It’s hard to deny the benefits that air curtains offer on paper. Experiencing one for yourself can also leave you with the impression that it would be the right choice for your business. Now that you’ve decided to explore purchasing an air curtain, you’ll have to answer an important question: which model should you buy? There are many on the market, and it’s important to select one that has the features and performance necessary to accomplish its job with efficiency. With a thoughtful process, though, you can navigate the available options and make the right choice. Here are three easy steps to take as you work to understand which air curtain model would function best in its intended role.

Identify the core reasons for using an air curtain

Why do you need an air curtain? Answering this question will cull many of the options and give you a clearer set of choices. Air curtains differ based on several criteria. A model suitable for keeping cold air inside a walk-in refrigerator will not offer the level of performance needed for a large entrance or exit. Consider precisely where and what type of function you need, alongside what sort of additional features — such as certification for sanitary environments — you may need. From there, it’s time to narrow things down further.

Consider placement and budget

Air curtains come in many sizes both large and small. A curtain for use at a drive-thru service window will be much smaller and more compact than one used for a door. Where will you place your curtain? Do you have enough space to install a recessed curtain for a seamless visual aesthetic, or is the usable area above your doors at a premium? Many of these considerations will also tie into your budget. Take measurements of the area intended for installation and use them to guide your choices at this stage.

Exploring options and investigating air curtain models

With these questions answered, you should have a good idea of the features you’ll need and the space you have available. Now is the time to begin examining individual model types. Things to look for include the space required for mounting alongside the physical dimensions. Other facts, such as the effective height of the air curtain’s reach, will be important to consider too. You’ll want a curtain that forces air to the ground from above the door, after all. Compare features until you have a shortlist to use for decision making.

The versatility of air curtains is one of their biggest strengths. However, that also means there is a large amount of information to sift through to discover the model that would be precisely right for your business’s applications. You may even need several types of air curtains if you intend to use them in differing roles. At Air Door Distributors, our friendly associates are always happy to assist you in exploring these options, helping you to choose the model best suited for the job. To inquire about these products, visit our contact page now.

Air curtains, also known as air doors, are an increasingly popular option for businesses who use them to preserve indoor climate control efforts or to prevent unwanted airborne particles from entering the building. Yet despite the convenience and robust operational abilities they offer, these are not exactly modern inventions. In fact, the basic idea for the air curtain has been around for more than a century, and they even saw some use in the early 1900s. Where did this technology ultimately come from, and how has it developed over the years? Take a moment to answer those questions with a quick look at the history behind air door development.

The air curtain’s origin story

You’re probably already familiar with another invention by the originator of air curtains: the revolving door. Theophilus van Kennel, an inventor from Philadelphia, found great success with the revolving door yet continued to envision new and better ways to prevent dust and air from the outdoors from getting inside. In 1904, he patented his “Means for Excluding Drafts from Open Doorways,” the original document describing an air curtain. Its design is remarkably similar to what businesses use today, a testament to the thoroughness of his engineering skill. However, he didn’t create any production models for another eight years, and adoption was slow to take place due to energy requirements and inefficiencies.

A maturing technology grows

Air curtains began to grow as a viable technology in the post-World War II era thanks to renewed interest among businesses in Europe. They offered both an easy way to keep hot or cold air outside while also offering patrons the inviting sight of an open door. Advances in air door design would lead to improved efficiency as well as the development of heated air curtains for use during the winter. However, their primary usage remained largely in the realm of cold storage, protecting large refrigerators from sudden temperature spikes due to open doors.

Air curtains today

Ultimately, these dual purposes evolved into the air curtains we know today. Now, not only are they highly efficient, but they also feature advanced engineering that makes them relatively maintenance-free. Air curtains now find use in restaurants, office buildings, warehouses, and of course, walk-in freezers and fridges. As a more cost-effective alternative to building out a vestibule for a building that can also function in smaller spaces, it’s easy to see why they have finally found success. With these changes, many have enjoyed the benefits that van Kennel could only imagine more than a century ago.

