Our Top 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Access Door

With access doors and panels, you'll always have options to choose from. Its market offers a wide array of products you can purchase depending on the area's demands and the benefits you aim to achieve. Experts or at least knowledgeable individuals can quickly pinpoint the right access door suitable for their needs.

On the other hand, non-experts can take a long while to distinguish the most appropriate access door features they should install. Hence, this blog post provides valuable tips and important factors to check that will aid in selecting the best door matching your needs, specifically for users with limited knowledge about access panels.

1. Determine the purpose of your access door

Knowing your panel's installation objective is the first vital step you must take if you wish to pick the right access door for your building. You must ask yourself, "Why do I need an access door?" Is it for security, fire protection, aesthetics, easy access, or LEED certification? You can efficiently narrow your options to the ones that match your establishment's necessities.

Recognizing the pursuits of installing access doors is also an effective way to guarantee that the panel you'll buy suits the needs of your structure facilities, avoiding disparities. For instance, if you need an access door that blends seamlessly inside your office, panels like AHD-GYP are more apt than fire-rated models.

2. Locate facility placements

Roam around your building and jot down your plumbing, electrical, and HVAC component system that requires access doors. Determine whether it'll be more convenient or logical to attach them to the walls, ceilings, or floors. If you want to ensure that your choices are correct or you need professional advice, contact the building contractor you trust and seek help. Through this step also, you will identify how many panels you have to purchase to accommodate the necessities of the entire structure.

3. Identify the most fitting material to use

Experts made access doors and panels out of a wide variety of materials, primarily:

• Steel: Access panels built with steel materials are known to stand firmly against the most severe heat temperature. Thus, this material is often present in many fire-resistant access doors. Stainless steel doors are the favorite of many construction professionals as they can withstand mold and mildew.
• Plastic: Access doors made from plastic materials are your best option if you are on a budget. It's a lightweight and easy-to-install solution that you can install behind any painting or furniture, perfect to have around your home.
• Drywall: The drywall-built access doors and panels, on the other hand, are also a budget-friendly material, but this one is specifically ideal for installing in areas that require concealing wires and pipes.

Furthermore, some panels have unique elements designed in them, such as aluminum, gypsum, and fire-rated materials.

4. Measure the size you'll need

When choosing the right door to apply in your establishment, ensure you have noted each area's size and checked out the model catalog to see if they're offering the dimensions you need. If your facility location demands uncommon panel measurements, reach out to the vendor you rely on the most and have your access panel size customized.

5. Take note of all your options

Once you have identified the purpose, location, material, and size you want to purchase, you now have to weigh your options and pick the panel product that appropriately addresses all your listed concerns. If you need access doors that grant easy and safe entry points toward HVAC units, HVAC access doors can be your best companion. Meanwhile, fiberglass panels are ideal if you are looking for a durable solution for your exterior facilities.

6. Pay attention to standard safety requirements

Commercial buildings require adherence to many safety protocols. Give your local or authorized structure agency a visit so you know the safety standards you must meet to make your establishment fully functional. Here are some preventive measures you should conform to when it comes to access doors and panels:

• Ceiling: For ceiling access panels, you must ensure that the latch or locking mechanism is tightly secured. Moreover, it would help if you observed how it opens to guarantee that no one will get injured once pivoting opens suddenly. For roof hatches, construction experts recommend to gives a 30" clearance and walkable flat roof skylights to enhance maintenance and repair protection.
• Wall: For wall areas, you need to provide enough space to open the access door without any obstruction. In addition, it should keep a sufficient distance from the floor to establish comfortable access for maintenance specialists.
• Fire Safety: After following all the building access doors requirements, you should also consider attaching your fire-rated panels on fire-prone areas, like commercial kitchens or wirings, so you can act on them promptly once a fire breaks out.
• Security: Some specific building structures require an extra layer of protection through medium or high-security doors, such as banks, prisons, and hospitals. In medical fields, it's more fitting to use a lead-lined door, while anti-ligature panels are more suited in psychiatric and correctional wards. Apart from these, it's ideal to partner the doors with an efficient and robust latch system to discourage further tampering.

Trust Access Doors And Panels With High-Quality Products You Can Rely On!

Visit and explore Access Doors And Panels for top-quality products matching your building facilities' needs and wants. We guarantee to give you the most sought-after functionalities and aesthetic features that can significantly contribute to your building's lasting value. Call us at 800-609-2917 to inquire about a specific product or for a personalized quote request. We're always ready to help 24/7!