With 90° temps sweeping through the Midwest and the Southeast over the past few weeks, it’s clear that this summer will be a warm one. While the arrival of weather we’re typically used to in the dead of summer may just mean more time in the AC or at the pool for us humans, for automatic doors, it’s a different story. Extreme heat can spell disaster for electronic equipment, so we’re breaking down exactly why and how you should keep your doors in good working order through this heatwave.
What Equipment Might Be Most Affected by the Heat?
Electronic devices and equipment are some of the greatest modern inventions, but unfortunately, they don’t stand up to extreme temperatures very well—especially extremely hot temperatures. This is because electronics themselves create heat as a natural byproduct of operating, and while they’re engineered in different ways to keep cool, hot temperatures outside make it harder for electronics to dissipate excess heat and can eventually lead to overheating and malfunctioning.
Sensors:
When the electronic components of your automatic door’s sensors fail, it can mean that your doors simply don’t open or close, or don’t recognize when a pedestrian is crossing through the threshold. At best, it’s a major inconvenience, and at worst, it’s a major safety hazard.
All types of automatic door sensors are vulnerable in a heatwave due to their complex circuitry and wiring. As the temperatures rise, their circuit boards can short out, melt and warp, or even catch fire (in extreme cases), causing your sensors to act up or just stop working altogether.
Infrared sensors can also experience a decrease in accuracy in extreme heat due to the way the technology works. Infrared sensors pick up the heat of someone’s body as it approaches the doorway, so when the weather outside gets close to the temperature of the human body (95°–100°), it becomes difficult for the sensor to tell the difference between the air outside and someone walking towards the door. This means that your doors might open when no one’s there, or may not open when there is someone there.
Motors & Gearboxes:
Motors and gearboxes are constantly working to literally keep your doors moving. However, these essential components are also prone to breaking down when the weather outside gets hot, since they’re constantly putting off heat while they operate. This makes them more susceptible to overheating during the summer—since there’s nowhere to go for the extra heat motors and gearboxes put off, they’re unable to cool themselves down, even while they continue to work and create more heat.
In addition, extremely hot temperatures can cause both metal and plastic to expand, causing the parts of your motor or gearbox to warp and no longer fit properly. So, not only do you have to worry about these parts overheating, but now you’ve got to look out for increased wear and tear and potential unexpected breakdowns.
Checking & Replacing Parts
When a heatwave hits, it’s important for you to give all your automatic doors daily safety checks to make sure everything is working properly. Try out your sensors and see whether they’re responding, see how your doors react when the sensors are triggered, and monitor how smoothly and timely your doors are opening and closing.
If you find that some of your equipment isn’t working properly, ADA is here to get your doors back on track—call our toll-free number, 1-866-470-8099, or email us at servicerequest@adausa.com. We provide 24/7 service to all our branch locations and we stock sensors, motors, and gearboxes for all automatic door applications, so you can rest easy knowing that help is available whenever you need it.
Get a Professional Safety Check
One of the best ways you can prepare for and prevent an equipment malfunction during the summer is by getting your doors checked by a professional before anything breaks. Our trained and experienced team at ADA is capable of servicing all brands of automatic doors and operators and will perform a thorough inspection of your sensors, motors, gearboxes, and all other components of your automatic doors that may be susceptible to overheating.
In case any repairs are needed, we keep our service vehicles fully stocked with factory-authorized parts and equipment so we can take care of them then and there, because we know your time (and money) is valuable.
And with forecasts predicting future summers to be just as hot as this one, stay ahead of the curve by signing up for our ProActive Maintenance Program (PMP). We’ll provide your doors with two thorough servicings each year (typically in the spring and fall) to make sure that everything is up to the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) standards and running smoothly, helping you repair or replace any equipment that could cause problems when the heat sets in. To learn more about PMP, visit our website or give us a call.