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!
Site Launch
Our new website is finally up. We’ve worked hard to get a beautiful new site ready and we’re proud to show it off. Thanks for reading our blog. We have lots of great blog posts in the works. Please check back or contact us now to find out how we can help you.