Why Are Fire Door Inspections And Drop Tests Important?

why are fire door inspections and drop tests important

Fire doors are designed to slow down or prevent the progression of fire and smoke from one area of a commercial building to another. The National Fire Protection Agency created NFPA-80, outlining the parameters and stipulations that must be met when installing, repairing, and replacing fire doors to ensure they’ll function as designed when and if a building catches on fire.

Routine fire door inspections and drop testing is outlined in NFPA-80 and must be performed at least once a year. Fire doors in heavy-use buildings and more conscientious building and business owners may opt to have fire doors inspected more often to err on the side of caution.

Fire Door Inspections & Drop Tests Keep Building Owners in Compliance

If you are the owner of a commercial building with fire doors, or you own a business in a building where your customers and clients depend on fire doors to keep them safe in the event of a fire, take note.

Are your fire doors inspected annually or bi-annually?
Do you have documented paperwork or digital files on record to prove it?
Are you unclear as to whether or not your building/business’s fire doors have been inspected in the past year?

If there is any question as to whether or not your building’s fire doors have been inspected or drop tested in the past year, look into it ASAP. In the event of a fire emergency, fire door failure can lead to injury, fatalities, and may also come back to haunt you via crippling litigation.

What To Expect During Your Fire Door Inspections and Drop Tests?

There are several steps required for inspection and drop testing.

Verify your fire door installer/inspector is qualified and verify references

The first step is to confirm your commercial fire door installer, inspector, and repair company is certified to do the work.

The Health Facilities Management Magazine recently posted an article about ill-intentioned garage door “professionals” that are actually scammers. They write, “More and more vendors are offering low- or no-cost inspections of fire and smoke doors to facilities, with the expectation that they will also be the vendor that completes the remediation and/or repairs. This has created large and sometimes inaccurate lists of deficiencies that may or may not be critical for repair.”

Verify your fire door company’s credentials and certifications, and speak with their commercial building references to ensure they perform honest, high-quality work.

General visual fire door inspections

As with any commercial door inspection, the technician begins with a visual inspection. They’ll look at the overall condition of the door, looking for visible signs of tampering, ill repair, missing or loose parts, etc.

Specifically, the technician will look for:

Loose, damaged or misplaced bolts or mounting assembly parts
Compliance with manufacturer’s instructions for welds and welding sites
Fusible links are in the right locations
That fusible links, chain/sash cables are not coated with grease, kinked, dented, misshaped or cut
There is nothing attached to, connected to, or obstructing the fire door that isn’t a part of its designed assembly
That the smoke detectors, and the fire door release assembly, function properly

Find and repair damaged or missing parts

Depending on the style of the fire door, the inspector will look for damaged or missing parts related to the specific door style’s design and function. This includes:

Dented, bent, punctured, fatigued or otherwise damaged metal or slats on rolling or overhead doors
Any signs that end locks are broken, bent, damaged, or not functioning efficiently
Looking for dented, bent or damaged bottom bars
Misalignment, bent or angled channels, loose bolts, etc. in the guide assembly
Any missing, broken parts, or for drop or release arms that are tied, blocked or wedged, in the automatic closing mechanism
Signs of poorly aligned or meshed gears of other malfunctioning or damaged parts comprising the operating mechanisms

Operational test

Some fire doors are meant to remain open at all times, except when they close automatically in response to fire or smoke alarms. Others are used day in and day out. Thus, the fire door safety inspector will test the door’s basic operation to make sure the door is properly balanced.

Any signs the door isn’t working means the parts/systems must be completely repaired and in good working order before moving forward with the drop test.

The drop test

Assuming your fire doors have been well-maintained and are in good shape, the fire door specialist will proceed with the drop test.

The drop test requires two separate steps:

Step One: Make sure the door closes as it should

As per the door manufacturer’s instructions, the technician will start by triggering the door to close. Fire doors should shut easily, securely, and quickly – between six- and 24-seconds – from the fully open to the fully closed position.

