Have you started considering the possibility of installing an air curtain in your place of business? Whether you intend to use one to control the entry of flying insects or as a means of improving climate control efficiency, there are many questions you may want answering before committing. How air curtains work in the first place might be one; getting answers about how installation works might be next. There’s one question, though, that may be more important to you than the others: what do they cost to operate?

Running costs is certainly an important question as the answer can help to determine the feasibility of investing in a new installation. The answer, though, is “it depends.” There are several factors to consider when figuring an air curtain’s potential impact on your spending. What are they?

Thinking about an air curtain’s operating costs

The type of air curtain you intend to use is the first factor. An unheated model intended just to keep insects out, for example, will tend to use relatively little power when compared to one which outputs a stream of heated or cooled air to help with climate control. Size plays a role as well; how large of an opening do you have to cover? Wider doors will require curtains which will draw more power to be able to effectively block insects or keep the interior air from rushing outdoors.

The frequency of use is another factor. An air curtain that runs over a loading dock may need to stay on for an extended period, whereas a curtain covering a walk-in freezer door may only turn on a few times a day. These are all things to keep in mind when thinking about how much electricity you may pay for to run air curtains. Generally, though, most applications are not very expensive regarding the power they consume, but there is one other thing to consider.

The potential for saving money with an air curtain

In cases where your installation would have a higher rate of power consumption due to more frequent use or the type of curtain, you will see a reduction in your expenses elsewhere. A key benefit to air curtains is their ability to help maintain indoor temperatures, so you aren’t continually paying to re-cool or heat a space. Though you may incur operating costs for your air curtain, you will see a corresponding reduction in what you pay to run your building’s HVAC system.

In the long run, this can even end up saving you money as you enjoy the increased efficiency of your climate control systems. Therefore, it’s important not to look at air curtains simply from the perspective of what they cost to run. Instead, look at the big picture of their overall impact on your spending. In practically every case, it works out to be the more economical choice. To find out more about how you could work towards saving money or to explore more details about air curtain power consumption, please contact Air Door Distributors at your convenience.

Have you ever gone to a restaurant in the wintertime and been seated at a table near the door? If so, you probably know what it’s like to have your dining experience interrupted and hampered by drafts of freezing air every time someone opens the door.

Alternatively, have you ever visited a business that had an “open-door” policy in the summertime? Especially for retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, leaving the door open can entice customers to come inside. Unfortunately, an open door also welcomes unwanted elements into the building, including fumes from passing vehicles, dust and pollen floating in the air, or pesky flying insects.

How These Examples Illustrate the Benefits of Air Curtains

These two scenarios both illustrate common and smart uses for air curtains. An air curtain is a device installed at the top of a door frame that propels a steady flow of air over the opening in the door. This air stream is easy for people to pass through, but it serves as a barrier for other things, including air molecules, allergens, and flying insects. In other words, it creates an invisible barrier between the inside world and the outside world.

In both of the situations described above, having an air curtain would have improved matters significantly. In the first scenario, the air curtain would have served as a barrier to block the cold drafts from the outdoors. One of the core uses of air curtains is creature comfort. By limiting heat transfer and preventing cold (or hot) drafts of air, an air curtain can do a lot to maintain the comfortable environment of a restaurant or similar establishment. Even if you were seated at a table near the front door—and even if the door were frequently opening, always a likelihood for a popular, well-trafficked restaurant—you wouldn’t be experiencing those cold drafts. Instead, you’d be able to dine in comfort and enjoy an all-around superior experience.

As for the building with an open-door policy, the flow of air from the air curtain serves as an impediment to flying insects, allergens, fumes, dust, or other particles or impurities. These contaminants are so lightweight and insubstantial that they cannot make it through the stream of air produced by the curtain. The result is that you can leave the door open to your business without welcoming bugs or allergens into the building.

Air Curtains, Heat Transfer, and Energy Savings

Since air curtains serve as an effective deterrent for heat transfer, they also serve an energy-saving application for many businesses. For establishments that leave their doors open or experience a lot of foot traffic, it’s not easy to maintain a stable interior temperature. The laws of heat transfer dictate that heat will always flow from warmer systems or objects to colder ones if there is contact between the two. In other words, when you open the door to an air-conditioned building in the summer, warm air from outside is naturally going to flow into the building. If it’s winter and the building is heated, the heat from inside will move toward the cold outdoors any time the door is opened.

These transfers add up over time and force the building’s heating or cooling system to work harder to maintain the thermostat temperature. In turn, those HVAC systems use more energy and add to the energy expenses for the building and its owner. By effectively separating warmer systems from cooler ones, air curtains prevent this kind of transfer from happening.

As you can see, air curtains provide numerous benefits for business proprietors and building owners. To learn more about these devices and how to install them, contact Air Door Distributors today.

Walk-in coolers are a fundamentally essential component for restaurants and commercial kitchens everywhere. Without them, there would simply be no way to store on-site the amount of perishable products necessary to maintain smooth operations each day. Maintaining the right temperature inside the walk-in is critical not just for customer satisfaction, but also for compliance with food safety regulations.

That’s often easier said than done, though, especially during the busiest periods of service when staff may go in and out of the walk-in very frequently. The result: hot air from the kitchen rushes in, and cold air rushes out, creating a temperature imbalance. The walk-in’s chillers must then turn back on to cope with the change. How can you better manage this challenge? An air curtain for the walk-in could be precisely what your business needs. Consider how.

Why use an air curtain for a walk-in?

The substantial temperature difference between the interior of the walk-in and the workspaces outside is responsible for how rapidly the temperature can change when the door opens. Recall that hot air rises and cold air sinks. When you open the door to the walk in, cold air begins to rapidly sink and flow outward, displacing the warmer air outside. This warmer air then rises to the top of the walk-in, which can raise the temperature in the upper spaces by as much as 30 degrees or more. That requires a substantial amount of energy to cool down again.

An air curtain prevents this mixing and displacement from occurring at all. By using a jet stream of air to divide the areas in two, only a small amount of cold air will escape. Meanwhile, no hot air whatsoever will rise into the walk-in. A small area near the front of the cooler may spike in temperature briefly, but not to the same degree as it would without an air curtain.

The energy it takes to operate an air curtain, which only runs when the walk-in door is open, typically works out to be far less than what it requires to re-chill a cooler. This way, you can maintain temperatures efficiently even during the busiest periods of the workday. Because air curtains for these applications also include filters for air sanitation, there are no worries about introducing exterior contamination into the walk-in, either. Just as the curtain keeps hot air out, it also excludes smoke and other airborne particles.

Improving productivity without impacting food safety

Through the technological advantage that air curtains provide over other solutions such as hanging plastic strips, any food service establishment can gain the ability to improve their walk-in cooler’s efficiency. At Air Door Distributors, we proudly coordinate with our clients to understand your property’s specific needs. Through this understanding, we can suggest the ideal air curtain model for achieving the desired results. To find out how to do that, or to learn more about just how much more efficient your walk-in could be, please send us a message or give us a call today.

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.