Air Doors Control Climate and Energy Costs Posted on March 21, 2017 Walk into a store, supermarket or warehouse on a cold day and you might feel a blast of air. On one side is the cold, and as you enter the building you can feel a defining line where the warm air begins. The space in the middle keeps the cold from going in and the heat from going out. Or on a hot day, it keeps the heat out and the cold in. This is all done by an air door, otherwise known as an air curtain. Air doors are useful for a wide range of purposes. Read on to learn more about air doors, why they’re practical and what features you should look for when purchasing one for your business. What is an air curtain? An air curtain is a special type of fan that’s used to keep an area or room temperature controlled and protected from contamination. Working on the same principle as a double window pane, the air curtain acts as an insulator to create a barrier between two different areas. Mars Phantom 12 Series Air Curtain How does an air curtain work? Mounted on the heated/air-conditioned side of the doorway, the air door takes in conditioned air and forces it down to the floor to create an invisible barrier. Depending on weather conditions, the blast of air is forced either straight down, or in the case of strong wind conditions, at a slightly outward angle. Air doors do more than just control climate. They are also an effective way to keep flying insects, dust, and fumes, out of an environment. For this reason, air curtains are commonly used in commercial spaces such as stores, warehouses, garages or workshops that demand both climate control and protection from contamination. For example, an auto body shop may use an air curtain to keep pests, dust and debris out of the workspace to prevent contamination while painting. Hospitals and schools may also use air curtains to keep areas climate controlled and contaminant-free. In addition, air doors are an energy loss solution for nearly any heavily traveled business entrance. They can help to reduce costs and energy associated with heating and cooling. Restaurants, warehouses, drive-up windows, service entry areas, and cold storage areas are just some of the facilities that can benefit from installing air curtains. Mars Air Systems LoPro2 Air Curtain Air curtain features If you’re interested in purchasing an air curtain for your commercial or personal space, there are a few things you need to consider before doing so. Heat or unheated? Some air curtains offer heat for ultimate climate control, which can be valuable for commercial spaces in cold climates. Size: The larger the size, the larger the barrier. Our air curtains range in size from 26 to 144 inches to accommodate a wide variety of spaces. If you have a large opening that requires an air curtain, you will need a more powerful and larger air curtain than if you had a smaller opening. Installation type: Most air curtains are surface mounted, making them visible. However, you may also opt for an option that’s recessed in the ceiling, like the Phantom series. Power: We carry 115v, 208-230v and 460v models, as well as single-phase and three-phase options. Mars Air Systems STD2 Unheated Air Curtain Best-selling air curtains Now that you’re familiar with the different types of features, you’ll have a better idea of what to look for in an air curtain. Here are some of our top sellers: The 115v Mars Air Systems LoPro 2 Unheated Air Curtain is available in a wide range of lengths in a sleek, low-profile design. It offers contaminant protection for openings up to 7 feet high and climate control and separation for openings up to 8 feet high. It’s available in either a black or white finish. The 115v Mars Air Systems Standard Series (STD2) Unheated Air Curtain works as a climate barrier for spaces of up to 10 feet and offers insect protection for up to 8 feet. While it’s a bit louder than the LoPro series air curtains, this model offers more power. If you’re tired of watching money and energy flow out the door, an air door could be the answer to your needs. Shop our air curtains today. Mickey Luongo Mickey is the resident heating and air conditioning expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry.
August 6, 2018 at 3:20 PM Warehouse Heaters & Air Conditioners - How to Heat & Cool says: […] Since warehouses often have garage doors or other sections of the space that are open to the elements, air curtains can be a great way to eliminate leaks, keep your space contaminate free, and save you money. […] Reply
June 29, 2019 at 3:27 AM Naomi Mink says: The new store I am renting has air curtains. It appears that it’s blowing air into the store like a giant fan. Shouldn’t it be blowing the air straight down instead? My store is not staying very cold even with the air curtains on because I have to leave the doors open. Today the store got up to 86° even though I have the air-conditioner set at 76. It was 90° outside. Also, the air curtains are very noisy. Do you have any solutions? Because I don’t know if they are saving me any money Reply
July 25, 2019 at 11:36 AM Dave says: Hi Naomi, I’m curious if your air curtain is mounted on the inside or outside of your store. Mounting an air curtain on the outside works great for insect control, but actually works against you for climate control. This is because the air curtain is using the outdoor unconditioned air for the barrier, and in turn pushing outdoor air into the building. For climate control applications, you need to mount the air curtain on the indoor side or the side you want to protect. Proper installation and air pressure is also required in order to achieve good climate control results. Hopefully this helps. Reply