Automatic Doors Can Save You Money on Energy Costs

Everyone likes to save money – both customers and businesses alike. Chances are, you have spent time researching various ways to save your business money in an effort to increase your overall profit. One place to look is your energy expenses, and then explore options to reduce the amount of energy used.

Energy for heating and cooling is lost every time a customer walks in through your front door to your business. Reduce the amount of lost energy by installing automatic doors. Automatic doors can have a variety of features to help save you money.

• Brushes that create a tighter seal when the door is closed


• Air curtains


• Building a vestibule around the automatic door


• Insulated glass and frames with thermo profiles

Other Benefits

Of course, energy efficiency is just one of the benefits of automatic doors. Automatic doors make it easier for customers to access your business and improve the flow of pedestrian traffic in and out of your business. They keep you within ADA compliance guidelines and are more cost effective than other methods. All-in-all, automatic doors offer convenience to all of your customers.

The installation of automatic doors at your place of business will help save you money and reduce the amount of energy loss. Automatic doors can help shield the inside of your business from the elements and reduces the chance of customers accidentally leaving your door open or not completely shutting it.

If you would like to find out more about automatic doors, or discuss some entrance options for your business, we are Central Ohio’s sales, service and distribution point for Horton Automatics, one of America’s leading manufacturers of automatic swing and sliding doors.

We can help you find the right door, and we’ll install and service it for you, too! Call The Door Company at (614) 338-1414.

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Revolving Doors: The Energy-Efficient Option For Business

Energy efficiency is a chief concern for businesses across the country, regardless of industry. Maintaining a high level of efficiency helps to lower the costs associated with maintaining the building while also allowing companies to help the environment. Many companies may not realize how much one element like a revolving door can make a difference in terms of a facility’s energy efficiency, even compared to automatic doors.

When the winter sets in, one of the largest expenses faced by any business is the heating bill. Keeping the building comfortable requires an enormous amount of energy. Even more energy is required if every few minutes a new burst of cold air from the street enters the building through an open door.



The opposite phenomenon occurs during the summer, with the building needing to block out the heat and humidity of the summer. Revolving doors offer the perfect solution because they maintain a constant seal around the entrance -- which helps to minimize the uncomfortable air that gets into the building, while keeping more comfortable from escaping. It is estimated that as much as eight times more air is able to get into a building off the street when a swinging door is used compared to revolving doors.

The original revolving doors were first made over 100 years ago, and people quickly noted the benefits they offered by helping to keep the building comfortable while also minimizing noise and disturbances from the street. The doors first gained their popularity in cool climates, as people were concerned about keeping heat indoors. As business owners and contractors have realized the importance of energy efficiency, however, the use of revolving doors has spread to warmer climates as well. One study conducted at MIT found that if everyone used revolving doors to get in and out of a major building, that building might save up to 75,000 kilowatt-hours of energy in a climate similar to Boston.

When businesses are looking for ways to improve their energy efficiency, they should remember the importance of revolving doors. A simple change can have a large and lasting impact on the environmental footprint and the energy costs associated with the building.

Whether working with a new build or even a renovation of an existing building, a revolving door may be just the energy-efficient solution you need. If you’d like to find out more about what revolving doors can do for your business, give The Door Company a call at (614) 338-1414. We are the statewide service, sales and distribution point in Ohio for Boon Edam, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of revolving doors. Visit our website at www.thedoorcompanyofohio.com.

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Safeguard Your Doors Against The Cold

Did you know that cold weather can have many negative effects on your automatic doors? Rusted hinges, inability to open and close properly, and misalignment are some of the most common symptoms. To help safeguard your doors against the cold, you should be sure to properly adhere to the following door maintenance and door service guidelines.

Benefits of Door Maintenance
Conducting door maintenance throughout the year is the first step towards safeguarding your doors against the cold. Automatic doors should be annually inspected by an American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) Certified technician. This annual maintenance and cleaning check will help to ensure that hydraulic systems and springs are in proper working order. Identifying and repairing worn parts can help you to save thousands of dollars, and keep your automatic doors properly functioning for up to 20 years.

During the winter, automatic doors should be checked on a daily basis:

• Look for a build-up of congealing oil on hydraulic coils and springs.


• Ensure that the tracks are clear of any sediment.


• Check to be sure that all seals are tightly in place and free of any cracks or tears.


