Do you have a construction or renovation project for your company’s site? Adding garage doors to your building can increase the value of your business in many ways.
Whether you want to add doors for your new expansion or restyle your exterior, there are essential elements you must take into consideration before buying commercial garage door operators.
To assist you in making the right choices, we are detailing the most important things you need to know about commercial garage door operators. We hope they can help you form an enlightened decision regarding your choice of model.
Like these kinds of trolley garage door operators? This is the LiftMaster MT model.
What is the difference between a commercial and residential garage door?
Consider the fact that residential and commercial garage doors are not used the same way even though you own a garage door at home. For instance, residential garage doors come in different materials and designs to make your house exterior aesthetically appealing.
Size and weight
Commercial garage doors are usually heavier and larger than residential. They are used when loading and unloading supplies on a regular basis. This type of use requires a more powerful system to remain functional for everyday use.
Number of cycles per day
In addition to the size difference, the operation cycle per day for a commercial garage door is higher. You may open a residential door just twice a day, which equals 10,000 cycles during 13 years of operation, compared to a loading dock door that can be in movement all day long.
There is far more traffic at a distribution center than at your home. A commercial garage door often opens and closes 25 to 50 times per day, for a total of 25 to 100,000 cycles during its lifetime of more than 25 years. Both power and energy efficiency need to be taken into account when selecting a commercial garage door operator.
What about the horsepower?
Depending on the size of a door and its usage, the horsepower requirement will vary. Because they open larger and heavier doors many times throughout the day, commercial garage door operators are built to be more powerful.
Here are some loading dock doors. These garage doors are the G-1000, 8’ x 8’, Heron Blue by Garaga.
Types of commercial door operators
There are two main categories of electric garage door operators: trolley and jackshaft. The location where your operator will be placed, on the ceiling or on the wall, determines which one is best for you.
- Trolley
An electric garage door operator which is suspended from the ceiling, usually central to the door and placed at the far end of a rail. The rail has a trolley (hence the name) which connects to the garage door and rides along it to lift the door. This type of operator is used for standard lift doors because it operates by pulling the door horizontally.
- Jackshaft
Also called a wall-mounted operator, it is installed the beside the door. It uses rotational force by turning the torsion bar to make the garage door move up and down. Unlike a trolley, it can be used with all types of door movements.
You want to know more about these garage door operators? This is the LiftMaster GH (on the left) and the jackshaft LiftMaster LJ8900W model (on the right).
Now that you know more about their features and mechanisms, you can explore more models of garage door operators from LiftMaster. This will provide a better idea of which is best for your business.
What are the needs pertaining to your type of business?
What will the door be used for? Is the construction of the door important? What is your budget? How many doors do you require? These are all critical questions to ask yourself when deciding on the type of garage door operators for your business.
Before purchasing a garage door operator, the first thing you should determine is your commercial or industrial property's requirements. The company’s industry, building construction, and traffic on your site impact the different features you will need to consider.
Of course, cost is an important consideration, but efficient garage door operators can play a significant difference in your daily operations.
Apartment building or condominium
Depending on how many units you have, the number of cycles per day will vary. Here is an equation to consider: If you have one door and 100 occupants each with one car, you can assume that the door will open approximately 200 times per day to let occupants out in the morning and back on their return in the evening.
NOTE: The operation cycle can influence the horsepower required and the cost of the garage door operator.
You will also need to have a timer-to-close feature and a pneumatic reversing sensing edge. The latter is a hose in the bottom weatherstrip of the door. It allows the sensor system to force the door quickly upward when it touches an object.
Municipal garage and car dealer
Jackshaft garage door operators are usually recommended for these building types because they provide an unobstructed ceiling and increase storage space. For these applications there are two accessories that are recommended in addition to the operator:
- A loop detector (typically installed before paving the floor) to detect vehicles when they pass causing the door to open.
- A mid-stop so that your door does not open fully if not necessary. This is an excellent idea for the maximization of heat or ventilation inside your building.
Car washes
Many car washes have doors for security, insulation, or other reasons. It's important to note that every carwash is different. Of course, all the garage door operators need to be water-resistant because of the humidity which can interfere with the electronics.
However, the building construction and location may influence your requirements. For instance, you may want powerful operators to reduce noise or control traffic flow at your car wash.
Take the time to look at your building materials and environment to determine your needs. It will help you find a suitable garage door operator and accessories to complement your company’s property!
Fire stations
Have you noticed that fire stations typically have garage doors made of glass? The reason is to allow firefighters to have a better visibility when leaving the station in a hurry.
This full view garage door is a G-4400, 14’ x 16’, Anodized extrusion.
There are other specific requirements regarding the design of a fire station to ensure safety and efficiency on site. In case of an emergency, firefighters must be on duty rapidly. Seconds matter in these situations!
This blog from FireRescue1, a network that helps the firefighter community, explains why LiftMaster’s smart garage door operators can make an essential difference in firefighters' day-to-day work.
According to this article, the two main advantages of having a powerful operator are:
- safety of personnel and equipment
- protection against theft and vandalism
Fire crews can also increase their speed with a control panel installed on the wall. All garage doors can open simultaneously from one single location and get the vehicles out of the station quicker.
Warehouses and other commercial buildings
Depending on the type of industry of your company, your needs will be different when you buy a garage door operator. The size of the load you’ll be storing and the number of goods you keep in your warehouse will determine how many garage doors you need and which operator is the most suitable for you.
That’s why we highly recommend you get in touch with a specialist who will help you choose which model is the best for your business.
Want to learn more about it?
Many technical terms may be challenging to understand when you don’t know anything about garage doors and operators. Hopefully, Garaga dealers’relevant tips and definitions assist you in discerning the differences and benefits of the models available.
Whether you need to update your operators at your company’s building or have a new project in mind, you should contact a Garaga dealer in your area. They will evaluate your project based on your needs and send you a quotation by email!
They also have a variety of commercial garage doors for every type of industry if your door has to be replaced too. If you want to see real projects, please view this image gallery. Also, feel free to ask for a specialist’s assistance to answer all of your questions and guide you through your decision-making!
This is the LiftMaster GT model, a heavy industrial-duty trolley garage door operator.
What about garage door operator’s installation?
Are you pretty sure which electric garage door operators you will need? Now, it’s time to install them! Having certified garage door experts with the proper equipment and experience guarantees a functional garage door!
Your safety matters to us. Let technicians from the Garaga dealer in your area install your operators! An electrician will put the outlets in your garage and run the wiring.
IMPORTANT! All LiftMaster commercial garage door openers come with a standard security system to prevent injuries and increase your safety. You may want to look at the different systems offered with your operator and learn more about their utility.
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