At Air Door Distributors we get lots of questions regarding the application of air curtains for both commercial and residential properties. This is part two of our FAQ series, designed to help answer common questions and concerns people have about air curtains and air doors.

1. How do air curtains act as insect control?

As a restaurant owner, you know how disgusting flies are and what’s even worse is when your patrons know that too. They’ll want to just come in and then exit quickly. Many owners think of the easy way out and they just put up a nice sconce that has a light in it to actually attract flies to get caught on the glue board. That’s great, but an air curtain on the back door or a patio door or even on your front door and drive up window is going to stop flies coming in in the first place. Why would you want to attract flies to come in your place and hope they find a way out on that light board? What you want to do is you want to stop them from coming in the first place. Air curtains are a wonderful benefit to any business. Not only is it going to stop insects coming in, but it’s going to provide temperature separation and you’ll end up spending less on your energy heating and cooling costs.

Here’s why you need to prevent flying insects from residing in your restaurant.

2. How can air curtains help in warehouses?

Say you have a loading dock area that is 20 feet wide by 30 feet high. A lot of people ask whether they should go with an unheated unit or a heated unit. My answer is always are there employees working in and around that area? If there are, you want to invest in your employees and get a heated unit. A heated unit is going to provide a secondary heat source so that your employees are comfortable and warm. And when you treat your employees well, they outperform for you and give back to you.

The negative part of an air curtain on an unheated side is when that airflow comes down, you’re moving air. And when you move air across your skin, it’s called the wind show effect. So although you’re getting the wonderful benefits of an air curtain separating indoor air from outdoor air, you might be actually making your employees cold. So what you want to do is you want to consider putting a little bit of heat in that air curtain so you’re providing a secondary heat source for the employees.

Considering purchasing an air curtain for your business but not sure which one fits your needs? Check out our purchasing criteria guide and find the perfect solution for your company.

3. How can air curtains help restaurants with draft control?

As a restaurant owner, many of you have experienced this, where you’re in a cold climate, it’s the dead of winter, and when that front door opens cold drafts of air come in. A lot of restaurant owners, that front door opens right into the dining room and you’ve got a nice table right by that door. Many times your patrons don’t want to sit at that table, they want to be moved back so they don’t feel those cold drafts coming in. To make more money for you, not only is an air curtain beneficial to your business for energy savings, but it also provides a secondary heat source at that door. Where you can sit your clients in front of that table, they’re not going to be experiencing cold drafts, and you can turn that table more and make more money for yourself.

At Air Door Distributors, we have over 20 years of experience helping our customers find the best air curtain for their business. You can consult our professionals at 866-402-1642 or by filling out our online contact form now to determine the type and model of air curtain that is best for you.

 

At Air Door Distributors we get lots of questions regarding the application of air curtains for both commercial and residential properties. We created this series to help answer some of these commonly asked questions. To learn more read on below.

1. Are air curtains loud?

We often get asked “Are air curtains loud and offensive?” That’s a two-part question because, or a two-part answer, because in order for insect control, you do have to move quite a bit of air. It’s just simple physics. You have a vector coming down and a fly coming this way, the vector down has to be stronger than the fly to deflect it away. So in the case of insect control, there is a perception that air curtains are loud, but typically they can be mounted outside, usually back at a kitchen door near a dumpster. So noise is not really a concern. But if the air curtain is being used for temperature separation, we can go with a low-profile unit that is extremely quiet and a gentle flow of air, and it will not mess up your hair as you’re coming through the door. Looking for the quietest solution possible? The Quiet Pro Series (QP10) comes in both unheated and heated options.

Want to learn more about the noise level of air curtains? Check out this article.

2. Vestibules vs Air Curtains?

People frequently come to us with questions and concerns on how to meet current energy codes. One of the biggest energy codes that you’d have to look up in your own state is the IECC code for vestibules. Now states are adopting businesses to have full-on vestibules that could cost you between $25,000 or upwards to $50,000. A vestibule is an interlocking system between two doors that help keep the mixing of indoor air from outdoor air. While an air curtain meets those codes and exceeds them, they’re actually more efficient and would cost you a fraction of that between a thousand dollars and $5,000 depending on what configuration you get. Overall, air curtains are a much better plan for your business to save you energy and time and not waste extra space that you may need in either your restaurant or your office with a big vestibule. Read more about why air curtains are a better solution than vestibules.

