Date:11/10/2010
When Closing the Dock Door Isn’t Enough
If a goal of yours is to minimize your energy bills and the risk of product contamination, then don’t be fooled by a closed dock door. The dock door area can be the #1 source of your issues and deserves a closer look.
There are five main factors to consider:
1 – Both sides of the doorway
2 – Bottom of the doorway
3 – Top of the doorway
4 – The doorway to truck connection
5 – The door itself
THE BEST SOLUTIONS
Sides of doorway. To have a truly sealed dock doorway, the best choice is an impactable knock-out dock door. Dock doors are subject to forklift collisions which can damage the dock seal or puncture a door. But these impactable doors are engineered to break-away and reset in a matter of seconds. The result is an undamaged door and a door seal that retains its integrity.
Bottom of doorway. Standard pit-mounted dock levelers present a sealing issue due to the concrete pit cut into the dock floor. Pit sealing kits are available to provide a durable seal to eliminate mass air flow between the floor and leveler. Alternatively, vertical dock levelers store upright allowing the bottom door seal to work most effectively against the uncut concrete floor.
Top of doorway. Moisture from external elements or trailers can be another source of contamination. Dock seals and shelters can be combined with rain-sealing systems to wife off moisture from the roof of backing trailers.
Doorway to truck connection. By far the largest challenge in managing contamination and leaks occurs during the loading and unloading activities. Dock seals and shelters envelope the top and sides of the trailer, creating an energy and contaminant seal. However, as these products bear the brunt of trailer impact, routine inspection of them is crucial for cracks and excessive wear. Additionally, vehicle restraints are also part of the package in sealing off the doorway are work much better than wheel chocks in this regard. Restricting horizontal trailer movement allows your seals and shelters to work most effectively.
The door itself. Do you know the cycle rating of your dock doors? For example, a door spring rated for 1000 cycles will reach its effective limit in less than 2 years if you open and close it an average of 3 times a work day. The result can be a major door breakdown — a contamination and energy loss disaster if you can’t shut the door. The proactive solution is to install a properly rated overhead door for your heaviest trafficked docks before the disaster hits.
As too many customers of ours have belatedly realized, food contamination, insect & rodent infestation, and energy loss can be proactively managed and cost much less than a product recall or inspector’s fine.
McKinley’s loading dock experts will provide you with a free assessment of your dock door region to determine how to best manage contamination and leak issues in your facility. Please contact us to set an appointment today.