Why does the wind slam doors?

[summerdays]

Why do you get drafts that slam doors? ... for example on a windy day I can't have both my front and back door open without some of the doors in between slamming shut. However I can leave windows open without the same effect. The front and back door are in an almost straight line - is that the significant point?

I want to work out the best way to get air circulating in my house.

 

[s7ephanie]

i prop the doors open with something x

 

[Raging Squirrel]

The through draft causes a kind of vacuum drag that causes the air to run along the doors surface, which in turn causes drag, which in turn pulls the door in the direction of the draft, and because the door is on a hinge it follows the drag til it closes.

 

[TVC]

Wind doesn't slam doors, teenage girls slam doors. Or at least that's how it works next door.

 

[hopless500]

Why do you get drafts that slam doors? ... for example on a windy day I can't have both my front and back door open without some of the doors in between slamming shut. However I can leave windows open without the same effect. The front and back door are in an almost straight line - is that the significant point?

I want to work out the best way to get air circulating in my house.

We have cabin hooks on (nearly) all our doors so we can hook them open and get a really good breeze going through. It was brought about originally by a houseful of small kittens and general terror and worry about said kittens being in the way of an unexpectedly slamming door.... but it has worked out nicely on all fronts. The only doors on the whole without, are the bedroom doors. They do slam occasionally but we just prop them open.

 

[steve52]

its because off different pressurs caused by varying wind speeds as it flow in around and through your house.simples (not)

 

[Sara_H]

I don't know. But I'd like to know why my dog looks in surprise at his rear end every time he trumps.

 

[snorri]

We have cabin hooks on (nearly) all our doors so we can hook them open and get a really good breeze going through.

....and to hang with all that household fire prevention advice

 

[ayceejay]

The front and back door are in an almost straight line - is that the significant point?
According to Feng Sui this would be something to do with Chi. A straight path up to the front door is considered a 'poison arrow' so if this straight line continues through the door and out the back then all your Chi is going with it and is trying to help you out by slamming doors.

 

[Cyclopathic]

We have cabin hooks on (nearly) all our doors so we can hook them open and get a really good breeze going through. It was brought about originally by a houseful of small kittens and general terror and worry about said kittens being in the way of an unexpectedly slamming door.... but it has worked out nicely on all fronts. The only doors on the whole without, are the bedroom doors. They do slam occasionally but we just prop them open.

Thanks. I'm going to have nightmares now.

 

[asterix]

I don't know. But I'd like to know why my dog looks in surprise at his rear end every time he trumps.

So long as he doesn't try to blame it on someone else..

 

[Maz]

In our living room, if the door at the far end is left slightly open, you can open the door nearest to you quickly.
This causes a partial vacuum, and the far door closes shut to equalise the pressure.
Means you don't need to go to the far door to close it!

 

[colly]

We have cabin hooks on (nearly) all our doors so we can hook them open and get a really good breeze going through. It was brought about originally by a houseful of small kittens and general terror and worry about said kittens being in the way of an unexpectedly slamming door.... but it has worked out nicely on all fronts. The only doors on the whole without, are the bedroom doors. They do slam occasionally but we just prop them open.

Our next door neighbours had a cat with a bent tail, not quite 90degs but almost, caused by......................a slamming door.

 

[Sara_H]

So long as he doesn't try to blame it on someone else..

He's too stupid to play the blame game.

 

[ASC1951]

Why do you get drafts that slam doors? ... for example on a windy day I can't have both my front and back door open without some of the doors in between slamming shut. However I can leave windows open without the same effect. The front and back door are in an almost straight line - is that the significant point?

"I am not a fluid dynamics engineer" I but reckon your doors slam and your windows don't because:-
- windows are smaller so there is less air moving
- windows are halfway up the wall so they don't catch as much air
- doors fill the whole of the gap through which air can move, so there is a funnelling effect
- doors are often heavy, so they take a strong blast to get them moving and equal resistance (which they don't get) to stop them, hence the slam rather than the quiet closing.

I want to work out the best way to get air circulating in my house.

One downstairs outside door wedged slightly open, rather than propped. Upstairs windows on opposite side of house open but on catches.