As Canadian business owners, we are increasingly seeing the benefit in automatic door installation. Simplifying accessibility is vital to creating a welcoming ambiance in our towns and cities and traditional push doors are now being recognized as the barrier they are, preventing access by the elderly, disabled and even parents of young children who cannot use their hands effectively to hold open a heavy door while trying to enter.
The answer to this issue is, of course, automatic doors. Doors that use sensors to detect an approach and open by themselves, remaining open until the person has safely entered the building and then closing softly behind them. The trouble is, many business owners think that automatic doors are expensive, hard to maintain and insecure. This could not be further from the truth.
Challenging automatic door myths
1. Automatic doors are expensive.
While it is true that buying and installing an automatic door is an additional cost that would not be incurred by keeping the traditional door that is already fitted, automatic doors offer considerable long term savings that make them a wise investment.
Firstly, automatic doors can help your business to be environmentally responsible. As they cannot be left propped open and because they open and close by themselves, they can help to regulate indoor temperatures, reducing heat transfer and controlling your heating and cooling costs. They ease accessibility for people who would otherwise struggle to enter your business, and more footfall usually translates to increased customer spend. Finally, complying with Canada's accessibility laws by installing an automatic door reduces the risk of financial penalties whose value far outweighs the cost of installing an appropriate automatic door.
2. Automatic doors are hard to maintain.
A professional locksmith who focuses on automatic doors services will ensure that the door, tracks and accessories are correctly installed as well as recommend an appropriate maintenance schedule. Typically, the door should be inspected annually, and at this point, tracks will be greased, alignment checked and adjusted if necessary, and locks tested to ensure they are working smoothly. This annual service does not take long, keeps your warranty valid and is an inexpensive way of guaranteeing peace of mind.
As a business owner, there is little that you actually need to do yourself other than monitor the door and report any defects or issues to your locksmith so that they may be addressed before they develop into a bigger problem.
3. Automatic doors are insecure.
Automatic doors can be fail safe (remain open in the event of an emergency) or fail secure (automatically lock in the event of an emergency). They can also work in conjunction with a traditional key system or a biometric security system. It is also possible to incorporate them into an electronic access control system. Ultimately, there are numerous ways in which your automatic door can enhance security, and a provider of automatic doors services will be delighted to assist you in securing your premises while also enhancing accessibility.
Conclusion
Installing an automatic door can change everything for our businesses. It can improve the customer experience, increase your security and even bolster your cash flow. While you must be willing to commit to the up front expenditure and annual maintenance, the benefits will be long-lasting and numerous. If you are curious about installing automatic doors, please speak to Pro Locksmiths about our automatic doors services to find out more and to select the perfect automatic door for your business.