Step Two: Ensure the automatic closing devices reset

Once the doors have completed the first part of the drop test, the fire door safety technician will ensure the door’s automatic closing device completely resets.

Failure in either part of the test leads to a correction or repair and retesting until the door passes without any hitch. If the door continues to fail after multiple repairs or parts replacement, the fire door may need replacement.

We Can Help Keep Your Business Safe

Are your fire doors due for their annual inspection and drop test? Contact R&S Erection of Vallejo. Our commercial technicians attend regular training and they have ample experience inspecting and drop testing commercial fire doors.

Commercial Doors For Colleges And Universities

commercial doors for colleges and universities

There are few commercial settings that require the gamut of commercial door options than colleges and universities. Diverse campus settings accommodate a wide variety of needs and services, from residential housing in dormitories to personnel and counter doors in various office and commercial settings as well as rolling and loading dock doors utilized by food services and storefronts selling school-related merchandise.

Due to heavy daily use, and increased need for improved campus security, top-quality fabrication and professional installation are essential to ensuring commercial grade doors for colleges and universities work easily, efficiently, and safely every day.

Getting The Most From Commercial Doors In University Settings

The following are tips for ensuring you’re getting the most from commercial doors installed in university settings.

Work with a licensed, experienced vendor for your commercial doors

First and foremost, you need to work with a licensed, experienced commercial door vendor and installer. The needs of a university far exceed those of the average commercial business. The building plans, safety, and evacuation policies, and legal building requirements must be adhered to for the efficacy and safety of the university’s students, faculty, personnel, and visitors – and to protect the institution’s bottom line.

This includes professional inspections and repairs. Without verifying a commercial door installer’s credentials, you risk being scammed. Worse, you risk the safety and security of buildings and their occupants in the event of an emergency.

Don’t forget about fire–rated doors and maintenance requirements

The majority of your college’s buildings require fire-rated doors, which must be inspected and maintained on a regular basis. Designed to automatically shut and lockdown, preventing key firebreaks, routine tampering from curious or mischievous students compromises the doors’ integrity.

As a result, fire–rated doors must be inspected and certified on a regular basis. Choosing the right door vendor and installer is essential as you’re forming a longstanding partnership, based on trust.

Stylish commercial doors for dorms and offices

Non-utilitarian doors – such as those used in public areas of the college, residential dormitories, and other professional settings have to look as good as they are designed to function.

Commercial pass door products and personnel doors from major brands (available in steel, stainless steel, fiberglass, FRP, composite), as well as specialty doors, can be selected to meet the safety and security requirements for the application. At the same time, you can benefit from doors that are stylish and complementary to your college or university’s architecture and interior design.

Time to replace outdated rolling and counter doors

Ready to trade-in those outdated, manual rolling, overhead, and counter doors? You should be. In addition to sprucing up the exterior faces of your building, automated options are notably more secure, efficient, and easy to use than their manual predecessors. You may find that attractive wood options far surpass the standard metal options of previous decades.

For delivery bays or warehouse and mechanical room use, ask your commercial door vendor about vinyl strip roll curtains that keep the weather and debris out, while allowing more efficient entrance and egress from workers, forklifts, delivery trucks and so on.

Never underestimate the importance of security and safety

Unfortunately, the recent rise in school shootings has made security and safety a top priority for college and university campuses across the nation. Innovative, high-quality commercial doors make it possible for your community to remain safer than ever.

A recent post in Fortune Magazine outlined how several schools around the nation utilize technology – including the use of updated security doors and locking mechanisms – to keep their communities more secure. Another article promoting smart investments for safer schools cited how after a recent school shooting, “Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) called for investing in more visible security measures including steel doors, bulletproof glass…” and other options. Steel doors, bulletproof glass, and high-tech locking mechanisms are a must when student and faculty security and safety are a priority.

