What Is This Thing? Seriously.
I noticed something shiny in the drive way, it was a 1-1/2 feet long, about 6 inch diameter metal cylinder with a mounting hole at one end, a piston rod (with a bracket) at the other, a few scratches and some rusty streaks at the base.
When I first saw it, I immediately wondered if it had fallen off my car.
It actually happened to me once, early in the morning; I picked it up, took a closer look and thought about where it could have come from. My car ran smoothly, with no unusual noise, no pulling to either side, etc… So where did it come from?
It wasn’t a Car Part
Looking a little closer it became apparent that it was an air filled cylinder called a “storm door damper” (also referred to as a “storm door closer”)
These are used to slow down the closing action of storm doors so they don’t slam shut. They’re typically mounted to the top or bottom of the screen/storm door and work by compressing/ releasing air to control how quickly the door closes. Eventually these will lose their pressure/rust and need to be replaced.
This particular one was old, worn out, and discarded. It probably fell off of a trash truck or trailer.
How to Tell if its a Storm Door Damper
- Shape: The damper is usually cylindrical in shape (about 10-15 inches in length).
- Piston Rod: There is a rod extending out of one end of the cylinder which has a hole or bracket attached to it.
- Screw Adjustment: On the other end of the damper there should be a screw adjustment mechanism.
- Weight: These are usually very light (under 1 lb.)
- Wear Marks: These parts usually have wear marks from where they were previously mounted on both ends of the damper.
Function of Storm Doors
They prevent the storm door from slamming shut. They function quietly and usually go unnoticed until they stop functioning (broken or rusted). When they do eventually break or rust, people normally throw them away and replace them.
If You Find One
- Look at your own storm doors to see if you’ve lost one.
- Take a quick look at your vehicle to make sure nothing important broke off.
- Properly recycle or dispose of it.
- Save it as a curiosity.
While a discarded storm door damper may not appear to be much of anything, it can potentially become a short-lived mystery. While it appears to be a mechanical failure, it may simply be a harmless piece left over from someone else’s repair job.
