Are you hoping to complete a construction or renovation for your company? Did you know that adding garage doors can elevate your business’s value?
Maybe you want to add doors, or maybe you want to expand or redecorate your business. No matter your wants, you should keep these essential elements in mind when it comes to buying commercial door operators.
Read on to learn some of the most important aspects to keep in mind when it comes to commercial door operators. Hopefully, our information will help make your choice easy and painless.
Like these kinds of trolley door operators? This is the MT garage door opener model.
Commercial garage doors vs. residential garage doors
You may not be aware of it, but there is a large difference between residential garage doors (those that you typically have at your home) and commercial doors (those that you might have at a business). One of the main differences is that residential garage doors tend to prioritize looks over function, and as such, they use different materials and designs than industrial versions.
Garage door size and weight
Another change between residential doors and commercial ones is that they’re heavier and larger than their counterpart. The reason for this is that commercial doors end up opening and closing more times throughout the day for the loading and unloading of supplies—their loads are heavier and as such, they must be made out of materials that can hand more wear and tear.
Garage door daily cycles
As stated above, a commercial door will open and close many more times a day than a residential one; this is called the operation cycle. Picture a residential garage door. You’re likely to open that twice a day at maximum (or only 730 times a year). However, if you were to compare that to a loading dock door—which can see movement all day long—the difference in usage is astronomical.
At a distribution center, there is far more activity that happens. Continuing this comparison, a commercial door might open and close up to 50 times a day (or 18,250 a year), which is loads more traffic than your house is likely to see. Because commercial doors see so much more action, one of the considerations you must also keep in mind is how much power it takes to use this item and how to be energy efficient when doing so.
What about the horsepower of a garage door?
The size of the commercial door will determine how much horsepower is required to operate it. Having said that, because commercial doors see so much use on a day-to-day basis, the operators for these commercial doors are typically more powerful than their residential counterparts.
Here are some blue loading dock garage doors. These garage doors are the G-1000 design, 8’ x 8’, Heron Blue by Garaga.
Commercial door operator types
To put it simply, there are two main categories of electric door operators: the trolley type and the jackshaft type, and the major difference between the two is where they are placed within your building.
- Trolley
The trolley type of commercial door operator hangs from the ceiling (usually centered with the door) and is connected to a rail which has a trolley attached to it. When activated, this trolley will move along the rail and lift the door. This type of operator is typically found in conjunction with standard lift doors because it opens and closes the door horizontally.
- Jackshaft
The jackshaft type of commercial door operator is also known as a wall-mounted operator—this one is installed beside the door. This operator uses rotational force and a torsion bar to move the door up and down. Because its movements are so versatile, it can be used with all types of door movements.
You want to know more about these garage door operators? This is the GH (on the left) and the jackshaft LJ8900W garage door opener model (on the right).
Now that you understand more about the features and mechanisms connected to them, it’s time to explore more models of garage door operators from LiftMaster. Knowing more about these models will help you determine which is the right choice for you.
What are your business needs?
Before you start purchasing parts, ask yourself a few questions. What will you use the door for? How important is how it is constructed? How much money do you have to spend? Do you want more than one door? Knowing the answers to these sorts of critical questions will help you decide which type of door operator is best for your business.
An important factor to consider is what sort of company or industry are you working in, and what are said industry’s requirements? What type of work you do, how your building is constructed, and how much traffic you’re expecting to see on your site are important determinants you need to keep in mind.
Of course, don’t forget your budget, but do realize that being too strict with your budget might lead to additional costs down the road. Efficient garage door operators can play a significant difference in your daily operations, so make sure to get the best quality equipment.
Apartment? Condo?
Be aware of how many units you have and from there, determine how many cycles your garage door is going to do. Think of it this way: if you have one door and 200 occupants who only leave and return once a day, that’s still approximately 400 times a day that your garage will be operating.
SIDE NOTE: Keep in mind that the operation cycle will have a large impact on how much horsepower you will need to operate your door.