Since the initial development of this technology, the devices it enabled have undergone a dramatic evolution. Once sidelined and largely forgotten in favor of other solutions, air curtains have undergone a renaissance and now enjoy broad popularity in wide-reaching applications. From restaurants and warehouses to office buildings and more, the energy-saving, comfort-creating features of air curtains deliver a better experience overall. Are you interested in investigating the potential applications of this technology in your building? Contact Air Door Distributors today.

Air curtains are increasingly a common sight in buildings across the nation. From the front door of a restaurant to the loading dock of a warehouse, air curtains exhibit a versatility that allows them to provide useful climate control maintenance. They do it all with the power of the air flow they produce alone, a flow that’s strong enough to keep flying insects and airborne particles at bay.

Are you wondering if an air curtain installation is right for your business? Understanding the science behind air curtains will help you determine if this all-in-one insect repellent and climate control option will solve some of your business’s biggest headaches.

The basics of air curtain science

Before considering the principles at work, it’s important to understand how air curtains in general operate. Most air curtains are very simple in concept, which also makes them easy to maintain. Connected with a sensor to the door they’re meant to cover, the fans inside the curtain switch on when someone enters or exits. These fans rapidly draw in air through the intakes, pass it through a filter, and force the air in a coherent stream downward toward the floor in front of the open door.

Air curtains feature adjustable output nozzles so you get the best coverage possible. Why does that matter? This is where the physics of the actual “air curtain” come into play.

How air curtains trap air where it needs to stay

Consider a walk-in freezer. The temperature difference on either side of the door is immense. When you open the door, hot air easily slips in while cold air rushes out the bottom. The result is a substantial imbalance that impacts HVAC costs in both areas. Now, place an air curtain over the same door, and you will soon realize that very little air escapes in either direction. Why?

As the air from the nozzles is forced downward at a controlled speed, it creates an invisible wall that separates the two temperature zones. Because of the force involved in expelling the air, it flows in the same direction until it hits the floor, where the stream splits. As a result, no air can smoothly flow in or out of the freezer. More than three-quarters of the air expelled flows back into the intake space, keeping the disruption on the other side limited to a minimal area.

It is a simple concept overall, but the complex physical properties of the air these devices put out can provide many perks. From improving comfort near the front door of your establishment to lending stability to your heating and cooling costs, this technology is suitably adaptable practically any business. For an in-depth discussion of the scientific processes at play in air curtain operation, or to inquire about getting one for your business, please get in touch with us at your convenience.

Success in food service requires both careful management and the ability to offer customers something different. Could an air curtain contribute to helping your business succeed on both those fronts? At first glance, it might not seem like the type of technology that could have a significant impact on your business. Upon a closer examination, however, it becomes easier to see that air curtains offer several distinct advantages when used in a food service setting. Consider what this cousin to the revolving door can provide on three different fronts.

Improve comfort for guests indoors

First, an air door installed at your main entrance can offer some of the most immediately noticeable benefits. The gentle flow of air from the unit will keep the air inside you’ve already paid to cool down to stay where it is, minimizing the amount that rushes out when patrons enter. Instead of constantly cycling the AC to replace air lost in this way, the curtain maintains a better indoor atmosphere with consistency. Some air doors allow you to opt for blowing warm air instead of using the cooled interior air. In the winter, this offers an incredible “creature comfort” for patrons. As they enter and feel a warm atmosphere, they will immediately feel more at home. Of course, air curtains keep flying insects at bay, too — a must for any restaurant.

Protect your chilled product

Air doors also work exceptionally well when installed over the entrance to a walk-in freezer or refrigerator. Keeping product at the right temperature is essential to avoid spoilage, so maintaining an even temperature is even more critical in this space. With an air curtain in place, staff could safely leave the door to the walk-in open for short periods of time, such as when stocking fresh product or preparing for service. By splitting the air with a controlled downward flow, only a minimal amount of the stifling air from the kitchen can enter the walk-in. Even then, it won’t penetrate very far — and neither will dust and other airborne contaminants.

Lower HVAC costs across the board

Now, consider that air curtains can, in fact, help you save money, in addition, to providing comfort for your guests and the right kind of storage for your product. It makes sense: less air lost through doors means less time running the AC or the dedicated chiller for your walk-in, which translates into less electricity used. This solution yields a reliable way to make your business “greener” regarding energy consumption while also saving money in a critical area.

