Equipment and materials are specified and installed, and a new building is constructed. In many cases, however, the architect or contractor does not know the door application details during the design phase. The owner/tenant moves into the facility only to discover that the conventional roll-up doors there are too slow and unsuitable for the actual types of traffic and conditions that exist in their everyday operations. Another common scenario exists on older buildings where the existing roll-up doors are outdated, creating a maintenance nightmare for a new owner or tenant. In either case, a need exists for retrofit doors that are fast moving, designed for low maintenance, and are selected based upon specific application requirements.
High speed roll-up doors, also known as high-performance doors, are an ideal replacement for interior or exterior conventional overhead roll-up doors and outdated sectional doors where there is a lot of motorized traffic and energy or environmental control is a must, said Flexon, Inc.
Here are some tips from Flexon for completing a successful door retrofit project:
Locate a local door dealer experienced in applying, installing and servicing high-performance, high-speed roll-up doors. An experienced door company can assist with doing a survey of the current application considering: location of doorway; types of traffic, i.e., forklifts, pallets, pedestrians; types of loads, i.e., loose, wrapped, etc.; temperature on both sides of the doorway; need for environmental separation; amount of air pressure in the area; and much more. In addition, an energy loss analysis may be performed for exterior doorways to determine the amount of energy savings and time it will take to pay for the door investment, when comparing installing a high-speed roll-up door versus a conventional overhead door.
Select a high performance door that will provide the best bang for the buck in the long run. The least expensive door is not always the best choice. Most people understand the importance of, and have the desire for, a high-speed roll-up door that is designed for simplicity and minimal maintenance. Low maintenance high performance roll-up doors may have direct-drive motors and low-profile side tracks. This type of design will deliver minimal overall maintenance costs and very little downtime. Also consider door warranties and features that promote safety of personnel, such as door safety edges, photo eyes, and warning signs.
To avoid outgrowing your new door, consider future needs of company operations. This is especially important if you own the building where the door is being installed. Will new types of vehicles be used in that area in the near future? Will other types of materials be moved through the area? Will the environment or temperature change because of a change in company production?
Careful consideration of existing and future door applications will guarantee a successful door retrofit project that will ensure safe, energy efficient door systems now and for many years to come, Flexon said.
For more information contact:
Alice M. Permigiani
Flexon, Inc.
Buncher Industrial Park
Avenue C, Building 20A
Leetsdale, PA 15056-1376
800-365-3667 ext. 323
724-899-2481
Fax: 724-899-2419
E-mail: amp@flexoninc.com