Other additions to consider are timer-to-close features and pneumatic reversing sensing edge s. The first will close the garage door after a certain amount of time with no activity and the later will use a sensor to force the door quickly upward if it touches an object.
Car dealership or municipal garage
If you work in this type of industry, you should be researching jackshaft operators. These operators are recommended for these business types because they allow for an unobstructed ceiling area and a large amount of storage space. Also, if you’re working in this industry, you should consider these additional functions:
- A loop detector (which is typically installed before paving the floor) will sense when vehicles get near and automatically open the door to let them in.
- A mid-stop will prevent your door from opening fully, which can increase your ventilation or help with temperature regulation.
Car washes
Every car wash is different. However, when it comes to this industry, there are some things that are similar between them all. Many car washes have doors that work to increase security and provide insulation, but they also have garage door operators that are water-resistant to prevent excessive humidity, which can interfere with electronics.
At the same time, realize that how your building is constructed and where your building is located might also impact which operator you choose. For instance, a powerful operator might be a smart choice to reduce noise or control traffic flow at your car wash.
Before you make any final decisions, make sure to research your building materials and environment to make sure you know what you’ll need. Knowing this information beforehand will help you find a suitable operator and suitable accessories for your specific desires!
Fire stations
Did you know that fire stations typically have doors made of glass? This is to give the firefighters better visibility when it comes to leaving the station in a hurry.
This full view door is a G-4400 design, 14’ x 16’, Anodized extrusion.
Because seconds can be the difference between life and death when it comes to firefights, there are very specific requirements that must be followed when it comes to designing a fire station. In case of an emergency, firefighters must be on duty rapidly, and the construction of fire stations reflects that.
In this blog from FireRescue1—a network that helps the firefighter community—LiftMaster’s smart garage door operators are upheld as a critical component that can make an essential difference in firefighters' day-to-day work.
According to this article, you might want to choose a powerful operator to secure:
- safety of personnel and equipment
- protection against theft and vandalism
Another addition to consider is that of a control panel. When firefighters install this on the wall, they can open all their garage doors at the same time with the push of a singular button, which can help immensely when it comes to responding to an emergency call.
Commercial buildings and warehouses
Again, make sure you’re aware of your company’s needs before you buy a garage door operator. Have a good idea how much product you’ll be storing and the size of your shipping loads before you make a decision. Knowing this information will help determine how many garage doors you need, and which operator will service your needs in the best way possible.
There are many factors to consider, which is why we recommend that you get in touch with a specialist who will help you make the right choice for your business.
Want to know more about commercial doors and garage door operators?
Many technical terms are used when it comes to garage doors and their openers, and it may be difficult to know what information is important and what is not. Hopefully, our relevant tips and definitions will assist you in your search and will help you recognize the differences between the different models.
No matter your reasoning for needing new operators—replacement or a new installation—we are more than happy to help you out. Additionally, we have a myriad of commercial doors for every type of industry, so we’ll be able to help you find your best fit.
We also have an image gallery filled with pictures from real projects. Don’t hesitate to ask for a expert’s opinion when it comes to answering all of your questions and guiding you through your decision-making process!
Contact us at 508-668-9393 or visit us in person so we can discuss your project. Based on your needs, we will evaluate your needs, find the best products for your idea, and even send you a quotation by email!
This is the GT garage door opener model, a heavy industrial-duty trolley door operator.
How about garage door opener installation?
Have you settled on electric garage door operators you will need? Great! Now, it’s time to install them! Our certified garage door experts will do the installation and they come equipped with the proper equipment and experience to guarantee you a functional garage door at the end of the visit!
Also, installing these operators can be tricky if you’re not used to it. Your safety matters to us. Allow one of our technicians at Norwood Door Systems to install your operators; they will also install your garage outlets and run the wiring.
IMPORTANT! All LiftMaster industrial doors come with a standard security system that should help keep you safe and prevent injuries. Look at the different systems we offer when your operator arrives to learn more about how you will use them.
Add new comment