With this in mind, it becomes clearer that food service operations both large and small can see real results with an air curtain installation. At Air Door Distributors, we offer you the opportunity to tap into our years of experience as you consider these products and how they can work for you. Learn about which types of air curtains work best in which situations, or share your questions when you contact us today.

As we speak, air curtains are gaining popularity in a wide variety of settings—including restaurants, breweries, supermarkets, warehouses, and food processing plants. However, while this technology is new for some, it dates to the early 20th century. Indeed, air curtains were initially patented by Theophilus van Kannel, the same man who invented the revolving door.

In many ways, air curtains and revolving doors have the same benefits. Revolving doors made it possible for people to get into a building without bringing drafts of outside air, dust, fumes, or insects with them. Air curtains—or air doors, as they are often called as well—do virtually the same thing. In most cases, air curtains exist as systems that are installed at the top of a doorway opening. They then propel a consistent stream of air across the doorway opening. People and objects can pass through this invisible curtain, but the air from outside cannot, neither can dust, fumes, or flying insects. Simply put, air curtains form an invisible barrier that keeps the things you don’t want outside while allowing only what you do want to pass through.

Air doors can be set up to work in a few diverse ways, depending on your preferences. If you want to leave a door always open, then you can set your air curtain up to run consistently. So, for instance, if you have an “open door” policy for your business during the summer, this type of continuous air curtain might be the perfect option. Having a door open to your restaurant, brewery, or retail shop will entice customers to come inside. The air door, meanwhile, will act as a barrier to block all the elements that might make an open-door policy a problem for your business, from plumes of pollen to an onslaught of flies and other pests. We should interject about Energy Savings. While keeping you doors wide open, air curtains create flow of air that separates inside air from outside air. This stops the transfer from warm and and cold air resulting in huge energy savings!

Alternatively, air doors can be set up as a “second line of defense” of sorts. These types of air doors are configured to activate when the door opens. If it’s winter and you want to prevent drafts of cold air from blasting across your restaurant every time a new customer comes inside, you would probably use this system. There’s no way you are going to have your door open all the time when its 10 degrees and snowing outside, so it doesn’t make sense to run the air curtain constantly. An automated air curtain is a better option.

There are also several types of air doors, some of which can blow heated air during the wintertime. This option provides superior creature comfort for your guests, as it sends the message that your establishment is warm and cozy. A heated air curtain in the winter can also be doubly effective at keeping frigid air where it belongs: outdoors.

Whether you are doing battle with hot/cold air, flying insects, fumes, or dust, an air curtain can provide an adequate defense. To learn more about air curtain technology, contact Air Door Distributors today.

What is an air curtain? Merely going by the name alone isn’t necessarily enough to give you a satisfactory answer. After all, how could a curtain be made of air — and how could it have a positive impact on your business, anyway? Answering those questions requires taking a closer look at this exciting technology and how it has found a variety of practical uses across many industries. Take a moment to run through this crash course on the essential facts to understand about air curtains.

What are air curtains, and how do they work?

Called “air doors” by some, an air curtain is a device, typically mounted horizontally above a door, that uses the power of forced air to preserve the indoor atmosphere. An intake pulls in air from the interior of a building, a fan blows the air downward. As this stream of air hits the ground, it splits in two directions — one going outdoors, and the other rushing back inside. This breaks down to about 20% and 80%, respectively. In this manner, an air curtain can create an invisible barrier that prevents climate-controlled interior air from escaping and exterior air from entering.

Where can I use air curtains?

Practically anywhere. Wherever a business faces a need to preserve and separate the air in one space from another, air curtains thrive. They offer just as much utility in a food service setting as they do in a large warehouse. In the latter example, a large air curtain could allow a tall and wide warehouse door to remain open at length. Workers inside remain comfortably isolated from the warmer (or colder) air outdoors or can pass unobstructed between different warehouse zones. Meanwhile, a restaurant might choose to employ a curtain to prop open their door and put out a sign without inviting flies or mosquitoes in for a meal at the same time.

