Advantages and benefits of air curtains

We classify the air curtains advantages in 4 groups:

Commercial profitability

• Sales increase due to the “open door effect”. It is known that when doors are open, people affluence increases substantially
• Doors open is an invitation for customers
• Doorway acts as a shop window and allow people to see the inside of the shop
• Free access for disabled people (wheelchair) or people using baby strollers, trolleys, umbrellas, etc.
• Help to control uncomfortable sensations of draughts
• Increases available usable space on entrances
• Increases customers and staff comfort

Hygienic and healthy atmosphere

• Helps maintain adequate enviroment
• Reduces employee absenteeism
• Pest and insect control
• Barrier against airborne dust, pollution, fumes and bad odours

Energy saving

• Reduces the energy losses from the conditioned space
• Reduce central plant capacity (heating/cooling)
• Reduces the building running cost
• Reduces the CO₂ emissions

Increased safety

• Increase visibility and avoid collisions because there isn’t a physical obstruction
• In cold rooms reduces misting, dry out the doorway and prevents ice forming on floors
• Easy evacuation through the exit doorway in case of fire or emergency
• Act as a barrier against fire smoke (special application)

To achieve those advantages it is absolutely necessary to select the right air curtain.

Inefficient air curtain (losing money)

Efficient air curtain (saving money + advantages)

If we select a wrong unit the air jet won’t reach the floor and the separation of two adjacent areas will disappear. Then all heated/cooled air will cross the doorway and we will loose energy and all other advantages.

Some people only care about the air curtain price and select a less performance or inadequate air curtain, following sometimes other seller recommendations. Being confident you should always compare the characteristics of the air curtain, especially the kind of fans used and the air volume.

At the end if we calculate the amount of money of the air curtain and the energy savings we will achieve that selecting the wrong unit can be more expensive and moreover the end client won’t be satisfied.

In conclusion, on open doorways it is highly recommended to use an air curtain because of the many benefits.