3. Can air curtains be used for residential purposes?

Many of you know air curtains and air doors are used for commercial buildings such as restaurants, office buildings, warehouses, et cetera. But did you know air curtains are used for residential? You may ask how or why. Many of us have beautiful backyards pools and decks that have access through either a patio door or a sliding glass door. By using an air curtain, you can stop those pesky flies, mosquitoes, gnats from coming inside, but also separating indoor air from outdoor air. So in other words, you can leave your patio doors open, run your air conditioning, and save all that money because all that AC is not going outside and you’re keeping the insects out. So call us today so you can get personalized service and we can pick the right unit for your application.

4. I don’t like the look of air curtains? What is the best solution for my business?

One of our biggest questions is they don’t like the look of an air curtain. And most of the time we can blend colors to the theme of the restaurant or building. But there are units out there that actually fit up into a cavity above the ceiling, which is called the recessed curtain. So you actually get all the wonderful benefits on air curtain, but you never see it.

At Air Door Distributors, we have over 20 years of experience helping our customers find the best air curtain for their business. You can consult our professionals at 866-402-1642 or by filling out our online contact form now to determine the type and model of air curtain that is best for you.

Air curtains are one of the hottest trends in home improvement. There are a number of benefits that air curtains have. Homeowners should be taking advantage of them and improving the value of your home as well as saving you money and headaches. It can be intimidating to even know where to start when looking for an air curtain. 

The experts at Air Door Distributors can walk you through exactly where you should install an air curtain in your home. They can also answer any questions about what type of air curtain you should use for your specific needs. 

It might be useful to understand how an air curtain functions before jumping into the exact benefits. 

How it Works

Air curtains are installed above openings in buildings. For commercial buildings that can range anywhere from a walk-in freezer to a garage door. But for your home, you will most likely be installing an air curtain above a large window or door. Once the air curtain is properly installed and hooked up it can begin to work for your home’s benefit. 

There is a sensor that will trigger the air curtain to turn on whenever the door or window is opened. When that happens, the air curtain will pull air from around it and accelerate the air rapidly via a fan unit. The accelerated air will then shoot downwards or at a slight angle out of the air curtain. This will create a wall of air that will keep the environment in your home more stable. 

Now that we understand how air curtains function, let’s jump into all the potential benefits your home can take advantage of. 

Air Curtain Benefits

Benefit 1: Keeping the Flying Insects Out

Everyone wants to enjoy those summer breezes in the night and let the sunshine in during the day. The issue is with keeping those doors and windows open during the summer is insects. If your home has a door or window open all the time, insects will take interpret that as an open invitation to come right into your home. An air curtain is a perfect solution to this problem. 

During a family gathering or party, your doors will be constantly opening and closing. Insects can ruin the food by crawling all over it. The air curtain will stop the insects from infiltrating your home and ruining your day. The force of the wind will send insects flying away from the openings in your home. Your guests will be so grateful that you had an air curtain installed. 

Keeping flying insects out of your house is not the only benefit your house will get out of an air curtain. Energy costs can be significantly reduced if an air curtain is installed in the right place in your home. 

Benefit 2: Energy Savings

Air curtains are fantastic at reducing energy costs for homes. If you live in a warm-weather climate, such as Florida or Arizona, you know that you can spend several hundred dollars a month trying to cool down your home in the summer months. An air curtain can drastically change all of that. 

The cold air escaping your house will meet the wall of air that the air curtain shoots out. This will help prevent the cold air from escaping your house. For those cold winter months, there are actually heated air curtains that will keep your home warm and toasty. Instead of a normal air curtain, the heated air curtain has a gas burner that heats up the air before it exits the air curtain. I’m sure there were many homeowners in the Northeast who wished they had an air curtain during the Polar Vortex. An air curtain could have saved a lot of headaches and money for homeowners had they installed an air curtain. 