Which businesses can benefit the most?

The versatility inherent in air curtains, from adjustable airflow to units big enough for large entryways, means that many companies can find them to be a cost-effective investment. The two examples above are merely a scratch on the surface of the possibilities. Consider that by employing air curtains you not only gain control over the interior climate but in doing so, you can also reduce electrical costs alongside wear and tear on your AC units. Plus, minimal maintenance costs over the lifetime of air curtain units contribute to their value. Typically, regular cleaning is all an air door will need to stay in good operating condition.

With convenient benefits, these products can deliver transformative effects when dealing with indoor climate regulation. At Air Door Distributors, we are always happy to field questions from consumers curious about all the potential benefits and applications of this mature technology. To find out how an air curtain can fit in with your business, send us a message to learn more today.

Few businesses can benefit from air doors as much as restaurants. Every restaurant is trying to create a particular atmosphere and ambiance for their guests. Sometimes, the vibe is that of a fancy, upscale restaurant. Sometimes, it’s of a fun, loud, celebratory bar-like place. Either way, some things can tarnish this carefully curated atmosphere, thereby affecting a customer’s experience. Here are five ways in which air doors can prevent that from happening:

1. Insect control: In the spring and summer, it’s all too easy for flies, gnats, fruit flies, mosquitos, and other winged insects to make their way into your restaurant. At best, these pests are annoying. No one wants an insect buzzing around their head while they are trying to eat. At worst, insects can ruin food and pose a health risk. Pests in the kitchen can contaminate dishes and compromise the quality of the food you serve. It’s also scientifically proven that fruit flies landing in wine change the flavor and effectively ruin the beverage. Air doors disorient flying pests and knock them out of the air, keeping them out of your establishment even if the door is wide open.
2. Sanitation: Flies aren’t the only things from outdoors that can compromise the sanitation of a restaurant. Fumes and dust from the street can also affect food quality and air quality. Odors wafting into your restaurant from outside can damage the vibe you’ve worked hard to curate, while dust or dirt in the food can ruin a guest’s entire experience and preclude them from returning in the future. Air doors act as a barrier to unwanted debris, thereby protecting your restaurant from fumes and dust alike.
3. Creature comfort: In the summer, your guests might be flocking to your restaurant in part so they can enjoy a meal in an air-conditioned space. In the winter, a cozy and well-heated dining establishment can offer a much-needed refuge from the cold. Still, other guests going in and out the front door can create warm or cold drafts through the restaurant, reducing creature comfort and detracting from the overall guest experience. Air doors prevent this kind of heat transfer, leading to a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for all your guests.
4. Energy savings: The other benefit to cutting down on heat transfer is that doing so will reduce your energy bills. Every time a hot or cold draft blows through your restaurant, it requires your HVAC system to work a little harder to retain a consistent temperature. With an air door, this problem is less pronounced—something you will notice in the form of lower heating or cooling bills.
5. Environmental control: By definition, a restaurant needs to be a controlled environment. In the dining room, you want to control the ambiance and as much of the guest experience as possible. In the kitchen, you want to maintain the cleanliness and overall safety of the food prep process. Environmental control on this scale is difficult to achieve—at least until you trim unpredictable outdoor variables from the equation. By blocking insects, dust, fumes, and warm or cold air, an air door is key to achieving true environmental control in a restaurant.

Are you interested in adding an air door or two to your restaurant? At Air Door Distributors, we can help you choose ideal solutions for front, back, and side entrances. Get in touch today to learn more.

Energy is a precious resource and an expensive one at that. There is a reason that so many businesses across every sector are looking for ways to adopt sustainability practices, and it doesn’t just have to do with optics. At least when it comes to energy usage, there is a clear financial benefit to becoming more sustainable. The question is, how can businesses use less energy without sacrificing things that are crucial to their day-to-day operations?

The Cost of Heating and Cooling

In the United States, consider that the average office building spends more than $30,000 a year on energy costs, which breaks down to electricity and natural gas. That figure is roughly a third of the operating expenses budget for most office buildings. Heating and cooling account for approximately 21 percent of electricity use in these buildings, and for about 86 percent of natural gas usage.

