Why You Should Use an Air Curtain in Your Foodservice Design

September 10, 2015

The first U.S. patent for an air curtain was issued in 1904, though the first recorded installation didn’t occur until about 12 years later. Over the years, air curtains have gained popularity in commercial kitchens across the country, and today they are widely used in foodservice operations in both California and Nevada.

THE BASICS: WHAT IS AN AIR CURTAIN?

An air curtain, also known as an air door, employs a controlled stream of air aimed across an opening to create an air seal. This seal separates different environments while allowing a smooth, unhindered flow of traffic and unobstructed vision through the opening. Because air curtains help to contain heated or conditioned air, they provide sizeable energy savings and personal comfort when applied in industrial or commercial settings. Air curtains also help to stop the infiltration of flying insects.

THE SPECIFICS: TWO TYPES OF AIR CURTAINS

There are two types of air curtains available – non-recirculating air curtains and recirculating air curtains. Non-recirculating curtains are more widely used because they are easier and less costly to install and have lower maintenance costs.

Recirculating air curtains are mainly used in places with constant foot traffic such as supermarkets and store entrances. They can be built into the entrance of a storefront as an Air Entrance System, usually when the entrance is being constructed. They emit air from a discharge grille on one side of the door opening, collect it through a receiving grille on the opposite side and return it through ductwork to the discharge grille. The non-obtrusive wide stream of low-velocity air created by recirculating air curtains is more desirable for separating environments.

THE REASONS: WHY USE AN AIR CURTAIN IN YOUR CALIFORNIA OR NEVADA FOODSERVICE OPERATION

• Energy savings through control of air transfer
• Energy savings due to shorter run times of air handler or compressor
• Maintain employee/customer comfort
• Reduce flying insect infiltration
• Unhindered traffic flow
• Unobstructed visibility across threshold
• Increase productivity due to stable temperatures
• Maintain usable space around door
• Elimination of ice and fog in cold storage areas

Find out which air curtain is right for you.

Berner is one of the leading manufacturers of air curtains for foodservice designs in the industry. Use the Berner air curtain selector , and use an easy-to-follow product selector to find the architectural, commercial, or industrial air curtain that fits your foodservice design.