Air curtains for residential homes can be as little as $200, depending on how large the opening is. After installation fees, your home will certainly see a return on investment in as little as one year. After a few years your investment will have saved you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. 

Benefit 3: Prevent Dust from Entering Your Home

>Many times we leave patio sliding doors open during summer months with the hustle and bustle of kids, dogs, and family members constantly in and out bringing in dust. Air Curtains create a flow of continuous air keeping dust from even entering those large patio openings creating a cleaner environment.

Benefit 4: Prevent Fumes from entering your home.

While leaving patio doors open, we experience annoying fumes from neighbors burning vegetation, cigarettes, and smoky bar-b-ques. Using an air door will stop the infiltration of fumes keeping your home fume free.

Benefit 5: Stop odors from entering your home.

Many times we cannot control the outdoor odors that are emitted into the air by neighbors or our environment. Air Curtains can reduce odors from entering your home with a gentle flow of air over your patio doors.

Benefit 6: Prevent obstructed view and passageway to the outside.

More and More we are seeing homeowners open up their homes to the outside with nanowalls, large patio sliding doors, french doors, and standard sliding doors. If you like to entertain or simply like to have an obstructed view and passageway to the outside, air curtains provide a great way to create this effect while creating an invisible barrier to the outside. Not only does it create more safety, it so efficient!

Benefit 7: Obtain LEED Points towards a net-zero home

We continue to hear about green energy and become “net zero”, air curtains create a seamless gentle quiet flow of air over your patio doors saving huge amounts of energy loss making them a green product. Air curtains/air doors are highly engineered and revered by many in the heating & cooling industry. Be a leader in energy conversation inside your own home!

Call or email Air Door Distributors to find the perfect air curtain for your home. Air Door Distributors has a huge selection of air curtains that will meet any household’s needs. We can talk you through the process and find an air curtain that will save you energy and keep insects on the outside where they belong.

The International Green Construction Code and the International Energy Conservation Code are two of the most important codes that architects and engineers follow when constructing a new commercial building. Following the codes and remaining on budget is becoming more difficult as the codes require more energy efficiency and green initiatives. 

Air curtains can help architects meet both the rigorous IGCC and IECC. There are a number of benefits that air curtains provide. From energy efficiency to cost savings, business owners can easily take advantage of air curtains. Air Door Distributors is well versed in both the IGCC and IECC. Reading through a textbook of code can be intimidating, but we know exactly where to go and what to look for. The IGCC and IECC are rapidly changing as they have acknowledged how effective air curtains can be. 

Air curtains are beginning to rapidly replace one of the staples of modern commercial building design, the vestibule. 

Air Curtains Replace Vestibules

Air Curtains are now a viable substitute to vestibules. What are vestibules you ask? A vestibule is a small foyer or space that leads into a larger space in a commercial building. You would recognize a vestibule as lobby, entrance hall, passage, and several other terms. Vestibules are required in buildings that are greater than or equal to 3,000 square feet. 

The vestibule rule was implemented decades ago and at the time it made perfect sense. Engineers were looking for a way to cut down on energy costs in large commercial buildings. Vestibules created an ‘air lock’ when the first door closed and the second door into the building could be opened. This method provided the least amount of heat transfer between the inside of the building and the outdoor environment. 

For many years that was the best solution but as automatic doors and sensors improved rapidly, the effectiveness of the vestibule was compromised. Air could easily flow from the outside and past both sets of automatic doors. Air curtains are the solution to this problem. An air curtain shoots a steady force of air downwards or at an angle to keep the outside air out of the building. This is exactly why codes all over the world, such as the IGCC and IECC, are choosing air curtains to replace vestibules.

IGCC & IECC Codes

The IGCC was the first code to adopt air curtains as a viable replacement for vestibules back in 2012. They were well ahead of the curve compared to other codes such as the IECC. The IECC did not implement air curtains into their code until 2015. 

The latest code that has recommended air curtains as a replacement for vestibule is the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019. ASHRAE updated their code in 2019 to reflect this new recommendation. The reason ASHRAE was so far behind the other codes is that they required more research even though it has been clear for sometime that air curtains can replace vestibules. It took eight years of research and presentations to convince ASHRAE to change their code to the modern standard. 

