Strip Door Keeps Heat In, Cold Out

Strip Door Keeps Heat In, Cold Out BUILDINGS New Techniques 1-3-11 New "see through" doors made of vinyl strips are catching on fast in factories, warehouses and other industrial buildings. They keep heated air in and cold air out to conserve energy. When you walk or drive through the strips, they automatically flop back into place to seal the opening. Would they work on machinery, workshop, livestock and other farm buildings? "We haven't gotten around to investigate on-farm uses but would be glad to work with farmers and ranchers interested in doing some experimenting," Alex Wilson, of Chase Industries, told FARM SHOW. He notes that the strip-type doors are easy to custom fit to the size required. The clear, extruded vinyl strips are available 8 in. or 12 in. wide, measure .06 and .125 in. thick, respectively, and can be cut to whatever length is needed. The overlapping strips open just enough for passage of people, animals or equipment. They have rounded edges and close automatically. The vinyl strips stay flexible in cold weather. They can be hung to provide from 50 to 100% overlap of the individual strips, depending on how "weathertight" a seal is desired. The percent overlap also governs the noise dampening effect of the strip-door. Equipping a 12 by 12 ft. opening with a high quality vinyl strip-type door costs $700 to $1,000, depending on percent overlap, thickness and width of the strips, and other optional features. So far as we know, the new "strip door" concept hasn't been tested with cattle, hogs or horses to determine its effectiveness as a barn door which would close automatically as animals walked through it. If you'd like to do some experimenting, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Alex Wilson, Chase Industries, 8100 Reading Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45222 (ph 513 821-3939).

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