How often should Automatic Doors be serviced?
In this article, we’ll go over the importance of having your automatic doors serviced, how frequently, and most importantly, why.
Automatic doors are central to safe, accessible, and efficient buildings – guiding foot traffic, supporting inclusivity, and creating a professional first impression. Like any electromechanical system, they need a structured maintenance schedule to stay safe, compliant, and reliable. This guide explains how often automatic doors should be serviced, why it matters for BS EN16005 compliance, what a professional service includes, and the risks of skipping maintenance.
In This Article
Why Servicing Automatic Doors Is Essential
Regular automatic door servicing delivers four critical outcomes:
Safety & Legal Compliance
Commercial entrances must remain safe for public use. Routine maintenance verifies that safety sensors, presence detection, door speeds, and closing forces are within safe parameters and aligned to BS EN16005 good practice. For many sites, maintenance also supports broader duties under health & safety and accessibility frameworks (e.g. the Equality Act’s emphasis on inclusive access).
Reliability & Uptime
High-traffic doors cycle hundreds or thousands of times per week. Wear accumulates on rollers, belts, arms, motors, control boards, and tracks. Preventative maintenance catches faults early – reducing breakdowns, protecting your operations, and preventing queues or access issues at peak times.
Cost Control & Asset Life
Proactive servicing is significantly cheaper than reactive call-outs and emergency parts. Correct lubrication, alignment, and recalibration extend operator lifespan, prevent component failures, and optimise energy use by ensuring correct closing/sealing.
User Experience & Accessibility
Smooth, quiet operation, accurate sensor detection, and consistent opening widths create a welcoming, professional experience for staff, customers, and visitors – including wheelchair users, people with mobility aids, and those carrying goods.
Ensuring your automatic door regulations compliance
AUTOMATIC DOOR SERVICING
Mechanical doors, like any piece of moving mechanical equipment falls under the 2008 Machinery Directive. This basically states that the machine (in this case, the automatic door) should be routinely maintained on an on-going frequent basis. So, to ensure you’re staying compliant, make sure to book in your annual service. If you’re situated in a busy environment, think about making it every 6 months instead of 12.
How Often Should Automatic Doors Be Serviced?
Servicing frequently depends on traffic, door type, environment, and risk profile. As a practical UK rule of thumb:
- High-traffic sites (hospitals, retail anchors, transport hubs, fast-food/drive-thru, supermarkets): every 3 months
- Medium-traffic buildings (offices, schools, clinics, hotels, multi-tenant commercial): every 6 months
- Low-traffic doors (restricted-access or low-use internal doors): at least annually
Factors that may increase frequency:
- Usage intensity: long opening times, extended peak periods, shift work.
- Environment: wind loads on external doors, dirt/dust, grease (kitchens), humidity/temperature swings, construction dust during fit-outs/refurbs.
- Door type & activation: heavy leaves, toughened, laminated glazing, bi-parting vs single-slide, swing operations, radar vs touchless sensors, access control integrations.
- Risk profile: healthcare settings, safeguarding requirements, vulnerable users, evacuation routes, or security-sensitive entrances.
- History: frequent breakdowns or borderline measurements on previous service sheets.
What's Included in a Professional Automatic Door Service?
A high-quality automatic door maintenance visit is more than a quick look. It’s a documented end-to-end safety and performance check. Expect engineers to cover:
1. Safety & Activation Systems
- Test activation sensors (radar/infrared/microwave) for detection zone, approach speed, and consistency.
- Test safety/presence sensors for threshold protection, side-screen coverage, and hold-open logic.
- Verify obstruction response: stop/reverse behaviour, dwell times, and re-trigger accuracy.
- Confirm emergency breakout (where fitted) and manual opening function.
2. Mechanical Components
- Inspect and adjust tracks, rollers, carriages, guides, pivots, arms (as applicable).
- Check belts/chains for tension and wear; replace if frayed or stretched.
- Verify hinges/closers on swing doors; assess closing speed and latching behaviour.
- Assess leaf alignment and clearances to prevent binding and draughts.
3. Operator & Controls
- Evaluate motor performance, gearbox noise, and thermal behaviour.
- Inspect control boards, wiring, connectors, earths, and cable strain relief.
- Confirm battery backup/UPS status (if fitted) and power-fail mode.
- Validate opening/closing speeds, forces, dwell times, and partial-opening settings.
4. Door Set, Seals & Structure
- Check glazing, profiles, seals, and brush strips for integrity and energy performance.
- Assess thresholds, guide rails, and floor conditions for trip risks or debris accumulation.
