Generally speaking, automatic doors are the main preference of consumers. If you own a business with a decent amount of foot traffic, it’s a safe bet to invest in an automatic door system for the primary entry points. Here are some options to consider when choosing your automatic door system.

Automatic Sliding Doors

One of the more common types of automatic doors is the sliding option. These are best for two-way traffic where there’s no clearly defined exit or entrance designation. Options are either single sliders, bi-sliders or telescopic sliding doors which is basically a multi-leaf system where one panel slides on top of the next until the passage is completely open.

Automatic Swinging Doors

Used for directional or one way traffic, swinging doors can be single or double doors and may swing in or out. This is not the best option if you have limited space as you need to account for room for the doors when they’re fully open.

Automatic Folding Doors

If you need an option that takes up as little space as possible, folding doors are the best option for you. Either single or bi-folding, folding doors open and close with the motion of an accordion. These are also beneficial if you need to be cautious of what’s on either side of the door. Physician offices, hospitals and warehouses will generally choose this option.

Automatic Revolving Doors

Living in a cold climate like Boston, revolving doors can be huge energy savers. Since entrances are never fully open at any given time, a revolving door helps to save precious heat from escaping the building. They also allow large numbers of people to exit and enter simultaneously. The automatic variety can come in two wings, three wings, and four wings that are generally made of glass.

Additional Attributes of Automatic Doors

Automatic doors come with varying degrees of customization. For instance, the force with which the door opens and closes is adjustable. If you’d like a nice slow moving door or would rather have it move as quickly as safety permits, it’s up to you.

Keep in mind that regardless of the type of automatic door you purchase, it is necessary to have it equipped with handicap access. You’ll also want to be sure that all ADA requirements are met such as the ability to manually force the door to open and that you’re able to sync it with your commercial door security system.

Like any door, proper maintenance of commercial doors is necessary to keep them in good shape and to protect your investment. Be sure to comply with the manufacturer’s guidelines to keep your automatic door systems running smoothly. Have questions about repairing or installing commercial doors for your Boston business? Contact Kenny’s Lock today!

Fire doors are used in both residential and commercial buildings to ensure the people inside have a way to get out in case of a fire or other type of emergency.

To be termed a fire door, the door must be fireproof to help prevent a blaze from reaching other areas of the building and can be used as both an exterior or interior door. Determining the type of door you need is not immediately obvious—read on for general information regarding commercial fire doors.

Fire Door Basics

Fire doors are made to withstand different levels of fire. They can be certified for 20, 45, 60, 90 minutes or up to 3 hours based on how long they’re able to stave off the spread of smoke or fire. Fire doors may be made up of the following materials and must also be outfitted with smoke and gas seals.

• Gypsum Steel
• Timber
• Glass (only in some sections)
• Aluminum
• Vermiculite board

Interior Fire Doors

Fire doors used on the inside of a building operate much like any other door. People are able to go through them as they please without setting off alarms and they’re certified just like any other fire door. If an emergency were to occur, the doors should automatically close but not lock to allow people to move freely through the building to make their way outdoors. Interior doors don’t have to be unattractive. Many suppliers provide aesthetically pleasing looks that match building interiors perfectly without looking industrial. 

Exterior Fire Doors

Fire doors leading to the outside can be either for everyday use or only in case of emergency. Doors should be clearly marked indicating whether an alarm will sound if it should be opened. Generally, exterior fire doors which shouldn’t be accessed daily will be out of the way and are also used as an added form of security. 

Finding Information on Existing Fire Doors

Door and frame labels should be permanently affixed and provide information about the door. Information found on these labels includes:

• Manufacturer
• Timeframe the door is certified to resist fires
• Whether it’s a smoke assembly door
• If it requires fire exit hardware

The manufacturer’s number should also be included so contacting them with any questions should be simple. 

What fire rating do you require?

The type of fire door you need is up to building code mandates. International Building Code includes tables which can answer this question based on your specific needs and building information. Fire resistance requirements based on fire barriers, fire walls, and fire partitions may vary. 

What are temperature rise doors?

Temperature rise doors are meant to prevent heat from transferring from one side of the door to the other. This type of door is particularly of use when connected to a stairwell that would be used by occupants to exit the building. If the door were not a temperature rise door, anyone who bumped into it may be badly burned. As sprinkler systems are becoming a standard in commercial buildings, the need for this type of door has dropped. 

Fire doors are a necessity in any commercial building. Contact Kenny’s Lock to see how we can help you with your fire doors and locks.

Keeping your doors and locks in tip top shape means performing regular maintenance on them. Since a door is probably the one thing in every building that is used multiple times per day, they’re bound to need a little maintenance.

Commercial doors can come with a hefty price tag and so you want to keep them maintained. Just like your vehicle, if you neglect all the moving pieces they’re bound to bust. So, how do you take care of a door? 

How to Maintain Commercial Locks

Keep it lubricated

Just like the Tin Man, your doors need to be lubed up every now and then to keep components moving smoothly and to prevent damage. WD-40 is one tried and true method of lubrication, but it’s generally used for parts that are already grimy. Using a Teflon based lubricant on a regular basis will help keep your door swinging freely minus any friction. Try to create a regular cadence for this task. You don’t want to wait until the hinges on your doors are so dry that they could need premature replacement.

Clean the Strike

Have a door that doesn’t quite close all the way? You could be looking at a dirty strike. Many times debris like trash or dirt can get in there and clog it up preventing the strike from working properly. Leaving your strike in this condition for extended periods of time may cause damage due to the increased resistance from the door to latch and, not to mention, compromising your security. Read more about electric strike locks for your business in this post. 

Spot Check

You should be doing spot checks on all the doors on a regular basis. This means looking for loose screws or improperly functioning components. As an example, a door closer on commercial doors is one element that needs to be routinely checked. It has to be functioning just right to keep your building safe. If it’s closing too slowly you give people time to sneak in behind employees…too fast and you could be damaging the door with repeated slamming. Repairing commercial doors can be a pain so this should be on your priority list.

Appropriate Hardware

While we hope that you took this into consideration when initially choosing your doors and hardware https://kennyslock.com/types-of- commercial-locks , it’s not unheard of to realize your first choice wasn’t the best choice. If you notice that the doors seeing the most traffic in your home or building seem to be degrading at a quicker rate than you’d like, it’s likely you’ll need to invest in some higher grade hardware. If you recognize the need to upgrade you’ll likely need to utilize a rekeying or lock changing service especially if you’ve incorporated a master key system into your commercial space.

Due diligence pays off when it comes to regular door and lock maintenance. Set up reminders on your calendar to check them to avoid larger, more costly issues in the future. Need help with your commercial locks? Contact Kenny’s Lock and we’ll be happy to help!