
Commercial Air Curtains
Commercial air curtains are typically used in commercial premises or large retail outlets over the doorway or entrances to separate the internal temperature from the external ambient temperature via an air stream. Thus the internal air is separated from the external air, and not escaping when the door is open and no contaminants are let into building. We classify a commercial air curtain with the ability to have a mounting height of up to 4 metres, making them ideal for saving energy in a retail outlet for example with an open door policy whilst preventing heat loss.
Air curtains commercial – Energy savings
Air curtains work by causing an air barrier with an air stream –

Air curtain working principle -suitable for shops, offices, hotels or warehouses and other commercial premises – keeping heat in or even smoke out of doorways
Air curtains work by creating an efficient and invisible door or air barrier that keeps the heat inside by separating the air between the environments of two different air temperatures, which makes financial sense as they reduce heat loss and ensure reduced heating energy costs.
When installed in an air-conditioned shop, office, loading bays, hotels, supermarkets or cold storage facilities, air curtains can be even more effective for these different purposes, keeping the warm air out and the air inside the room at the correct temperature range.
Climate controlled commercial premises
They are manufactured to produce a warm welcome or even a cool welcome for entrances to commercial premises , depending on whether the commercial air curtain has a heater built into the model , or is a fan only type model (commonly referred to as an ambient air curtain model).
Clean indoor air
With any air curtain it is essential that air curtain covers the entire door width to create a sealed entrance, either to keep the heated inside or cold air inside by keep the external environment temperatures from infiltrating into the building via the customers door entrance or openings and save energy usage.
The second important factor is the the jet or stream of air produced by the air curtain is powerful enough in range to get the airflow down to the doorways or entrances floor level.
Air curtain for commercial use
The most popular use for a commercial air curtain is to inhibiting heat losses typically from retail shops, banks, factories, food retail space or retails stores, a restaurant or healthcare environments and other commercial premises to create a warm welcome to customers or staff as they access a room environment via a door, doorways or entrance.
As well as other commercial premises where clean indoor air quality is a requirement – such as food service or food preparation controlled areas such as butchers or an abattoir – where keeping insects and dust out of the air is a requirement, especially in cold storage areas. This can be achieved with our commercial air curtains range.
We do three versions –
W – Water heat exchanger (1 or 2 row heat exchanger) unit – the two row unit is designated the 2R in the data table below
N – Without heater elements thus “ambient air ” unit
E – Electric heaters model
They are split into two different types or models within the air curtain range – which can be wall mounted or mounted horizontally above the doorway.
Commercial ambient air curtains
They keep the heat or cooled air contained inside the building when using a commercial ambient air curtain, which relies on other energy heating sources to warm the space, as they have no heater element.
This type of air curtain just produces a jet or barrier of air either over the door space when installed horizontally over the doorway, or you can have a vertical installation with the air curtains being installed vertically at the side on a wall of the door space, entrances or opening.

Vertical air curtain / Vertical door air curtain installation picture – “Elis T” range of ambient or heated air vertical air curtains
When used in a vertical configuration we can cover an entire door width of 6 metres
Commercial heated air curtains – heaters
These types of commercial air curtains are heated via a heating element. They are often referred to as door heaters air curtains, which is either ;
Electrically heated
Due to the kW outputs of the models, they normally require an industrial three-phase electricity supply to power the heater elements within the air curtain or door heaters, as some people refer to them.

Electric air curtains or electric over door heaters with “PTC” electric heating elements from Flexiheat UK
Our electric recessed air curtain range is very popular with hotels, shops and restaurants , as they can require a discrete air curtain above their access, doorways or revolving doors.
Hot Water Heated
Hot water heated air curtains, are very popular door heaters for commercial premises. The heater or heating element within the air curtain is fed by a wet heating system, which produces hot water for the door heaters heat exchanger, which takes this heat and transfers it into the warm air curtain and thus into the environment.
Download the Flexiheat Commercial Air Curtain “Elis T” Brochure
Download the Elis T commercial air curtain range manual
Energy efficient controls with thermostat
Our air curtain range can be fitted with two controller options – a basic manual type or a more capable controller that can be linked into a building management system if so required.
Firsly our basic controller, here is the installation schematic

“TS” basic controller installation set up schematic – please note the “SRQ” valves are only required on our hot water heated versions
Or our more capable unit, designated out ” T-Box” which is weekly programmer, that can control up to 31 air curtains and can be coupled up to a building management system if so required.

“T- Box” controller installation set up schematic – please note the “SRQ” valves are only required on our hot water heated versions
Recessed Air Curtains
We do a range of recessed air curtains which are very popular in large retail outlets and other commercial premises. Recessed air curtains models’ key benefits are that they are very discrete as they are covered and hidden in a suspended ceiling or bulkhead above the doorways for example. We have a dedicated webpage here – Recessed air curtains on our dedicated models.
Commercial air curtain heaters
Each air curtain or multiple air curtains can be controlled with one controller. The heater element of the air curtain can be switched off in the summer period. The controller can be mounted in a remote location, such as a reception area or next to the door or doorways. Our units are manufactured with a high quality fan , and the heater versions produce a nice warm welcome to offices, restaurants etc.
Industrial air curtains
Finally, are our industrial air curtains range, these suit larger roller shutter doors, and can be wall mounted above the door or installed vertically up the door. These have their own dedicated webpage – Industrial air curtains
Air curtain commercial use
If you require any further support, information, advice, check stock or the latest offers of our commercial air curtains range, please contact us via our email form above on the website or call our UK business sales services team direct on 01202 822221. Sign up and follow us on Facebook and twitter for our latest news.