Where do you put an ADA automatic Door Opener?
ADA door openers are mounted on the top jamb of a door. Door openers can be mounted on the push or pull side of the door, and are most commonly mounted on entrance, exit and bathroom doors. Typical mounting can be narrowed down into a couple categories.
Ease of Installation
This is the most common decision regarding where ADA automatic door openers are mounted. Most applications of ADA automatic door openers are mounted on existing doors. What this actually means in a practical sense is the door was installed way before the thought of adding automation to said door. This leads to many different installation issues and work arounds. Many existing doors have issues like low headroom above the door, doors are sometimes inset into a block wall, exit signs and fire devices in the way, exposure to the natural elements, or security. Those are the most common concerns that will determine where an installer decides to mount the ADA automatic door opener.
In order to compensate for some of the issues above, installers will chose a specific side of the door to mount the opener to in the field. ADA door opener headers, which house the motor and controller, are fairly large in some cases, measuring up to 6" tall and up to 6" projecting from the wall when mounted in some cases. Our
Commander ADA door opener for example has one of the smallest profiles at just over 4" tall and 4.75" projection from the mounting surface, which makes for a much more adaptable unit for different applications. With that header size in mind, installers will choose a side where there is enough header room on the top jamb of the door (header is mounted above the door) that is also out of the elements. Installers also like for the door opener to be mounted so that the unit can push the door open. This is the strongest configuration for ADA door openers and has the most variability with reveal and overhang. If an installer cannot mount the ADA door opener on the push side of the opener, the next option is to use a pull type configuration.
Aesthetically Pleasing
This category of mounting type is used much less often. An example of this type of mount is in bathrooms. Architects like to hide the door opener inside the restroom because looking at a large aluminum extrusion above the door isn't the type of aesthetic that architects are after. By mounting inside, the exterior of the door has a cleaner look and is much more pleasing to the eye.
If you are in the market to purchase an ADA door opener, or you want to read further about installation instructions, electrical requirements, etc. you can follow the link here to our
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