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My Electrician Says He Can Fix My Automatic Door. Should I Let Him?

Blog 5, October 2021

It’s true that modern automatic doors rely on electricity to function. But does that mean your electrician should be performing automatic door repairs? The short answer is, No.

This isn’t meant to disparage electricians, who are trained professionals. It’s simply that automatic door installation and repair falls outside their area of expertise. Just as you wouldn’t ask a plumber to rewire an electrical outlet, you should also leave automatic doors to the specialists in that area.

We suggest a professional automatic door installer who is also an AAADM Certified Inspector. They are trained in the ANSI standards for your building’s automatic doors. Conversely, your electrician will probably not be aware of the bevy of detail covered in the applicable ANSI standards.

There are actually four different ANSI standards covering the four main types of automatic doors: power operated pedestrian doors; power assist and low energy power operated swinging doors; low energy power operated sliding and folding doors; and power and manual operated revolving pedestrian doors. AAADM offers certifications for all four standards. Also, AAADM Certified Inspectors are notified when ANSI standards are updated, so they’re always in the know.

What do the standards cover? The primary factors include the maximum speed and force at which such doors can safely operate, the minimum interval to remain open after each triggering of the sensor, and appropriate placement and calibration of sensors to avoid accidental closings on occupied thresholds.

Each type of automatic door has its own nuances to understand, and automatic door field technicians who are also AAADM Certified Inspectors are specifically trained to recognize, understand, and work within these standards and check doors for compliance when work is completed.

Further, being a certified inspector helps keep safety requirements top of mind when your service technician is repairing your automatic door. He or she will always be thinking of how fast it can go, how long it should stay open, sensor patterns, and other factors that make the door as safe as possible. The AAADM Certified Inspector who is also an installer is able to make the necessary adjustments during the installation process.

When work is complete, they know how to conduct the proper tests to make sure the door is safe and ANSI compliant. Are the sensors detecting pedestrian approaches from all the necessary angles? Have the sensors been properly adjusted? Is the door staying open for the appropriate length of time? Is it accurately detecting when someone lingers in the doorway too long?

One final point. Only members of the automatic door industry are eligible to receive AAADM Certified Inspector training. Before hiring anyone to install or perform maintenance on an automatic door, we suggest asking the following questions: How long have you been in the automatic door business? How many total automatic doors have you installed? How many total automatic doors have you repaired? Are you an AAADM Certified Inspector?

By making sure the person you choose has the necessary experience and qualifications to work on automatic doors, building owners, facility managers, and contractors can be confident that their project’s automatic doors will operate safely and to ANSI standards.

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