Top Tips On Maintaining Security Doors

Many commercial, and some residential, buildings will have security doors installed – often these security doors also act as fire doors and have been manufactured to the legal, mandatory requirements demanded for fire safety. They provide essential protection for preventing the spread of heat, flame, and potentially fatal smoke in the unfortunate event of a fire outbreak, as well as being a deterrent to illegal entry into the building, all of which could cause damage to the property as well as potential injury and loss of life to occupants. Security doors will be installed throughout the building at strategic places, as well as at the building entry and exit points – these security doors are vital to the welfare of the people inside and, therefore, need to be regularly maintained and checked. Careful and regular inspection of these security doors must be performed, and any fault or defects discovered be addressed immediately. Here are some aspects to consider and tips on how best to maintain these security doors:

Cleaning The Doors

The frames and the door fixture itself must always be secured and functional. If doors are positioned at the building entry and exit points, they will be constantly exposed to the elements – although security doors are manufactured to be hardy and resilient, they will still be prone to a build-up of dirt, dust, grime, and perhaps corrosive elements such as salt, all of which can actually erode the doors’ materials and eventually compromise its functionality, as well as affecting the the appearance. These doors should be cleaned regularly by using a soft brush to wipe away any loose dirt or surface grime, and then applying a detergent with a microfibre cloth to remove more stubborn dirt build-up. Be careful not to use abrasive cleaning materials which, in themselves, can erode the actual door surface structure. You should also check for any damage to the door or any warping – there should be no holes, spaces, or gaps that could compromise the door. It is always worth checking the door lock to ensure there are no keyholes or such which could provide a gap that may provide an opportunity for forceful entry into the building.

Frames And Tracks

It is not just the main body of the door that needs to be cleaned and maintained – the frames and tracks also need to be kept in pristine condition for the door to be effective in providing security. Again, clean the frames and tracks with a soft brush or cloth and be careful to not get any liquid or other substance into the locking mechanisms.

Maintenance Regularity

Depending upon the location and environment in which the doors are installed can dictate how often they need to be cleaned. If it is in an industrial or heavily populated area, and the doors are exposed to heavy passing traffic for example, then there may be a considerable build-up of dirt on the doors and regular monthly cleaning is advised. The same will apply if the building is in a particularly exposed area where the doors will be exposed to harsh weather elements, or in a coastal location where regular exposure to salt air can prove detrimental to the doors condition.

Other Maintenance Checks 

As well as regular cleaning of the doors and frames surfaces, you should regularly check for any other defects that may compromise the doors’ security performance – the hinges and latches, whilst not obvious safety features as such, these operational door parts must be maintained in full working order so ensure all hinges have the correct number of screws and that they are regularly tightened and that the handle and lock work efficiently. Many commercial security doors will be solid structures with no glazing – however, in environments where the security doors contain glazed panels, you need to check that they are of the required specification and that the beading securing them in place is firmly affixed and unbroken. In the event of any of these glazed panels needing to be replaced, ensure that the new panel is of equal specification as the original.

You should consult with established door manufacturers for the best advice and guidance on how to install and maintain security doors for both commercial and residential buildings.