Air Curtains at loading docks can increase savings and productivity!

Using air curtains help business owners to reduce dramatic temperature changes on their loading docks while increasing productivity.

Loading docks equate to hard work and long days filled with heavy, physical labor that can wear out the most fit and dedicated employees. Keeping your employees comfortable and team morale high during these coming winter months can be grueling but it is something that many employers strive to do. Warehouse and loading dock doors are often left open, increasing dramatic temperature changes and allowing insects and unwanted contaminants in. One of the best things loading dock employers can do to keep their employees comfortable and productive is add an air curtain – also referred to as an air door – to those large loading dock doors.

How does an air curtain work?

Air curtains offer businesses a unique way to gain control of air flow. When placed over a loading dock door, air curtains create a strong engineered stream of air that helps to create a seal or barrier between two different environments. This barrier seals in the inside air and prevents the outside air, as well as contaminants and insects, from entering.

The use of an air curtain offers many benefits to both employers, employees and customers. Air curtains have been around for many years but they are growing in popularity thanks to their cost affordability, the savings generated and the overall success of these products.

If you are considering going this route to improve working conditions and savings for your loading dock, consider these benefits:

Improve Hazardous Working Conditions

Cold weather often brings with it hazardous working conditions, including snow, sleet, ice and rain. These conditions can make loading docks a dangerous place to work if they are not properly maintained and managed. By installing a heated air curtain at loading dock doors, those areas will remain ice free and provide a safer transition as workers move from indoors to out. Heated air curtains can also help keep pipes from freezing when temperatures take a rapid fall.

Keep Employees Warm and Healthy

Fall and winter are not only the seasons for cooler weather, falling leaves and some of our favorite holidays, these seasons also bring on a lot of sickness; and we all know sickness means missed work days. As employees pass from indoors to the outdoors to load and unload materials, they are more susceptible to winter colds because colds tend to replicate in the cooler weather. By keeping the area as regulated as possible it will keep employees healthy, thus resulting in less sick days and steady production.

Keep Momentum Moving

Cold weather slows us all down and that is the last thing a busy loading dock needs. Adding a heated air curtain during these colder months will allow employees to keep the momentum moving in a productive manner by helping to regulate their body temperature and prevent them from getting too cold. When employees are comfortable, they will not lose time trying to warm up or, in the hotter months, cool down.

Unobstructed Flow

Loading docks can be dangerous places when proper care isn’t taken. The ability to move about while handling large loads is essential to maintaining good work flow as well as safety. Air curtains are added above doorways in a way that leaves the area free for traffic flow.

Save Energy

One of the greatest benefits for any business to add an air curtain is the added energy savings. Loading docks tend to have large bay doors that remain open during loading and unloading times, thus releasing large amounts of indoor air. This creates a battle of temperature control where the indoor air is released and the outdoor air enters and energy is kicked into high gear to maintain the desired temperature. Adding an air curtain will help keep you in control and will put the battle victory in your hands. The strong force of air put out by the air curtain will create a seal or barrier of sorts that will block the outside air from entering and will keep the inside air in, helping to maintain a steady temperature.

Choosing an air curtain for your loading dock doors can only offer positive results. You will want to make sure you are choosing the correct make, model and performance type to fit the door you will be servicing.

Are you ready to improve air quality, steady production through the winter months, and increase energy savings in your loading dock? Call today to speak to one of the experts at Air Door Distributors who is waiting to assist you in determining the appropriate air curtain for your loading dock doors.

For more information or for help selecting the ideal curtain for your business, call today at 866-402-1642 or please complete our contact form.