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Washington Archive for May, 2014
As a restaurant owner the quality of your food and cleanliness of your space are typically your main concerns. Among other things you worry about are the customer service, inventory, condition of your appliances, and condition of your restaurant’s furniture and decor.
One thing that might not be on your mind, is the entrance and windows to your restaurant. Other than standard, routine maintenance of them, they can quickly fall out of mind. Until an emergency happens.
Whether it is a brick through the window, a storm that damages your entrance, or a freak accident that no one can see coming; it’s a disaster.
Your first reaction might be to panic and rightfully so. Our suggestion, however, is to pick up the phone and call 800-698-6783. Our teams are standing by 24/7 for situations just like this.
We respond as quickly as possible, usually within two hours. Our service centers located throughout the Southwest and Western Coast are stocked with board up equipment so that you’re not left with a hole in your entrance. We can often provide certain types of glass depending on your needs and wishes.
Once contacted, you can expect the following steps to take place:
- Upon arrival we will board up the damaged area
- Take measurements
- Initiate repairs and replacement as quickly as possible
Even in the event of a natural disaster such as a tornado or earthquake, you can contact us to help remedy your situation and assist you in disaster preparedness.
Our goal is to put your restaurant back together quickly, so that you can get on with serving customers with delicious food.
For more information about emergency board ups, contact Vortex Doors or give us a call at 800-698-6783.
Category: Board Ups & Glass Replacement
Small businesses are frequently under very tight budgets. Regardless of how much money a small business has to work with, the enterprise still must comply with regulation. Thankfully, there are ways to make an entrance door compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards without paying for a completely new door.
Clear Opening
Ensure the door has a clear opening of 32 inches at a 90 degree angle when opened. The measurements here are based on the distance between the face of the door and the opposite stop. Generally, if the door is not able to open to the specified length, then likely there is an obstruction in the interior or at the exterior of the entranceway. Rather than eliminating the door, clearing out the obstructions in the entranceway can address the problem.
Architectural Barriers
ADA statutes refers to anything that can create a problem with an entranceway as an architectural barrier. If a new door is installed and the architectural barrier remains, then the problems has not been solved. Worse yet, the cost of buying a new door was for naught.
Sidewalks and Steps
In certain cases, the problem is not with the door but, rather, with sidewalks or steps. Redoing the sidewalk in front of the entrance so it has been lowered or rebuilding the steps to be better accessible can be viable solutions. While there is some cost involved, the need to replace a highly expensive security door does not have to be part of the equation.
Minor Modifications
The door itself might pose certain problems, but these problems can sometimes be fixed with minor modifications. For example, a new doorknob or door press can be installed to make the entranceway ADA compliant. Connecting the door to an automated opening system could be another plan of action to follow. Quite a number of automatic opening systems are fully compatible with most modern doors so the door itself likely will not have to be replaced.
When in doubt, having an informal ADA audit performed is recommended. This way, both problems and solutions can be revealed and an entranceway door can be brought in compliance with ADA rules.
For more information about ADA requirements and for assistance with keeping your door up to ADA standards, contact Vortex Doors or give us a call at 800-698-6783.
Category: Commercial Door Repair
Mantrap door systems are specialized doors used primarily for security purposes. Basically is is a small, enclosed vestibule with two sets of interlocking doors. Typically, one door cannot be opened without the other being shut or locked.
Purpose
The main purpose of a mantrap door is security. These types of doors have actually been in existence for quite some time, dating back to the middle ages. Visitors would enter into a gated space through one door while their were credentials were reviewed prior to gaining access to the main area. While the concept pretty much holds true to this day, the technology has obviously improved.
Another purpose of a mantrap door is to create a “clean room”. This applies to companies in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and other industries that deal with chemicals. This is to ensure that any harmful materials do not exit the restricted area.
Types of Authorization
Today, we don’t need an armored guard to check credentials, even though in some instances it is still used. Technology has provided mantrap systems with authorization access tools such as swipe cards, retina scans, and even more advanced techniques.
The vast majority of corporations and businesses use some form of swipe or key card entry. They are simple, secure, and quite a bit less pricey than something like a retina scan. Your business probably won’t need quite that level of sophistication unless you have highly classified information or are in need of a “clean room”.