Contractors and architects will be willing to use air curtains in real-world designs as substitutes for vestibules as more codes have recommended the use of air curtains. There is no longer inconsistent language in the code that would confuse potential air curtain users. 

Air Curtain Benefits

This is great news for business owners and architects. Air curtains are a much more affordable investment than vestibules. An air curtain costs between $500 and $8,000, while vestibules will cost $20,000 and $80,000. Plus, vestibules are more or less dead space in your building. They are rarely utilized to their full potential. Vestibules are much more costly to maintain as well.  

Going forward this will allow architects to push their commercial building designs to new heights as well as maximize the commercial land. Building owners can also retrofit their buildings with air curtains and utilize their vestibules for other purposes. The benefits of air curtains are too vast to ignore. IGCC and IECC compliance can easily be attained with an air curtain. 

Developers and architects will reap the benefits of air curtains for years to come. Air Door Distributors are experts at navigating the complexities of the IGCC and the IECC. 

Call or email Air Door Distributors to learn more about how air curtains can greatly improve your building and follow strict codes.

There are many different measurements by which one can decide the effectiveness of an air curtain. Business owners end up purchasing air curtains for several different reasons depending on their issues and the industry they are operating in. An air curtain can be very effective for your business. One of the first questions you have to ask is which air curtain attribute are you trying to measure? 

Air Curtain’s Many Talents

There are many studies that showcase how effective air curtains are at a number of tasks. Air curtains are fantastic at controlling indoor temperatures, keeping out dust, saving energy, and potentially even controlling fires. The possibilities for air curtains are vast for business owners for tasks they may have not previously considered. 

Air Door Distributors is well versed in all of any air curtain’s abilities. From installing a complicated air curtain above an automated garage door to improving the performance of a warehouse HVAC system, Air Door Distributors knows exactly which air curtain to use in each situation. 

Effective at Batting Away Flying Insects

Ever walk into the popular Mexican fast casual restaurant Chipotle? You will instantly notice a rush of warm air blasting directly on top of your head. No, that is not the air flow from all of the food being prepared. It is an air curtain that is keeping flying insects on the outside and away from your freshly cooked food. Next time you walk into a Chipotle, make sure you give the air curtain some love on your way out. 

Restaurants all over the United States have begun using air curtains as a way to flying insects. The powerful blast from an air curtain is a proven method to keep nasty insects out of your food establishment. Restaurants are not the only industry taking interest in air curtains. Theme parks are slowly catching on to air curtains and how they can play a part in their long-term success. 

Theme Park Temperature Control

Temperature control plays a large part in why many customers purchase air curtains. A South Carolina theme park was struggling to keep regulate indoor temperature down during the peak summer months when attendance and temperature were at their highest. The indoor arcade and virtual reality areas were particularly affected by the summer heat. The automatic doors to the outside were opened about 60 times each hour. 

Anyone can see that the air conditioners had no chance of keeping the indoor area at a reasonable temperature. The average indoor temperature was 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Many park guests thought that the air conditioners were broken, but they were functioning just fine. Imagine spending thousands of dollars on attempting to keep an area cool, but failing miserably and your customers thinking you are too cheap to fix the AC.

The theme park eventually found that air curtains were the perfect solution that they were looking for. Air curtains were installed on the three sets of automatic doors as well as a delivery opening in the kitchen. The indoor temperature now sits between 70 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit year round since the air curtains have been active. That is not the only benefit that the theme park has enjoyed from air curtains. 

One incredibly interesting outcome was that the indoor arcade helped increase the theme park’s sales by more than 20% from the previous year. Park goers were spending more time (and money) in the arcade area because it was comfortable to be inside. Couple that with the fact that it was summer and you have a recipe for a profitable theme park.

The theme park actually saved more than $20,000 a year in energy costs as the air conditioners did not have to work as hard. Raising sales and cutting costs all at the same time? Most businesses have to pick one or the other. It is safe to say that the air curtains were extremely effective in several different ways for the theme park . 