• The alignment of hinges and locks should also be checked. Temperature fluctuations can cause wooden doors to swell and compress. As a result, door hinges and locks can often become misaligned.

You should also check your emergency exit doors on a daily basis, especially if these doors are exposed to harmful winter weather elements. Check the panic bars and closures; make sure that these components are well lubricated and properly adjusted.

Quick Tips to Protect Your Doors
Winter can range from merely cold temperatures to the recent “Polar Vortex” incident that hit the Midwest and beyond – freezing and sub-zero temperatures, icy conditions, and windy weather. So make sure that you have taken the necessary steps to protect your doors.

• With colder temperatures comes congealed oil on hydraulics and springs. Remove congealed oil and reapply fresh lubricant to keep your doors closing properly.


• To minimize the effects of strong winds, adjust the speeds of the door's closing and latching sweeps. The latter adjustments will ensure that the closer operates as required during extreme weather conditions.


• Ask a professional to help re-calibrate hydraulics.


• To prevent door locks and pivot mechanisms from becoming jammed, stuck, or otherwise losing function, make sure that they have been properly lubricated, especially prior to cold weather.

Should you find flaws during your manual inspection, and need parts or a follow-up inspection, give The Door Company a call at (614) 338-1414. We offer annual inspections for automatic doors as well as 24/7 emergency door service.

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DIY? Or Call TDC? ... Replacing The Lockset On Your Commercial Doors

[In this edition of our "DIY Or Call TDC?" we'll show you how to replace a lockset on your commercial doors.]

It is easy to dismantle a standard door lockset that needs replacing because it’s worn, damaged, or you simply wish to replace it. To replace your existing lockset with a newer model or one with a more secure lock, follow these easy steps.

Step 1 – Remove the Trim or Rosettes

Remove the trim or Rosettes on your door. The Rosettes are the metal rings you will find behind each doorknob on both sides of the door. To remove these rings, unscrew the two screws located on each side of the door that holds the rings in place.

If your doorknob is a newer model, it may not have any screws.  In this case you will need to use a flat tool to pry under the ring to lift the ring off. Slide your tool very carefully under the ring so that you do not cause any damage to the door.

Step 2 – Remove the Long Screws Holding the Lockset in Place

When the rings or Rosettes have been removed, you will note that there are two long screws imbedded in the edge of the door and holding the lockset in place. Use your screwdriver and remove these two long screws completely from the door.

Step 3 – Remove the Knob/Handle from the Spindle Rod

Most are attached to a spindle rod. Therefore, once the two long screws have been unscrewed, you will be able to easily remove the lockset handle from the spindle rod.

Step 4 – Removing a "Spring Loaded" lockset

If your particular lockset is a 'spring loaded' style, you will instead need to remove the knob/handle by pushing in the small metal indentation found at the very base. By pushing in the indentation, you will be able to free it and pull it easily off the spindle.

Step 5 – Remove the Two Screws and Bolt

Once the /knob/handle have been removed, you will notice two screws and a bolt.  These two screws and the bolt hold the door mechanism securely. You can now remove the two screws and the bolt with your screwdriver.

Step 6 – Leave the Strike Plate

Normally you would not need to do anything with the strike plate, the metal plate attached to the door frame that catches the bolt or lock when it’s released on the door.  If the strike plate happens to be damaged or worn and you wish to replace it, you can do so merely by removing the screws and lifting the plate off.

Step 7 – Replacement

Simply either reverse the above order to install a new lockset, or, most new locksets come with a complete set of instructions on how to do it. If you run into any problems, call your local expert, such as The Door Company of Ohio for assistance.  Most of the time, minor issues can be fixed right over the phone.

In addition to solid advice, we also have a walk-in parts counter if you need parts for this project. Call us at (614) 338-1414.

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DIY? Or Call TDC? ... Adjusting The Hinges On Your Commercial Doors

[In this installment of our "DIY? Or Call TDC?" series, we're talking about making simple adjustments to your door hinges to make sure your doors work properly. These are do-it-yourself projects in most cases, but you can always call The Door Company at (614) 338-1414, if you need help or parts.]

You need to regularly adjust door hinges to make sure that a door closes properly. All you need to do is to tighten the screws which, in effect, secure your door into the door frame properly.

