Regular maintenance and timely repair of aluminum and glass door systems are essential practices to ensure their optimal functionality and longevity. These door systems, often integral to commercial establishments, face constant use, leading to inevitable wear and tear. However, with a proactive approach involving routine checks, cleaning, lubrication, and minor adjustments, potential issues can be identified and rectified early, minimizing downtime and costly repairs. This not only enhances the door’s operational efficiency but also contributes to safety, security, and aesthetic appeal, making it a valuable long-term investment.
Regular maintenance and inspections throughout the year are necessary for keeping damage to a minimum and fixing small problems before they become big problems. Preventive maintenance is far cheaper over the long term than replacement of a door system.
Common Issues with Aluminum and Glass Doors in Commercial Buildings
Doors can degrade and break down in many ways. The more a door is exposed to storms and extreme elements, the more wear and tear it will experience in a shorter amount of time.
- Opening and Closing Mechanisms: Their opening and closing mechanisms are particularly prone to damage, due to their repeated and daily use.
- Component Degradation: Aluminum components may face issues with corrosion, oxidation, damaged hinges and hardware, warping, and/or bending.
- Glass Damage: Glass components may face cracks, chips, sealant degradation, scratches, and surface damage.
Maintenance and Care
There are specific preventive actions that can extend the life of your glass and aluminum door systems, and to ensure they remain presentable and operable.
1. Cleaning and Inspection
- Use non-abrasive cleaners specifically meant for glass and aluminum. Cleaners that have particulate matter in them may be suitable for industrial equipment, but they may scratch and damage your doors. Door manufacturers will recommend what specific brands work best for their doors.
- Regularly inspect your door systems for signs of corrosion or damage on aluminum components, such as wheels and locks.
- Check the condition of weather-stripping and sealants. Over time these materials can degrade and allow air and water in, increasing your energy bills and causing potential damage from water infiltration.
2. Lubrication
- Apply lubricant to hinges, handles, and other moving parts, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Without regular lubrication, these parts can grind against each other, causing further damage and (likely) noise while the door is in operation.
- Ensure smooth operation of sliding, opening, and closing mechanisms. This is to make sure that the door can open easily and is especially significant in the event of an emergency escape.
3. Glass Care
- Address small cracks or chips promptly by calling our service and repair department. In some cases, an immediate board-up may be warranted to prevent potential injury should the cracks or break increase in size.
- Replace damaged weather stripping or sealant to prevent potential water infiltration.
4. Security and Operational Checks
- Inspect locks and security features regularly. A broken lock could lead to a burglary or unauthorized entry.
- Ensure smooth operation of opening and closing mechanisms.
- Tighten loose screws and bolts. Over time, small vibrations can loosen them, and they may completely detach from the system.
Professional Inspections and Repairs
Regular inspections and repairs are part of the responsibility of taking care of any piece of equipment, including doors.
1. Annual Inspections
- Hire professionals to conduct regular and comprehensive inspections. Experts may be able to identify issues that you may not have noticed.
- Identify and address potential issues before they escalate. It’s important to stop small issues from becoming bigger, more expensive problems – or leading to complete replacement.
2. Repairing Corrosion
- Remove and treat any visible signs of corrosion on all aluminum areas.
- Apply protective coatings to prevent future corrosion. If one part of your door has evidence of corrosion more quickly than other areas, it’s likely the same thing can re-occur. In areas of heavy rain, high humidity and/or close proximity to the ocean, this is especially critical.
3. Glass Replacement
- Replace cracked or damaged glass promptly. This is an issue that warrants immediate service. Such cracks can pose security and safety risks when falling out of the frame, even in cases where tempered or “security glass” is used.
- Call for immediate board-up service. The security reasons to immediately board up the door include not only to safeguard against the risk of broken glass falling from the frame but also to prevent unauthorized access to the building and to restore security.
- Upgrade to impact-resistant glass for enhanced security. There are many options for impact-resistant glass, including tempered safety glass and other types of laminated glass.
4. Preventative Maintenance
Consider obtaining a preventative maintenance contract for ongoing and emergency support. This will save money, reduce repairs, and ensure the condition and safety of your doors. It will also provide building owners with the confidence to trust that experts will spot potential issues and fix them before they become bigger repair problems or high replacement costs.
Safeguarding Your Investment: Expert Professionals at Your Service
Property managers and business owners should take care to protect their investment in their aluminum and glass door systems by conducting regular maintenance. Doing so can create peace of mind and save thousands of dollars over the life of the building.
In addition to maintaining your door systems, Giroux Glass offers a comprehensive range of services to keep your entire building in top shape. We also perform repairs, inspections, and renovations of every type of glass installation, including doors, windows, showers, and more. Contact us to get a quote from our service department and learn more about our preventative maintenance programs.
Interested in learning more? At your convenience, consider scheduling a free “lunch and learn,” where we will provide you with both lunch and a 30-minute tutorial on maintaining your commercial building. It could be the first step in extending the lifespan of your doors and other systems.
