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Architectural Forensic Consultants is a team of highly skilled professionals committed to delivering exceptional services in Architectural Forensics. With over 50 years of combined professional experience throughout the US, they offer a range of expert witness, building-related claim defense, building enclosure commissioning, architectural review consulting, and due diligence actions for property acquisition. Let us provide the expertise you need to ensure your projects

With years of experience and a team of experts who are actively practicing Architects with current AIA, NCARB, BECxP, and CSI accreditations, they provide top-notch analysis and reporting to help clients make informed decisions about your particular project.

Consulting Services:

Building Enclosure Commissioning - Provides a framework for working with the architectural design and construction teams to help provide an optimized building enclosure that successfully performs and meets the Owner's Project Requirements. Includes providing construction document review, preconstruction meetings coordination, construction monitoring and performance testing of building enclosure components and systems to evaluate its resistance to water and air infiltration.
Architectural Review- Provides expert outside review and consultation to Town or City Architectural Review Board members. Offer architectural standard reviews to help convey client needs and requests to architects and developers, streamlining your architectural review processes.
Property Conditions Assessments- Commercial property and building assessments (also known as Property Condition Assessments or PCA's) are important for clients seeking to know the condition of a property or real estate they may be purchasing, leasing, financing or simply maintaining. PCAs identify deficiencies and can provide building users with a Capital Needs Plan.

Dan Weekes, AIA, NCARB, BECxP, CxA+BE, has over 25 years of Architectural and Engineering Building Envelope and consulting project management as well as litigation and deposition proceedings. As a licensed Architect, Mr. Weekes has experience with the design of new facilities and the implementation of repair programs to existing residential, commercial, and institutional facilities. He takes a common sense approach to design and focuses on optimizing building performance.

Mr. Weekes' goal is to Identify why buildings and structures in today's industry begin to fail well before they should, and provide consultation in the way of review, evaluation and testing during the construction process to greatly improve the overall performance of a particular project.

Jim Stutzman, AIA, NCARB, CSI, has over 45 years of exceptional Building Construction and Investigative Design work with an emphasis on expert litigation cases and design coordination.

Mr. Stutzman is an architectural forensic consulting and expert witness relating to the performance, failures, safety and hazards, code compliance, professional practice and construction contractual procedures for commercial, industrial and residential architectural projects and the contractual building process.

Forensic consulting services are focused on defense attorneys, insurance companies, financial institutions, developers, municipalities, and private clients. Mr. Stutzman has 32 years of experience as a Forensic Architect providing forensic analysis of building related claims and standard of care issues

View Architectural Forensics Consultants' Expert Witness Profile.

• Building Enclosure Commissioning

• Architectural Review Consulting

• Property Condition Assessments

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All About Pavements, Inc. (API) is capable of performing virtually any project related to Pavement Engineering. API's objective is to provide practical, innovative, and cost-effective pavement engineering solutions in the areas of design, research, management construction, repair and maintenance issues. API personnel have worked at numerous airport and roadway systems located throughout the United States and abroad.

Consulting Services:

Pavement Management Systems
Non-Destructive Deflection Testing
Pavement Condition Surveys
Roughness / Ride Quality Testing
Network and Project Level Pavement Evaluation

Geographic Information Systems

Research and Software Development

Technical Training Courses

Asset Management

Construction Consultation

Wayne J. Seiler, PhD, PE, is a Principal Engineer with All About Pavements Inc (API), with responsibility for Airport, Highway, and Port Pavement engineering and construction projects. With over 38 years of pavement engineering expertise, he is a Registered Professional Engineer in Minnesota, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and Mississippi.

Dr. Seiler has conducted pavement evaluations and developed numerous pavement designs for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of airports throughout the United States during his 38 year career. As a project manager, he has completed pavement evaluation, rehabilitation design, and pavement management work for several commercial airports, including BWI, Charlotte International Airport, Portland International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, O'Hare International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Dayton International Airport, Wichita’s Mid-Continental Airport, and Montreal’s Mirabel and Dorval International Airports. These studies were accomplished through extensive records review, thorough investigations, pavement condition index surveys, nondestructive deflection testing, remaining life analyses, rehabilitation design using FAA procedures and more advanced mechanistic analyses, and life cycle cost comparisons.

In 2017, ASCE’s Transportation & Development Institute awarded Dr. Seiler with their national Airfield Pavement Practitioner Award. This award honors and recognizes practicing engineers employed in the airfield pavement engineering profession with demonstrated leadership and achievement in airfield pavement projects.

