Achieving ADA-Compliant Doors for Your Business
ADA-compliant doors meet the guidelines established by the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990. These regulations, which are enforced by federal law, are required for all businesses that have public buildings. The only exception is for commercial buildings constructed prior to January 26, 1992. However, updating older buildings shows a commitment to the inclusion of those who have disabilities.
Measurements
Commercial building doors must be able to accommodate wheelchair entry. The minimum width is 36 inches measured from the doorstop to the face when the door is open at a right angle. Doors must also have clearance of at least 36 inches around, or 54 inches around for doors at the end of a hallway. Double doors that swing open in opposite directions must have an opening at least 48 inches wide. Door thresholds must be less than half an inch, except for exterior sliding doors, which can have up to a 3/4-inch threshold.
Opening and Closing Features
Door handles cannot require pinching or twisting to open and must be easily operable with just one hand. Handles must be no more than 48 inches above the floor. Doors must open or close with an applied force of fewer than 5 pounds and cannot close in less than 3 seconds. Automatic doors must be stoppable with no more than 15 pounds of force and must take longer than 3 seconds to open. Ideally, doors should have smooth surfaces that don’t catch on wheelchairs, walkers, or canes.
Door Access
All exterior entrances to a commercial building must have a wheelchair ramp that leads to a wheelchair-accessible path. The route must allow direct wheelchair access to public sidewalks and streets, accessible parking areas and loading zones, and local public transit. The service entrance to a building does not qualify if it is the only wheelchair-accessible entrance unless the building itself has only one entrance. Once the person is inside the building, he or she must be directly connected to a wheelchair-accessible route. Strike Doors, LLC outfits commercial buildings in the Sacramento area with ADA-compliant doors. Call (800) 658-2839 or contact us online today to learn more about our products and services.
How Roll-up Doors Help Improve Workplace Safety
Roll-up doors are a popular feature of many workplaces due to their productivity and energy efficient features. However, roll-up doors can also offer increased safety for workplaces, employees, and products.
Reversing Mechanisms
Whether in a workplace or a home, a common concern with automatic roll-up doors is that they may close onto people or products, leading to damages or serious injury. However, most modern roll-up doors are commercially installed with a reversing mechanism that has a built-in sensor. If the sensor senses an object obstructing its path, it will stop and automatically reverse, sparing the products or people below.
Vehicle Roll-Up Door Safety
Because vehicle roll-up doors do not swing out, it allows workers to remain closer to the compartment and access the interior of a vehicle when space is limited. The door can also remain open while other vehicles move around the space, as the door will not be at risk of causing an accident. If a roll-up door is accidentally left open while driving, it is not at risk of being clipped by another vehicle.
Additional Safety Features
In addition to the universal safety features that roll-up doors offer, other safety features can increase the security of the workplace. This includes motorized doors that allow workers to operate them remotely, manual or radio frequency locks, compartment lighting, and alarms that inform workers if the door has been accidentally left ajar or when it is closing.
Maintenance for Continued Safety
In order to ensure that a roll-up door is operating properly and safely, it’s important to perform routine maintenance . The tracks of the door should be kept clean and lubricated, especially if the workspace is particularly dusty or dirty. However, grease should be avoided, as the buildup may hinder the door’s operations. It is also important to clean the ends of the clips on every slat of the door. The exterior of the door should be washed with water at an angle so that the water does not penetrate the slat seals.
When properly maintained, commercial roll-up doors can offer safer and more energy-efficient workplace operations. For more information about installing a roll-up door in your workplace or any other door services, give Strike Doors, LLC a call at (800) 658-2839 today.
Maintenance Tips for Your Roll-up Door
Many businesses go through each day without giving any mind to their garage door. It’s not until the door begins to malfunction that they realize the important role it plays in the business’s safety and operations. In order to keep a roll-up door operating properly, follow these maintenance tips.
Staying Safe 
When performing maintenance on a roll-up door, it is critical to follow safety standards. This includes unplugging door openers and putting any controls away when not in use, preventing them from accidentally being activated. Remove tension from door springs when lift cables are being adjusted, as they can swing and cause injuries. One should also clamp locking pliers onto the roller tracks below the roller to prevent an open door from falling. Finally, only a professional door company should adjust overhead torsion springs, as releasing the tension on these springs can be extremely dangerous.
Preventative Maintenance
In general, it’s much easier to prevent problems than to repair them. Preventative maintenance inspections should be done at least once a month. This routine should start with a visual inspection of the hardware, accounting for any excessive rust or breakage in springs, hinges, fasteners, or roller wheels. One should also investigate how the door is operating, and if it seems to be moving too slowly, too quickly, or if it is uneven or bent. Any of these concerns should be addressed by a professional company.
Addressing Noisy Doors
For those who use their garage doors often or late at night, a very noisy door can be a major problem. Luckily, noisy doors are often caused by loose nuts, which can be easily fixed with a socket wrench. Keeping the door parts lubricated will also allow the door to operate with ease and less sound.
Addressing Opening and Closing Problems
A common problem that can arise with garage doors is that they do not fully open or close. While this may be a problem that requires professional services , it may also just be that the “close limit switch” on the garage opener needs to be adjusted. The location of this switch is usually found in the operator’s manual. Another common problem is that the garage door reverses before it closes. Often, this is due to the sensor believing there is something in its path. Be sure there are no obstructions and that the sensor is clean, as any spots on the sensor may be interpreted as an object in its way.
Although maintenance is important for the longevity of roll-up doors, having a quality commercial door installed from a trusted company will go a long way. For more information about installing a commercial roll-up or glass door, give Strike Doors, LLC a call at (800) 658-2839 today!
Open-Door Policy: Can Automatic Doors Save on Energy Consumption?
An open door is an open invitation—it screams “come on in!” That’s the message many retailers and service providers try to send by leaving their front doors open. But unfortunately, any gains from this policy are likely being lost in energy consumption thanks to our hot California summers and chilly winters. However, automatic doors still provide a relatively barrier-free entry in addition to long-term energy savings.
Automatic Doors and Energy Savings 
It doesn’t matter if the open door is an accident or an invitation for potential customers to come inside: when the HVAC system is running, warm or cool air from inside escapes, leading to increased energy consumption and higher heating or cooling costs. Automatic doors only open when triggered, of course, so there’s no risk of accidentally leaving them open. And although they do require power to operate, their tight, secure seals help conserve energy, according to the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM). Plus, many buildings have two sets of automatic doors separated by a small entrance room, which serves as an airlock to keep outdoor temperatures outside and indoor ones inside. Additionally, some models of automatic doors are powered by low-energy motors for even more savings.
Are Automatic Doors Really Worth It?
The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs wanted hard numbers to see if automatic doors really offered the savings they promised. To test the theory, researchers chose a pharmacy in Amsterdam as the test site and first measured energy consumption with a manual door, then with an automatic door. Energy consumption was assessed by reading the gas and electricity meters provided by each utility company. They concluded that the automatic doors offered 43 percent savings over manual doors, keeping unwanted air outside and preventing indoor air from escaping.
Earn Savings Without Losing Business
Perhaps the best part of the study? Researchers saw no effect on customer behavior after the switch from manual to automatic doors. The number of visitors stayed the same, and sales were not impacted.
If you’re ready to help your company benefit from the energy savings that come with an automatic door, Strike Doors, LLC can install one that looks inviting but offers the savings you’re looking for. Learn more about our products, then call us today at (800) 658-2839 for a quote!
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