ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Allison, of Altamonte Springs, told us her screen door wasn’t closing. Surely enough, the “closer” – that’s the mechanism that pulls the door closed – was old and rusted.
So we picked up one for $17 and swapped it out in minutes!
If you have a project you’d like Erik to tackle, send us an email at GettingResultsAtHome@wkmg.com and next week Erik might just show up at your door!
[Watch a step-by-step installation in the video below]
We purchased:
Hold Open Screen/Storm door pneumatic closer
We brought with us:
Phillips head screwdriver
We recommend:
Electric screwdriver
Step 1
Remove the old closer.
There are only 6 screws holding the brackets in place so this should go quickly. Make sure to pull out the pins holding the closing arm in place attaching it to the brackets. Once you remove the pins and the closing arm you’ll get easy access to the screws.
Step 2
Install the new brackets. If you’re lucky, or if you’re replacing your old closer with the same model as your new one, the screw holes will line up (ours did). So we put the new brackets in the same spot as the old ones and installed the screws (long screws for the bracket on the door frame and short screws for the bracket on the door). If the holes don’t align, that’s ok, you should be able to push hard enough on the screw when you’re screwing it in to drive it into the aluminum (an electric screwdriver or drill helps). If you can’t make a hole with the screw, then use a small drill bit to drill a small pilot hole. Note: if you have to make new screw holes and don’t know where the brackets should sit, install one bracket on the door frame and then attach the closer to it with a pin. Attach the other bracket to the other end of the closer with the other pin. This is important because now you’ll know where to install the other bracket that goes on the door – just hold up the closer and bracket and see where it sits on the door – just make sure the door is closed!
Step 3
Assemble the new closer. Put the closer in between the new brackets and attach the ends to the brackets with the included pins (unless you already did this in Step 2). Make sure to install the stopper piece – the metal angled clip that keeps the door open. It goes on the end closest to the door frame. Slide it over the thin bar sticking out from the closer (after pulling out the pin and detaching the bar from the bracket). The stopper should be angled towards the closer and the door, like it’s pointing at the door.
Step 4
Adjust the tension of the closer. There’s a screw at one end of the closer. If you tighten it (turn it to the right) it will add tension and make your door close more slowly.
You just got results at home!