Application – If the door is going to have a cycle of more than 10 times an hour or will be used in operations where climate control is important (such as pharmaceutical/food packaging) and the area needs to be free from dust, then a HSD will be an effective and efficient option.
Location – If the door will be on the outside of a building open to the street, then security and environmental concerns (from wind, dust etc) will be more of a consideration. If the door will be internal and security is less of an issue, doors used can contain a flexible bottom blade which is safer but less secure than a solid blade.
Speed – Do you need a high speed door or a half speed door? How many cycles per minute required and temperature regulation will be prime concerns when choosing a door. Resist the urge to get a faster door than required — getting a door that can move 4m/sec if 2m/sec will be just as effective, simply wastes money.
Traffic – What sort of traffic will be passing through the door? Will it be mostly pedestrian or forklift traffic? These factors will determine the type of activation required. If there will be a lot of traffic going past the door, the use of uni-directional sensors can prevent the door being opened unnecessarily.
Reliability – As HSDs can be a considerable investment and to have a door stop working half-way through a shift is frustrating and results in unnecessary downtime. Purchase doors from reputable dealers and ensure they comply with industry standards.
Warranty – This is always a good question to ask when purchasing a door. While most warranties last up to 12 months, some are based on door cycles. Considering HSDs can do 400,000 cycles a year, and in some distribution centres move 2 cycles per minute, warranties based on time rather than cycles can give manufacturers longer periods of cover.
Service and parts – Keep in mind where parts would be purchased from. Obtaining parts from local suppliers rather than from overseas merchants can considerably cut down critical delivery times for local manufacturers. Also consider the levels of service offered by the dealer.