In restaurants, energy usage looks slightly different. In most cases, cooking accounts for the most substantial energy use. However, in the United States, heating and cooling can still account for between 11 and 23 percent of the average restaurant’s energy consumption, depending on climate zone.

In other words, heating and cooling add up for businesses, both regarding energy use and spending. One of the best ways for businesses to cut down on their energy consumption and start saving money is to look for ways to cut back on heating or cooling.

Reducing Energy Usage for Temperature Control

Of course, turning off the air conditioning isn’t an option. In the summertime, air conditioning might be part of the draw for a restaurant, and it might be the only thing keeping an office staff productive. Having the AC on to cool the building is worth more than what most businesses would save by turning it off.

Still, there are other things that businesses can do to reduce the amount of energy they are using on temperature control. The first areas where most business owners look are typically insulation (installing more or replacing an old design) or the HVAC system itself (replacing or servicing components). However, there might be an even easier way: air doors.

Installing air doors at the entrances and exits to an establishment—especially a restaurant or retail store, where people enter and leave often—can do wonders to reduce energy consumption and spending.

Think of it this way: when a door is left open during the summer, or when people are going in and out every few minutes, there are several opportunities for hot air enter your building. That warm air gradually warms the space, which in turn pushes your air conditioning system to work harder to maintain the temperature you’ve set on your thermostat. The extra strain on the system leads to higher energy usage and higher bills.

Air doors act as a barrier that prevents the usual heat transfer that happens at doorways. As such, they are an effective way of controlling interior temperature, reducing strain on the HVAC system, and cutting down on energy usage and spending.

At Air Door Distributors, we can help you find the right air door(s) for your business so that you can start reaping the energy and monetary savings these installations can provide. Give us a call today to start shopping!

Defined as simply and clearly as possible, air curtains are barriers. They are there to prevent certain elements from getting into or out of your building. They play this role in a different way than a door does, though. For many commercial buildings—from office buildings to retail stores to restaurants—doors can’t play the barrier role for one reason or another. Retail shops, for instance, often prefer to leave doors propped open in the summertime to invite passerby inside. Other businesses face issues where people are constantly going in and out. In these situations, and more, air curtains are necessary, thanks to the three advantages discussed below:

1. They save energy

One of the most significant problems with busy commercial operations where the door is always or often open is temperature transfer. During the peak of summer, businesses like to provide an interior temperature that is much cooler and more comfortable than it is outside. In the winter, the situation is the opposite: companies want to offer a warm and inviting spot for guests to escape from the cold. These businesses are okay with the costs that come with heating and cooling because they are necessary for creature comfort. However, a frequently open door can cause most of that heated or cooled air to escape outside. When this temperature exchange happens, the HVAC system must work even harder to maintain a comfortable interior temperature. The results are higher energy use and cost. An air curtain stops this transfer from happening, reducing the strain on your HVAC system and saving you money.

2. Creature comfort

Speaking of creature comfort, an air curtain can help protect that, too. There is something about walking into a heated business in the winter (or an air-conditioned interior during summer) that is highly inviting. An air curtain helps customers feel that blast of a heated or cold space sooner, drawing them inside. The air curtain also prevents cold or hot drafts of air from making their way indoors. Take a restaurant, where the people sitting near the door in the wintertime are always getting blasted with cold drafts. A heated air curtain could prevent that discomfort, thereby providing a superior guest experience.

3. Insect, dust and fume control

Flies, gnats, and other pests flying around your place of business can ruin the atmosphere and annoy guests. In restaurants or food service businesses, those pests can also contaminate food or ruin wine. Air curtains produce potent streams of air that are impossible for flies or other flying insects to evade. And if they are powerful enough to stop flying insects, you can bet that they also prevent dust and fumes. If your business operates on a busy, smoggy street, or if construction or street cleaning is going on outside, then an air curtain is essential to keeping those unwanted impurities out of your business. Interior air quality matters! Protect it with an air curtain.

Are you interesting in adding an air curtain to the front or back door of your business? Air Door Distributors can help you find the right air curtain for any commercial door. Call us today at 866-402-1642 to learn more.