Ideas for Automatic Self-Closure on Interior Garage Door

**J Collins** · 02-23-2021, 06:10 AM

Hey Folks,

Looking for some possible suggestions to pass along to a homeowner that is having difficulties acquiring his occupancy permit.

Situation: Interior door leading to house from attached garage will not latch when garage door is closed so clearly there is insufficient strength in the sprung hinges to overcome the "pillow" of air contained within the garage itself, even at maximum tension. Homeowner doesn't want to install an overhead self-closure so my suggestion was going to be to try a product like this one since I can't think of a way to vent the pressure without compromising the building's thermal envelope - the garage is built as a conditioned space.

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**Jerry Peck** · 02-23-2021, 06:30 AM

Typically, one spring hinge is used, if only one is used, install another spring hinge, if necessary, install a spring hinge at all three hinge.

If still necessary, add two more hinges to the door and use spring hinges.

That's a secondary issue.

The primary issue is that the garage should not be in the dwelling's thermal envelope.

If the garage is conditioned space (separate from the dwelling unit), then vent the garage. It doesn't take much to vent a garage, and a garage that tight is a death trap.

More likely, the house is so tight that the door is having problems closing - have you tried closing the other hinged exterior doors?

If the house is that tight, then it likely needs a fresh air source in where the air handler furnace is.

**J Collins** · 02-23-2021, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Typically, one spring hinge is used, if only one is used, install another spring hinge, if necessary, install a spring hinge at all three hinge.

If still necessary, add two more hinges to the door and use spring hinges.

That's a secondary issue.

The primary issue is that the garage should not be in the dwelling's thermal envelope.

If the garage is conditioned space (separate from the dwelling unit), then vent the garage. It doesn't take much to vent a garage, and a garage that tight is a death trap.

More likely, the house is so tight that the door is having problems closing - have you tried closing the other hinged exterior doors?

If the house is that tight, then it likely needs a fresh air source in where the air handler furnace is.

Thanks for the response Jerry!

The homeowner has two spring hinges installed currently and it already swings like Babe Ruth so he's not keen to add more hinges, it's just that last inch or so to the latched position that's an issue. When the exterior garage door is open it slams shut with quite a bit of force.

It's very common to have garages built into the thermal envelope here in Canada but normally the seal on the exterior garage door isn't this tight. The other exterior doors in the house feel normal to me, even when closed forcefully, but none of them have automatic closures so it's hard to be certain. The house is mechanically ventilated with an HRV and there's no furnace, just a couple heat pumps and a small woodstove.

Not sure how to suggest venting the garage (conditioned space) to the homeowner as per code as I've never run into this issue before. Personally I would just cut a little piece out of the seal around the exterior garage door but I can't exactly suggest that to him LOL.

**Markus Keller** · 02-23-2021, 08:08 AM

If this is a typical pre-hung door assembly that we often see installed here as the service door to the garage, my guess is the threshold is sitting too high and causing too much resistance at the bottom of the door.
Check the wood looking strip on top of the metal plate. There should be adjustment screws. Usually they are exposed, sometimes they are under a plastic cover. Adjusting those screws so there is less resistance should do the trick.
May also want to check the strike plate make sure the latch isn't hitting it wrong causing resistance.

**J Collins** · 02-23-2021, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

If this is a typical pre-hung door assembly that we often see installed here as the service door to the garage, my guess is the threshold is sitting too high and causing too much resistance at the bottom of the door.
Check the wood looking strip on top of the metal plate. There should be adjustment screws. Usually they are exposed, sometimes they are under a plastic cover. Adjusting those screws so there is less resistance should do the trick.
May also want to check the strike plate make sure the latch isn't hitting it wrong causing resistance.

Thanks Marcus, I did notice the strike plate was a bit mangled so that could be it but I'll suggest adjustment to the threshold first.

**Jerry Peck** · 02-23-2021, 11:26 AM

Try this if it may be the strike plate: push the latch bolt in and tape it in, see if it closes.

Could be the strike plate or even the latch bolt not sliding in easy enough.

**J Collins** · 02-25-2021, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Try this if it may be the strike plate: push the latch bolt in and tape it in, see if it closes.

Could be the strike plate or even the latch bolt not sliding in easy enough.

Thanks Jerry, I'll pass that suggestion along to the home owner. Really appreciate your input!

**William Burns** · 04-28-2021, 11:43 AM

Thanks for your advice. I have to design the garage with simialr door system. I have already looked through some plans using the Planner 5D library of garage plans at https://planner5d.com/use/garage-plans. I want to design everything in details as it is my first work as a designer.

**ROBERT YOUNG** · 05-03-2021, 01:41 AM

Morning, William.
Hope this posts finds you well.
Fire separation door/s, leading from a garage to a habitable space, should be a: fire rated, b: close and latch independently from an open position, without further human, or even an animal/pets, intervention. "Fluffy, Rex, close the door for me"

Moreover, c: the frame should be fire rated, d: along with the gap between the frame and jam, on all three sides, sealed with a fire/fume rated weather stripping, to prevent fumes or flames from getting past the gap into the habitable space, which includes a draft stop at the bottom of the door which can include a the form of a fir/ fume rated door sweep, or weather stripped threshold.

Fire door assemblies.

At least 50% of the homes I inspect are missing one or more of the above component safety qualities.

Maybe...Likely...Could be, ... the spring loaded hinge/s on your friend fire rated door, if rated, are worn, improperly loaded, there are too few, or they, the spring loaded hinge/s do not have the rated force required for the weight.

That said...In my neck of the woods, steel spring loading hinges are installed/utilized on fire rated doors. Steel Spring loading Hinge. X 2.
NFPA 80 Requirements for Hinges, Pivots, and Continuous Hinges.