The large dock doors that make it possible to move goods into and out of your warehouse efficiently are also an expensive source of waste for your facility. The openings to the interior that exist while trucks are backed up to the doors allow air-conditioned or heated air to escape from your building. As your employees shiver or swelter, the conditions of the outside environment are shortening the life of your equipment and possibly your freight by allowing insects, rodents, moisture and dust to enter. Fortunately, with dock seals and dock shelters, you can enjoy the benefits of environmental separation between the trailer bed and the dock doors.
Seals for Airtight Protection
Dock seals attach to the outer perimeter of the dock door with a wooden frame that supports a sturdy foam structure. When the truck trailer backs up to the dock door, the outer surface of the truck pushes into the foam forming a tight compression seal. Dock seals only limitation is that the sizes of the truck trailers must be reasonably consistent since they can only support variations in size per the width of the frame. An under-leveler seal provides more flexibility in accommodating various trailer heights. Dock seals perform well in situations where sensitive freight or extreme conditions require complete separation between the inside and outside environments.
Shelter From the Storm
Dock shelters are a good choice when you need some protection from the outside world, but a wide range of trailer sizes regularly makes deliveries and pickups. Trailers pass through the dock shelter, which provides the seal by draping over the edges of the container. This design allows for a fully configurable system that workers can easily adjust to different sizes as needed. The system does not provide a perfectly airtight seal, but it does provide an adequate barrier to reduce air waste and protect your stock. With the curtain on the outside of the trailer, dock shelters also offer full access for moving freight.
Advantages of Both Methods
In most cases, using either dock seals or dock shelters will positively affect your bottom line enough to cover the costs of installing and maintaining the systems. By implementing a barrier to keep the outside world separate from the interior of your warehouse, you can:
- Reduce utility bills – You will no longer be trying to cool and heat the outdoors through your dock doors.
- Deter pilferage – No outside access to the back of truck trailers will exist.
- Protect valuable equipment and freight from moisture and dust – Humidity, heat and UV exposure will be minimized as well.
- Improve worker safety – Safely sealed gaps can mean fewer accidents and illnesses.
Learn More
Join the many happy warehouse managers and business owners who have chosen to invest in environmental barrier systems from W.E. Carlson Corporation. We are committed to selling only the highest quality products from the best manufacturers and working with you to provide the best custom solutions to fit your needs. Contact us today and let one of our knowledgeable representatives provide you with more information on saving money by protecting your building’s openings.