- Confirm signage (push/pull, keep clear, accessibility) and user instructions are present and visible.
5. Cleaning, Lubrication & Calibration
- Clean sensors and covers; remove dust from tracks and photo-cells.
- Apply manufacturer-approved lubricants to specified points.
- Recalibrate sensors and control logic to site conditions (football, environment).
6. Documentation & Recommendations
- Provide a service report noting measurements, tests, and remedial actions.
- Grade issues by urgency (e.g. Safety-critical, Performance, Advisory).
- Record compliance checks aligned with BS EN16005 principles.
- Update service stickers/logs for audit and insurance purposes.
What Happens If You Don't Service Your Doors?
Skipping automatic door servicing is not advised and can lead to:
- Safety incidents: doors closing too quickly, failing to detect users, or not reversing on obstruction.
- Increased downtime: minor wear becomes major failures – motors overheat, belts snap, sensors drift out of spec.
- Higher energy bills: poor sealing and misalignment introduce draughts and heat loss.
- Shorter asset life: unlubricated mechanisms and misaligned tracks accelerate wear on costly components.
- Compliance & insurance exposure: inadequate maintenance records and unsafe performance may cause inspection failures and jeopardise claims if an incident occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the UK, the recommended servicing schedule depends on usage. High-traffic entrances, such as supermarkets, transport hubs, and hospitals, should be serviced every 3 months. Medium-traffic environments like offices, schools, and commercial buildings should be serviced every 6 months, while low-traffic doors should be serviced at least once a year. These intervals align with BS EN16005 guidelines for powered pedestrian door safety.
Yes. While there isn’t a single UK law that names “automatic door servicing,” building owners and facility managers have a legal duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Equality Act 2010 to ensure entrances remain safe and accessible. The industry standard BS EN16005 outlines servicing expectations, and insurers will expect maintenance records as proof of compliance.
A qualified engineer will:
Test activation sensors and safety devices for detection and response.
Inspect moving parts such as rollers, belts, and motors.
Measure door speeds, closing forces, and hold-open times.
Lubricate components to ensure smooth movement.
Check glazing, seals, and alignment to reduce draughts and energy loss.
Confirm compliance with BS EN16005 and provide a service record.
Neglecting servicing can cause:
Safety hazards – doors failing to detect users or closing too fast.
Breakdowns – sudden failures that cause downtime and costly call-outs.
Increased costs – higher energy bills and expensive parts replacement.
Legal risks – potential non-compliance with safety regulations and liability in case of accidents.
Yes. We service:
Automatic sliding doors (single, double, bi-parting).
Automatic swing doors (with or without access control).
Drive-thru and serving windows.
Heavy-duty commercial entrances.
Our engineers are trained across multiple manufacturers and can service almost any brand or operator system.
On average, a service takes 30–90 minutes per door, depending on door type, location, and condition. Complex systems with multiple operators may take longer, while smaller swing doors can often be checked more quickly.
Not significantly. Most servicing tasks can be carried out with minimal disruption, and we can arrange out-of-hours servicing for sites where downtime is not acceptable, such as retail stores, restaurants, and healthcare facilities.
Yes. Alongside scheduled automatic door maintenance, we provide 24/7 emergency call-outs nationwide. If a door fails unexpectedly, our engineers can attend quickly to make the entrance safe and restore functionality.
Yes. Many clients choose ongoing maintenance contracts that provide:
Scheduled servicing at agreed intervals.
Priority response for emergency call-outs.
Better lifecycle management and reduced repair costs.
Full compliance and audit-ready service records.
You’ll receive a full service report including:
Safety test results.
Measurements of door speeds and forces.
Details of any repairs carried out.
Recommendations for future work.
A compliance record aligned with BS EN16005 standards.
The cost depends on the type of door, number of doors on site, and whether you opt for a one-off service or an annual maintenance contract. While one-off visits are available, contracts generally work out cheaper per visit and include priority response in emergencies.
Yes. We work with all leading automatic door brands, including Record, Dorma, Besam, GEZE, Stanley, and Tormax, as well as bespoke operator systems. Our engineers carry common replacement parts to resolve issues during the visit.
Yes. All engineers are trained and certified in BS EN16005 standards and have extensive experience across a range of commercial sectors, from retail and hospitality to healthcare and education.
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Whether you need scheduled servicing to stay compliant or an emergency call-out due to a malfunctioning door, our team are ready to help. We cover everything from sliding and swing doors to telescopic, fire doors, steel doors, and even timber doors!
