Putting the Diamond Door on Trial
Have you been considering an upgrade for your industrial or commercial sized door? Or maybe you are building new and need to research the best options for your building. With the variety in overhead bifold door designs and manufacturers, naturally you may have questions or hesitations about Diamond Doors overhead bifold doors. Which is good – because we have answers.
How does our design compare? Let’s put the Diamond bifold door on trial.
- How does such a large door function in windy weather conditions?
- Can the door fall from an open position? What if a cable breaks?
- How well does a bifold door insulate against cold temperatures?
- Are lift straps or lift cables better for an overhead bifold door?
- How long do cables last? What does it cost to replace a cable?
- Why does every bifold door take so long to open?
- Do bi-fold doors require maintenance?
- Do you offer installation for your bifold doors?
- Does the Diamond door have an auto-lock feature? Can I operate the door using a remote opener?
- Hasn’t the overhead bifold door been around for decades? What makes your bifold door design innovative?
- What door sizes does Diamond Doors manufacture?
- Can you operate the bifold door without power?
- Do the benefits of a Diamond door outweigh the cost?
How does such a large door function in windy weather conditions?
We have designed our doors to hold up to the environment and protect your building from harsh weather.
At Diamond Doors, we design each door to meet the wind load ratings for the highest wind speed in the last 50 years. This means that your door will be able to withstand the coldest, windiest, and wettest weather your climate has to offer.
We build each door with three internal trusses spaced evenly across the door frame. These trusses prevent the door from flexing and bending in windy weather. They strengthen the overall door frame and increase the longevity of your door.
Diamond Doors also offers other wind protection options including J-tracks and column followers.
Column Followers
This wind protection option is primarily used for steel building applications. Located at the bottom inside corner of the doors, the column followers slide along the interior flange of the building columns or self-supporting header to prevent the door from pushing outward.
J-Tracks
The J-track roller channel provides additional wind protection for wood buildings. Installed on the post of the building, the J-track guides the door rollers against the building. The J shape of the tracks cups the rollers, preventing them from pushing outward.
However, even with our wind protection options, we always advise our customers to exercise caution when operating the door in high winds. We also recommend that customers keep their door closed and locked during extreme weather events.
More questions about overhead bifold doors and wind protection options? You can read more here, or watch our YouTube video.
Can the door fall from an open position? What if a cable breaks?
Diamond Doors has multiple safeguards to prevent the door from coming down. Cable failure is extremely unlikely and typical cable replacement is due to damage from equipment.
We ensure the safety of our customers, their employees, and equipment with a variety of safety features and options. Features such as our electric brake and 10x cable safety factor are especially important when considering the size and weight of the door.
Electric Brake
At Diamond Doors, we equip each door with an electric brake. In the case of a power failure, the brake is automatically engaged, preventing the door from free-wheeling to the floor. The brake is also equipped with a lever to disengage the brake and manually open the door if necessary.
This safety feature prevents damage from the heavy door coming down without warning and prevents injury to anyone passing beneath the door.
Cable Safety Factor
Another common concern is the strength of our lift cables.
Diamond Doors uses specialized cables with a fine weave and fiber core. With eighteen braids of seven strands per braid, they have improved flexibility and longevity compared to competitors’ cables. However, the extra fine weave is only one of the reasons for our cables’ extended lifespan and durability.
We also design every door to a 10x safety factor, which means that there are more cables supporting the door. This not only increases the lifespan of the cables, but also reduces the strain on your building and door.
At Diamond Doors, we do everything possible to ensure the safety of our customers while operating their Diamond bifold door.
How well is a bifold door insulated? Does it reduce energy loss during hot and cold weather?
Diamond Doors are pulled tight to your building and create a full thermal break with our insulation package.
Whether you are keeping your building warm during the midst of a Canadian winter or trying to keep the scorching heat out during a Florida summer, our doors can keep your building at a comfortable temperature.
Bifold doors consistently retain energy better than traditional overhead roll-up doors, sliding, or panel doors. With fewer seams and gaps, there are fewer places for energy to escape. The insulation capabilities of a bifold door far exceed those of an overhead door.
Both our auto-lock and manual locking systems help keep your door sealed tight. When the locking system is engaged, the locking fingers press against the locking catches pulling the door tight against the building. This creates an exceptional seal from the environment.
Diamond Doors offers an optional insulation package for every Diamond door. These custom packages can be ordered with the door or later after the door has been installed.
This insulation package comes in two inch (R12) or three inch (R16) thick ridged board polystyrene. These panels are installed on the exterior of the door frame to insulate the entire door. To create a strong continuous thermal break, each panel is ship-lapped and installed in an overlapping fashion.
We also include a weather seal kit with every insulation package. This kit helps further protect your bifold door against the elements by sealing any gaps between the frame and bifold door.