Call us today at 866-402-1642 or fill out our online contact form to find out exactly how effective air curtains can be for your business. Air Door Distributors has over 20 years of experience in the air curtain industry, we can easily help you find the perfect solution to keep the cold and hot air where it belongs. Your business could find surprising results when you install an air curtain just like the South Carolina theme park. 

The wind is truly a force of nature. Wind can power entire cities or completely destroy a city all in the same day. Wind chill is complex and there are many different formulas out there to try and calculate it. Taking the wind chill factor into account can help your business keep customers and employees happy. 

There are many different ways to try and combat the wind chill factor, but one of the most overlooked ways is utilizing an air curtain. Your business can gain advantages over competitors by taking advantage of an air curtain. Let’s go into why wind chill factor is even a problem in the first place. 

Wind Chill Factor

Wind chill can make the temperature feel much colder than what the thermometer says. Wind chill is the temperature when the wind is taken into account. There are three types of heat transfer: convection, radiation, and conduction. Wind is a convection current, which causes heat loss to any object or medium that it makes contact with. Just like when you blow on hot soup to cool it down, wind will cause the same effect to the temperature of your business. 

During the polar vortex that affected much of the United States, wind chill temperatures were as low as negative 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Those temperatures ended up killing some unfortunate souls who were caught out in the frigid temperatures. Your business will most likely not have to face such perils, but an air curtain could be the difference in keeping your business at a reasonable temperature.

How Air Curtains Beat the Wind Chill Factor

An air curtain is installed above a door or opening to the outside. This perfectly positions the air curtain to maintain a more consistent temperature within your business. When the air curtain turns on it creates a current of air that shoots downward or at a slight angle. That will prevent the wind from entering any opening. The air curtain creates a barrier that will keep the temperature in your business more consistent. 

Air curtains can be heated as well, which would increase the efficiency of the device during the cold winter months. Many distribution centers that have massive openings for loading and unloading trucks utilize custom heated air curtains. Centers in countries like Canada and Norway need these air curtains to keep employees safe and happy as well as keep heating costs down. 

If your business has a greeter or anyone who works by a door that constantly opens and closes, an air curtain will give them more comfort than they could have ever imagined. They will be so grateful that you installed an air curtain and made their work life that much better. Their productivity and overall happiness will increase, which will have a positive impact on your customers as well. Customers can sense when an employee is happy and they will be that much more likely to work with your business. 

Benefits from Stopping the Wind Chill Factor

A study looked into the number one complaint that hotel guests had found that nearly one-fourth of guests complained about the temperature of their room. Now installing an air curtain in every room may be too costly for most hotels, but installing them in key areas could improve a guest’s experience. 

Customers will appreciate the fact that your business keeps the frigid winter winds at bay. Some businesses may even find that customers will go into their business just to get out of the cold. That could result in new customers that would have never stopped in your business in the first place. The warm air blast from your air curtain is very inviting when the wind chill factor drops below zero. 

Your business will save money as well. Keeping the cold air on the outside will allow your business to spend less on heating costs. During the cold winter months your business will not be hemorrhaging money on energy costs. You can sit back and enjoy your newfound energy efficiency.  

With over 20 years in the air door industry, we have the expertise and knowledge to find your business an air curtain solution that perfectly fits your needs. Contact us today at 866-402-1642 or by filling out our online contact form.

Organizations spend billions of dollars each year trying to improve customer satisfaction. Many of these initiatives are ill-advised and lead to little if any improvement in customer satisfaction. Customers can be difficult to figure out, but at the end of the day they are human just like the rest of us. Humans like to be comfortable in a business or retail center and one easy way to improve customer satisfaction is to improve the environment in and around your business.

People all over the world are influenced by their environment. Temperature is a huge part of that environment. Being able to control the indoor temperature is a difficult, but necessary task for businesses to keep both employees and customers happy. No one on Earth wants to be shopping for a new pair of shoes while you are too cold or too hot.

There is a lot of scientific evidence that supports that both high and low temperatures can strongly influence a customer’s mood. Hot and uncomfortable temperatures actually lead to a more irritable customer that will be more prone to anger. An angry customer who is hot is going to be more likely to leave a negative review about their experience.

