A retail entrance left open, or one that opens too wide for too long, can drive heating costs up considerably during the colder months. Every gust of cold air that enters a shop has to be replaced by warm air the heating system then has to generate again, and this cycle repeats constantly throughout a trading day. Retailers working with Dasco Entrance Technology increasingly ask about entrance design as an energy question, not only a customer experience one.
Why Open Time Matters More Than People Assume
An automatic door that stays open for several extra seconds after a customer has passed through lets far more warm air escape than most shop owners realise over a full day. Adjusting sensor sensitivity and hold-open timing so the door closes as soon as it can safely do so reduces this loss without inconveniencing customers. Small settings changes like this often go unreviewed for years after an initial installation, even though they continue to affect running costs every single day. Reviewing these settings periodically, rather than leaving them fixed from day one, is a simple way to control energy use.
The Role of Air Curtains Above an Entrance
An air curtain above a retail entrance creates a barrier of moving air that resists cold air pushing in from outside, without needing the door to stay closed. This lets a shop keep a welcoming open entrance during busy periods while still limiting heat loss, and sizing an air curtain correctly to the width and height of a specific entrance matters, since an undersized unit will simply fail to do its job. Retailers on busy high streets, where footfall makes a permanently open door desirable, often find this combination works well.
Choosing Glazing That Reduces Heat Loss
The glass used in an automatic entrance affects heat loss just as much as the door mechanism itself, since a large glazed area is often the single biggest source of heat transfer in a shopfront. Double-glazed units with a low-emissivity coating reflect heat into the building rather than letting it pass straight through to the street outside. This upgrade costs more at installation but tends to pay for itself over a few years through reduced heating bills. Asking specifically about the thermal performance rating of any glazing option, rather than judging purely on appearance, protects against this ongoing cost.
Sensor Placement and Unnecessary Openings
A sensor positioned too broadly can trigger a door to open for someone simply walking past on the pavement, rather than someone intending to enter the shop. Each unnecessary opening lets cold air in for no benefit, adding up considerably over a full day of passing pedestrian traffic. Adjusting sensor range and angle to match genuine footfall patterns reduces this waste while still responding reliably to real customers. A short review with an installer, carried out after the door has been in use for a few weeks, often reveals settings that need this kind of fine-tuning.
Planning Entrance Upgrades Around Seasonal Demand
A retailer replacing tired entrance doors has a natural opportunity to specify a more energy-efficient system, rather than simply matching what was there before. Considering revolving doors, vestibule-style double-door arrangements, or air curtain combinations at this stage, rather than retrofitting them later, is usually far more cost-effective. Planning this kind of upgrade before the coldest months also avoids installation disruption during peak trading. Involving an entrance specialist early in a wider shopfront renovation project helps this fit naturally alongside other planned changes.
Making Entrance Efficiency a Standing Priority
Reviewing open-time settings, considering an air curtain, choosing efficient glazing, tuning sensor placement, and planning upgrades around seasonal demand together give a retailer real control over entrance-related heating costs. Commercial door suppliers help retail clients view these decisions as part of a wider running-cost picture, rather than treating a door as a purely functional fixture. Viewed this way, an entrance becomes one of the more manageable areas of a retail energy bill rather than an ongoing source of hidden waste.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
