Insulation for External Doors: How Efficient Are Your Doorways?
Hello! Blake here from Tekta, and today, we’re diving into the world of door insulation—Specifically, the difference between insulated roller shutters and sectional doors. If you’re looking to reduce energy loss through external doors, it’s important to understand how different designs impact doorway insulation. A high-quality insulated door can significantly improve temperature control, but there’s a big difference between insulated roller shutters and sectional doors in how they manage the transfer of thermal energy.
So, let’s start with insulated roller shutters. Roller shutters are made from multiple interlocking slats that roll up and down. The insulation here sits within each slat, but here’s the catch: between these slats, there’s what we call a cold bridge. Because the slats are interlocked with metal joints, this cold bridge provides a pathway for heat transfer, meaning that some of your warmth within the building will inevitably escape. So, while they offer much better insulation than a standard roller shutter, insulated roller shutters are not always the most effective option where temperature control and efficiency are critical requirements.
What about sectional doors? These doors use solid, interlocking panels that create a continuous barrier with much less opportunity for heat to escape. Each panel fits snugly with the next, giving you a solid layer of insulation across the entire door. In comparison to roller shutters, sectional doors are much less prone to cold bridging, making them the preferred option for environments where temperature control or efficiency are priorities.
You’ll often see U-values quoted for both these door types—this value measures the rate of heat transfer through the material, so the lower the U-value, the better the insulation. Be aware, though, that manufacturers tend to quote a U-value for the panel or slat itself rather than for the entire door. Full-door U-values are harder to test and vary with different door sizes. For overall insulation, sectional doors tend to perform better than insulated roller shutters, even when their “through panel” U-values look similar.
So, to summarise:
- Roller shutters provide insulation within each slat but suffer from the effect of cold bridging.
- Sectional doors create more of a continuous insulative barrier, making them a stronger choice if temperature control or energy efficiency is a priority.
If you need help selecting or specifying industrial doors, reach out to the Tekta team today. We’re here to help.
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