Speak to your door representatives about:

Bulletproof glass for common area use
Lockdown potential
Automated silent “shooter” alarms, lockdowns, and security options
Remote, smart gadget access and operation controls that integrate the security and door systems and functions

In addition to protecting students in the event of a shooting or other violent act, implementing the highest-quality doors, equipped with high-tech locking and automatic shutdown features, also shows the community that you’re doing all you can to keep them safe.

Inspections and maintenance allow commercial doors in universities to do their job

The job doesn’t stop once the doors are installed. Your garage door company should offer routine inspection and maintenance services. Moving systematically through your university campus’s buildings – scheduled as per manufacturer’s, fire code, and campus safety code’s recommendations – these professional inspections ensure any potential door issues are addressed, repaired or replaced immediately. This is the only way to guarantee doors’ efficient, day-to-day function, and that they will provide the level of security you’ve invested in if an unfortunate emergency takes place.

We’ve Got You Covered

Are you looking for a local, Bay Area commercial door installer who can take care of your campus’s commercial door needs? Contact us here at R&S Erection in Vallejo to schedule a free, onsite consultation. We offer all R&S products directly from our manufacturing plants and distribution centers, allowing us to provide a higher level of customer service and competitive prices.

Why Do Commercial Buildings Require Fire Doors?

why do commercial buildings require fire doors

In the United States, commercial buildings are required to be equipped with fire doors. This is true regardless of the nature of the businesses contained within them.

The question is, why do commercial buildings require these doors? What exactly is the law as it pertains to commercial buildings and fire safety?

We’re going to get into those questions below. Let’s begin!

What Exactly Is A Fire Door?

To put it simply, a fire door is a door specifically designed to withstand the effects of fire. Made out of hollowed metal, solid wood, or thick glass, they are big, bulky, and heavy, offering protection against arsons and other types of building fires. Sometimes equipped with panic devices and crash bars, they exist on both the exteriors and interiors of commercial properties.

Other characteristics of fire doors include an ability to block smoke, an ability to close automatically when a fire is detected nearby, and an ability to stop the spread of heat from one of their sides to the other.

Fire doors are required by law in specific parts of commercial buildings. Most typically, they will be found on stairwells, between different sections of a building, and on buildings’ exteriors.

Fire Door Features

As was noted, fire doors are made out of either solid wood, hollow metal, or fire-resistant glass. These three materials work terrifically as fire-stoppers, ceasing the spread of fire almost soon as it meets them.

To offer further protection, fire doors are equipped with intumescent seals. These seals exist on fire doors’ edges and will expand whenever temperatures exceed 200 degrees Celsius. By doing so, they close off the gaps between their corresponding doors and doorways, preventing the inward flow of smoke.

Fire doors can be equipped with a wide variety of locks, from cylindrical locks to crash bars to electronic locks and more. These locks are no different from the ones you’ll find on conventional doors.

Why Are Fire Doors Required?

In the United States, commercial buildings are required by law to possess fire doors. The reason for this is for the protection of employees, customers, and other individuals who make their way into a commercial property. While private residences aren’t required by law to have fire doors, homeowners could still benefit from having them.

In most municipalities throughout the US, the regulation of fire doors is determined by the National Fire Protection Association. While municipalities are allowed to determine their own building codes, they tend to stick with the fire-protection outlines provided by the NFPA.

Where Must Fire Doors Be Installed?

When it comes to commercial properties, fire doors must be installed in a few different locations. The layout of your particular property will determine how many fire doors you require.

First, it’s necessary to install fire doors on all main exits. These will help protect the interior of the building from any exterior fires which might arise.

In addition, if you have a stairwell in your property, it might necessitate a fire door. Other areas which might require fire doors include corridors and horizontal exits.

Consequences Of Not Having A Fire Door

Business properties which don’t have fire doors located in the proper areas can be subject to legal penalty. In fact, even if you do possess the proper number of fire doors, you could be charged for using them in an unlawful manner. For instance, you could have your doors blocked by large objects, preventing them from opening or closing when needed.

If you break fire door laws, you could face jail time. And that doesn’t even include the substantial fines that your business would likely have thrown its way.

