Horizontal bi-fold doors and windows are those which are capable of being folded into two parts, in this case, horizontally. The folding panel in such doors and windows are referred to as a ‘leaf’ and it is common to see several leaves in one particular installation.
Horizontal bi-fold doors and windows are made from sturdy steel frames which are coated to protect them from rust and corrosion. Glass is set onto these frames afterwards. During the installation, a hydraulic system and certain mechanisms are put in place along with the manufactured doors. These systems are what allows the bi-fold doors and windows to open and close with a click of a button.
Some of the components (which can either come as part of horizontal bi-fold doors and windows or as optional additions) will generally include the following:
•Photo Eyes – These are actually sensor systems that are placed in horizontal bi-fold doors, usually on those found in large industrial facilities, although they can also be installed in smaller bi-fold doors as per request. These components enhance the safety features of bi-fold doors as they are responsible for stopping the doors from closing down if they sense that there is an object or person directly underneath it.
•Mechanical Locking System – These are additional locking systems installed to provide additional locking features and supplements the already existing ones. There additional mechanisms enhances the locking capabilities of the horizontal bi-fold doors and makes it more able to withstand negative wind loads.
•Remote Control System – In general, horizontal bi-fold doors have switches installed on the walls; however, property owners also have the option of using a remote control system instead.
•Backup Battery Unit – Horizontal bi-fold doors and their operations are powered by electricity. Needless to say, when the power is out, these doors are practically useless (although some systems allow for manual operations). In such cases, a backup battery unit is certainly most helpful.