When temperatures are cold customers are less likely to cooperate and will not be as helpful as they could be. Customers will not let you know how their experience is going when they are cold and will not let you solve any problem they are currently experiencing. Temperature obviously plays a large part in customer satisfaction. How can businesses hope to control the indoor temperature with rising energy costs?

An incredibly simple solution that few businesses ever consider to improve customer satisfaction is installing an air door above entrance ways. Air doors create a steady flow of air that blasts downward, which completely covers the opening of the business. This will prevent the cold or hot air outside from coming inside. Air Door Distributors has air doors for every business. Whether you have a door that is 3 feet wide or 30 feet wide, Air Door Distributors has your business covered.

One of the best parts about air doors is the fact that you can leave front doors completely open during business hours. Customers are actually more likely to go into a business where the door is open. A potential customer could stop into a business that they have passed dozens of times because the door is open.

Moms with a bunch of kids will appreciate that they do not have to swing open a door in order to bring all of their kids into your business. That will improve customer satisfaction and could earn you a customer for life. There were also be fewer customers and employees running into each other, which could save your business countless dollars from a potential lawsuit.

A car dealership could easily install air doors above garage entrances where customers take their cars in. For all car dealerships there are times of the year where it is nearly impossible to control the inside temperature of a dealership garage. HVAC systems are struggling to maintain a temperature that will be comfortable for both employees and customers. Thankfully, a series of air curtains installed above garage doors can make a huge difference in a car dealership.

This improvement will lead to a reduction in complaints from both employees and customers about the indoor temperature. A customer who is comfortable will be less likely to complain about their car repairs taking too long or costing too much. Your business will be more profitable as customers will walk out of the door feeling fantastic. An air door will save you money in the long-term as your HVAC system will not have to work as hard.

Not only will customers love the controlled temperature, but your employees will be thanking you as well. Employees that are not busy complaining about the temperature will be much happier. A happy employee will lead to better customer service, which in turn will lead to improved customer satisfaction.

Air doors can be customized to the exact specifications that your business needs. There are plenty of businesses who can utilize air doors and improve customer satisfaction.

All of these amazing benefits are realized with just a simple air door. Businesses can enjoy happier and more satisfied customers that will be more likely to keep coming back. Air Door Distributors can help your business improve customer satisfaction by recommending the perfect air door for your business. Contact us today at (866) 402-1642 or fill out our online contact form.

Distribution centers are very logistically complex and difficult operations. Not only do they have to worry about all of the freight trucks coming in and out of the facility, they have to completely control the indoor environment of the facility. That can be a nearly impossible task for larger distribution centers. For example, the largest warehouse in the world is the Boeing Everett Factory at over 4.3 million square feet. Attempting to keep this facility at optimal operating conditions is a huge ask.

Many facilities actually require a certain temperature limit for many of their products and services. Distribution centers in places that have extreme weather can struggle to ensure that their indoor temperature will stay within a certain range. There are other problems that distribution centers struggle with as well. Air curtains can solve many problems that distribution centers encounter on a daily basis.

There are a number of different air curtains that can be utilized in distribution centers. Deciding which air curtain is the right fit for your distribution center can be a confusing and tricky decision. Thankfully, Air Door Distributors has access to all of the necessary air curtains that a distribution center could possibly hope for.

Distribution centers will be able to control the number of flying insects that enter through all openings by utilizing air curtains. This is particularly important for food distribution centers that are regulated to ensure that their facilities remain clean. Keeping flies out of a food distribution center will help them remain FDA and USDA compliant.

There is an incredibly large distribution center in Oslo, Norway that has 75 different loading docks. Understandably, the distribution center gets incredibly cold during the winter months and the center struggles to stay at a reasonable temperature during operation. Most businesses employ an unheated air curtain because it usually meets most of their needs. This distribution center could use water, electric, or gas-powered air curtain in order to keep the freezing cold air outside of the facility.

The distribution center opted to use a water heated air curtain in order to protect the loading docks. The air curtains will allow the distribution center to keep the temperature moderate even in the dead of winter. The distribution center is looking to use only renewable energy by 2025, which is a more realistic goal with air curtains installed. Air curtains will lower the amount of energy that the facility will have to spend on heating.

