How to Stop Door Slamming

The Problem

Everyone has been caught off guard by a slamming door at some point in their life. It’s easy to see how the force of a door slam can be the cause of a serious injury; in fact, it’s the cause for hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits in the United States every year. If not addressed, slam risks can lead to serious injury, inflated insurance costs, and potential liability. Thankfully, you can stop door slamming with the right door hardware. Continue reading to learn how you can control slamming in your doors.

From 1999 through 2008. An estimated 1,392,451 US children ≤17 years received emergency treatment for door-related injuries. 41.6% of children were ≤4 years.⁵

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Who is at Risk?

Children and seniors are the most vulnerable to injuries from slamming doors, especially finger and hand related injuries. For children, these injuries can be life-altering, potentially resulting in finger amputation or other irreparable trauma. “Doors are easily accessible to the exploring fingers of young children, who are unaware of the potential dangers,” says Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, Director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.² According to data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, children received emergency treatment for door-related injuries, averaging approximately 1 injury every 4 minutes in the United States.⁵

Seniors can be knocked off balance by slamming doors and experience life-threatening falls. Per the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): During 2017–2021, adults 65 and older sustained an estimated total of 488,600 emergency room visits from door and window related accidents.⁶ At the end of the day, no one is immune to a door slamming injury; even a lightly built door can impact with tremendous force when slammed over a full range of motion.

Door Injuries

“A 20-month-old child lost the tip of his finger after getting it caught in the hinge-side of a large metal door. Multiple employees were working at the child care center and all children were well supervised at the time of the incident. As one employee began taking another child outside, the 20-month-old followed and was trapped by the door. Even though the door was equipped with a slowing mechanism, the child was unable to avoid injury. Several surgeries were required because the child’s bone continued to grow through the finger. Eventually, the entire nail was removed and the tip was amputated.” ¹

“As a door was momentarily opened by a teacher, a child curiously came over and used the door for balance by placing their hand in the open gap on the hinge-side of the door. When the door was closed, the child’s finger was caught in the opening, causing an open break and partial amputation of the tip of their finger. The teacher was preoccupied and was unaware that the child was there.” ⁴

“A teacher closed an emergency door onto a child’s finger causing a deep laceration and fracture that required surgery. The teacher was unaware that the child was nearby and had quickly put their hand in the way of the door on the handle side of the door.” ⁴

It’s important to note that injuries can occur both at the hinge and the latch side of a door. As the door closes, the pressure exerted on the door can reach as much as 40 tons, or 80,000 lbs. per square inch.¹ While some products exist to prevent finger pinching on the hinge-side of the door, there have been no effective whole-door solutions that control slamming without impeding the normal function of the door – until now. Moshun solutions are designed to prevent door slamming while preserving the original look and feel of your door.

The Solution to Door Slamming

Moshun’s SlamBlok® is a plunger-like device that is installed directly into the hinge side of the door. As the door closes, the SlamBlok compresses, activating to provide a slam-free closure. The SlamBlok is an ideal general-purpose solution for most interior doors; it is designed to work seamlessly with your existing hinges.

Moshun’s SmarteHinge® is a hinge-based platform for next generation motion control. Modular by design, the SmarteHinge can be configured to give your door the exact feel and functions you desire. The SmarteHinge is an ideal solution for those looking for additional capabilities beyond slam-control.

SlamBlok®

Out of sight, out of mind. Moshun’s SlamBlok® offers a discrete, unobtrusive anti-slam solution for interior doors.

Slam Control – Installed directly into the door without impeding normal egress and function.
Noise Dampening – Prevents distractions from irritating door rattle, vibration, and slamming noises.
Safer Doors – Reduce the number of door related injuries that occur because of slamming.

Available for both wood and metal door jambs.

View or Share SlamBlok® Overview

SmarteHinge®

From soft-closing to slam control, SmarteHinge® modules offer you a pick-and-choose assortment to meet your needs.

Slam Control – Contained entirely within the hinge without impeding normal egress and function.
Noise Dampening – Prevents distractions from irritating door rattle, vibration, and slamming noises.
Safer Doors – Reduce the number of door related injuries that occur because of slamming.

Available in many finishes and sizes.

How it Works

Moshun’s core technology is RheoSmart® Nanotechnology—a fluid nanotechnology that can slow a door slam without affecting normal door use; in other words, it’s a phase-changing non-Newtonian fluid that stiffens under force and relaxes when idle. That means when opening a door normally RheoSmart acts like a fluid and allows the door to move freely, but when swung it solidifies under pressure to stop the door from slamming.