes.
Residential storm door closers are pneumatic—hydraulic storm door closers are used for commercial metal doors—and prepping to repair this type of door closer begins with buying a replacement. Gather all your tools and ensure that the closer you purchase will fit your door before you remove the broken closer.
If your storm door closer is broken, you’ll need to replace it with a new one. Follow these steps to fix your storm door closer problems and get your door swinging freely and closing softly in around 20 minutes.
Before buying a new storm door closer, make sure the one you already have is actually broken. Sounds obvious, right? But this simple trick could save you a little time, money, and a trip to the hardware store.
To find out if your storm door closer is broken, see if you can successfully adjust the tension in the barrel—the cylindrical piece that connects the brackets on the door and jamb. Find the screw on the end of the barrel that’s furthest from the jamb. Using a Phillips-head screwdriver, turn the screw clockwise to tighten it and slow the door down. Or, if your door is closing too slowly, loosen the screw by turning it counterclockwise. This should allow your door to close with more force.
If your adjustments don’t make any difference in how your door closes, that means your closer is broken, and it’s time to replace it. You can DIY the replacement or reach out to a local storm door installer for help.
If your closer is broken, you’ll need to buy a replacement for this storm door part. Most storm door closers are sold with all parts included. These parts include the closer barrel, jamb bracket, door bracket, screws, and pins. However, you may be able to buy just the barrel separately. If your hardware is still in good shape and is compatible with a new barrel, you can always go that route.
If you buy only a barrel replacement part, you can skip any steps below that involve removing or attaching door or jamb brackets. All you’ll need to do is remove your old barrel and attach the new one to the old brackets using the steps below.
You don’t have to worry about measuring for a specific size when buying a new storm door closer. But if you have a particularly heavy door or live in an area with high winds, you can always buy and install two closers for more security.
Close your storm door. Then lift up the pins that attach the closer barrel to the jamb bracket and the door bracket. Remove these pins to release the barrel from both the jamb and the door.
Using your screwdriver, remove the screws from the door bracket and the jamb bracket, then remove the old brackets from the door and jamb.
Grab the hardware from your new door closer kit. Using the old holes, if possible, screw the new jamb bracket and door brackets into place using your screwdriver. Don’t fully tighten the screws on the door bracket.
Make sure the doorstop—the small metal piece that slides up and down the closer’s rod—is pressed up against the barrel, and line up the barrel with the new door jamb bracket. Insert one of the pins through both the jamb bracket’s and the barrel’s holes. Do the same thing with the door bracket using another pin and the other end of the barrel. If the door bracket is loose, slide it away from the barrel before tightening the screws.
Test your door by letting it close. If it slams shut or closes too slowly, adjust the tension in the closer barrel using your Phillips-head screwdriver. Remember, turning the screw clockwise will add tension and make the door close more slowly, and turning it counterclockwise will do the opposite.
As long as you have a working storm door closer, use a Phillips-head screwdriver to adjust the screw on the end of the barrel furthest from the jamb by turning it clockwise. This should tighten the mechanism and slow the door down. If tightening this screw doesn’t work, you’ve got a broken closer on your hands, and you’ll need to replace it.
First, check to make sure the doorstop isn’t blocking the door. To close the door, slide the doorstop as close to the hinge side of the rod as possible. If that doesn’t work, try moving the door bracket closer to the other side. Some brackets will have extra holes for this purpose, meaning you can slide the bracket over and reattach it without drilling new holes into the door. If you’re still having trouble, you may want to consult a local storm door installer.
You may be able to repair a door closer, but often, it’s easier (and more cost-effective) to simply replace it. You may want to try fixing a door closer if the rod gets bent out of shape. If that happens, you can simply straighten it back into position. Using a flat, durable surface, line up the bent rod so the bend is pointing up. Then strike the bent rod with a rubber mallet, slowly pounding it back into place. If you can’t fix the closer, buying a new one is still a quick and inexpensive fix.
