How a Roll Up Door Works
The door is a curtain of interlocking steel slats, or corrugated sheet on lighter doors. It wraps around a barrel mounted above the opening. Springs inside the barrel balance the weight, and steel guides on each side keep the curtain in line.
Because the curtain stores in the coil, a roll up door leaves the ceiling free for lights, racks, sprinklers and cranes. That's the main reason buildings with tight headroom use them.
A hood usually covers the coil. The door can be raised by hand, with a chain hoist, with a crank, or with a motor operator.
Where You See Them
- Warehouses and loading docks
- Auto repair bays and service shops
- Self storage units, which use light sheet doors
- Storefronts and counters that close up at night
- Fire rated openings inside larger buildings
Common Repairs
Curtain out of the guides. A hit or strong wind can pop slats out of the side guides. The door usually jams. It needs to be reset and any bent guide straightened or replaced.
Damaged slats. Dented or split slats can often be replaced one at a time, which costs far less than a new curtain.
Spring problems. A door that suddenly feels heavy, won't stay up or drops fast has lost spring tension. The barrel holds stored energy, so this is technician work only.
Worn bottom bar and seal. A torn seal lets rain, leaves and pests in. It's a quick fix that often gets put off too long.
Operator faults. Lost limits, worn drive parts and safety devices out of line all stop the door. See commercial door operators.
Fire Rated Rolling Doors
Some roll up doors are fire doors. They stay open in daily use and close on their own when an alarm sounds or a fusible link melts. The fire door standard calls for a yearly inspection and drop test, with written records kept.
A failed drop test usually means an adjustment or a part, not a new door. Ask the technician to reset the door afterward and give you the paperwork.
Choosing a New Roll Up Door
Gauge of the steel, slat profile, insulation, wind rating, and how often the door will run all shape the choice. A door that runs all day needs springs rated for high cycles. Insulated slats help in heated or cooled spaces and cut road noise.
Roll up doors save headroom, while sectional doors seal better and come with windows. The commercial overhead doors page covers that side.
For a door that's jammed or damaged, see commercial garage door repair, or request a call back and call (919) 555-0136.