Modern buildings are built to hold onto warm or cool air, making living spaces more comfortable, and more sustainable. Rather than traditional radiators, new homes, flats and commercial spaces are increasingly relying on Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC) which manage air pressure to control temperature, humidity, and air quality. In line with this, airtightness in properties has also improved dramatically – but with these improvements has come a growing and often unexpected complication: doors that refuse to close.
At Stairways, we’ve experienced a rise in contractors calling us to say that doors we’ve manufactured ‘aren’t closing properly’ and must need new closers. But 99% of the time, the problem isn’t the door set at all – it’s the air pressure inside the building. Unfortunately, this isn’t something designers and architects often fail to consider early enough.
Many new buildings are designed to retain heat and minimise drafts. That’s good news for energy efficiency – but if air is being constantly pumped into a space by an HVAC system without a route out, pressure quickly builds.
When a door tries to close against that pressure, it effectively meets a wall of air. This can look like:
• A door that closes perfectly when a window is open
• A door that won’t latch at all when the space is sealed
• Doors that suddenly become very hard to push open – sometimes breaching Approved Document M requirements for opening forces
• Ceiling tiles lifting or flexing when a door opens or closes
The problem usually starts when projects near completion. Everything looks finished, then building control arrives and flags multiple non-closing doors. It’s easy, in this moment, to presume that the problem lies in the door closures or manufacturing, but the truth is: door closers are not designed to overcome air pressure. Their job is to close a door reliably in the event of fire, not to combat pressurised rooms.
Faced with a door that won’t close, some contractors try increasing the closer power. This might work in a few low-pressure cases, but it introduces a new problem.
A stronger closer means a heavier opening force, which causes difficulties with accessibility regulations and leaves occupants struggling to push doors open. In many cases, this creates more issues than it resolves.
If the air pressure is significant, no closer is going to solve it. That’s because the closer isn’t failing – the building’s air handling strategy is.
Air needs a route through or out of a space. When it doesn’t have one, it pushes against the easiest point of escape – which is usually the door.
Where gaps under doors can’t be increased due to smoke control, acoustics or compliance requirements, the answer is usually venting. That might look like:
• Controlled wall vents
• Air transfer grilles with smoke dampers
• Ensuring every room with air being pushed in also has a route for air being forced out
These vents can remain open in normal use and automatically close in the event of fire. Crucially, this type of planning needs to happen before the building is finished, not after doors are installed.
When you contact us, there’s little we can do unfortunately. Instead, it’s the HVAC designers who should be advising on airflow and its impact.
The key message is simple: air pressure is a building design problem.
Before doors arrive on site, we recommend installers check that the HVAC team has considered airflow realistically, whether it could affect the door, and if they addressed venting.
When this isn’t considered before doors go in, projects end up with completed walls being re-opened, vents being added down the line, and frustrated teams seeking last minute solutions.
Fire doors must close every time, under all conditions. They cannot be conditional. If air pressure prevents consistent performance, the building is not safe, regardless of how good the door set or closer is.
At Stairways, we’re always happy to talk through door performance issues. But when doors won’t close due to air pressure, the solution lies elsewhere. This is an area where early conversations make a world of difference, saving time, money and unnecessary work.
Want to chat more about it? Get in touch.
High-value engineering delivering staircases and door solutions to national house builders, architects and contractors
Head Office, Southam Drive, Kineton Road Industrial Estate, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 0FA
Register for Stairways’ industry updates to keep up to date with the latest news and building regulation changes.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For further information, please read our Privacy Policy.
If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
