Frequently Asked Questions for Automatic Door Openers

Understanding how to order a complete handicap door opener system can be confusing. Since introducing our automatic door opener Surveys the likelihood of an incorrect order for those who submit a Survey has been reduced by 98%. Accurately completed Surveys provide us the information necessary to help assure that you are ordering the correct combination of equipment for your unique situation and prevent restocking charges and wasted time in correcting an error. See Survey Forms.

You have an option to choose not to submit a survey when you add the opener to your shopping cart. Just check the box stating that you understand the risk of not supplying a Survey and waive the right to return your automatic door opener by not submitting a Survey. In this case no exceptions will be considered for return of any product.

Our ADA door openers are simple to install assuming you order the correct equipment. They require almost no maintenance other than a couple of drops of oil and grease annually. A skilled handyman, carpenter or electrician should be able to install them using the detailed installation instructions supplied with all our automatic door openers. No modifications of the door or jamb are necessary. They plug directly into a standard 110v outlet with the 9ft supplied power cord. A 20ft option is also available.See Model 4300 Installation Instructions here.

The model 2300 residential automatic door opener is only for residential installation in private homes and should never be installed in any public use application. Our 4300 ADA automatic door opener is designed for commercial & public applications but may also be used in single residential installations. Both ADA push button door opener models are designed for in and out swing hinged doors.

The main difference is that the arm of the Model 2300 residential door opener is attached either to the door or the jamb above depending on the direction of your door swing. When the swing door is opened manually it results in friction and unnecessary wear on the gear drive of this model. Manually opening too quickly can also damage the arm or dislodge it from its connection. With our Model 4300 handicap door opener commercial unit, the arm extends from the opener and pushes up against the door or jamb depending on the direction of your door swing but is not attached. When the door is used manually it does not impact this opener in any way. This is why our system requires a separate door closer on the opposite side of the automatic opener in order to push the door shut once it times out.

Our model 4300 is ADA compliant when correctly installed and this is one of the reasons it is used so frequently in public applications. It’s a versatile, durable and dependable ADA door opener providing simple and safe disabled access to anyone with limited mobility and those dependent on wheelchairs.

Yes, it matters. To prevent damage from weather exposure and possible vandalism all of our handicap door openers must always be installed inside. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

You will need to decide what type of switch to use in operating the electric door opener. We offer a choice of handicap door button switches (wired or wireless), single button remote controls (similar to a garage door opener) and coded keypads. If the door is latched (does not swing freely without activating a handle) you will also require an electric strike which is connected to the opener and pushes the latch away from the door jamb when it receives a signal to open. Without an electric strike to free the latch our door system will just reset itself to prevent damage to the equipment. This built in safety feature helps avoid damage to the swing opener mechanism and also prevents injury should the door come into contact with a user while opening or closing. In situations such as a restaurant door which swings freely and is dead bolted at the close of business, we supply a blank latch plate with your order. If you select a wireless push button switch with our Model 4300, you will also need to add our wireless receiver option to your order so that the opener will respond to the wireless signal. This needs to be installed in our factory and cannot be done after the order has been shipped. Our Model 2300 residential handicap door opener automatically includes the wireless receiver.

You will need to engage the lock on the door handle to secure your door and prevent it being opened manually. When you activate the opener either with the handicap pushbutton switch or a coded keypad the electric strike will push the handle and latch away from the door jamb and your door will open. If you deadbolt the door in addition to engaging the handle lock, the door will not open as the electric strike cannot override the deadbolt mechanism.

We have a safety feature built into our electric door openers to prevent damage to the equipment or a user. When the door is locked with a deadbolt or if someone or an object is in the way when it tries to swing open, the unit will just reset itself. This way it’s always safe to use and will not be damaged when the door is locked with a deadbolt.

Yes, if the panic bar is set in the locked open position (dogged down) so that the latch tongue is disengaged from the door jamb. Alternatively, if you prefer not to unlock the panic bar, we also offer a special electric strike that functions with most panic bars. When the ADA door opener receives a signal to open from the handicap push button, the electric strike pushes the latch away from the door jamb, thereby releasing the door so that power opener can do its job. However, in order to be certain that it will work on your panic bar, it’s imperative that you provide a picture of the front and back as well as the latch face of your panic bar (3 images), so we can recommend the correct panic bar strike. We do not offer this strike option without first reviewing your pictures. When you send in a Survey Form there is a place at the bottom of the form to attach your pictures. You will find the Survey Forms here.

When using the Model 4300 the answer is yes. This handicap door opener commercial unit opens the door either by pushing or pulling it open dependent on the direction of your door swing. In order for the door to operate freely when used manually (which is typically the majority of the time) and not create drag or unnecessary wear on the opener, the operator arm does not attach permanently to the door. Instead the complete system functions with a separate door closer installed on the opposite side of the swing door opener to close the door. Without a closer the door will simply remain open until closed manually. We offer high quality, adjustable, weather resistant door closers rated to as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit with a 25 year warranty that function exceptionally well with our openers. In warmer climates you can also purchase any simple door closer rated for weather exposure. The model 2300 opener for residential use does not need a door closer on the opposite side of the door as it is attached to the door or jamb and opens and closes the door.

