Walk through enough commercial properties in Dubai and you start noticing the same entrance mistakes repeating themselves — usually made with good intentions, but costly ones nonetheless.
Mistake 1: Choosing Style Over Function
It’s tempting to pick glass doors purely because they look sleek in a showroom photo. But an entrance handling hundreds of people during mall peak hours needs to be assessed for traffic volume first, aesthetics second. A beautiful door that jams under heavy foot traffic isn’t doing anyone any favours.
Mistake 2: Skipping the Site Assessment
Some installers measure an opening and quote a price without ever watching how people actually move through the space. This leads to sensors placed incorrectly, door speeds that feel too fast or too slow, and entrances that don’t match real pedestrian traffic patterns.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Safety Sensor Placement
This one gets overlooked more than it should. Safety sensors need to be calibrated for the specific environment — a hospital corridor with wheelchairs and trolleys behaves very differently to a retail entrance with shopping bags and prams. Generic sensor settings often cause doors to close too early or hesitate unnecessarily.
Mistake 4: Underestimating Maintenance Needs
Automatic entrance systems, including Glass Doors, need periodic servicing just like any mechanical system. Businesses that skip scheduled maintenance often end up with a breakdown at the worst possible time — a busy Friday at a mall, for instance — rather than catching a minor issue early.
Mistake 5: Overlooking Building Aesthetics and Energy Efficiency Together
Frameless glass and tempered glass options can genuinely elevate a building’s aesthetic while still supporting insulation and energy performance. Treating these as separate decisions, rather than planning them together, often results in a door that looks right but performs poorly, or vice versa.
Getting It Right From the Start
We’ve corrected all five of these mistakes on existing installations more times than we’d like to admit. It’s almost always cheaper to get the assessment right the first time than to retrofit a poorly planned entrance later.
Noor Al Hashmi Automatic Doors works with architects, contractors, and facility managers across Dubai to avoid exactly these pitfalls — starting with an honest look at how a space is actually used before recommending a solution.
If you’d like a second opinion on an existing entrance or a new project, reach our team on 0501871426 or 0554140132, email nooralhashmillc@gmail.com, or visit us at Office No.111, Plot No.562/0, Dubai.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does traffic volume matter when choosing glass doors?
High foot traffic requires stronger components and correctly calibrated sensors, so choosing based on looks alone can lead to premature wear or malfunction.
2. How often should automatic glass doors be serviced?
Most commercial entrances benefit from servicing every few months, though high-traffic locations may need more frequent checks.
3. Can sensor settings really affect door performance that much?
Yes, incorrect sensitivity can cause doors to close too early, hesitate, or fail to detect people properly, creating both inconvenience and safety risks.
4. Do frameless glass doors affect a building’s energy efficiency?
When paired with quality glazing and seals, frameless glass doors can support good insulation while still offering a modern, open look.
5. Is it worth getting a second opinion on an existing door installation?
Yes, especially if you’re experiencing recurring issues — a fresh assessment often identifies problems the original installation missed.