Are Your Old Industrial Cold Storage Doors Causing Energy Loss?

According to a recent Johnson Controls Energy Efficiency Indicator survey, over half of the organizations polled said that they were planning to invest in energy efficiency measures. In all facets of an organization’s operations, conserving energy makes sense for both budgetary and environmental reasons. This is especially true when managing a cold storage warehouse, where the potential for energy loss is high. Ensuring minimal energy loss with the use of quality cold storage doors and seals is essential. If your doors haven’t been inspected or replaced in awhile, now is the time to consider upgrades.

Looking at improving energy efficiency in your cold storage? Explore some of the latest solutions available.

Weather-Related Energy Management Challenges

How do you continue to maintain energy efficiency in cold storage with so many climate changes worldwide? Across the globe, all regions are facing ever increasing climate changes. March 2022 was the 447th consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th-century average. Additionally, June 2022 reached its 6th highest recorded temperature worldwide.

With record high temperatures, energy efficiency in cold storage, and finding ways to reduce energy loss, has become more complicated. One of the best places to control temperature fluctuations is at your cold storage doors. Why? Opening cold storage warehouse doors for a moment can increase internal temperatures. When your doors are inefficient, this impact is further pronounced.

Preventing monetary losses in your cold storage isn’t only an issue during heat waves. Energy efficient doors and seals can also save money on your everyday energy bill anytime the outside temperature is higher than it is in your cold storage. Maintaining strict environmental controls within your facility with top-tier industrial cold storage doors has the potential to save your business thousands of dollars.

High Speed Doors

Not sure whether your current cold storage doors are standing up to the task of maintaining a consistent temperature in your warehouse? No matter the age of your doors, ones that open and close slowly can result in massive temperature variation and heat transfer from the outside. Simply put, doors that are slower to open/close are likely costing you a small fortune in energy expenditures.

Reducing air exchange can greatly improve energy efficiency within your cold storage space. One excellent way to achieve this is through the adoption of a high speed door. Doors that close quickly will ensure that cold air stays in, and that air from the outside doesn’t creep into your facility.

Curious as to how much of an impact high speed doors will have on your facility? Every time a cold storage warehouse door is opened, the temperature reading can change. Installing a high speed door can significantly minimize this inevitable temperature increase.

Cold Storage Warehouse Door Seals

When focusing on improving your cold storage doors as a method for achieving environmental control, and ensuring minimal energy loss, there are several options. In addition to high quality dock door seals, efficient door curtains (such as the Zoneworks® BZH Blast Freezer Curtain Walls) and our Barrier Glider® Cold Storage Door keep chilly air locked in. These two specific solutions utilize a Thermal-Flex Sealing System, with closure speeds of 80" - 100” per second depending on your chosen model.

On top of utilizing cold storage door solutions, you should also check your existing door seals for damage. If your current dock door seal is showing signs of wear and tear (e.g. light getting through cracks), it is time to schedule a replacement.

Although this may seem like a small modification, seals have been shown to significantly reduce energy use — and overall operational costs — in cold storage facilities. Warehouse door seals help maintain proper indoor climate conditions, and vastly limit air transfer. On top of these benefits, dock seals can also minimize contaminants entering your warehouse, protect valuable products, and keep conditions comfortable and safe for workers.

Evaluation and Maintenance

As you consider whether or not to replace your current dock doors and dock seals, find someone who can use ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) methods in measuring current air infiltration. Having a detailed understanding of your facility’s current opportunities for energy efficiency can help you make the best possible decisions for your business’s unique situation.

Here are a few methods that can be used to determine your warehouse’s energy efficiency:

• Look for light around the perimeter of the trailer and dock leveler.
• Ensure that you are using the best sealing option for your facility’s design. Explore the benefits and uses of foam compression and perimeter-sealing dock shelters to achieve maximum energy efficiency.
• Consider vertical-storing levelers, which allow your dock doors to close directly onto the pit floor, greatly reducing outside air infiltration.
• Request an Industrial Door Energy Efficiency Assessment.

Once you’ve upgraded your dock doors and/or dock door seals, routine maintenance is paramount for continuous and optimal operation, as well as for employee safety. One of the best ways to maintain these elements is to have a professional inspection completed every year. By taking steps to ensure the longevity of your investments, this will help you further maximize your energy and cost savings.

As climate changes continue to present an added challenge for cold storage warehouses, having the right solutions in place will be even more essential for reducing costs by maintaining environmental control.

If you are ready to upgrade your cold storage facility with energy efficient solutions, contact Rite-Hite today to get a quote, and to learn more about our commitment to industrial safety, quality, and innovation.