A strata parkade door is shared property that cycles many times a day, so the council should know who to call for which part, how its safety reverse works, and what records exist. The door, operator, photo eyes, safety edge and receiver are door company work. The fob system belongs to the access-control company. Ask for the reverse to be tested at every service, keep a written history, and agree how residents will be told about outages.
Why councils end up owning door problems
In a strata building the parkade door is common property. When it sticks open at night, residents call council members. When it closes on a car, the council gets the claim. Yet many councils inherit the door with no records and no clear idea of who looks after which part.
Port Moody has a large share of strata buildings, from townhouse complexes on Heritage Mountain and Heritage Woods to condo towers around Newport Village, Klahanie and Suter Brook. Most of the towers share one or two parkade entrances that see a morning rush and a steady stream all evening.
Who to call for what
A parkade entrance is often two systems in one.
- The door company looks after the door itself, its springs, cables, rollers and track, the operator, the photo eyes, the safety edge, and the receiver and wiring at the door.
- The access-control company looks after the fob system: the readers, the database of fobs and the software that grants entry.
Many remote and fob problems start at the receiver or wiring at the door, and can be fixed on the same visit. If the fob database itself is the issue, that goes to the access-control company. Keep both contacts in the council's binder and with the property manager.
How the safety reverse works
Parkade doors are heavy and move over cars and people. Two devices stop them closing on anything.
Photo eyes
Sensors near the floor on each side send a beam across the opening. If something breaks the beam while the door is closing, it reverses.
Safety edge
A sensing strip along the bottom of the door reverses it on contact. A torn or waterlogged edge can send a false signal or none at all.
What a council should ask for
- The reverse tested at every service visit, on both the photo eyes and the edge.
- A note in the service record that it passed.
- Repair as soon as a test fails, with the door run in a safe mode until then.
Never let anyone tape, unplug or bypass a safety device to keep the door running.
Why Port Moody doors wear
Port Moody sits at the head of Burrard Inlet between steep forested slopes. Heavy winter rain and damp air wear rollers, hinges and seals, and many entrances get little direct sun in winter, so they rarely dry out. Hillside streets see more snow than the waterfront, which can leave ice on the door seal. A door that cycles many times a day in that weather needs regular service.
Records worth keeping
A simple file for the parkade door helps every new council.
- Door type, size, rough age and the operator brand.
- Who services it and how often.
- A written note from each service visit.
- Each repair, what failed and what was replaced.
- Safety reverse test results.
- Incidents such as vehicle damage or the door stuck open.
These records help when an insurer or an owner asks for maintenance history, and when the council is weighing more repairs against budgeting for a new door or operator.
When the door is out of service
Keeping the building secure
In most cases the door can be set to stay closed or run manually while parts are on order, so the parkade stays secure. Ask about this on the first call.
Telling residents
Agree a short notice in advance: what is wrong, whether the door is running, how to get in and out, when the repair is booked and who to contact. Post it in the lobby and elevators and send it by email.
Quotes and approvals
Quotes can go to the council or the property manager. Most operator, sensor and safety-edge repairs take a few hours, longer when parts are ordered. Work can be planned so residents can still get in and out.
What residents can report
Ask residents to report a door that is louder or slower than usual, reverses for no reason, stops part way or leaves a gap at the floor. A loud bang, a loose cable or a crooked door means stop using it and keep cars and people clear.
Booking regular service
Parkade doors cycle many times a day. Regular maintenance catches worn rollers, cables and operator parts before they stop the door. A schedule set by the council, with the records kept in one place, takes most of the surprise out of the parkade door.