Internal fire doors / slamming ! & Shower problems

[Nick]

Hi,

I've recently purchased and moved into a new flat (built 1999), and am looking for some advice on some DIY to smooth out a few issues.

It is in a block of about 10 others, and they are all built of light (?) brick with plasterboard walls - making it a bit of a cardboard castle.

All the doors are fire doors with those chains between the frame & door (hinge side) to automatically close.

Thing is - whenever a door closes in the flat, it shakes the whole flat and the neighbours.

Even if you close it yourself, the frames tend to shake the walls!

Is there any way to cushion these doors? They're a tight fit against the frame, so rubber insulation won't let them close.

Water pressure. The way it's plumbed means that the shower stops if anyone flushes the loo or uses the dishwasher etc. Can this be replumbed so the shower is on a separate feed? (if so, I'd call in a professional) Is it possible to install a pump to increase the water pressure (I have a feeling that he shower head is above the level of the water tank - will this make a difference?)

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks Nick

[BigWallop]

The doors can be fitted with things called door catchers. These are like a cup and ball which go together as the door is closing and they have a piston inside which slows the door down before it bangs against the frame. Only ever seen them sold in hardware wholesalers so you might have a bit of searching around to do.

The shower problem needs a bit more information from you to be sure of a proper remedy. You say you think the shower head is above the height of the tank. If the shower is fed from a tank within your flat, which I presume is all on one level with no loft space, then where is the tank sited in relation to the shower ?

If you don't have a cold water storage tank, or the shower is an instant ele ctric style, then the problem is that the mains water supply to the flat isn't large enough to supply two or more appliances with the flow rate they need to work properly, and the appliance that is closer, or just lower down, is taking precedence over the shower. It might, therefore, be possible to have a separate supply taken from the mains pipe directly to the shower. But this is only feasible if the shower is an instant electric style.

[Nick]

Thanks for the reply,

I had another look at the set-up last night:

Shower is on the same level as the boiler and is a direct feed from the hot water (ie not electric). There is no cold water tank in the loft - is it possible that a) I'm blind, b) I need a stronger torch, or c) there's one to service several of the flats?

I also had a closer look at the door problem even letting the door go from 1" from the closing position is enough to shake the frame - the frame is connected to the light wooden frames behind the plasterboard which tend to shake every wall they're connected to. Is there any where to put nails, screws, or other bits of metal to stop it doing that?

Cheers Nick

[BigWallop]

This probably means that the mains supply isn't giving enough flow rate (amount of water) into the flat and will need replaced with a larger diameter pipe and a bit more pressure if possible. Contact your water supply company for advice on this.

It sounds as though you have a cheap and cheerful renovation or new build on your hands. It might be possible for you to release some of the pressure on the spring closer by extending the chain slightly by a couple of links. To stop the whole partition wall from shaking is almost impossible unless you're allowed to rebuild it in breese block, so I don't think you'll be able to stop this at all. The only solution is remove the closers completely, but this will probably violate your tenancy and the local by-laws for fire safety. Not a good idea.

[Mike Hall]

You can always remove the screws from the closer on the frame side - doesn't look too untidy, however does of course render their self closingness useless! They *really* &£$$ed me off in our old flat!

[Christian McArdle]

Or (d) you have no tank at all. Most flats, particularly new ones, will have a combi boiler to heat the water. This requires no tanks or cylinders at all. Everything runs off the mains. However, if the water supply is a bit flaky, or all the internal pipework is off a 15mm run snaking around the house, then you can easily get problems with outlets affecting each other.

The solution depends on whether the supply is the problem, or the poorly designed pipework inside.

Christian.

[Parish]

Any reason why you can't replace it with a hydraulic door closer like this ?

I have the same problem as the OP with the internal door through to the garage and intend to fit one.

The only reason that builders use the concealed spring "Perko" closers is 'coz they're cheap (£2-99 at Screwfix).

Parish

[Owain]

"BigWallop" wrote | > I also had a closer look at the door problem even letting the | > door go from 1" from the closing position is enough to shake | > the frame | It sounds as though you have a cheap and cheerful renovation or | new build on your hands. It might be possible for you to release | some of the pressure on the spring closer by extending the chain | slightly by a couple of links... The only solution is remove the | closers completely, but this will probably violate your tenancy | and the local by-laws for fire safety. Not a good idea.

I wonder if it would be worth trying disabling the chain closer and fitting an over-door closer - the sort with separate adjusters for close and latch speeds. They might have rather more sophistication than simply slamming shut.

The mechanism will probably have to go on the outside of the door, as it's probably intended to keep the stairwell clear of smoke in the event of a fire in the flat.

Owain

[MarkM]

Try reducing the spring pressure on the door closer - I think you can 'unwind' the tension - so that it still closes but not so quickly. On our house I also added some very small self adhesive rubber feet (as sometimes supplied with kitchen units and the like to stop doors banging).