Direct Answer / Key Takeaway: Survey door width, mounting height, cross-draughts and traffic before selecting a kitchen air curtain. Define a commissioning check for the actual doorway.
A doorway is the specification for an air curtain. A catalogue length that looks close to the door width is not enough: the buyer must describe the clear opening, the available mounting position and the airflow conditions when the door is in use. The selection concerns doorway air management and the actual entrance duty.
Measure the opening that people actually use
Record the clear width and height with the door in its normal open position. Photograph the header, door closer, lighting, signs and any services above the opening. Identify whether the unit can discharge directly over the clear opening or whether a structural feature would force it away from the intended position.
The manufacturer should confirm coverage across the complete opening and the suitable mounting range for the proposed model. Berner's installation and maintenance guidance identifies opening coverage and model-specific mounting as selection checks. A unit's overall casing length and its effective discharge coverage are different dimensions; obtain both on the drawing.
| Record | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Clear opening and mounting position | Can the proposed discharge cover the opening from its actual installed location? |
| Door movement and closer | Will any moving hardware obstruct the unit or its airstream? |
| Nearby extract and supply air | Could the kitchen's pressure balance deflect the air barrier? |
| Pedestrian and trolley traffic | How frequently and for how long is the opening exposed? |
Describe the operating scene, not only the dimensions
A rear service entrance opened briefly for deliveries is a different duty from a door left open during continuous trolley movement. Observe a representative service period and record the opening duration, traffic direction and the positions where staff wait. Note outdoor exposure and any obvious draught when extraction fans are operating.
Include those observations in the kitchen ventilation review. Use the utility and ventilation guides to frame the supply/extract questions for the building-services team. The air curtain should be reviewed with the room's supply and extract arrangement. Increasing fan speed without examining that interaction may increase noise or discomfort while leaving an edge of the doorway unprotected.
Ask for a proposed control sequence
Set out what should happen when the door opens and closes, and whether staff need an authorised override. Ask the supplier which door contact, speed control or building-control interface is actually included. Do not describe sensors, network connections or variable-speed control as standard merely because another air curtain offers them.
The control sequence should also account for operating hours. A constantly running unit and a door-triggered unit create different staff expectations. Put the agreed sequence on the handover sheet so an operator can distinguish intended behaviour from a fault.
Accept the installation at the doorway
Commission with the final doors, nearby air systems and normal obstructions in place. A qualified installer should check mounting security and electrical work against the selected model's instructions. The performance review should examine the complete opening rather than only the strongest part of the airstream.
Record edge gaps, unstable flow, interference from the door hardware and the effect on people moving through the opening. Test each agreed control state and retain the model identification, settings and observations. If performance changes when the extract system starts, report that condition instead of accepting an isolated test with the kitchen ventilation off.
Review the service-door route using delivery and staff workflow guidance. Keep the selection tied to the actual traffic, room systems and opening conditions. Any special application claim needs the exact product's relevant evidence.
