Should air curtains be installed inside or outside?

Should air curtains be installed inside or outside? Air curtains are usually installed just inside the building, just above the doorway, blowing straight down towards the opening. That’s the most common setup, and for good reason: the unit can harness the warmer air from inside to create an air barrier between the warm, comfortable space and the great outdoors.

However, if there is no room above the entrance, you can install an air curtain vertically on one or both sides of the doorway or entrance. Our product options for these vertical installed air curtains, which can be ambient, or heated by electric, hot water or gas-fired, are detailed here – Vertical air curtains

For heated air curtains, it’s especially crucial to install them inside – the main goal is to keep warm air in and cut down on heat loss, so people don’t walk into a cold building. Plus, it’s much better for the unit itself – it won’t get battered by rain, frost, wind, dirt & all that other nasty weather stuff.

We have options of electric-heated air curtains or we have water-heated air curtains

Outdoor installation is definitely less common & usually only considered when there isn’t any space to install the air curtain. If you choose to install it outside, get one with weatherproofing and the right electrical specs (this is a very specialist market, and the air curtains are costly).

Getting the positioning right is super important. The air curtain must cover the entire doorway and be installed at the recommended height; if it is too high, too narrow, or angled incorrectly, the air stream will not reach the floor properly, which significantly affects its performance.

Most often, the optimal solution is to install the air curtain internally in the building, directly above the door, as close as possible (a maximum of 500 mm) to the actual opening.