Out Swing Door
Kathy asked:
Hi Tony,
I live in an apartment that has an out swing front door. When you close it, it pulls like it is attached to a magnet; and you cannot close it quietly. Is there a way to fix this? I try to pull it very slowly… but when it gets to the frame, it slams! Also, the hinges are on the outside – which makes no sense to me!
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Happy New Year!!!
Hi Kathy,
It is entirely possible that your out swing door has a magnetic weather strip similar to the 
one found on a refrigerator. If this is the case it will cause the door to snap closed when it nears the weather striping. The only other thing that comes to mind that might cause your door to close quickly is the wind. An out swing door tends to be affected by the wind more than in swing doors, although wind is as likely to blow the door open as it is closed. If it is necessary to close the door quietly, use your foot or your shoulder against the door to overpower the force of the magnet just as the door closes.
The hinges on an out swing door are vulnerable to break in’s if they are not security 
hinges. Security hinges should have tamper resistant hinge pins or interlocking tabs that prevent the door panel from being removed even if the hinge pins are removed. Check with your building maintenance or a professional door installation contractor to determine if your door has security hinges.
Some areas require an out swing door to meet local building code requirements for storm or fire safety. Additionally it is much harder to kick or shoulder in an out swing door than an in swing because it rests against the door stop when closed, whereas an in swing door is totally dependent upon the lock-set and dead bolt to prevent forced entry.
Because the lock set bolt on an out swing door is easier to tamper with than on an in swing door, a dead-bolt lock is a must on any out swing door to maximize security.
I hope this information proves helpful,
Tony
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