There is more than a little folklore surrounding the automatic door system, not unlike the kind of stories you might hear in a small town. People are quick to say they can read your mind or that they are as much a drain on the electric bill as they are a nuisance when they break down. Put those kinds of tales aside and look at the technology objectively caesar door, though, and you will find little to back them up. Let's examine some of the most common claims.
Take the notion that an automatic unit will inflate the power tab in a way a manual door would not. This assumption seems reasonable: a motor running all day must be costly. In fact, the motor only engages in short bursts during each opening and closing cycle. Once you consider the heating or cooling lost because an employee has left a conventional door propped open, automatic doors often become the more energy-efficient option.
“They Break All the Time”
You are bound to come across this grievance. There is some truth in it, even if it is overstated. Automatic doors contain motors, sensors, and control boards; more parts naturally create more opportunities for failure. However, a properly maintained system is highly reliable. In most cases failures result from inadequate maintenance rather than poor design. It is akin to blaming the car for a flat when one has never thought to check the tire.
A Matter of Time
The case can be made either way. If it is just one person coming into the building, saving a couple of seconds is insignificant. However, in busy hospitals or retail stores with heavy foot traffic, those seconds quickly add up. Customers carrying items or healthcare workers moving equipment benefit from hands-free access. It is about taking the friction out of the day to day operations of the place.
No Guarantees
Don't assume that automatic means flawless. Weather, dirt, and everyday wear eventually affect performance. Leave a door to its own devices and after a year or so you will see idiosyncrasies develop in what was once a flawless installation. Like any mechanical system, automatic doors require routine maintenance to stay reliable. Make a set and forget affair of the system and you will discover that minor hassles have turned into an expensive proposition.