Automatic Commercial Doors: Why Summer Maintenance is Critical for Safety and Performance

Summer brings heavy foot traffic to malls, airports, hospitals, and mixed-use buildings. This activity places continual stress on automatic doors and commercial doors, with some automatic sliding doors and automatic swing doors cycling hundreds or thousands of times a day. Each cycle accelerates wear on moving parts like rollers, tracks, and door openers.

Heat can add strain. Metal expansion shifts door frames, which leads to misalignment. Misaligned door panels create friction, slow movement, or confuse safety sensors. Combined with debris, dust, humidity, and pollen, these factors cause sensors to fail or doors to stick.

For maintenance managers, this isn’t just inconvenient—it affects access control, can increase energy costs, and may create safety and compliance risks. That’s why automatic door summer maintenance matters.

How Preventative Maintenance Minimizes Downtime and Costs 

Preventative maintenance is key during summer. Inspections before peak traffic allow technicians to identify sensor misalignment, worn rollers, and motors close to failure. Regular automatic door maintenance helps avoid costly repairs.

With Door Services Corporation, you receive more than just a checkup. Our team performs proactive service that includes cleaning sensors, lubricating parts, adjusting speeds, and recalibrating systems. These steps protect the full door system—including swing doors, sliding doors, and revolving doors—from seasonal wear.
Routine maintenance is far more affordable than emergency visits or full replacements. A single appointment can prevent extended downtime, especially during the summer rush.

Common Summer Failures and How Inspections Prevent Them

Summer introduces failure patterns that regular maintenance resolves:

• Sensor Obstructions: Dust, pollen, or moisture block sensor lenses, causing unresponsive operation. Cleaning and sensitivity checks help.
• Heat-Induced Misalignment: Expanded metal frames trigger jerky movement or scraping noises. Alignment checks prevent this.
• Motor Overheating: Nonstop use stresses motors. Without checks, performance drops and part replacement becomes likely.

Regular inspections prevent minor problems from becoming full system failures. Technicians test emergency functions, confirm smooth operation, and correct alignment issues before they affect safety. Automatic door repair services are available for issues that can’t wait, including malfunctions during a power outage. Our commercial door repair team responds fast and fixes most issues on the first visit.

The Value of Maintenance Contracts for Safety and Security

A maintenance contract helps meet compliance goals while protecting people and property. Scheduled service covers every detail—from door opener checks to auto-reverse function tests. Our technicians verify that automatic doors operate within current code for force, speed, and accessibility.

Clients benefit from service consistency, rapid response, and access to experienced professionals. Explore our flexible door maintenance contracts, available in every service area we cover across the U.S. and Canada.

Supporting Compliance with Accessibility and Fire Codes

Proper automatic door maintenance ensures compliance with accessibility and fire door inspection standards. Our contracts include sensor calibration and force checks to keep your system within code. Managers responsible for glass doors, revolving doors, or older models benefit from added confidence in every inspection.

For facilities that require additional safety oversight, Door Services Corporation offers specialized services for fire-rated doors to keep your building secure and compliant, including fire door inspection services to confirm life safety systems are fully functional.

Summer Maintenance Checklist for Facility Managers

A seasonal checklist helps managers address potential issues proactively:

• Inspect glass and frames for cracks or structural damage.
• Clear debris from tracks to prevent jams.
• Test doors for smooth, silent operation. Note hesitation or odd movement.
• Clean and align sensors to prevent misreads.
• Verify force and speed settings meet code.
• Confirm emergency and safety features—like auto-reverse—function correctly.

This seasonal checklist supports facility-wide performance and safety, especially when paired with regular maintenance by certified professionals.

Rapid Response During Peak Traffic

When automatic doors fail in summer, downtime must be minimal. Our strong local presence allows us to respond within hours—not days. Each technician carries a fully stocked van, enabling most repairs to be handled without delay.

Our 24/7 commercial door repair service keeps operations running smoothly, no matter the season.

Preparing Your Entrances for the Summer Rush

Want to avoid issues entirely? Schedule early inspections to catch wear before summer traffic starts. This includes older doors that may need upgrading. We offer complete automatic door installation services for facilities ready to modernize entrances and eliminate recurring issues.

We work with the top automatic door manufacturers and install all door types, including automatic sliding doors and automatic swing doors, giving you long-term reliability and performance.

With decades of experience, Door Services Corporation helps you keep things running—safely, efficiently, and with minimal disruption.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do automatic commercial doors need attention during summer?
High temperatures and heavier foot traffic increase stress on automatic doors. Without summer maintenance, wear builds quickly, leading to malfunctions.
2. What preventative maintenance should be done before summer?
Clean sensors, lubricate moving parts, check motor heat, realign frames, and verify speeds. These actions prevent downtime and support compliance.
3. How often should commercial doors be inspected?
At least twice a year. Include additional checks before seasonal peaks for better performance and fewer costly repairs.
4. Do maintenance contracts include emergency repair services?
Yes. Our contracts offer scheduled service and access to emergency automatic door repair—including fast help during a power outage.
5. How does summer maintenance support safety compliance?
We inspect and test every system—automatic sliding doors, glass doors, and more—to ensure they meet fire, safety, and accessibility standards.