In short, you don’t want to break fire regulation laws. And believe us: if you do, you will eventually be caught. Play it safe and have yours installed today.

Understanding Fire Door Ratings

After they’ve been manufactured, fire doors are put through an intensive independent testing process. During this process, they are rated on how well they can handle fire exposure and high heats.

Fire door ratings are generally provided in hours. For instance, a door might have a rating of 0.5, meaning that it can withstand direct fire exposure for a total of 30 minutes.

These doors are generally assigned one of five ratings. These include 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, and 3.0. The higher the number, the greater resistance the door will have against fire.

Fire Door Certification

When buying a fire door, it’s important to keep an eye on certification. Fire doors are required by law to possess certification stickers. If they don’t, they’re not legitimate and should be avoided at all costs.

Certification stickers should possess a few different pieces of information. These pieces of information include the name of the door manufacturer, the fire-resistant efficacy of the attached hardware, a temperature rise rating, the standard fire rating, and the nature of its smoke-resistant capabilities.

Assessing The Condition Of An Existing Fire Door

Already have a fire door installed? Wondering if it’s time for a replacement? There are a number of signs that a replacement might be needed.

First, check the gaps between the door and the door frame. If the gaps measure in at any more than 4 millimeters, they are too big, indicating that the door can’t do its job properly. Also keep an eye on the bottom of the door, which should not allow any light through.

Next, take a close look at the seal around the door. If it’s damaged in any way, it (or the door) needs to be replaced.

The state of the door’s hinges is important as well. Each fire door should have three hinges, each of which should be firmly equipped with tight screws.

Purchase Fire Doors Now!

Are you in the process of building a commercial building? Looking to purchase fire doors right now? If so, and if you’re in Napa or Solano County, California, we here at R&S Erection of Vallejo are the people to see.

We offer and install a wide variety of commercial fire doors. Regardless of your needs, our team can help you.

What Is A Personnel Door And Why Does My Business Need One?

what is a personnel door and why does my business need one

Did you hear about the guy who first invented door-knockers?

Apparently, he won the no-bell prize.

…Sorry. Enough with the bad door-jokes.

Indeed, the entryways to businesses are no laughing matter. They’re of huge importance for a host of reasons. For instance, take security. A burglary happens every 18 seconds in the United States. And, according to the same source, 34% of burglars get in through the front door.

Clearly, for businesses with valuable equipment, materials, and products onsite, it pays to get the right door for the job. But which do you choose? Of all your options, personnel doors won’t let you down. Indeed, these particular doors offer a wide range of benefits to any business.

But what are they, and why do you need one?

Keep reading to find out.

What Is A Personnel Door?

First, let’s take a look at what a personnel door actually is.

At their core, they’re simply another form of a commercial door. However, what sets them apart is their primary purpose. They don’t cater exclusively to the needs of customers or the public. Instead, they’re intended to withstand the rigors of employee usage too.

In essence, personnel doors are those used most commonly by the employees in the building.

Think about the classic sales line of ‘I’ll go check out back’. The doors they pass through are a prime example of a personnel door. Likewise, think waiters and waitresses passing in and out of a restaurant kitchen. That swing door is another personnel door.

They have a different function to the average door. Whether the public uses them as well or not, they’re in near-constant use. Compare that to the average household door, which might open a handful of times each day.

The requirements are just different. As such, the materials, hinges, styles, and features vary accordingly to match the specific needs of the business.

Why Your Business Needs One

Now we know what a personnel door actually is, let’s turn to the advantages they offer your business.

Separate Employee Areas

Some businesses demand areas that are off-limits to the public.

Personnel doors are exactly that. Regardless of the type (whether it’s a rotating, sliding, swinging, automatic, or standard door), they help designate areas that are specific to staff members.

They can be fitted with locking mechanisms too. Codes, key cards, fingerprints and so can all be used to open them, in relation to your business’ requirements.

In so doing, the working area becomes private, secured and separated from the outside spaces. No unwanted visitors can gain unexpected entry.

Greater Security

As a result, these doors offer far greater security.

