When to Upgrade Your Industrial Doors
If you’re wondering whether your doors are still doing the job, here are five clear signs it might be upgrade your industrial doors
Know when it’s time to upgrade your industrial doors
Too often businesses don’t think about their industrial doors until something goes wrong. They open and close hundreds of times a day, keep your building secure, help manage temperatures, and in many cases, protect staff and goods. But like any piece of equipment, they don’t last forever and the older they get, the more they start to cost you in ways that aren’t always obvious.
- They’re Slowing Down
One of the first things you’ll notice with ageing doors is a drop in performance. They start to open more slowly, take longer to close, or stall altogether. This can have a direct impact on productivity — especially in busy warehouses, loading bays, or logistics hubs.
High-speed or automatic doors are designed to keep things moving. If your current doors are holding up vehicles, forklifts, or staff, they’re costing you time (and money) every single day.
- Maintenance Calls Are Becoming Routine
A call-out here and there adds up. If you’ve started budgeting for regular repairs or you’ve got engineers on speed dial, it may be more cost-effective to replace the door altogether.
Many businesses in the UK stick with older doors far longer than they should, simply because “they still work”. But ongoing repairs and downtime often end up costing more than a modern, reliable replacement.
- They’re Not Meeting Current Safety Standards
Here in the UK, industrial doors must comply with a range of safety regulations — particularly if they’re power-operated. That includes:
- EN 12453 for powered doors
- PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations)
- Requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
If your doors lack features like safety edges, photocells, or manual overrides, they may no longer be compliant. And that opens your business up to liability if an accident occurs.
- You’re Losing Heat Through the Door
Poor insulation and old seals can mean your doors are letting out warm air in the winter and letting in heat during the summer. This is a common issue in older sectional or roller shutter doors, and it leads to higher energy bills and a less comfortable working environment.
Upgrading to insulated, energy-efficient doors can dramatically reduce your heating and cooling costs — and it supports your sustainability goals too.
- They Don’t Fit Your Needs Anymore
As businesses grow or change, so do their requirements. Maybe your site now has more frequent vehicle traffic, or you’ve started using larger pallets. Perhaps you’re storing temperature-sensitive goods or working longer hours.
If your doors weren’t designed with these needs in mind, you’ll notice. They might not be wide enough, fast enough, or reliable enough. In these cases, an upgrade isn’t just a fix — it’s a future-proofing investment.
So, Should You Upgrade?
If you’ve ticked even one or two of the boxes above, it’s worth having your doors assessed by an engineer at Dorwingear. A new door system can improve security, reduce costs, and make day-to-day operations smoother all while keeping you compliant.
Drop us a message if you think it may be time for a change to your doors. You can see our full range on our Industrial Doors page.
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