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Three Reasons to change your hidden door closers
Traditional hidden door closers can certainly improve entryway aesthetics by hiding closing mechanisms inside doors or frames. At the same time, they successfully satisfy clearance issues where there may not be enough meat for an overhead door closer. Architects tend to prefer concealed door closers for their aesthetic appeal, however, traditional hidden door closers can lead to a variety of challenges like code compliance, heavy-duty functionality, and cost-effectiveness, to name a few.


Fire-Rated Code Compliance
Traditional concealed door closers are generally limited to being compatible with 20-minute fire-rated doors. They do not work with 3/4 HR or higher-rated doors. This poses a problem for architects who want the overall aesthetic of a concealed door, but they aren’t able to meet building fire-code requirements. Waterson Hinges, on the other hand, are 3HR fire-rated hardware, so architects and builders can achieve their aesthetic goals while maintaining code compliance.Heavy-Duty Functionality
Heavy and especially tall doors can be a load challenge on traditional door closers. Due to their singular top-placed location, traditional door closers can more easily fail through significant stress concentration created by such heavy loads. By contrast, Waterson self-closing hinges are delivered in 3-5 hinge sets, as needed. Multiple hinges allow stress and load to be distributed evenly, which not only improves heavy-duty functionality but also extends overall longevity. For example, a five-hinge set can easily handle a 9ft door as heavy as 400lbs.