What about energy loss when the door opens?
We often receive concerns regarding how energy (heating or cooling your building) is lost when the bifold door opens in comparison to an overhead door.
When opening an overhead door, many will only elevate the door until there is enough space to sneak out, then close the door in an attempt to reduce energy loss. This is not possible in the same way with a bifold door because the door opening is more exposed when opened, even partially.
However, the amount of energy saved due to the insulation capabilities of your bifold door will far outweigh the energy loss when your door is open. In addition, because most doors spend more time closed than opened, a strong seal is more important than a quick opening speed.
Compared to an overhead door, your bifold door results in less energy loss overall.
Are lift straps or lift cables better for an overhead bifold door?
At Diamond Doors, we believe that lift cables are the stronger, more reliable choice. Not only do our high-quality cables have longevity, but they require less maintenance overall.
The Lifespan of a Lift Cable
Diamond Doors lift cables are made from eighteen braids with seven strands per braid. This increases flexibility, reducing general wear on the cable. Cables are less likely to fray or tear than lift straps.
Diamond Doors has also implemented a unique driveline design to prevent the cable from ever overlapping while the door is in use. Cable overlap is the primary reason for shortened cable lifespan, and our design prevents that issue.
Our cables have lasted for upwards of 10 years without replacement. With proper care, they can easily last the lifetime of the door. We also offer an extensive 10 year warranty on all lift cables. If a cable is damaged during use of the door, we will replace the cable free of charge.
If a lift cable needs replacement, Diamond Doors has created a design that allows customers to replace the cable within minutes. The cable can be replaced almost entirely from ground level, making it a quick and simple process.
In addition, Diamond Doors has a video resource to guide customers through cable replacement and phone support for any additional questions that may come up.
Better for the Motor
The driveline design on a Diamond door ensures that the bifold door opens at a consistent speed without straining the motor. The lift cable design also allows the door to continue to open if the customer stops or starts the door at any point in the open cycle – this is not possible for a lift-strap door design without putting undue stress on the motor.
How long do cables last? What does it cost to replace a cable?
Another benefit to the driveline design on a Diamond bifold door is the consistent wrap of the lift cables. Our lift cables do not tangle, never overlap, and – unlike lift strap doors – don’t buffet in the wind. These are some of the most common objections to cable lift bifold doors that are solved with a Diamond Door.
Lift cables are also easier to maintain than straps. The fabric nature of lift straps means they will slowly stretch over time. Cables only have an initial stretch upon installation. While straps regularly need tensioning due to the nature of the material, lift cables will rarely need the same care.
Cables should be regularly inspected to ensure that they are not at risk of falling away from the Y-pusher. This can be done by hand at ground level with the door in the closed and locked position.
Why does every bifold door take so long to open?
Bifold doors open slowly because of the size and weight of the door. A bifold typically does open slower then the average overhead door. Because there are no springs or counter weights, the industrial driveline is designed to lift the door, which minimizes maintenance and increases reliability.
Think of it as a vehicle accelerating. A light passenger vehicle can accelerate much faster than a heavy semi with a loaded trailer. The same principle applies to bifold doors. The heavier the door, the harder the motor must work to raise the door.
At Diamond Doors, we offer a standard opening speed of eighteen feet per minute. This is the fastest standard opening speed in the bifold door industry. However, we also offer an additional speed increase package. This package can increase the opening speed for a bifold door up to 20-25% faster. *
*Not every door can be safely retrofitted with a speed increase package. Contact our service department to discuss options.
Do bifold doors require maintenance?
At Diamond Doors we have reduced the amount of ongoing maintenance needed while maintaining the longevity of the door.
Like any piece of equipment, there is some maintenance required. However, we have included many innovative features in our door that makes maintenance as simple as possible.
These include our greaseless hinges, fewer moving parts, and an onboard diagnostics box for easy electrical troubleshooting. Our parts and service team is ready to help and is always available for a phone call.
So, yes. A bifold door does require some preventative maintenance, but very few repairs. We stand by the quality of our doors – the benefits and ease of use in a Diamond door far outweigh the minimal time spent on maintenance.
Do you offer installation for your bifold doors?
Our doors are easy to install yourself if you should choose. Every door arrives onsite fully assembled, pre-wired, and finish painted.
Diamond Doors founder Dick Suderman wanted to build bifold doors that were easy to install for the customer. With competitors shipping their doors in pieces, having many parts to assemble, he pursued a design that was simple and efficient to install. This was one of the founding tenets of our business.
However, if you are not comfortable tackling install, we can put you in contact with one of our trusted Diamond Doors dealers or installers.
Diamond Doors offers installation through a network of overhead bifold door service professionals, dealers, and installers. With a growing network across North America, we can find a qualified team to assist you with install.
