Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting John Bryan from Diesel Overhead Doors Inc. for an insightful discussion on the advantages of high-speed parkade doors versus sectional doors. We delved into the benefits of high-speed doors in preventing breakdowns and compared the pros and cons of both options.

John, the owner of Diesel Overhead Doors Inc., has been in the overhead door industry for over 30 years and established his company in 2011. His vision is to position Diesel Overhead Doors Inc. as a leading competitor in Alberta’s door industry while empowering his employees to achieve their fullest potential.

Diesel Overhead Doors Mission Statement & Vision

• Positive Work Environment: Ensuring all employees feel valued and secure in a harassment-free workplace.
• Incident-Free Workplace: Prioritizing safety through training and proactive assessments of workplace hazards and risks.
• Diversified Services: Offering a wide range of HSE services to provide customers a “one-stop” solution and career opportunities for employees.
• Interdependent Workplace Culture: Fostering mutual respect, empowerment, and trust among all employees, regardless of their role.

Who are Diesel Overhead Doors Inc.?

Issued Faced With Sectional Overhead Doors

Sectional overhead doors are ideal for buildings with minimal vehicle traffic underneath but are not suitable for multiple openings. Most builders prefer sectional overhead doors due to their cost-effectiveness. These doors typically use apartment-style operators and consist of tracks, hinges, rollers, cables, and springs.

A common issue with sectional doors is the frequent breaking of springs. Condo corporations often ask why these doors break, and the answer lies in their limited cycle life. The lifespan of a spring is determined by its size. For example, if a condo has 100 vehicles and the door operates once a day per vehicle, the spring will last for approximately 70,000 to 100,000 cycles. This means the spring may need to be replaced every one to two years, which can be costly.

While regular maintenance can help, it doesn’t completely prevent spring breakage, especially since a broken spring isn’t always visible. This often occurs when the door is closed, making it easy to miss. Despite a broken spring, the operator can still lift and close the door. This is why high-speed doors are a better option—they don’t rely on springs.

The Overhead Door Operators

The operators used in apartment-style setups typically include a trolley, but at a minimum, they should be apartment-style operators. These are recommended for up to 25 cycles per hour, or 80-100 cycles per day. Many buildings exceed this quickly. If you’re using 200-250 cycles a day, it can be challenging to claim warranty since it’s only designed for 100 cycles. Upgrading is an option, depending on the number of vehicles entering the parkade and their frequency. Trolley operators open and close slowly, which can be problematic in Alberta’s harsh winters, as slow operation leads to significant heat loss. In contrast, rubber doors open and close at 4 feet per second, minimizing heat loss.

When doors close slowly, it often encourages drivers to try and squeeze multiple cars through at once. As the door begins to descend, some drivers may think they can make it, leading to potential damage to the bottom section. Since the car is in motion, this can cause significant damage, and repairing these individual parts can be quite costly.

Sectional doors are equipped with sensors, typically mounted at the bottom of the door and 6 feet off the ground, as per code. These sensors must be monitored. The issue is that if your car is above the sensor beam, it won’t be detected. It will catch a tire, but if you stop and the timer runs out, the door will come down. High-speed doors can effectively address this common issue as they are equipped with light curtains. These are standard with most high-speed doors, featuring one on the inside and one on the outside. This setup ensures that the door will not close if anything is in the way.

Advantages of High-Speed Doors

If your parkade has a small number of vehicles, sectional doors are suitable since they don’t require high usage. However, for frequent use, high-speed doors are recommended. One excellent option is the Hormann Model HDLH, a rubber roll-up door with an aluminum bottom bar and knock-away arms designed to withstand full impacts with minimal downtime. This low headroom door can be installed both inside and outside.

Another example is the MaxSpeed door, which is suitable for larger applications but can still be installed underground. It’s durable and can reset itself if impacted by a vehicle. However, one disadvantage is that in high-crime areas, these doors can be cut through with a knife. On the other hand, the Spiral commercial overhead door offers high-speed operation for high traffic and features two light curtains per door. It’s the most secure option available, with a life cycle of over a million uses.

Information on all of these door options are available through Diesel Overhead Doors. They have access to all products.

Alternative Safety Options

In the long term, high-speed doors are cost-effective because they don’t stay open long enough to overwork your furnace. They also feature self-diagnostics and self-checks, with an onboard display indicating when maintenance is needed. For smaller condos, the initial investment might seem high, but Diesel Overhead Doors offers other safety options. They’ve partnered with Brink Alert, which uses a simple yet effective system: LED lights flash red when the door is in motion and turn green when it’s safe to proceed. This helps prevent the common issue of people assuming the door is safe to drive through when it’s not fully open.

Benefits Include:

• Door strikes will STOP because everyone in the front seat helps the driver to wait for the Green light!
• Power loss indicator – LEDs flash red when door operator loses power
• Night vision preservation – Bright red LEDs reduce the need for white light
• If safety eye fails, LEDs flash white
• Compatible with most commercial doors

Questions & Answers

1. Does your company cater only to commercial overhead doors?
   • Diesel Overhead offers comprehensive services, including a partnership for residential doors. They handle everything from installation to maintenance, ensuring top-quality solutions for both commercial and residential needs.
2. What should people do if the overhead door can’t be opened?
   • You need to call a technician. Never attempt to open the door yourself, as trying to manually open it can cause more harm than good.
3. How regularly do you maintain the overhead door? And how would you drive through it during the maintenance time?
   • Maintenance frequency depends on the type of door and its usage. It can range from monthly to quarterly or bi-annually. For accessing the door and changing the springs, the door would be fully opened to perform the replacement, assuming the springs are the issue.
4. In case of an emergency, what is your company’s response time?
   • If someone is unable to exit the parkade, the Diesel Overhead Doors team will dispatch help immediately. They prioritize condominiums because residents rely on the door to get in and out.
5. What is the typical warranty length on overhead doors?
   • The typical warranty for overhead doors includes 1 year for installation, 1 year for operational components, and in most cases, about 5 years for parts.
6. If new overhead doors are installed, would each owner need to be provided with new fobs to access?
   • No, new fobs are not necessary. The existing fobs can be integrated with the new doors by coordinating with the fob company, as they are separate entities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the various funding options and maintenance strategies for condo corporations is crucial for ensuring the longevity and efficiency of your building’s infrastructure. High-speed doors, while initially more expensive, offer long-term benefits that can outweigh the costs, especially in high-traffic areas. Regular maintenance and choosing the right door type based on your building’s needs can prevent common issues and reduce overall expenses.

A special thank you to John for his insightful presentation and to everyone who attended. Your participation and engagement are what make these sessions valuable and successful. We look forward to seeing you at our next webinar!

Further Resources:

• Diesel Overhead Doors Inc.
• LED Light Safety Systems: https://dieseloverheaddoors.com/led-safety-light-systems
• Register for future webinars: https://magnumyork.com/webinar/
• Webinar Recap – Enhancing Capital Replacement Management with Stelor & Go West Valuations