Should your electrician be performing automatic door installations or repairs? No. The best person for that job is a professional automatic door installer who is also an AAADM Certified Inspector. Why? Because they have specialized training in ANSI standards to keep automatic doors performing at peak safety and efficiency.

This isn’t meant to disparage electricians, who are trained professionals. It’s simply that automatic door installation and repair falls outside their area of expertise. Some areas of facility maintenance just should not be left to generalists, and because automatic doors very literally interact with your incoming and outgoing public, their safe operation is paramount.

An electrician will probably not be aware of the bevy of detail covered in the applicable ANSI standards. AAADM Certified Inspectors are trained on these standards and even notified when ANSI standards are updated, so they’re always in the know.

What do the standards cover? Important factors like the maximum speed and force at which automatic doors can safely operate, the minimum interval to remain open after each triggering of the sensor, and appropriate placement and adjustment of sensors to avoid accidental closings on occupied thresholds.

There are four main types of automatic doors, each with its own nuances to understand. Automatic door field technicians who are also AAADM Certified Inspectors are specifically trained to recognize, understand, and work within these standards and check doors for compliance when work is completed.

Once finished, they know how to conduct the proper tests to make sure the door is safe and ANSI compliant. Are the sensors detecting pedestrian approaches from all the necessary angles? Have the sensors been properly adjusted? Is the door staying open for the appropriate length of time? Is it accurately detecting when someone lingers in the doorway too long?

Only members of the automatic door industry are eligible to receive AAADM Certified Inspector training. By making sure to choose someone with the necessary experience and qualifications to work on automatic doors, building owners, facility managers, and contractors can be confident that their project’s automatic doors will operate safely and to ANSI standards.

About AAADM

The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) is a trade association of manufacturers of automatic pedestrian door systems. AAADM was founded in 1994 with the following mission: to increase awareness of automatic doors and accessibility needs; to increase education, training and professionalism among installers and service providers; and to generally promote the safe use of automatic doors. Each year on March 19, AAADM celebrates National Automatic Door Day to raise awareness about the many benefits of automatic doors, including providing access to those with physical challenges and helping to prevent germs by eliminating the need to touch door handles. www.aaadm.com.