Your distribution center could reap similar benefits from utilizing an air curtain. Temperature and airborne insect control are just two of the problems that distribution centers suffer from. Accidents cost distribution centers millions of dollars in productivity, materials lost, and employees hurt. Most accidents occur in distribution centers from docks, forklifts, conveyors, materials storage, and manual lifting and handling.

Another benefit of utilizing an air curtain is that it can cut down on obstructions in doorways and entranceways. In distribution centers there are large amounts of products and people constantly going in and out. Accidents happen constantly as it is simply a numbers game. If there are enough things going in and out then accidents are bound to happen even with the best systems in place.

If there is a lot of traffic through a doorway a strip curtain or high speed door will simply not cut it. Air curtains are a great way to remove the obstructions and open up the field of vision. There will be less accidents as employees will be able to see each other before they collide. The best part is that there are no doors to open and the path can remain free of obstruction.

Even if the path remains completely open the temperature of the facility will not be compromised. The air curtain will ensure that the cold or hot air will remain separated. Air curtains really can solve all of these problems and improve the efficiency of distribution centers.

There are certain air curtains that actually shoot out dry air, which prevents condensation and ice formation. This is extremely useful in distribution centers with large freezer areas. Employee accidents will decrease dramatically as they will not be slipping and falling all the time. Employees will also not have to clean ice out of freezers as much as the buildup will drastically decrease.

Air curtains are an incredibly valuable tool for distribution centers and warehouses of all types. The benefits are as clear as the air that blows out of an air curtain. Air Door Distributors has all of the air curtains and can guide distribution centers to the proper air curtain for their application. Contact us today at (866) 402-1642 or fill out our online contact form for help with all your air curtain needs.

Complying with the USDA and FDA is a tricky and constant process as there are so many regulations that a food establishment or business has to follow. Whether you are a greek, italian, or mexican restaurant, ensuring that your business stays in compliance is a must. The USDA and FDA have gotten more strict about flying insects as well as general sanitation in food establishments. Air curtains can help your business stay compliant with the latest regulations.

Restaurants should be especially interested in purchasing air curtains to keep their establishments free of flying insects. That sounds like an easy task, but there are many entranceways in any given restaurant that flies will be more than happy to exploit. An air curtain creates a powerful wall of air that prevents flying insects from infesting your food establishment. Any time that the entranceway is open the air curtain will activate, which will stop the pests from getting inside the food establishment.

Keeping your food establishment clean, spotless, and free of flying insects should not just be a regulatory requirement. You and your employees should pride yourself on making sure that your kitchen and dining room are spotless. This will help ensure that your organization stays compliant, but also improve your business as customers will notice how clean your restaurant is. Air Door Distributors is here to help ensure that your food establishment is as clean as can be.

The sanitation performance standards compliance guide from the USDA mentions air curtains in regards to open windows and doors. If a restaurant or larger building with a food establishment inside has to keep their windows and doors open for ventilation or other reasons, they have a few choices in order to stay in compliance.

They can apply mesh screens, air curtains, or other effective means. Air curtains are the most logical choice because holes can appear in screens and screens can easily fall out if customers or employees are reckless. There are no clear definitions in the guide as to what businesses can install besides air curtains or mesh screens.

Air curtains are a safe choice as they are securely fastened above a door or window in your establishment. Air curtains will last much longer than other methods that the USDA detailed in their guide. 

The FDA specifically recommends air curtains for the application of loading docks and delivery doors. A loading dock and delivery door are both perfect opportunities for flying insects to infest your place of business. Before air curtains, there were no methods to stop these pests because the openings are so large.

There are a handful of states that require air curtains in food production facilities. Food production facilities are especially vulnerable as their facilities are massive. Plus, the FDA and USDA are much more stringent with food production facilities. Keeping flies out using air curtains will ensure that the food production facility will stay open for years to come with fewer violations.

Keeping flying insects out with an air curtain is going to be one of the only ways that customer products and food stays sanitary. Air curtains can also keep dirt and fumes out of your restaurant. That will make it much easier to keep your restaurant clean and stay in compliance for any surprise inspections from the USDA or FDA. 