It all depends on the use and requirements of the building. But businesses that demand added security will usually opt for heavier-duty doors with specific locking mechanisms. Banks, prisons and forensic hospitals are all examples of premises that would require security from their doors.

The specific features included are customizable depending on the need. Strong, hardy materials such as steel can be used, any glass can be reinforced, and the frames and hinges would be impervious to movement.

It’s worth mentioning fire-security too. After all, not all dangers come from intruders. In most public buildings the doors must be able to protect against fires. Personnel doors are what’s required.

Need security? Get a fit-for-purpose personnel door.

Aesthetic Appeal

These doors offer a nice blend of the functional and aesthetic.

Simply, they look good as well as performing to a high standard. That’s important for all sorts of businesses that must combine style and practicality. Take the example of banks again.

The front entranceway is key to attracting people into the building. But it must be strong and easily secured in case of an emergency too. Corporate offices and major hotels are two further examples.

It’s easily done with personnel doors. There’s no real limit to the aesthetics you can find. All manner of materials and designs are available.

Different Styles

By style, we mean type.

And the type of door places a big part in its aesthetic and functionality. Personnel doors come in a wide range of different styles. As we’ve already noted, you can opt for sliding, swinging, revolving, and traditional doors.

You can also find corrosion resistant doors that mitigate particular environmental hazards. There are materials designed to be weather-resistant too (to protect against the elements). Then you have double-door systems and more.

Anything you need for your specific business, you can usually find a door to match.

More Durable And Long-Lasting

Durability is a foundational part of a proper personnel door.

Think of the rigors they’ll have to put up with each day. For security and fire purposes you may need to keep them shut. You can’t prop them open. That means people may pass in and out hundreds of times on a daily basis.

Ordinary doors would wear out in no time. The hinges would deteriorate and the frame would suffer. By contrast, personnel doors are intended to withstand such use.

Adhere To Regulations

A final advantage derives from your responsibility to adhere to regulations.

As you know, your business premises must provide a safe working environment for employees. That extends from the general (such as fire safety) to the specific (for instance, panic hardware). Personnel doors can cater to all regulations you’re required to meet.

Time To Wrap Up

There you have it: exactly what we mean by a personnel door and the main advantages they offer your business.

Doorway and entranceway consideration may seem like an unnecessary bore to keep in mind. After all, there are much more important business tasks to do.

However, the doors in your buildings shouldn’t be forgotten. Among other things, a proper door can be the difference between a successful and failed burglary attempt. Personnel doors are a vital inclusion on your premises.

Hopefully, this post has highlighted and convinced you of their many virtues!

Like this piece? Click here to get a free estimate for how much personnel doors will cost in your premises.

Choosing The Right Commercial Doors For Your Business

choosing the right commercial doors for your business

Choosing the right commercial door can be a daunting task. You want the right look, the right material, and the right level of protection for your store, warehouse, or factory.

What’s more, you know you can’t open the business until the right doors are in place, both from an aesthetics standpoint and a security standpoint. So if you are in the process of try to figure out what kind of commercial doors are right for your establishment, you’re in the right place.

In this post, we go over the essentials that you need to keep in mind when picking out the right commercial doors for you.

So you can make an informed decision, get doors installed, and get the business up and running for opening (or reopening) day.

Sound interesting? Keep reading to find out more!

The Commercial Industry

Here’s a fun fact: In 2016 alone, the United States had nearly $75 billion worth of commercial buildings constructed. And that number has been steadily rising since 2010, with expectations of rising higher yet.

Commercial construction, and then the process of renting out to businesses, is seen as a highly profitable endeavor for investors.

And with that investment comes a commitment to making sure commercial structures are fitted with high quality, safe and effective commercial doors. This helps ensure that businesses want to rent out space!

And if your business is one of the estimated 600,000 new ones to open each year, you know the importance of making sure you have the right doors.

Commercial Doors Vs. Residential Doors

You might be thinking that a door is a door and that there aren’t reasons to pay close attention to the style you choose.