Free UPS ground shipping in 48 States (Hawaii & Alaska excluded) is included when you purchase any of our complete 2300 and 4300 Online handicap door opener Packages. Individual accessories added to the order may show up with a separate shipping charge at check out as non-package items do not ship Free. However, if you order these accessories with a complete electric door opener Package, we credit the charge back to your credit card as soon as we review your submitted order. In this case even added accessories will ship Free. If you order any accessory item separately and not as a package the appropriate shipping and handling will apply. If you need a automatic door opener package sent to Alaska or Hawaii, please e-mail technical@universaldesignspecialists.com with the delivery address and a description of what you need so we can calculate the weight and we will respond by the next business day with a quote.

While they may, we cannot guarantee this when using any of our door system components with other brands of equipment. We recommend seeking some other solution if you are not using one of our Power Access door openers. Items purchased from us for use with other manufacturer's equipment are not returnable.

Not at all with the Model 4300. The arm of the Power Access Model 4300 opener only makes contact with the door or jamb when it receives a signal to open the door. At all other times the door swings freely and unhindered in any way. This is why it is the best choice for commercial and public applications where doors are used manually most of the time. It is also why you will need a door closer on the opposite side of the door.

Yes our door opener can be controlled by a card reader with a direct connection from the card reader controller. This requires integrating the card reader controller with the opener by a dry contact closure. This may be programmable with the existing system, or it may require a relay depending on the system. The supplier of the card reader system can easily make this interface to the dry contact closure terminals on our main PCB.

Our #4495SQWR wireless handicap wall button is designed for exposure to weather and is recommended for all locations where the switch will be unprotected from the elements. In addition our 4497SQ wired handicap push buttons are also safe to install outdoors.You can jump to the Model 4495SQWR here.

Generally, your order will ship from our East Coast factory in 1-3 days from receipt of your order. This may occasionally be delayed if the quantity of orders received have been substantially higher than normal or we have a backorder on any component used to build a handicap opener system. Expedited production in the factory "may" also be available for a fee which will reduce the production time. Our Free shipping includes UPS Ground which can take 1-6 days to deliver (once it ships) based on your distance from our factory. If you need overnight or two-day air, please e-mail technical@universaldesignspecialists.com for a quote. We will respond with a quote by the next business day.

Yes both of our automatic door systems can be manually adjusted for a hold open up to 30 seconds or set to require a manual signal to close when the user is ready.

Absolutely, as we REALLY want our customers to have a trouble-free and simple installation of their swing door opener by ordering the right equipment and accessories necessary for their specific situation. For the fastest response on any questions, please contact us at technical@universaldesignspecialists.com. Please note that we are not able to answer any questions without first reviewing your completed Survey as we identify many possible issues that would otherwise not be noticed without one. Most e-mail communications are answered within 1-3 business hours. Phone communications can take up to 24 hours for a response.

We offer both door mount and jamb-mount options. The jamb mount pushes the door open and the door mount pulls it open. In all cases both our swing door openers must be installed inside and out of the weather. So ask yourself "Which way does my door open from the inside (indoors protected from weather and vandalism)?"

Yes our commercial door operators work well on either application & can be installed on a left or right hinge door as well as on the push or pull side of most swing doors. If the door swings in both directions you will need to place a stop on one side to avoid damage to our automatic door opener.

Yes our door openers don’t prevent the door from being operated without power. The arm of the Model 4300 automatic door opener is not attached to the door so the door will operate normally and there will be no resistance to open or closing it during a power outage. Should you need it to function automatically when the power is out, the addition of our battery backup will allow for this to occur.

Our model 4300 commercial door opener is ADA compliant when correctly installed. They have been installed in busy, public, high-use installations through the USA and Canada and they function reliably for many years, with a minimal amount of maintenance annually. This model has the added advantage of not creating any resistance when manually opening and closing of the door even during a power outage. The reason for this is that the arm of the unit is not permanently attached to the door and only pushes up against it when the electric door opener is activated. As a result, there is no ware and tare on the swing opener when the door is used without the automatic function. In most instances this is the majority of the time.

All of our products are available in the US and Canada. We don’t sell any ADA push button door opener equipment outside these boundaries for warranty purposes and due to different electrical requirements in other countries. You may order any of our openers for delivery to a US or Canadian address but if they are installed outside of these boundaries all warranties are void.

We are an online product and equipment supply company and as such respond electronically very quickly (typically 1-3 business hours) to all e-mails. Our team spends most of each business day responding to e-mails for customer support and technical information. For the shortest and efficient response time please e-mail us at technical@universaldesignspecialists.com. The very few phone messages we do receive are typically only checked when they have any free time to do so and can often take 24 hours to hear back and then its normally via an electronic communication. We also favor written communication because it provides a record of all that has been discussed and is easy to refer to again even some time later.

All our handicapped openers are supplied for installation by local tradespeople and result in a much lower installed price when purchased this way. When the correct equipment is ordered the average installation takes around 4 hours or less. We provide the Surveys, our FAQ’s and technical support to help you order the correct equipment. A little reading on your part and submitting a completed Survey will help assure that you receive the correct equipment and an easy and installation with substantial savings.