Air Doors

Commercial Air Curtains: What You Need to Know

An air door helps create a barrier against cold drafts by adding heated or unheated air into the mix. Half-horsepower motors shoot out air that keeps flying insects at bay as far as 8 feet. Dirt, drafts, and fumes are held back as much as 10 feet. While they offer quiet operation, many models enable you to adjust how powerful you want the airflow to be and what noise level will be most comfortable for your patrons and employees. They come in various lengths, ranging from 36 inches to 12 feet, and come in 6-inch or 12-inch intervals. These air doors can even help keep you USDA and FDA compliant by reducing or eliminating contaminants, and automatic switches make them energy efficient.

Aluminized or powder-coated cabinets are durable and corrosion resistant. Strategically placed vanes sweep air in a 40-degree arc to keep drafts at a minimum. These air doors are a suitable choice for drive-thru windows, walk-in coolers, and entryways. Air curtain doors are most useful over entrances that are opened frequently and for long periods of time.

Common Questions About Air Curtains

What is an air curtain?

Air curtains produce a long, thin stream of air that flows past an opening – usually a doorway, walk-in cooler, or drive-thru window. This stream of air prevents unwanted contaminants from passing the threshold. Debris and pests get caught in the gusts and forced away from the door, preventing mosquitoes from flying through while it's open, for example. Air curtains are a convenient way to prevent pests without hindering your customers because the air stream is strong enough to deter small insects without inconveniencing guests. Restaurant air doors help you ensure the safety of your food as well as improve your guests' experiences.

Why use an air curtain?

Air doors are most valuable over entryways or openings that are used frequently, where the operator can't keep the building sealed against nature and the elements. Air curtain doors create a passable barrier that enables people to pass through but prevents bugs, debris, and drafts from doing the same. These units can help with safety and sanitation by preventing pests from infiltrating your establishment, but they can also save money on utilities by keeping the interior of your operation from leaking heat or air conditioning into the open air. Commercial air curtains have many features that can help emphasize these benefits. Some come with sensors that activate them only when they're needed so you don't waste money on an air curtain behind a closed door. Others utilize heated air, which performs best against cold drafts intruding into a warm establishment. Consult the product specifications page of the air curtain door you're considering to see which features might improve your comfort level.

Where to use an air curtain?

The most obvious place to utilize an air door is across the entrance to your establishment as this will likely be the most frequently opened door. However, drive-thru windows and walk-in cooler doors can also benefit greatly from an air curtain door. Restaurant air curtains are especially important because they prevent pests from entering the area where you'll be preparing food, which can improve food safety and scores with the health inspector. Any space that's open to the outdoors regularly can benefit from a commercial air curtain. If the opening is sealed often, choose an air curtain that automatically turns off when it's not needed to save money on utilities.

Though they're designed to operate as quietly as possible, air doors do make noise, so placing them away from the dining area can help mitigate this problem, as can automatic shut-offs that keep the equipment from running constantly.