Step 1: Examine your Door

A standard commercial door hinge has
four screws

Examine the door for any loose hinges and loose hinge screws. Open the door and look if the hinges have any missing screws as well. Examining the door will give you a good idea of what you should do to adjust the door hinges.

Step 2: Tighten the Top Screws

With a screwdriver, tighten any loose hinge screws that you find. Normally, a standard commercial hinge has four screws, which attaches the door into the door frame. If these screws are not tightened properly, your door will not close and open properly.

When to call the experts

If the area of the door frame where the hinge screws are set is damaged, then you usually have to replace the door frame.  If you determine that the frame is damaged and needs replaced, now is the time to consult a professional commercial door company, like The Door Company of Ohio.  There are many different sizes of frames made for different applications.  The last thing you want to do is order a new frame for an existing door, and then have them not match up or align properly.

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DIY? Or Call TDC? ... How To Unstick a Heavy Wooden Interior Door

[This week in our series "DIY? Or Call TDC?" we're discussing how to deal with a sticking interior wood door. This project and others in this series are tasks you can do yourself for your business.]

If you have a wooden interior door that is sticking you might be able to fix it quickly and with a minimum of tools and skill. This is a common problem with heavy wooden doors.

Step 1: Tighten The Hinge

If your door is dragging at the top or bottom of the frame or on the floor, chances are a loose hinge may be the problem. Over time hinges will work themselves a bit loose. Only a slight loosening can cause a door to stick or drag. Use the screwdriver to tighten down all screws. Don't use a drill or electric screwdriver for this job as they tend to over tighten and you may strip the threads on the screw.

Step 2: Lubricate Door
Open and close the door to see where it is sticking. You may find that all you need to do is rub the edge of the door with an old candle or wax bar to lubricate it a bit.

Step 3: Sand the Door
If these fixes don't work then you might need to sand the area that is dragging until the door opens and closes smoothly. You can also use a wood plane for this job, however, if you have any reservations about sanding or using a plane, call the experts at The Door Company of Ohio at (614) 338-1414. Too much sanding or using a plane can cause visible damage to an otherwise beautiful wood door.

Thank you for reading!

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DIY? Or Call TDC? ... How To Replace Your Door Threshold

[This week in our series "DIY? Or call TDC?" we're covering the replacement of a door threshold. This project and others in this series are tasks you can do yourself for your business. Don't have time? Need parts or assistance? You can always call The Door Company at (614) 338-1414.]

Here are 4 simple steps that will help you quickly and easily replace a door threshold.

Step 1 – Prepare before Buying Your New Threshold Strip

In purchasing a new door threshold you'll need to know which sizes will best fit the door. Measure each door separately. All doors do not necessarily have the same dimensions. You'll need two measurements for each door: the width of the doorway—not the door, itself, and the gap between the floor and the bottom edge of the door. Examine the space between your door and the floor below it to determine what has created this space. Was the threshold not high enough? Is the threshold the right size, but is now worn down or broken off?  Has the concrete or other flooring been damaged under the threshold? Has the threshold been damaged by snow melt compounds?

Step 2 – Choose from Available Types

You'll find a large variety of thresholds on the market.  Most are made of aluminum and may or may not have lips with some type of gasketing material that helps provide a seal for the door against weather.

Be sure to check the measurement of the threshold you purchase, to ensure that it matches the type you'll need to fill the gap between the door bottom edge and the floor beneath it. If you are unable to find a threshold long enough to match your opening, buy one that is longer, one you will be able to cut and fit to the opening.

Step 3 – Remove the Old Threshold

Locate the screws that attach the strip to the floor. If no screws are visible, and if you see a rubber or plastic strip in the center of the old thresold, use a flathead screwdriver to remove this strip. It's very likely that you'll find your screws in the channel the rubber strip occupied. Use your screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the old threshold to the floor.

Step 4 – Attach Your New Threshold  

If you need to shorten your new threshold, carefully measure and mark it. Then, cut it to length. Check to see if holes in the new threshold are aligned with screw holes in the floor. If they're not, use your drill and bit to drill new holes that will line up with the new holes. Then, attach the threshold with new screws.

We can solve any door problem you have. If you need parts for this project, give us a call at (614) 338-1414. Our headquarters at 3247 E. 11th Ave., Columbus, features a walk-in parts counter, and we can get you what you need!

Thank you for stopping by!

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