Everyday Life
Want to see an example of a mantrap door in real life? They are a lot more common than you think. Head over to your local bank and witness one first hand. You’ll notice that you have to enter through two sets of doors before actually stepping into the bank.
In fact, a lot of banks place ATMs inside the first set of doors. During the off-hours you are required to swipe your debit card and provide your pin in order to gain access to the ATM. The interior set of doors are locked during these off-hours.
For more information about man trap door systems, contact Vortex Doors or give us a call at 800-698-6783.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Category: Speciality Doors
Burglary can happen to anyone; homeowners, renters, and store owners. While there is no way to 100% avoid the possibility of a theft, you can take proactive approaches to prevent it. For store owners, we’ve outline five of the best measures you can take to help protect your store from burglaries.
1. Opening and Closing
A lot of burglaries occur during the night, however another common time is during opening and closing. The burglars won’t even need to break in if they come across you entering or leaving your premises. The best way to prevent burglaries when opening or closing up shop is to do this as a team. Having two or three employees open and close the store might deter any solo burglars. Remember, safety in numbers.
2. Cash Register Location
While it might not seem like an important factor, the placement of the cash register can actually make a difference in your store being broken into or not. This is especially true if your store has an all-glass front that is view-able to the public. Placing your register near the front of the store, in the plain view of the public, also keeps any burglars exposed who are attempting to open the register. A burglar would be much more comfortable taking money from a cash register located out of sight.
3. Alarm System
Having some form of alarm system or security system protects you in two ways. Should a burglary occur, the alarms will raise and police will be notified. They can also protect your store if you place a notice in a visible area that shows your store is protected by a security system. This alone has potential to deter a would-be burglar.
4. Gates and Grilles
The types of gates and grilles you can get for your store are endless. The benefit of getting some form of security gate is that they are much more difficult to break into. A simple glass storefront stands no chance against a burglar. However if your shop has a security gate across the front during off-hours, the burglar doesn’t stand a chance against your shop.
5. Lighting
The lighting of your store can have some effect on whether burglars see it as a worthy target. During the day, your store will most likely have sufficient lighting for customers. However, at night you should floodlight areas around your store. This light leaves burglars very exposed and easy to spot. Any suspicious activity can be witnessed with well-placed flood lights.
By following these tips, you’ll at least help minimize the chance of a burglary. Unfortunately, even the most careful and proactive of stores can still be targeted.
In the unfortunate event of a break-in, Vortex Doors can help with the aftermath. Our 24/7 Emergency Service is on standby for events such as these. Our professionals will help you board up any damaged entrances. These temporary board ups will provide your store with protection from the elements as we install your new doors.
For a proactive approach, Vortex Doors also provides burglary prevention by providing security gates and other deterrents such as security systems.
Call for a emergency assistance at 800-698-6783 or email us at service@vortexdoors.com.
Image Source: Wikipedia
Category: Board Ups & Glass Replacement
Spring is about to be in full bloom and your business is probably ready to start cracking open the windows and propping the doors open.
Unfortunately, with alongside spring weather, is a brand new batch of flies, mosquitoes, and other pests. These pests are all aching to get inside your cozy office, with its freshly stocked break room. If you happen to be a restaurant owner, they don’t even need to make a beeline for your break room. Pretty much anywhere will do.
Luckily there exists a harmless, yet effective way to reduce or eliminate the amount of flying pests that get inside your business.
So in honor of spring, we’d like to shine the spotlight on Air Curtains and Fly Fans. These specialty items produce an invisible barrier of air as a walk-through or overhead door is open. This helps to not only keep out flying insects but elements as well such as falling leaves.
They also can help conserve energy by keeping warm or cool air in
Typically, air curtains and fly fans are used for restaurants, food processing, and shipping/receiving docks. They are usually mounted above the door with a manual switch available to operate.
They work by blowing air constantly down from their location. A typical fan would not be a recommended substitute as they don’t provide the angle, velocity, or coverage.
At Vortex we have both USDA and city code health department units available.
For more information about air curtains and fly fans, contact Vortex Doors or give us a call at 800-698-6783.
Category: Air Curtains/Fly Fans
