Guide to Maintaining Your Automatic Doors

Keeping your automatic doors in tip-top condition is important for the safety, security and smooth running of your business. In this guide, the automatic sliding door maintenance experts here at DUK Doors will take you through everything you need to know about automatic door maintenance – from the importance of regular checks to what could happen if issues are left unresolved. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why you need to maintain your automatic doors to keep your staff, customers and premises safe.
• When and how often you should maintain your automatic doors to stay compliant and avoid costly repairs.
• What happens if you don’t keep up with automatic door maintenance, and why it’s easier to prevent issues than fix them later.

Whatever your sector, whether you manage a busy retail site, commercial office or public building, understanding automatic door maintenance will help you avoid unexpected costs, protect your reputation and keep your doors operating reliably for many years to come. 

Why Is Automatic Door Maintenance Important?

Keep Your Customers and Staff Safe

Automatic doors are not something you’ll often think about while they’re working properly, but as a business owner, the safety of your customers and staff needs to be considered. Well-maintained automatic doors help prevent accidents by ensuring sensors, opening speeds and safety mechanisms are all functioning as they should be. Faulty doors can cause injuries, create accessibility issues and can even land your business with legal action. With proactive servicing, problems are spotted before they escalate, keeping everyone who passes through your doors safe. It’s not just about compliance – it’s about creating a safe environment for every visitor and employee.

Keep Your Doors Working Well

Smooth, efficient door operation is vital for your premises. Automatic doors that stick, hesitate or behave unpredictably create a poor first impression, frustrate customers and may even discourage customers altogether – automatic doors that don’t open generally indicate that a business is closed. Planned maintenance ensures all moving parts, sensors and controls are performing at their best, so your entryway works exactly as it should – every time. Whether it’s automatic sliding door maintenance or the servicing of swing doors, keeping your systems in prime condition reduces disruption, prevents unexpected breakdowns and ensures business flows without interruptions.

Keep Your Doors Working for Years

Automatic doors are a long-term investment – but like any piece of high-use equipment, they need proper care to deliver the best return. Skipping routine checks can dramatically shorten a door’s lifespan, leading to expensive repairs or early replacements. A proactive maintenance plan helps you catch any issues early, helping preserve key components and keeping everything operating smoothly. From ensuring effective lubrication to checking control panels and seals, regular automatic door maintenance not only saves money in the long run but also protects against sudden expenditure. It costs much more to have your doors repaired in an emergency or to completely replace your setup.

What Are the Automatic Door Servicing Requirements?

For business owners, automatic door maintenance isn’t just best practice – it’s a legal requirement under UK health and safety law. Regular servicing and inspections help you meet automatic door maintenance legislation and standards, such as BS EN 16005 – the key British standard for automatic door safety – protecting the wellbeing of your customers and staff.

Regular Inspections – Every Six to 12 Months

To stay legally compliant and keep your automatic doors operating safely, it’s recommended that they are professionally inspected at least once every 12 months – or every six months for particularly busy locations. Regular inspections check for wear and tear, sensor performance and mechanical issues, helping to catch problems early before they cause problems.

Servicing

While basic visual checks can (and should) be done in-house regularly, full automatic door maintenance or servicing of swing and folding doors should be carried out by qualified professionals. A professional service ensures all electrical and mechanical parts are tested, adjusted or replaced correctly, and that your business stays compliant with all current safety legislation.

Regulations

Automatic doors must comply with a range of legal requirements, including (but not limited to) the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998. Business owners and building managers must understand their obligations and stay on top of any updates. Regular automatic door maintenance helps you meet these duties and reduce risks.

Automatic Door Maintenance Checklist

Maintaining your automatic doors between professional services is essential for spotting early signs of wear and keeping your doors running smoothly. Regular checks can catch small issues before they cause bigger problems, helping you stay compliant with automatic door maintenance legislation, minimising downtime and unexpected repair costs. This example automatic door maintenance checklist gives you an easy framework to follow. By routinely completing these key daily, weekly and monthly checks, you can help extend the lifespan of your doors and ensure your premises stay safe and compliant between professional services.

Below, we’ll break down these recommended checks by how often each should be completed, who should carry them out and what to do if problems are spotted. Please note that while these lists cover basic checks, a professional engineer will carry out much more detailed inspections. Some faults can be hidden from view and require specialist equipment to diagnose.

Regular automatic door maintenance by qualified experts is essential to ensure complete compliance, long-term performance and early detection of complex issues. Staff should never put themselves in any danger performing these basic tests. Speak to the experts at DUK Doors for further advice on the kinds of tests to perform, as they will vary from system to system.

Daily Checks

Because these daily checks are only visual, on-site staff can perform them, taking just a few minutes. They should look for obstructions, debris or damage around the doors and tracks and listen for unusual noises during opening and closing – escalating any issues to the person responsible if anything is spotted. Catching these early can prevent safety risks and more costly problems later.

Weekly Checks

Designated site staff should carry out weekly checks, which should only take a few minutes to complete. These inspections should involve testing the door sensors by approaching from different angles, checking the door speed and closing time and watching for any signs of hesitation or sticking. Any concerns should be escalated promptly for further investigation by the person responsible.

