General Maintenance Guide

MAINTENANCE MANUAL

Introduction

MINOVA prepared this maintenance guide which has been intended to assist the users in maintaining door sets, ironmongeries and fittings.

Regular maintenance will prevent unnecessary wear and tear. Door sets and furniture can fail or be damaged through lack of maintenance, so it is important that attention is paid to the need for regular inspections, with adjustment and cleaning as necessary.

Inspection

Inspect door sets and ironmongery as frequent (monthly is generally appropriate) intervals during the first six months, and at three month intervals thereafter. This applies particularly to fire doors. Inspection and maintenance do not require the attendance of specialist personnel for listed tasks, unless otherwise stated.

Hinges - Stainless Steel“Loosening of hinges is usually caused by poor alignment or by incorrect choice of screws. Loose screws should be tightened, and if possible the problem should be eliminated by re-aligning the hinges or by replacing the screws with a more suitable type.
Hinges are usually supplied dry by manufacturers because there are objections to oily hinges by fitters who find it difficult to avoid transferring oily marks to doors and windows. In the great majority of cases oiling immediately after installation and from time to time during service significantly reduces wear. The exceptions are special situations, such as very dusty locations in which a mixture of oil and grit can act as a grinding paste which accelerates wear, or public toilet rooms which may be regularly hosed down or washed with detergent solutions which remove the oil. For such locations specialist dry film lubricants may be used. Whilst squeaking of hinges is a sign of lack of lubrication, if it occurs frequently misalignment should be suspected.” Extract from BS 7532 - 1990

MINOVA external door sets are usually fitted with stainless steel hinges equipped with pre-lubricated low maintenance bearings. This note applies to all types of stainless hinges within our usual supply.
Brush any accumulated dirt away from the butt of the hinge using lint free cloth and check hinge fixing screws for tightness using a screwdriver. Lubricate with a little 3-in-1 or similar light machine oil. Open doors every three months, even if maintenance is delayed. This will help ensure that the door will operate correctly if used for emergency escape.

Overhead Door Closers Inspect each closer for oil leakage. Repair of door closers is a specialist task and should be referred to Style metal for the first year and to specialist personnel or the manufacturer thereafter. The door should close without undue slamming, but firmly enough to engage latches where fitted. Adjust closing force (final 130 of swing) as necessary to achieve this if the closer has the facility. Check the tightness of all fixings using an appropriate screwdriver. Grease the lever arm pivots if necessary using a proprietary product such as Castrol grease.

Locks and Latches

Inspect all locks and latches for proper operation. If necessary, adjust the strike plates to ensure the smooth closing of the door and correct action of the latch bolt. Lubrication of the latch bolt, using light machine oil, sparingly applied will help ensure this. After establishing the reason for the incorrect position, correct any misalignment of latch bolts and the strike plate by filing if necessary, treating any exposed edges with a rust inhibitor. If in doubt, refer to the manufacturer, as repair of locks generally requires specialist attention.

Oval and Euro Profile Cylinders

Cylinders must NOT be lubricated using a spray lubricant like WD40. Such fluids can attract dust that may hinder smooth operation. Maintain cylinders with a periodic application of powdered graphite into the key way and around the turn. This is available from most quality locksmiths. Repair of locks is a specialist task, and should be referred to MINOVA during the first year and to a locksmith thereafter.

Lever Handles

Check all lever handle fixings for tightness. Loose handle furniture can cause interference with the operation of the lock and, at the same time, damage the bearing surface of the furniture. Rose covers must be removed with great care to avoid distortion of the rose cap.

Pull Handles

Pull handles should be inspected to ensure that the fixings are positive with grub screws, where used, firmly in position. All looseness of the handle will damage the door face and cause the handle to become unstable and fail in service.

Emergency Exit Devices

It is essential to check that emergency exit devices operate correctly. These are usually fitted to final exit external doors. In many instances it is the door that needs adjustment to ensure the correct function of the device. Check functioning of unit as part of periodic fire safety test procedures. At quarterly intervals, lubricate all pivot points and shoots where guides retain them. Check all fixing screws are tight and shoots engage properly into keep plates etc.

Flush Bolts

Lever action and knob slide flush bolts should be checked for smooth operation as they are often subject to abuse. Damage may be caused to the item itself, to its fixings or to the door leaf. Any damage sustained should be rectified immediately to avoid further problems, and to ensure compliance with any fire prevention requirements when fitted to fire doors. Due to exposure of the lower bolt to higher levels of dust and debris, regular cleaning and lubrication will be required. The floor socket must be kept clear of accumulated dirt and debris at all times to prevent damage to the bolt mechanism.

Ancillary Items

These should be checked to ensure that they are correctly fixed and do not interfere with the correct operation of other ironmongery or the door leaf, frame or adjacent structure.

General

Surface deposits, such as dust, are the main causes of corrosion of metals in service especially when installed in a damp atmosphere. In marine areas and similarly aggressive environmental conditions, the deposits will be mainly atmospheric salts. It is extremely important that care is taken to maintain finishes since many; especially anodized, electro-plated, incorrect cleaning ruins lacquered or polished surfaces.

Painted

Occasional cleaning with an aqueous solution of mild detergent should prevent heavy soiling of the door set. Any scratches should be treated with a proprietary rust inhibitor and touched up with the paint supplied as soon as possible.

Ironmongery

Regular dusting with a dry soft cloth, interspersed with occasional washing with warm soapy water and light application of a good quality non acid based wax polish will be sufficient to keep any finish in its original condition for some months. Do not use silicone-based polishes, cellulose based thinners or chemical based sprays. External fittings will require more attention due to their greater exposure to atmospheric deposits.

Under no circumstances should any proprietary brands of aerosol spray, metal polishes or cleaners containing abrasive powders, or abrasive cloths and pads be used for cleaning electro-plated or lacquered finishes.

Supplied in stain finish, stainless steel should be cleaned regularly using warm soapy water and dried with a soft clean cloth to maintain its pristine condition and remove any unsightly deposits. Avoid acid and chloride based cleaning products and abrasive materials. Chlorides in particular will cause oxidization of the material.

Site Finishing and Maintenance

After the installation of the door set, site painting should comply with the specification of the finish supplied by MINOVA in order to extend door set life and ensure finished product. After Installation and/or final decoration it is imperative that all door leaves which may be in contact with moisture be fully sealed around the top edges with a proprietary clear silicone sealant to prevent moisture / water ingress.

We guarantee that our standard primer is fully stoved in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and therefore no problems are envisaged when subsequent on site applications are made. Our reservation is that Cellulose based products should not be used for over coating. At this point however, we must categorically state that we cannot accept responsibility for degradation, which might occur due to the application on site of an unsuitable over coating material. If any doubt occurs then please revert for clarification.

For Maintenance: Any scratches that occur should be treated with a rust inhibitor and ‹touched up›. Normal paintwork can be incorporated into decoration programmed.