Does the Diamond door have an auto-lock feature? Can I operate the door using a remote opener?
Yes, you can operate your bifold door much like a residential car garage with the auto-lock and remote opener.
Diamond Doors offers an optional auto-lock feature for every Diamond door. This feature allows you to open the door using a single push of the button. It can also be further upgraded to include a remote opener package, enabling you to open the door from inside your vehicle, farm machinery, or plane.
The auto-lock system fully opens the door from the locked position. When closing, it latches against the interior of the locks, pulling the door firmly against the building and providing a strong seal.
Hasn’t the overhead bifold door been around for decades? What makes your bifold door design innovative?
While the concept of the bifold door isn’t exclusive to Diamond Doors, our innovative features and quality manufacturing have improved upon the traditional bifold design.
There are many bifold door manufacturers, DIY overhead bifold doors, and homebuilt variations that can live under the umbrella of “bifold door”. Not all bifold doors are created equal and quality varies between designs, much like any other product.
Diamond Doors founder Dick Suderman started building bifold doors in the 80’s, with years of previous steel manufacturing experience. Since then, we have taken pride in designing new features to ensure our customers have the best bifold door on the market.
Every Diamond Door is UL certified to a UL325 standard, a widely recognized and respected certification across the United States and Canada.
So, while the concept of the bifold door isn’t exclusive to Diamond Doors, our innovative features such as greaseless hinges, wind protection options, locking systems, unique driveline design, cantilevered rollers, safety features, and more make our door different from the rest.
Read a full list of our innovative features and options here.
What door sizes does Diamond Doors manufacture?
We custom design your bifold door to fit virtually any sized opening.
At Diamond Doors, we build our doors to suit your building needs. We’ve built doors from ten feet wide up to one hundred feet wide. Each bifold door is custom built to size for both new and retrofit buildings, making them ideal for maximizing your clear opening and overhead space.
Our bifold doors are regularly installed on private airplane hangars, commercial hangars, industrial buildings, and agricultural shops and buildings.
Contact our sales team to discuss the size of door you need, or request a quote.
Can you operate the bifold door without power? Can the door be solar powered?
Yes, our doors can be operated manually in the case of a power outage or can be outfitted with solar panels for a fully “off the grid” door.
Electric Lift Motor
Located on the top of the electric lift motor, the Diamond Doors emergency manual opener is designed as a back-up to open and close the door in case of a power outage. With a drill and appropriate socket, you can conveniently spin the motor shaft to open or close the bi-fold door manually. (Refer to your owner’s manual for proper procedure.)
DC Electric Operator
For remote buildings or buildings without grid power, we offer a DC (direct current) battery operated opener. You can attach a solar powered charger to maintain your battery voltage. The battery/batteries for the system are included but the charging system (in this case solar panels) will need to be provided by the customer.
Do the benefits of a Diamond door outweigh the cost?
Diamond Doors are priced competitively and will result in a greater return on your investment considering maintenance, convenience, and lifespan (compared to other door types).
At Diamond Doors, we work within our customer’s budget to provide them with the best quality bifold door at a competitive cost. Our doors are industry leading and will be an added investment to your building. Every Diamond Door is UL certified to a UL325 standard, which is a widely recognized and respected certification across the United States and Canada.
Longevity
When considering your door purchase, lifespan is an important factor. Will the door you choose have the same longevity as your building? Each feature and option on a Diamond bifold is made from high quality materials and engineered to last. Our first door ever produced is still in operation today.
Convenience
We have also engineered our doors for your convenience. You will use your door daily, so how will your experience with your door be? From our simple installation, to remote opener, auto-lock, and low maintenance design, you can be sure your Diamond bifold will function smoothly and effortlessly.
Cost and Pricing
Generally, bifold doors are less expensive for doors over twenty feet wide. The design of the door also makes them the stronger and more logical option for bigger doors. (The largest door we have made is over 100ft wide).
In addition, the savings in energy costs, maintenance, upgrades, and repairs will offset the upfront cost long term. The stronger door seal helps maintain building temperature, while the low maintenance design reduces costs for repairs. This makes the bifold door an investment rather than an expense.
The price for a bifold varies depending on manufacturer, building requirements, options/features of the door, and size of the door. (This is one of the reasons why we can’t offer our customers an estimated door price without a quote.) Our driven and honest sales team is motivated to give you the best price up front. We want our customers to feel confident and happy with their purchase.
No matter your door size and needs, Diamond doors are a high quality option that you will use for years to come and are well worth the investment.
The verdict?
We understand that an overhead bifold door is a large purchase, and we want to make sure that you are confident in your decision. We’d like you to know that we engineer our bifold doors with quality and the safety of our customers in mind.
The final verdict – you can trust our doors to operate safely and reliably for years after installation.
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