Monthly Checks

Monthly checks generally take slightly longer and should be completed by someone with responsibility for site maintenance. They include inspecting weather seals for wear, examining push buttons or control panels for damage and checking the door tracks and rollers for debris. Cleaning or light adjustments can be made if safe to do so, with anything serious escalated further.

Our Top 4 Tips for Maintaining Your Automatic Doors

1. Lubrication

Keeping your automatic doors properly lubricated is vital for smooth, safe and long-lasting operation. It’s best to only use a silicone-based spray lubricant – traditional grease can attract dirt, cause damage and is best avoided, including when it comes to automatic garage door maintenance and lubrication. The experts at DUK Doors will happily help you select the right solution for your door system. Lubricant should be lightly applied to moving parts such as tracks, rollers and hinges, always avoiding sensors and any electrical components.

2. Sensors and Safety

Regularly testing your automatic door’s sensors is crucial for safety and continued performance. Check that the sensors detect movement promptly from all relevant angles – depending on your door type, this may include side approaches. Always ensure no other people are nearby during testing to prevent accidental activation. If a door fails to detect you properly or reacts too slowly, it might be time to call in the experts for a professional inspection.

3. Wear and Tear

Even the smallest signs of damage can quickly escalate if left unchecked. Prioritising more urgent repairs – particularly anything that compromises the door’s opening, closing or safety systems – will minimise disruption to your business and keep customers and employees safe. Proactive automatic door maintenance helps catch many issues early, helping you avoid expensive emergency repairs and keeping your doors compliant with all health and safety legislation.

While this blog post mostly discusses automatic sliding door maintenance, it’s worth noting that many of these checks also apply to automatic garage door maintenance. Looking for signs of wear and tear can help avoid bigger, more costly breakdowns and keep automatic doors of many different types operating reliably for longer.

4. Tracks and Rollers

Keeping tracks and rollers in good condition is essential for smooth operation. Dirt, grit and minor misalignments can quickly cause extra wear or sticking. Tracks should be regularly checked for debris, and rollers should be inspected for signs of wear or flattening. Loud noises, resistance or jerky movement are all signs that professional adjustment or replacement may be needed. Proactive track and roller care can extend door life and prevent more serious mechanical issues later.

Top 3 Most Common Issues with Your Automatic Doors (and What to Do)

1. Door Not Opening or Closing

• How to spot it: Doors stick shut or open, even when sensors are triggered
• Cause: Sensor failure, power loss or track blockage
• How fast to act: Immediately – this can cause safety risks or access issues
• What to do: Check for obvious obstructions and call for professional help

2. Door Makes Funny Noises

• How to spot it: Hear grinding, banging, scraping or squealing sounds when operating
• Cause: Worn rollers, dirt in the track, lack of lubrication
• How fast to act: Quickly – left alone, minor problems can escalate
• What to do: Clean tracks if safe, otherwise arrange a professional inspection

3. Door Being Slow

•       How to spot it: Door hesitates before moving or moves slower than usual
•       Causes: Sensor problems, worn parts or lack of servicing
•       How fast to act: Promptly – slow doors affect security and safety
•       What to do: Clean sensor lenses, book automatic door maintenance if no improvement

FAQs About Getting Your Doors Maintained and Serviced

Can I service my doors myself?

On-site staff can perform basic daily, weekly and monthly checks, but qualified professionals should carry out full automatic sliding door maintenance. Without the right training, you could miss serious faults, put staff at risk, invalidate your warranty or even cause malfunctions, risking injury, legal issues and higher repair costs.

What if I don’t get my doors serviced?

Without regular automatic door maintenance, faults are more likely to develop, leading to expensive repairs, early replacements and downtime. You could also become non-compliant with some of the key regulations listed above, such as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, PUWER 1998 and BS EN 16005, among others. This puts your business at risk of legal penalties and reputational damage. Regular, proactive servicing isn’t just a formality, it’s the most simple, cost-effective way to protect your customers, staff and business.

What are the legal obligations?

As a business owner, you have a legal duty to keep automatic doors in line with automatic door maintenance legislation such as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and PUWER 1998. Doors must be maintained in efficient working order – regular professional servicing is the most reliable way to stay compliant. Although BS EN 16005 is not in itself law, it’s widely recognised as the industry standard – failing to meet these expectations could leave your business exposed.

Who’s responsible for maintaining my doors?

Ultimately, it’s the business owner, occupier or building manager’s responsibility to ensure automatic doors are kept safe and compliant. There should be no uncertainty; the person responsible should be aware of their obligations and ensure that your automatic doors remain legally compliant. Regular checks, proper servicing and keeping maintenance logs all fall under your legal obligations to protect staff, visitors and customers.

How can DUK Doors help service my doors?

Here at DUK Doors, we understand the burden of ensuring your automatic doors are working and compliant. That's why we offer specialist automatic door maintenance services to keep your business safe, compliant and running smoothly. Our experienced engineers can service all types of doors, from sliding and swing doors to automatic garage doors. We work nationwide and locally, with some of the nearby places we serve including:

• Birmingham
• Wolverhampton
• Nottingham
• Coventry

We also offer roller shutter maintenance services and gate and barrier maintenance services, giving you one trusted partner for all your access systems. Explore our recent case studies to see how we’ve helped businesses like yours protect their investment and stay fully compliant.