Air curtains are also great for several different reasons besides keeping in compliance with the FDA and USDA. They will make your food establishment much more energy efficient. Your heating and cooling systems will not have to work as hard. The air curtain keeps cold or hot air from entering your business, which will decrease any temperature changes inside. An air curtain can actually pay for itself within just a couple of years after being installed.

The USDA and FDA are not the only ones taking notice of air curtains. ANSI/NSF Standard 37: Air Curtains for Entranceways in Food and Food Service Establishments, has approved air curtains for use in restaurants as a way to keep airborne insects out of entrances and windows. Government and regulatory organizations have turned to air curtains to solve many modern-day problems.

Spending the few hundred dollars on an air curtain to ensure that your place of business remains FDA and USDA compliant is certainly worth the investment. Violations can cost your business a lot of money and could potentially get your business shut down. At Air Door Distributors we are familiar with all USDA and FDA regulations that air curtains can help with. Contact Air Door Distributors us today at (866) 402-1642 and we’ll find the right solution for your needs.

Slip and falls are the leading cause of worker compensation claims and they also are the primary cause of lost days from work. Most of the time these accidents are preventable. Air curtains are one of the best solutions to help prevent these accidents. Many business owners have walk-in freezers where water can build up on both the outside and inside of the freezer.

Walk-in freezers are a prime spot for slip and fall accidents due to the nature of moisture buildup. Your employee will be running in and out of the walk-in freezer and any amount of water could be enough to cause them to fall. It can be very problematic when a restaurant or place of business is constantly opening and closing the freezer door, which lets a bunch of warm, humid air into the freezer.

It might be helpful to understand how moisture even forms in the first place. Condensation is water’s change of state from water vapor to liquid water. Consider a cold can of soda on a hot day and the moisture that builds up on the outside of the can. This will happen in front and inside of a walk-in freezer because the warm air from the outside comes into the freezer. The warm, humid air will collide with the floor and metal directly inside of the freezer. That material will have a much lower temperature than the air.

The water vapor in the air is converted into liquid water when it contacts the material on the inside of the freezer. The floor and inside door of the freezer will be below the dew point where condensation occurs. The dew point is the temperature where air is saturated with water vapor. The more humid the air is, the higher the dew point is — which causes further problems, particularly in areas with tropical climates.

So, how can we prevent condensation and moisture from building up inside and outside of the walk-in freezer? There are several different solutions out there on the market. One of the least expensive and most effective ways is to install an air curtain. Most business owners do not even consider this solution and it is often overlooked. Air Door Distributors has a large selection of quality air curtains that will solve this problem. 

Air curtains prevent the warm, humid air from mixing with the freezing cold metal and floor in your walk-in freezer. Air curtains create a flow of air in the downward direction, which will prevent both the cold air from escaping the freezer and the warm, humid air from entering the freezer. An air curtain can potentially reduce the rate of heat and moisture through the walk-in freezer door by 60% to 80%.

The air curtain will activate every time that the walk-in freezer door opens. This will help prevent the air from entering the freezer and creating moisture. Especially when your place of business is extremely busy. Stopping the warm, humid air from causing havoc on your employees and business is possible with an air door.

Your freezer will also be more efficient if you install an air curtain. The walk-in freezer will not have to work as hard because it will not lose as much cold air with an air curtain. That will save your business money in the long run. A study performed on an Arby’s freezer showed that an air curtain will save the business $447 each year. The freezer compressor had to run 27% less over the course of a week.

The savings do not just stop at energy. The average cost to defend and slip and fall case is about $50,000. An air curtain will decrease the likelihood of your business having to defend yourself in court.

Make sure that you install the air curtain on the outside of the freezer. The freezing cold air could cause the motor to seize when it tries to run. That is an expensive and preventable mistake that you do not want to make. The air curtain will be positioned above the freezer door, which will prevent air from flowing in and out of the freezer.

An air curtain can save your business thousands of dollars in workplace injuries and workers compensation. Air Door Distributors has all the necessary air curtains for your walk-in freezer needs. Contact us today at (866) 402-1642 or fill out our online contact form to find an air curtain that will be perfect for your walk-in freezer and cut down on your workplace injuries.