With the heat of summer upon us, it’s time for facility managers to yet again consider how to effectively balance productivity, energy efficiency and comfortable working conditions. While it’s important to revisit this issue at the onset of every new season, it’s also important to invest in upgrades that will your facility protected year round despite fluctuations in seasonal weather. Whether it be summer’s humid heat or cold winter winds, high-speed doors can help facility managers better control internal and external conditions in extreme shifts in temperature over the course of the year.
Regardless of the Season, High-Speed Doors:
- Save time, enhancing overall productivity
- Make your facility more energy efficient
- Create comfortable working conditions
- Require low maintenance repairs and fees
- Are suitable for many applications
1. A High-Speed Door Saves Time to Enhance Productivity
Standard commercial overhead doors are slow, with an average cycle time of around 40 seconds. Conversely, even upgrading to standard high-speed doors can lower the average cycle time to 13.3 seconds. And when you upgrade to a high-performance high-speed door, the number improves even more significantly to an average cycle time of 2.5 seconds.
Compared to a standard electrically-operated door, high speed doors are up to 10 times faster, moving at speeds of up to 100 inches per second. This difference of a few seconds may seem small, but when you consider the amount of open/close cycles facility doors complete on a given day, the difference becomes significant. And when you then think about the number of open/close cycles these doors perform over the course of multiple weeks and years, the benefits from a productivity standpoint grow exponentially.
The speed of these overhead doors is vital in high traffic facilities as they provide seamless entry through door openings, allowing workflow to progress without interruption. High-speed doors work so efficiently that workers don’t have to wait around for the cycle completion or feel like their work is being held up unnecessarily.
2. High-Speed Doors are Energy Efficient
Investing in doors with faster closing times is also a major benefit from an energy savings perspective. The longer these doors stay open per cycle, the more airflow can occur between the outdoors and the inside of a facility. In the summer, warmer air can rush in and cooler contained air can escape. In the winter, the exact opposite type of air flow becomes a constant problem. This unwanted air transfer can result in significant amounts of wasted energy.
Loading dock doors with slow opening and closing speeds can contribute to increased energy waste and higher heating bills. The reduced cycle times of high-speed doors can help facilities better contain the energy they produce to heat or cool the building. With the cost of energy as high as it is, energy efficiency should be top-of-mind for every facility, no matter the size.
3. High Speed Doors Create Comfortable Conditions for Workers
As we now know, doors that operate at an inadequate speed allow air to escape in greater volumes. In a facility with a high-traffic loading dock area, low speed doors can also make working conditions uncomfortable for workers. As cold or hot air rushes into the building for longer periods of time, employees are increasingly exposed to the elements.
Simply put, upgrading to a high speed door can help facilities regulate and control internal conditions more effectively. Employees that consistently work in these areas will be more comfortable and safe in an environment that is shielded from the harsh fluctuations of seasonal temperatures.
4. High-Speed Doors Have Low Maintenance and Few Repairs
Standard overhead doors generally require more repairs, which can potentially lead to time loss. Whereas a slower door can result in moderate time loss, a fully damaged or defective door could accumulate days of reduced productivity. In facilities that stick to tight schedules, these moments of down time can become increasingly detrimental.
Conversely, high-speed overhead doors are durable and require few repairs. When a facility takes proper care of its equipment and invests in proper preventative maintenance, a high-speed door can work seamlessly for many years after its initial installation.
Even when minor accidents do occur, such as when the door is struck by a forklift, the high-speed door can sustain damage due to its specially engineered and designed break away feature. When impacted, you can simply reset them (without placing a service call) and restore the door to proper operation within seconds.
While the upfront cost of a high-speed door is higher than that of its traditional counterpart, the high-speed overhead door will pay out for years to come, making it well worth the investment in the short term.
5. High-Speed Doors Are Suitable for Many Applications
Lenworth supplies high-speed doors for both interior and exterior applications. There are heavy-duty, weather-resistant doors that can perform in all manner of harsh conditions as well as quieter interior doors that are specifically designed for areas where safety and sanitation are crucial concerns.
For high-volume facilities that constantly move products in and out, a high-performance high-speed door design can provide even greater efficiency and less downtime no matter the external conditions. There are also standard performance high-speed doors that are ideal for lower-volume facilities.
With a wide array of models to choose from, it’s important for facility managers to understand designs that will work best for their needs. Lenworth’s team of high-speed door specialists provide free consultations that can streamline this process.
Book a High-Speed Door Consultation With Lenworth Today
High-speed overhead doors are an excellent option for facility managers who are looking to improve operational and energy efficiency to protect from year-round weather. However, when it comes to installing high-speed doors, it’s important to deal with highly-trained professionals. For investments of this magnitude, facility managers should feel confident that they are getting the best product and the best service.
We understand the importance of servicing each facility according to its unique demands. Our highly-trained specialists will work with facility managers at every stage of the process, from planning and consideration to purchasing and installation. We work tirelessly to ensure that our customers get the most out of their transition to high-speed overhead doors.
Book a free high-speed overhead door consultation with Lenworth today and find out how committed we are to doing things right, every time.
Book Your Free High-Speed Door Consultation With Lenworth Today >>
