Should I install doors on my self serve bays?

[Turbo]

Seems like a good idea. Reduces heat loss due to wind whisking away the recently heated air molecules directly above the concrete?

I was planning on just putting on one side of each bay. I would shut when its less than 20 degrees and especially at night.

Would I save 0,5,10,20%?

I looked through the other posts but could not find anything that addressed this.

I have a 1IBA and 3SS. I am just finishing putting doors on auto (both sides).

I paid approx 4k for heat from dec 1 to march 31 last year. I am in Chicago.

I was thinking of replacing my 500k 80% eff raypak for with a 95% (just drew a blank on make) for $9500 and was thinking i should just buy bay doors and install.

Thanks

Turbo

 

[bigleo48]

Yes. Almost every wash here (very similar to Windy City weather) that has drive thru ss bays has doors for the winter.

 

[Waxman]

I have SS bay doors. Used to leave them open but now close them every night from 12/1 on thru till Spring.

My colder climate friends said I'm crazy not to close them, as I lose too much in heat expense overnight. As with the other things they advised, this was right.

Customers can and do still use the bays; they just open and close the doors manually themselves. For the few bucks I make overnight, saving the heat is a must nowadays.

 

[Mr. Clean]

You'll not only save money on utilities, but you'll likely see more revenue as the bays will be more comfortable to wash in. We ran our first year w/o doors - what a headache; wind chill freeze-ups, walls heavily coated by frozen over spray, slushcicles everywhere and people wouldn't wash when it was blustery.

Hope you live close by because the down side is the compulsion to always make sure they're closed before settling in for the night.

Someday, we'll put operators on all of them and tie into the IBA door controller take care of them. Just haven't found an economical way to do it yet.

 

[Waxman]

I've been wondering how to word signage for this???

Ideas?

Ideally, customers would lift and lower doors themselves to use SS bays.

What do you guys in cold climates w/SS doors do to let customers know bays are still open but you'd like the doors down as much as possible?

 

[Mr. Clean]

I have an 8.5x17" "billboard" above the meters with a box dedicated to winter wash tips. It also asks for customer participation in controlling expenses/wash prices by keeping doors down when the temp is below freezing. The conscientious comply, but for the most part it requires diligence on my part.

Automatic doors linked to the end of the cycle would be ideal. Not sure how long the payback would be but again, it would make for a better customer experience, especially for smaller women or the elderly clientele and save a lot of my time running over to close doors in the evening.

 

[Turbo]

Thanks for the guidance. Luckily for me I have a Jiffy Lube attached to the Carwash. I will have guys close at 7:30pm and open at 7:30am.

 

[Jeff_L]

Signs explaining to open and close the doors are good, however, it comes down to training your customers. The customers see the doors closed before they read the signs, thus you have the potential of them just driving by thinking you're closed. On those cold, sunny days where a lot of cars are dirty but no one is in washing, I'll pull my truck in and start washing it as "advertisement" that I'm open for business.

Eventually customers will get accustomed to the doors being down but you're still open.

(Of course, I only have doors on the backside of the bays. I understand some have doors on both ends, in which case a lot of signs would be needed.)

 

[ToFarGone20]

I have doors on both ends of everything but truck bays...they will get some too. I wouldn't do it any other way. I took it one more step and had my ceiling spray foamed (huge difference in therms used). I used to lay pink insulation board on the floors and it worked fine but it was a pain to pick up when you get busy. I run my floor heat less and on lower settings. I am shocked at how warm it is in the bays even after a -10 degree night. You wouldn't want to run around with shorts on, but the goal is to stop the ice and it does that great.
Our utility also had a rebate on the spray in...I paid about 35% of total cost out of pocket. 3 autos, 6 car bays, and 2 truck bays at one location and the needle on the gas meter gets a work out. Have to do everything we can to save.

 

[mjwalsh]

I have an 8.5x17" "billboard" above the meters with a box dedicated to winter wash tips. It also asks for customer participation in controlling expenses/wash prices by keeping doors down when the temp is below freezing. The conscientious comply, but for the most part it requires diligence on my part.

Automatic doors linked to the end of the cycle would be ideal. Not sure how long the payback would be but again, it would make for a better customer experience, especially for smaller women or the elderly clientele and save a lot of my time running over to close doors in the evening.

Mr. Clean & others,

Be prepared for a higher level of door maintenance if you want those operators to work consistently. In other words ---- if the customers scrape the rail turning too sharply or catch the bottom panels with a high profile vehicle it can mean the door will not go up & down perfectly smooth. If you set your opener too strong then it seems like it would not be as safe. We can close & open our 6 doors remotely --- but like Bill P & I had a good laugh about when he was here ---- we really need to look at the pertinent camera views to make sure no obstacles are in the way &/or come out of nowhere & be in the way.

MJ

 

[ToFarGone20]

I like the "idea" door operators...but I worry about the same thing, maintenance.

On the other hand...at night I lock my doors down. I don't want anybody trying to open a door that could be frozen to the ground. Or tearing a rotator cuff lifting a door that won't move. And then there is just the plain old risk of slipping and falling. They are bending over, lifting with their backs, and pushing hard with their legs...one little slip and their legs go backwards, their nose gets broken on the door handle, and sprain both wrists when they hit the ground.

I know it sounds like I don't have much faith in mankind...I do...just those that own a carwash.

 

[mjwalsh]

I like the "idea" door operators...but I worry about the same thing, maintenance.

On the other hand...at night I lock my doors down. I don't want anybody trying to open a door that could be frozen to the ground. Or tearing a rotator cuff lifting a door that won't move. And then there is just the plain old risk of slipping and falling. They are bending over, lifting with their backs, and pushing hard with their legs...one little slip and their legs go backwards, their nose gets broken on the door handle, and sprain both wrists when they hit the ground.

I know it sounds like I don't have much faith in mankind...I do...just those that own a carwash.

ToFarGone20 & others,

Staying ahead of the potential maintenance issues is definitely the key. For example in our climate the doors can get heavy with ice ---- make sure you wash the ice off before it affects the person opening it. Make sure the deicer is working --- especially under & close to the doors.

As far as back breaking lifting --- I personally like to go up to the door & with one finger show them how easy it is because the door is so balanced. Sometimes it is a little harder but people out in that kind of freezing weather tend to expect some effort. A bigger problem is to get the door up high enough so a high profile vehicle does not overlook the fact the door is not all the ways up. Signs stating height at our place state "when door is fully opened" & the stated height allows for extra tire pressure etc.

By having the people open their own door --- it we have always felt there is less liability because that person is in total control. That is why in our new dog wash they have to push the pedal or the touchscreen continuously for the tub lifting to occur --- again total control on their part!

MJ