In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, businesses should prioritize using touchless entry doors. Ensuring the safety of employees and visitors within your facilities has become paramount. Touchless door hardware offers a valuable means to mitigate the spread of pathogens within a facility. Touchless entry solutions encompass a range of attractive features. These include touchless door activation, touchless access control, and automatic doors. They’re not only more convenient but more accessible as well.
Touchless activation systems mainly use motion sensors. This enables individuals to open doors simply by passing their hand in front of the sensor. This technology not only enhances safety but also offers a convenient experience. It’s a cleaner and more professional first impression for all those entering and exiting your facility. Implementing touchless entry solutions should become an integral part of maintaining a secure, accessible and hygienic environment for all.
Health & Safety Benefits of Touchless Commercial Door Hardware
Public health officials recommend wiping down “high-touch” surfaces like doorknobs, phones and light switches with a disinfectant such as a bleach solution. The issue with bleach solutions, though, is that it’s corrosive to metals, and some people are allergic to it. With commercial doors, touchless entry hardware makes bleach less necessary. Research has confirmed that reducing contact with doorknobs and handles does lower the possibility of spreading the virus through contact.
Touchless commercial door solutions offer a dual benefit of improving accessibility and security. These systems typically employ an opener in the form of a fob or keycard. They’re commonly integrated into a comprehensive security system that effectively regulates door access. A significant advantage of touchless access control is its ability to restrict and manage door access in diverse ways. This can include maintaining an electronic list of authorized individuals. You can also grant different levels of access based on specific criteria, such as an individual’s role within the business.
Alternatively, businesses can opt for automatic sliding doors. This is a common sight in establishments like grocery stores and hospitals. They’ll also have air curtains installed which are also a potential add-on for touchless doorways. Automated sliding doors open as an individual approaches them, providing a touchless experience. When paired with an air curtain, these sliding glass doors contribute to maintaining separate and hygienic environments.
If Touchless Door Access isn’t For You
There are other measures you can take to reduce the spread of germs via use of your storefront door even without touchless door hardware. Because sometimes that super-modern, high-tech vibe isn’t for every business. For instance, if you have traditional double wood doors on the exterior of your business, a keypad or swipe card might not fit that aesthetic. Installing a new air curtain could also go a long way to keeping pollutants out of your space. It’s an invisible wall that keeps any external pollutants out and your HVAC’s air in. It helps your HVAC continuously cycle air keeping your space cleaner and your systems more efficient.
So how can you take measures to streamline sanitation practices during and after COVID without having to bleach your door hardware every 20 minutes? Some metals are actually antimicrobial. For instance, copper will disinfect itself on a rolling basis, which makes brass doorknobs and plates a “healthier” choice than brushed nickel or steel. You can also get hardware for commercial doors that has antimicrobial coatings on it.
We’re all learning a new normal. Though presumably the pandemic will be over at some point, the need for continued health and hygiene precautions may continue into the future, which means that installing touchless door hardware may be worth looking into for the long term. You can consider your commercial doors ready for our next health crisis (though we all hope one never comes).