When something is wrong with your commercial door, you generally have the choice between repairing it and replacing it. You don’t typically want to replace a door without good reason, as this just cuts into your operating costs. But repairing a door that really should be replaced isn’t a great idea either and will have you calling up your commercial door expert for new repairs soon. How do you maximize the value you’ll get from your door and choose whether to repair or replace it? Here is some guidance from the experts at CLAD.
Which Costs Less?
Of course, you want to limit your costs where you can, so choosing the less expensive route is often best. Ask your commercial door contractor whether it is cheaper for you to repair the door or replace it. Also, consider that the final costs they give you might not be quite right if things will change in the long term. For example, if a door will be in need of more repairs soon, or you know it will need to be replaced soon, you will likely want to replace it instead. Then, there are other, less calculable costs that you might pay if you repair instead of replace, including the risk of break-ins. We’ll discuss those additional costs below.
Will the Door be Secure Enough?
Will your door continue to be strong enough to repel break-ins and unauthorized access? Your technician can tell you how well your door is likely to perform and if repairs would resolve their concerns. However, it is important to know that for front-of-house and back-of-house doors, looking secure is as important as being secure. When a door looks vulnerable, it is more likely to be attractive to criminals and those who want to attempt unauthorized access. Even if it does work as well as your neighbor’s unscathed doors, scratches, dents, and other visible defects make it a target. In that case, replacement is less risky.
Are There Code or Safety Concerns?
There are situations where the building code may require you to replace your door instead of repair it. If there have been changes to the building code about doors since yours was installed, you may be required to choose a new door which meets the code. The experts at CLAD can let you know how the building codes have changed and whether or not you would be required to make changes under different circumstances.
Even if your door still technically meets building codes, if there are some other concerns with the safety of its function or the smoothness of how it functions, and those concerns can’t be fixed with repairs, then you should consider replacement.
How Does the Door Look?
While aesthetics won’t force your hand to replace your door, it may be a wiser idea to get rid of a door which has started to look dated or simply old. Doors that don’t look good can undermine the atmosphere of your space and leave a bad impression on your customers or guests.
With the help of our experts, you can have your commercial doors in El Dorado Hills repaired or replaced.
