IronmongeryDirect_Catalogue_118_app

Care of Finishes

ALL PRODUCTS ARE DESIGNED & MANUFACTURED TO MINIMISE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE The working life of ironmongery & the finished appearance of nearly all door hardware is significantly improved if basic maintenance procedures are carried out, especially where items are subject to relatively high use. In addition, recently introduced European Standards specifically recommend that certain maintenance routines should be carried out at designated intervals to meet Health & Safety requirements. Failure to maintain ironmongery could potentially affect product warranties & guarantees.

VISUAL CHECKS Make a visual check on the product & surrounding door/frame looking for wear, damage & general condition.

MECHANICAL CHECKS Check the product functions properly without any binding or undue force.

PRODUCT ADJUSTMENTS Certain products, including locks & door closers, require occasional adjustment, for instance closing speeds & latching speeds. These adjustments should be carried out in accordance with the original instructions provided with the product. If you are documenting preventative maintenance routines for a building ensure that a copy of all the original instructions provided with the product are kept with the document.

GENERAL GUIDANCE The type & application of doors is many & varied & each door needs to be treated as the case dictates. Much depends on how the door is utilised & where it is installed. For example: • Ironmongery fitted to external doors needs to be checked for any seasonal changes. • Applications in severe atmospheric conditions need additional considerations e.g. coastal locations or swimming pools. • Final emergency exit doors

CHECK FIXINGS Fixings need to be checked regularly & tightened when necessary.

LUBRICATION Some products benefit from periodic lubrication using light machine oil such as WD40 or 3-in-1 oil, or even a specialist graphite powder in the case of locks. EXTERNALLY FITTED HARDWARE IGNORE IT & IT WILL RUST. No matter how good the metal plating or painted finish, externally fitted hardware needs periodic lubrication to the working parts using light machine oil such as WD40 or 3-in- 1 oil. This applies to (amongst others) door & gate hinges, locks (including padlocks) & door handles. Locks can be maintained using specialist graphite powder. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE Most construction projects require the main contractor to provide a Preventative Maintenance Document to hand over to the building occupants. Usually this includes all the relevant maintenance instructions provided with the hardware (as well as the boilers fitted for instance). If you need help locating original instructions, please refer to the website or contact us.

may be used infrequently while those used as staff ‘smoke break’ exits may be subject to high usage. Internal fire resisting doors need additional consideration as they are critical to the building safety integrity. Vandalism & abuse cause the majority of problems, so more frequent checks are needed in these situations. The conclusion is that employers/building owners should ensure that doors are kept in good working order by a properly documented regime of regular & appropriate maintenance. TYPES OF MAINTENANCE Much of the recommended routine maintenance consists of a combination of visual & mechanical checks, cleaning & lubrication. Any additional maintenance will be detailed with specific products, often within the fitting instructions.

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