What are the different types of automatic doors?

What are the different types of automatic doors, what are their individual advantages and which automatic door might be right for your installation? At Safetell we are specialists in automatic door repairs, servicing, maintenance and installation.

If you’re considering installing automatic doors at your premises there are a number of factors you will need to consider. There are various types of automatic doors available, each of which may be more suitable for different settings and use cases.

What different types of automatic doors are there?

• Automatic Swing Doors

Automatic swing doors are often the cheapest and easiest way to install automatic doors on your premises. Often used on internal doors, they give full-width access, allowing space to be maximised. They are often found in commercial buildings, hospitals and medical centres, as well as public buildings.

Automatic swing doors are usually straightforward to install and can usually be fitted to your existing door opening.

Fully automatic doors incorporate sensors that identify the approach of someone to the doors. They will then open to allow passage through the opening. Once the person has passed through, the doors will automatically close. Fully automatic doors will usually be installed in high-traffic areas.

Semi-automatic swing doors are operated by pressing a button, or another form of access control. When it has been activated, the door will open to allow access.

• Automatic Sliding Doors

In busy locations where you need to keep foot traffic moving, it can make sense to install automatic sliding doors. Among the types of automatic doors, they are the ones most commonly seen in public buildings and commercial settings. They have a simple operation, withdrawing completely to allow safe access for individuals and groups of people. This makes them highly practical in settings where there is a high volume of cross traffic.

As with automatic swing doors, they operate by means of a sensor that identifies the approach of a person, triggering the mechanism to open and then close after they have safely passed through the doorway.

Sliding door mechanisms provide a high degree of safety because they do not open into the space in front of pedestrians, which also ensures that foot traffic keeps flowing. This makes sliding doors a popular choice in places such as hospital main entrances, airports and supermarkets.

• Telescopic sliding doors

If the opening isn’t wide enough for a traditional automatic sliding door, then it may be possible to install telescopic sliding doors. These have multiple leaves, with the inner leaf retracting behind the outer door. They may also be appropriate if there is limited space behind the door leaves to accommodate the opening.

• Automatic Bi-fold Doors

Bi-folding doors are also an excellent choice when space is limited, and there isn’t room for the door to slide into. They can also be used as an alternative to swing doors when there is an obstruction or other blockage where a swing door would open. The panels in the bi-folding door will fold on top of each other to give the user a close to full-width opening. This makes them a practical option in a range of settings, particularly shops, hospitals and the entrance to office and residential blocks.

It may be possible to retrofit automatic doors, which can make them a practical option for businesses with a more limited budget. Installed less often than other types of automatic doors, automatic bi-fold doors are an option in locations where other door types are not practical.

• Automatic Revolving Doors

High-profile buildings such as hotels, large banks, offices and department stores will often feature automatic revolving doors. As well as being a stylish option, revolving door units create an air seal that protects the building from the weather outside. This helps to keep the building warm, preventing heat from escaping, and improving energy efficiency.

If you’re considering installing automatic revolving doors at your premises, then it’s important to consider what provision will be made for disabled access. Often, revolving doors will feature a push button opening swing door next to the revolving door to allow access by wheelchair users and others with limited mobility.

Which automatic door is right for me?

When considering the different types of automatic doors and what might be right for your premises there are several factors to consider.

Your location will be an important factor, with some automatic doors more appropriate for the space you have available. Cost is another key factor, with some automatic door systems being more cost-effective than others. The degree of accessibility required is also important to consider, along with the foot traffic that will be using the door.

A professional automatic door installation company will be able to advise you about what might be appropriate in your particular setting and how to get the most out of your budget.

Automatic door installation, service and maintenance by Safetell

As a leading UK supplier of bespoke security solutions for a wide range of organisations, Safetell provides a comprehensive design and installation service, that guarantees high-quality, efficient results in any situation.

Our comprehensive project management service can handle the entire process. With particular expertise in challenging site conditions and high-risk locations, we can ensure a safe and efficient installation that exceeds your expectations.

With our trusted automatic door servicing, repairs and maintenance service, our customers can avoid costly and inconvenient breakdowns.

We maintain a “repair not replace” policy, only replacing parts as a last resort when fixing them is no longer an option, saving you money. We’re system agnostic and provide advice on equipment regardless of the make or model.

You can be confident that your doors will be well-maintained and safe, and should a breakdown occur, we’ll be on hand to get them operating again in no time at all.

Contact us to find out more about our competitive automatic door servicing and maintenance package in London and nationwide.