But the reality is that commercial doors take on more responsibility in a business setting that residential ones do. And there are basic differences as well.

The most obvious one is size. Generally, commercial doors are larger than residential doors.

But beyond size, commercial door usage can also be drastically different. A clear example is a door at a loading dock. The sheer amount of times a loading door dock gets opened and closed is usually much more than a residential door.

So you’d need to make sure to pick doors that can withstand constant use, as well as the occasional accidental running into by a forklift or other vehicle or machine. Dent resistance comes into play with commercial doors much more!

These doors are also generally thicker and need to have insulation if the building they are attached to is temperature controlled.

Aluminum Doors

For durability matched with cost-effectiveness, aluminum is a great way to go. For starters, aluminum is easily painted over. So you don’t have to worry about your doors being an eyesore or not matching the aesthetic of your building.

Aluminum commercial doors are tough and secure, making them very difficult to break into. That’s a big plus for storefronts. They not only give the appearance of being hard to penetrate, but they actually are!

As such, aluminum tends to be the most common choice for these types of doors.

Glass Doors

The glass look is gaining in popularity. If you’ve ever shopped in an Apple store, for example, you know how great a glass door look can be.

It gives your space a modern look that attracts customers simply by the fact that they can easily see into your establishment.

It also allows for lots of light into the space, which is appealing. Plus it tends to make your space look bigger than it is.

Steel Doors

People often choose steel for areas of the commercial space that are less in view. For example, steel is a popular choice for back entrances.

Steel is strong, sturdy and durable. It’ll last for years without you having to think about it.

You aren’t going to have as much success trying to make steel look like a different material, in terms of matching aesthetics. But steel’s strength means it won’t need repair for years.

And with the industrial look becoming more and more popular in the workplace, you might end up finding your steel doors match the aesthetic of the commercial space quite nicely!

High-Speed Doors

For commercial spaces with a lot of traffic through the doors, installing a high-speed option is often the way to go.

They are especially effective in maintaining the temperature inside the building because they aren’t open for long enough for too much air to flow in or out of the building. For that same reason, they are effective at keeping dirt from blowing in from outside.

Garage Doors

If your business has a warehouse or loading dock, you’ll want to install overhead garage doors. They are the most effective doors for larger open spaces.

You also have style and material options with garage doors, namely a roll-up or a sectional door. And they are often customizable in size to accommodate your specific workplace.

Storefront Doors

These are the go-to doors for retail spaces. Since they represent the aesthetic of your business and are a big part of the impression potential customers get, they need to be appealing to look at.

Fortunately, storefront doors are often the most customizable.

They’ll also need to be durable. You’ll (hopefully!) have lots of traffic coming in and out of them during business hours. So you can have doors that aren’t reliable.

But the reality is that over time, even nice doors can suffer from the wear and tear of running a business. So your storefront doors need to be easy to repair and replace when the need arises.

Installing Your New Commercial Doors

Hopefully, this post gave you a good sense of all the options for commercial doors that are out there.

The best first steps are to identify your needs, and then work backward from there to figure out which types of doors you want, and which materials would work best for you.

If you have questions or would like to know more, contact us today.

The Ultimate Guide On Types Of Commercial Overhead Doors

the ultimate guide on types of commercial overhead doors

Commercial overhead doors may be opened and closed up to 50 times in a day. They need to be reliable, durable, functional and secure.

There are many types of commercial overhead doors. Each with its own unique benefits and best uses.

Read on for the ultimate guide that details different types of doors so you can make the best decision to suit your needs.

Sectional Doors

Sectional doors are made out horizontal panels. You can get them in two types of garage doors: galvanized steel or aluminum. They are great garage doors for your industrial warehouse, shipping dock, fire station, pole barn, or outbuilding.

You can choose between manual, chain hoist or electric operation. Many offer the option of a pedestrian door.

Adding a door-within-a-door is a smart choice for garages with high volume traffic or where alternate entrances are distant or do not exist.

