For anyone in charge of a care home, making sure that residents feel safe is the #1 priority. Still, there is a balance to be had between security and freedom.
Overly zealous security can leave residents feeling like they lack autonomy; being too lax with security, though, comes with its own risks. One of the best places to start is with your doors. Are your doors secure? Do they open easily but remain sturdy and strong? If your care home uses uPVC doors, it might be worth checking the hinges.
For many care homes, setting a schedule for adjusting uPVC door hinges is essential. Care homes have lots of people coming to and from the premises – staff, residents, guests, etc. – so doors can have problems with their hinges sooner rather than later.
That can impact how easily doors open and close. At the same time, hinges that need adjusting can make a door feel less secure.
The good news? The job of adjusting UPVC door hinges is one that your staff can often do alone. To guide you through this process, we contacted Locks & Handles – UK experts in locks, hinges, and security – for advice. Here’s how you can keep your UPVC doors reliable yet easy to open and close.
First Off: Why Do Hinge Adjustments Matter For Care Homes?
In a care home setting, just about everyone who lives on-site will need some kind of assistance. For many, it’s simply down to mobility.
As such, they need to be able to use the doors that guard their homes or the entrance to the care home premises. Doors should be easy to open and close, even for senior citizens. At the same time, they should be sturdy and secure to stop any unwanted arrivals.
For many doors, problems with how easy or difficult they are to open stem from their hinges. By adjusting door hinges, you can usually get the door to open and close smoothly. That means without any needless dragging, without any gaps around the door, and without any needless force needed.
By adjusting hinges, you make it easier for residents and staff to use the doors without resistance. At the same time, by adjusting hinges on UPVC doors, you make sure that the door stays level with the frame and is also less likely to be easily manipulated into opening by intruders.
How do you adjust UPVC door hinges? The process is actually pretty simple. Try out the tips below from Locks & Handles for areas to check, and if you still find your UPVC doors are not opening as they should, contact a locksmith for their expert advice.
Practical Adjustments For UPVC Door Hinges
There are three main issues to look out for when adjusting UPVC door hinges:
- Doors that are increasingly easy or difficult to open as normal
- Doors that drag on the ground or the top of the door frame
- Dors that allow light and drafts through gaps at the sides
Resolving all three of these issues requires the same techniques, which is good news. All you need to do is adjust the hinges at different sections of the door, and this often requires nothing more than an Allen key/hex key and/or a screwdriver. However, you might also wish to buy a spirit level and some lubrication that you can apply to the hinges once adjusted.
The main challenge stems from the type of hinges your UPVC doors have. Some will have standard flag hinges, others use different types like a butt hinge or a T hinge. T-hinges usually cannot be adjusted for compression, while butt hinges sometimes can only have lateral adjustments if they are of an older variety.
Generally, though, the process remains the same; you will be turning the hinges clockwise or counterclockwise to make the doors tighter, looser, or adjust their position within the door frame.
Adjusting UPVC Door Hinges: The Simple Guide
Now, it should be noted that every door is different; some will have more specific hinge types that may require more attention.
For the most part, though, standard UPVC door hinge adjustments require you to do the following:
- Start by removing the cap on the screw; most UPVC door hinges will protect the screws with a cap. Pop this off with a screwdriver so you can get to the screw itself to start turning.
- Look at the central point of your hinges; is there a screw sitting face-on? If so, you need to release this screw a little so you can adjust the pin that holds the hinges in place.
- Depending on the problem you have with your hinges, you will need to adjust different parts of the hinges. Most of the time, adjusting the height of the door involves top and bottom hinges.
- Most hinges will have a screw at the top and bottom of the hinge. You will need to try to turn these either clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the problem you are having.
- For doors that feel overly tight when opening, try loosening the screws by turning them counterclockwise. For doors that feel too loose, turn the screws clockwise with your hex key.
- If your doors are allowing a lot of light or draft in due to gaps around the edges, turn the screw at the bottom of the hinge; this should adjust how compressed the door is.
- Always stick to one or two full rotations at a time, and use a door stop to keep the door open as you work through the hinges. Adjust each minimally, test the door, and revert if needed.
Set Routine Reminders For Adjusting UPVC Door Hinges
The above guide is a very simple starting place for adjusting UPVC door hinges in a care home.
Most of the time, you will need to adjust hinges on UPVC doors gradually; try each hinge one by one, adjusting them one rotation at a time. Take it hinge by hinge, door by door, and eventually these minor adjustments should result in doors that feel properly tight/loose, and sit snugly in the frame.
Lastly, set a routine maintenance guide for doors; do not wait until a guest or resident complains about doors. If any doors appear to drag or feel overly loose/tight when opening, adjust them ASAP. With a routine check-up on door hinges, you can keep doors opening smoothly for staff and residents alike.