Choosing a Dock Door Seal

Dock door seals are made of fabric and surround the top and sides of a loading dock door opening. By making sure your dock door is sealed tight, you are making sure there is no energy loss, theft, product damage, contamination, insects, loss of temperature control or slippery or dangerous conditions inside. To determine what dock door seal is right for you, you must think about the following five factors, courtesy of ritehite.com (the company uses the acronym S.E.A.L.S. to help you remember them):

• Situation: the size of the trucks you serve and the layout of your dock including the inclines and size of the door opening
• Environmental control: protection from the elements, energy loss and safety.
• Access: limited access can damage the seal so think about the load situations most often taking place at your facility.
• Long life: the product features you choose help determine the life of your seal. For example, trends in trailer design such as air-ride systems put added wear on your seals; armor pleats with proper spacing and strong fabrics keep your seals durable.
• Support: look into warranties, support and service for your seals.