A pedestrian door is the regular size of a door which means your employees will not have to stoop to get in and out. They usually are built with an automatic closer to keep energy in and mounted to swing outward (either left or right).

For controlled access, there are various locks, mechanical entry pads, exit panic bars, electric strikes with digital entry pads or card readers available.

You can opt for full-view panel doors when natural daylight and clear visibility are necessary.

Sectional Steel Doors

These doors are strong and low-maintenance. They can have windows or not.

Adding windows enables fresh air to circulate in your interior and allows for sunlight in otherwise dark garages. Screens will keep insects or rodents from entering your facility.

Make sure to ask about energy efficiency when discussing different types of doors with a retailer. You will want to get ones with a high R-value to keep climate controlled buildings the correct temperature. You can also get non-insulated doors if you choose.

Depending on your needs, you may want to opt for a heavy-duty 2″ thick door with a 24-gauge steel front. A lighter-gauge steel front will give you less of an industrial look if you are in a residential area.

Sectional doors are well suited for just about anywhere and have a wide variety of industrial applications.

Sectional Aluminum Doors

When you want to maximize your inside square-footage and need a clean, modern look, commercial aluminum garage doors are a great solution. They are typically used in architectural situations that demand light transmission and visual access.

They are excellent for car showrooms, car repair shops, service stations, car wash locations, and restaurants.

Choose from several options in glazing materials, stile widths, finish options and track styles.

You can choose from light, medium or heavy-duty types of garage doors for sectional aluminum doors as well.

Medium-duty aluminum doors let in natural light and are sleek and polished.

Rolling Sheet Doors

These types of garage doors are made from interlocking slats that coil around a drum to open and close.

Galvanized steel, stainless steel or aluminum constructions are all possible. Rolling doors are perfect wherever space is limited.

You will get thermal protection, low sound transmission, weather and wind protection and special security features. Some versions offer fireproof protection.

A weather-seal at the bottom forms a barrier against weather, dirt, insects, and rodents. A slide bolt lock accommodates up to two padlocks for security protection.

Need a repair on your door or hardware? R&S Erection of Vallejo can help.

Rolling Security Grilles

Security grilles are available in either side-folding or upward-rolling models.

These are different types of doors because they are meant strictly to form a security barrier against debris and theft. The stainless steel grille provides the ability to look through the barrier when the security gate is fully closed.

These doors are often seen in airports, storefronts, display cases and airports.

There are commonly two types of patterns: brick or straight pattern. You can choose between manually or motor-operated models.

Security Shutters

Just like rolling sheet doors, security shutters provide theft protection for high pedestrian applications such as hospitals, pharmacies, and liquor stores.

The aluminum slat curtain may be open like security grilles, or partial fenestration or perforation. There are dozens of finishes to choose from even wood grain for an aesthetic look that blends in.

Fire-Rated Doors

As the name implies, these types of commercial overhead doors offer superb fire protection.

Like a roll-up door, fire-rated doors can be motor or manually operated.

These doors are made from thick, heavy-duty stainless steel which makes them fire-resistant. Fire-rated doors can also block out the noise and provide insulation.

An extra safety feature allows these doors to close automatically in the event of a fire.

Fire-rated doors are incredibly useful and a common choice for warehouses, parking garages, distribution centers and mills.

Commercial Gates

Commercial gates (sometimes called scissor gates) usually open to the side like a sliding door.

Sometimes, these types of doors are designed just to swing open and shut, which is a more economical option although does require more space to open and shut.

Take into consideration the time of day these would need to open and shut at your business. If there is a lot of foot traffic, this may not be your best option.

Once pulled closed, they can be locked just like any other door.

Constructed from thick steel makes these gates give you dependable protection, but also allows ventilation through the gate holes.

Selecting The Right Commercial Overhead Doors

When you shop for your commercial garage doors, consider the functions it will serve and the aesthetic you want.

R&S is a one-stop shop for all types of commercial overhead doors. We can help find you the right option to meet your needs for your business. Get a free quote today.