Automatic Door Servicing: How Often Should Commercial Doors Be Serviced?

Keeping Commercial Automatic Doors Safe, Reliable and Working Properly

Automatic doors work hard.

On a busy commercial site, they can open and close hundreds or even thousands of times a day. Over time, sensors move out of position, rollers and pivots wear, operators develop faults, and doors can start behaving differently long before they stop working completely.

That is why regular servicing matters. The right maintenance schedule should reflect the type of door, how heavily it is used, the environment it operates in and the manufacturer’s recommendations.

A main entrance in a hospital or shopping centre is under very different pressure from a lightly used internal door, so servicing should be planned around the actual door and how it is used.

How Often Should Automatic Doors Be Serviced?

Automatic doors should be serviced at intervals that reflect the manufacturer’s guidance, usage levels and operating environment.

Busy entrances in hospitals, retail sites, offices and other high-footfall buildings may need more frequent attention because the operator, sensors and moving parts are working much harder.

The Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) also makes clear that routine safety checks by the building occupier do not replace professional inspection and maintenance.

At Elite Entrance Systems, we look at the door type, age, condition, service history, level of use, recurring faults and how important the entrance is to the building before recommending a suitable service schedule.

A heavily used main entrance may therefore need closer attention than a lightly used internal door.

What Do We Check During an Automatic Door Service?

During an automatic door service, we check the safety, movement and overall condition of the door to make sure it is operating as it should.

We look at how the whole door is operating.

Depending on the system, this can include checking:

• activation and presence sensors
• door movement
• opening and closing speeds
• alignment
• rollers, pivots, tracks and arms
• operators and drive units
• control settings
• safety devices
• emergency and manual operation
• door hardware
• access control interfaces
• signs of wear or damage

The aim is not simply to confirm that the door opens and closes. A service should identify anything that could affect its safety, reliability or performance before it develops into a breakdown.

At Elite Entrance Systems, our engineers will also flag any repairs, adjustments or replacement parts we believe are needed, so you have a clear picture of the condition of the door after the service.

Why Regular Automatic Door Servicing Matters

Regular automatic door servicing helps identify wear, faults and changes in performance before they lead to a breakdown.

We regularly see doors that have become noisier, slower or less consistent before a breakdown occurs.

Other signs include:

• delayed opening
• doors not closing properly
• intermittent sensor activation
• jerky movement
• unusual noises
• repeated fault codes
• damaged safety sensors
• doors catching or dragging

These problems should not be ignored.

A fault that starts as a minor adjustment can become a much larger repair if the door continues operating under strain.

What Are the Legal Requirements for Automatic Door Maintenance?

There is no single UK rule that requires every automatic door to be serviced at the same fixed interval. Instead, businesses have a duty to keep powered doors properly maintained and safe to use.

The legal requirement is broader.

Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, workplace equipment and systems must be subject to a suitable system of maintenance.

The same HSE guidance also states that powered doors should have suitable safety features to prevent people being trapped or struck.

The HSE’s guidance on powered doors and gates also reinforces the importance of ongoing maintenance, because safety components and mechanical parts can wear or fail over time.

Automatic doors should therefore be maintained properly, with servicing appropriate to the equipment and the level of use.

What Standards Apply to Automatic Doors?

Powered pedestrian doors are covered by BS EN 16005:2023+A1:2024, which sets out safety-in-use requirements and test methods for powered pedestrian doorsets.

In the UK, this should also be considered alongside BS 7036-0, which covers risk assessment.

These standards matter because an automatic door needs to do more than open and close. It needs to operate safely around the people using it.

That includes children, older people, wheelchair users and anyone who may move more slowly through the doorway.

Do Automatic Doors Need Checking Between Services?

Yes.

Facilities teams and building occupiers should still keep an eye on the door between engineer visits.

You do not need to dismantle equipment or make adjustments, but obvious changes in operation should be reported.

If the door has started making a new noise, is opening more slowly, is not closing properly or is behaving differently around pedestrians, it needs looking at.

ADSA recommends frequent safety checks by occupiers, while making clear that these checks do not replace professional servicing.

Do Busy Automatic Doors Need Servicing More Often?

Often, yes.

Usage has a direct effect on wear.

A hospital entrance, school reception, shopping centre entrance or busy office doorway may cycle continuously throughout the day.

These doors are under more mechanical load and are also more important operationally.

If a rarely used internal door fails, it may be inconvenient.

If the main accessible entrance to a healthcare building fails, that can cause a much bigger problem.

The service schedule should reflect that.

Servicing vs Repair: What Is the Difference?

The difference between automatic door servicing and repair is that servicing is preventative, while repair is reactive.

Automatic door servicing is carried out to check the condition, safety and performance of the door before a fault develops. It can identify wear, sensor issues, alignment problems and other changes that may lead to a breakdown.

Automatic door repair is needed when a fault has already occurred and the door is no longer operating correctly.

At Elite Entrance Systems, we provide both planned servicing and reactive repairs. Regular maintenance can help reduce unexpected downtime and give facilities teams a clearer picture of the condition of their automatic doors.

What Happens if Automatic Door Servicing is Missed?

If automatic door servicing is missed, faults, wear and safety issues can develop without being picked up early.

The door may continue to operate, but sensors can become less reliable, moving parts can wear and small issues can turn into larger repairs.

For facilities teams, missed servicing can also make it harder to keep accurate maintenance records and identify doors that are becoming unreliable.

Regular servicing gives you a clearer picture of the condition of each door and helps reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns.

How Do We Set the Right Service Schedule?

The right automatic door service schedule depends on the door type, manufacturer guidance, level of use, age, condition and operating environment.

At Elite Entrance Systems, we also consider the door’s service history, any recurring faults and how critical the entrance is to the building.

A heavily used main entrance may need more frequent attention than a lightly used internal door.

That is why we do not apply the same maintenance schedule to every automatic door.

Automatic Door Servicing from Elite Entrance Systems

Elite Entrance Systems provides planned maintenance and servicing for automatic sliding doors, automatic swing doors and other commercial entrance systems.

We work across commercial, healthcare, education, retail, industrial and public-sector sites.

We can maintain equipment installed by other companies as well as older systems where the original installer is no longer supporting the door.

If you are unsure when your automatic doors were last serviced, or whether the current maintenance schedule still suits the way they are being used, speak to our team today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should automatic doors be serviced?

There is no single interval that applies to every door. Servicing should follow the manufacturer’s guidance and take account of usage, environment, age and risk.

Who should service an automatic door?

Automatic doors should be serviced by a competent engineer with the appropriate knowledge of powered pedestrian doors, safety devices and the relevant standards.

Do automatic doors need safety checks between services?

Yes. Building occupiers should carry out regular visual and operational checks and report anything unusual. These checks do not replace professional servicing.

What are the signs an automatic door needs servicing?

Slow opening, unusual noises, poor closing, intermittent sensor response, jerky movement and repeated faults are all signs that the door should be checked.

Can Elite service automatic doors installed by another company?

Yes. Elite Entrance Systems maintains a wide range of automatic doors, including systems originally installed by other companies.

Do high-traffic automatic doors need more maintenance?

Often, yes. Doors in busy entrances operate far more frequently and can wear more quickly, so servicing should reflect the level of use.