Is it time to replace my Industrial Door?

Industrial doors are designed to last for years of use, so you can get a good return on your original investment. But, for one reason or another, even industrial doors need changing every now and again. So when might it be time to consider door replacement?

To help you decide, start with our handy, free Door health checklist. This will give you a good indication if your door is getting past repair stage and is due for replacement. If your door scores below 40, it’s time to consider replacement and if it’s below 20, it’s almost certainly done it’s dash.

It’s the same with Industrial Doors as it is with virtually everything, people included. If you overwork and underpay them (which in Industrial Door terms means not looking after them and keeping them in good condition), they’ll become less effective.

As mentioned, rapid doors are designed for years of use. But, like anything else, they do get old. And with age can come problems of overuse. Tell-tale signs include the curtain popping out of the tracks a lot by itself, if the tracks or covers are twisted or bent, the motor moving a lot when the door is operating, unusual noises or electrical smells, and more.

When you find yourself regularly facing malfunctions, and need to get your door repaired more regularly than not, you are no longer enjoying the benefits of a reliably operating door. You’ll likely have the headaches of regular callouts, which brings with it downtime, air leakage and a loss of environmental control. Once is bad enough but if it’s on a regular basis, it’s probably time to switch it out for a new one.

Expensive repairs

In some cases, if your door gets damaged you might find that the repairs costs are as much, if not more, than getting a replacement door. This can be due to a number of factors, including the following:

In the case of a roller shutter or sectional door for example, with solid slats or panels over against a rapid door with a self-repairing PVC curtain, the cost to repair or replace damaged slats, wind-locks, springs, etc due to damage from forklifts and other vehicles, can be very expensive, and that’s not including downtime or production loss while the door is inoperable.

In saying that, if your rapid door curtain is damaged, for example if forklift forks go through the door and tear it, there can be a considerable cost associated with getting this repaired, which is mainly due to the time and labour involved.

The main factor in this however, is if your door has been installed for a number of years, replacement parts may not be as readily sourced and therefore could be very expensive (plus an old door is also a sign that your door is due for replacement anyway as it is likely no longer as effective as it could or should be).

Changing needs

Finally, if usage changes, you may need to replace your automatic door.

For plant operators who want to enhance the energy efficiency of their factories, you should consider replacing old industrial doors for newer ones. New industrial door models are designed in such a way that makes them highly energy-efficient, which will enable you to save considerable money on energy costs.

Your doors need to operate optimally for their desired function. So if one of your entrances has to become an escape route, you may have to consider a whole new door to ensure high safety standards. Or if you now need to regularly wash-down the area around the door. A lot of doors aren’t designed to cope with the often harsh, wash-down chemicals used, so you’ll want to make sure your doors are suited for this or replace them if necessary.

Equally, you might find that overall door condition or the appearance of your door no longer meet the standards or image of your building and it’s time for a change to meet your aesthetic expectations.

Ultimately, while we recommend keeping your doors well serviced to ensure a long and reliable lifetime, we also think it’s important to know when replacement parts are no longer the answer and it is time to replace your door system. This is so you can minimize the risk of accident or injury at your entrances and always enjoy reliable operations and great aesthetics. Furthermore, you are set to get more for your money with a new door in the long run anyway, as it will be updated with the latest features and technology advancements.

If you’d like a consultation to see what’s best in your situation, get in touch with our friendly and knowledgeable team today! Or in the meantime, feel free to find out more about our Preventative Maintenance program.