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High Speed Doors: Saving Energy and Money

Posted On: June 18, 2015 in Commercial Doors

High-speed doors are a relatively new product in the field of warehouse doors, but their benefits are well established. In 2015, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) formally recognized the efficiency benefits of high-speed doors.

As their name implies, high-speed doors are designed for quick opening and closing cycles. In contrast to traditional overhead doors which employ rigid panels, high-speed doors often use flexible polymer membranes to seal the passageway. While high-speed doors don’t typically offer the same insulation performance of conventional doors, the polymer membranes allow for very fast door cycle times that rigid doors cannot match.

With high-speed doors, door speeds up to 60 inches per second are possible. These door speeds offer significant time savings compared to traditional powered overhead doors that typically travel at eight inches per second. The higher velocity of high-speed doors provides two major benefits.

Reduced Air Loss

Hörmann Flexon high-speed doors.
Hörmann Flexon high-speed doors.

A major benefit of high-speed doors is their ability to minimize air exchange—the air flowing through an opening when a door is not fully closed. Air exchange heat loss/gain is the main determinant of energy loss through an active door way. While high-speed doors offer a slightly lower insulation value than traditional doors, energy loss through closed doors is minimal compared to energy loss through the passageway of open doors. According to research commissioned by the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association, high-speed doors offer optimal energy savings on doors that are cycled more than 75 times per day.

Improved Productivity

Spend some time watching traffic flows through your existing warehouse doors. The time operators spend waiting for the doors to open and close is wasted time. Multiply these small delays by the number of times they occur in a day and you will likely discover a hidden productivity killer. The rapid opening and closing times with high-speed doors reduce wait times, improve traffic flow and increase worker productivity.

McKinley is proud to offer a selection of high-speed doors for both external and internal passageways. Contact McKinley today to learn how high speed doors can improve your operations.