Style and function are likely two primary considerations when purchasing a garage door for your home. When buying a commercial garage door, those considerations must be expanded. If you’re a typical homeowner, you open and close your garage door a couple of times per day. Over the course of a year, this might equate to about 750 occasions. Research suggests that the average commercial garage door will be opened and closed as often as 25 or more times per day, which could amount to a staggering 10 thousand actions per year.
It stands to reason that a commercial garage door must, therefore, be designed and built to withstand this abuse. The door must be stronger and far more durable than its domestic counterpart. Before you purchase a commercial garage door, here are a few tips to consider.
First, how do you plan to operate the door? A manual door saves you the expense of an overhead opener, but can quickly become wearisome for you and your team members. And manual doors can lead to back, shoulder, arm and hand strain or injuries. You may opt for an opener, but you must factor in the size and weight of the door and the fact the opener could be opening and closing the door up to 10 thousand times in a year. Your professional door technician will help you make the right decision by providing a variety of options.
Second, what features do you have in mind? Some doors are solid while others have windows to allow natural light inside. Others still are entirely transparent or translucent. And with our harsh Alberta winters, you’ll want to consider the R-Rating or insulation factor of the door. A poorly insulated door will allow heat loss and result in higher energy costs.
Third, can the door be adequately secured? Security is a concern for both home and business owners. When you’re done for the day, you want to make sure your door is secure, preventing unwanted access to your products and inventory. If you’re a repair shop, you don’t want criminals walking off with expensive tools or causing damage to customer’s vehicles.
Fourth, will you need a pin pad or garage door remote? If you have an overhead garage door opener, do you want team members to use an access code to open and close the door from outside the building? Understandably, many business owners choose to eliminate pin pads and remotes and allow access to the business only through a standard entry door.
Fifth, what style of door do you prefer? Most commercial overhead doors move up and down on a track, similar to the garage door in your home. If space is tight, another viable option is a bi-fold door. Bi-fold doors swing up and out, folding horizontally with no loss of clearance. Again, your door professional will help you make the right choice for your situation.
Call us now at (403) 783-2454. We’ll provide you with all the advice and information you need to make the right commercial garage door decision. We can also provide you with a free, no-obligation quote on that new door and opener. Follow the links on our webpage to gain more information. Doors on Demand – serving all of Alberta!