Frequently asked questions

Here is a collection of the most common questions we recieve.
You can read the answers by clicking on the questions below.
If you can’t find the answer you are looking for there is a form at the bottom of this page where you can post your question.

• How does the Megadoor withstand high wind loads?

  The Megadoor can be designed to withstand virtually any wind loading condition. The principle is quite simple. The aluminum structural intermediate beams between the two layers of fabric transfer the horizontal wind forces to the guide rails mounted on the structural steel jambs provided by the building supplier or, in the case of multiple leaf doors, to the swing-up mullions provided by Megadoor. The design for the Megadoor door leaf is similar to the design of a floor system. The influencing factors are:

  • The thickness of the intermediate beam web and flanges.
  • The depth of the intermediate beam.
  • The spacing between the intermediate beams.

  Megadoor has designed doors for wind speeds of up to 250 miles per hour. The cost of the door system is based partially on the wind load requirements and would naturally increase as the wind loading increases.

• How is the door lifted?

  The bottom beam of the door is lifted by means of a belt or a wire rope attached to either a belt or a wire rope hoist. To see the actual operation of the door go to "Engineering Principle" on the web pages.

• How long does the fabric last?

  The life span of the fabric depends on several factors. The UV exposure is a factor with doors in Northern climates outlasting the ones in the South. Doors in Southern climates could expect a life of between 15-20 years, and for Northern climates in excess of 20 years. Heavy usage and some local environmental factors could also affect the life of the fabric. Replacing the fabric is comparable to painting a standard steel door system. On the average, the standard door painting would have a life cycle of 5 to 7 years as compared to the 15 to 20 year life cycle of the door fabric. Therefore, the cost of the fabric replacement in comparison could be much less over the life of the door.

• How does the fabric fade due to UV?

  There will be some dulling of the fabric color after a number of years, but not as drastic as one might expect. We have several doors in place in hot climates over 15 years that have maintained much of their color. If fading is a big concern we suggest you go with the lighter color fabrics such as white, tan and gray.

• What about security with a fabric door?

  The door system is rarely the first level of security. It is obviously possible to use a sharp object to cut through the fabric and enter by crawling between the intermediate beams and over the bottom beam that can be 18” to 24” in height: however, this is not such a big issue in most situations. If your building has windows or a door this would be the most likely place an intruder would select instead of the cumbersome way of cutting through the door fabric. There are motion detectors and other devices that could be installed to detect unlawful entry into the building. We also have an option for steel reinforced that could be suitable under certain conditions.

• How much headroom does the door need?

  The headroom need depends on several factors:

  • The total height of the door.
  • The wind load required.
  • The width of the opening.
  • Swing-up mullion requirement.

  If you give us these specifications, we can easily calculate the exact headroom required for your particular condition. As a rule of thumb, a System 800 door requires 3-4 feet, a System 1000 requires 5-6 feet, and a hangar door requires 5-7 feet, depending on the factors described above.

• How energy efficient is the door?

  The Megadoor is very energy efficient. A testament to that is the fact that Alaska is one of our best markets. Our origin is from Northern Scandinavia and the North Sea coast, so we are very familiar with cold weather requirements. The main reason for the energy efficiency of the door is the tightness. There is almost no draft coming through the door. Studies have proven that approximately 80% of the heat loss on a large door comes from air infiltration. So, a tight door is more important than one with a lot of insulation.

  The air infiltration follows this formula:
  Leakage (CFM) per leaf = (Total Door Ht. In feet) X (2)

  The R-Value is approximately 3.0. There is also another important factor in hangar doors when the Megadoor is compared with the sliding door. Due to the vertical operation of the Megadoor, it can be opened to any height to accommodate a smaller airplane or other equipment. This will save on heat loss inside the hangar by not depleting the heated air and thus saving on recovery time.

• What happens if a belt or cable breaks?

  The Megadoor has a unique and patented safety arresting system designed into the door. A stainless steel safety arrestor is attached to the bottom beam of the door and would prevent the door from falling in case of a belt, wire rope or hoist failure. The break works much the same way as arrestors found on elevators. The safety arrestors are cycled every time the door is operated ensuring dependable operation in case of an emergency. We do, however, suggest annual maintenance be performed to ensure dependable operation. The safety arrestors are tested per the German "TÜF" Standards.

• How would you operate the door in case of a power or motor failure?

  There are several ways the emergency operation could be accomplished.

  • Connecting the door to a power generator would eliminate the problem in case of a power failure.
  • A hand crank that attaches to the output shaft of the motor is available for manual operation. In cases of very large doors, this is not a feasible way of opening the door.
  • A pneumatic back-up hoist motor is available on certain doors.
  • Having critical spare parts readily available in case of emergency.
• How does the cost compare to sliding doors?

  The Megadoor can be very competitive with standard steel sliding door systems, particularly on the larger doors. The ancillary items required for the sliding door usually offset any additional expense on the structure required by Megadoor. In comparing the two door systems, consider the following items that are not required by the Megadoor:

  • The sliding door requires door pockets at one or both ends of the structure or the inconvenience of blocking a portion of the opening preventing full use.
  • The sliding door requires a concrete grade beam to support the door and track system. This normally requires a multiple pour operation.
  • The sliding door requires a top track system mounted to the structure of the building.
  • The manufacture and installation of the sliding door could require several contractors for completion. The Megadoor is completely manufactured and installed by Megadoor personnel.

  Please contact us and we will be happy to send you a comparison. Just call and give us the specifics on your project and we will do the analysis for you.

• What are the advantages over a sliding door?

  There are many operational advantages over the sliding door:

  • No need for door pockets.
  • Faster operation.
  • More energy efficient.
  • Open any part of the door.
  • No blocking of opening.
  • Fewer bird problems.
  • No bottom track that collects snow, ice or debris.
• How does the swing up mullion work?

  Megadoor has over 20 years experience with our electrically operated swing-up mullion system.

• How much does the door weigh?

  The weight of the door is dependent on several factors such as wind load, door width and door height. It is less than most architect/engineer expect. On larger hangars with wide spans the truss can normally carry the weight on the door without any additional steel added.

• What happens if you have a tear in the fabric?

  It is very easy to repair and can be carried out at the customer’s convenience. There is rarely an emergency with a large tear in the door fabric.

• What kind of fire rating does the door have?

  The Megadoor does not have a fire rating; however, the door has a flame resistant fabric that is self-extinguishing. We have various tests made such as ASTM–E 84.

• Can the door be made for explosion proof environments?

  In certain cases it is possible to use an explosion proof motor on the door. We strongly recommend, however, that every effort be made to avoid using explosion proof motors. They are expensive, not possible to manually operate, and have a shorter life than regular motors. In most cases we have found that the motors can be placed in a non-explosive area on the opposite side of the door or above the ceiling area. Venting the motors is another less expensive solution as well.

• Can you put a man door into the door?

  Absolutely, we can do this by using a solid panel at the bottom of the door. It will add to the headroom required for the door, but with some planning the solid panel could go into a section of the door where the headroom is not quite as critical

• How much side room does the door take?

  The Megadoor takes very little side room - only about 4-6 inches in most cases. It is critical, so please contact us and we can give you the exact dimension.

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