View Dr. Seiler's Expert Witness Profile.

• Dr. Seiler's Curriculum Vitae

• About API

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William R. Acorn is founder of Acorn Consulting Services, LLC, an engineering firm. As a consulting mechanical engineer, Bill provides project analysis, forensic reconstructions and litigation support services relating to the design, delivery, and functioning of high-tech manufacturing facilities, semiconductor fabrication facilities, institutional laboratories, data centers, health care facilities and a variety of commercial buildings. He is a recognized expert in the evaluation of deficiencies in HVAC systems, cleanrooms, piping systems, refrigeration systems, construction defects, building and fire code compliance, and patent and trade secret disputes. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants.

Bill has more than 40 years of experience as a professional engineer and is a recognized expert in assessing, evaluating, remediating and providing testimony on complex project design, construction and operational matters. His consulting expertise has been influential in shaping approaches to code compliance and life safety in semiconductor and similar advanced technology facilities.

Certifications and Designations:

Registered as a Professional Mechanical Engineer in the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.
Registered with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying NCEES (Certificate No. 6999)
Fellow in the HVAC industry leading organization ASHRAE
Visiting lecturer at the Arizona State University Del E. Webb School of Construction in Tempe, AZ
Advisor to CREATE, ACE – Alliance for Construction Excellence and the IAB – Industry Advisory Board, all affiliated with ASU

Building Systems Analysis:

HVAC and Refrigeration
Process and Power Piping
Plumbing Systems
Standard of Care in Design and Construction

Chemical Exposures in the Workplace
Cleanroom Design and Performance
Codes and Standards
Patent and Trade Secret Disputes

Litigation Support: Bill’s pragmatic approach to both forensic and litigation consulting as well as project consulting is based on more than 40 years of real-world experience as a design professional, mentor and forensic analyst, as well as many years as an instructor in professional and academic settings. Represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of jurisdictions throughout the US and Asia. Bill’s ability to explain complex issues to non-technical audiences, including juries, mediators and judges, is a key to successfully solving your litigation challenges.

Forensic Analysis
Strategic Litigation Consulting
Trial Demonstratives
Expert Testimony

Acorn Consulting Services

Consulting Services: Services range from peer review to conceptual design to development of strategies and programs for expedited project delivery.

Bill frequently acts as an owner’s agent and mentor, functioning as an extension of the owner’s project team. On other projects, Bill serves as a subject matter expert assisting project delivery firms in their development of viable solutions and review of construction documents.

As a project consultant, Bill assures the project gets off to the right start and provides his expertise through completion and operation to maximize return on investment.

Consulting Expertise Includes:

Project Design and Management Consulting
Forensic Analysis and Litigation Consulting
Mentoring & Advanced Education

• More About William Acorn

• View a sample of Litigation Projects

• View a sample of Non-Litigation Projects

• Acorn Consulting Services Video

• Video: Acorn Consulting Services

4/11/2005 · Construction

Things You Can Do To Avoid Conflict In The Design And Construction Of Building Projects

By: William R. Acorn

Introduction: In our first Volume of the Forensic Exchanger, we discussed some of the all too many reasons why HVAC systems fail. If you missed that edition and are interested in that topic e-mail us and we will gladly send it to you. We will follow up with more discussion of that important topic in later editions

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Code Compliance for Advanced Technology Facilities : A Comprehensive Guide for Semiconductor and Other Hazardous Occupancies

William R. Acorn

Facilities which utilize hazardous liquids and gases represent a significant potential liability to the owner, operator, and general public in terms of personnel safety and preservation of assets. It is obvious that a catastrophic incident or loss of property or personnel is to be avoided at all costs. This book was conceived to give the reader a guide to understanding the requirements of the various codes and regulations that apply to the design, construction, and operation of facilities utilizing hazardous materials in their processes.

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Mike Panish is one of the most frequently retained consultants for all construction related services and trades with specialties in Doors, Door Hardware, Security, Automatic Doors, Cabinetry & Architectural Millwork. Mike is often used in the early stages of a lawsuit or claim, or prior to a law firm’s acceptance of a case to analyze the information provided by a prospective client. He is frequently called upon by insurance companies to evaluate a claim because of his knowledge and highly diverse background. He has been a retained expert witness in over 2500 legal cases since the year 2000, and regularly consults on issues that are not involved in legal disputes.

Mike Panish is referred by attorneys that have worked with him or have been on the opposing sides to help resolve a potential claim or legal dispute prior to filing an action. Contractor fraud, dispute resolution for homeowners/contractors. Licensed in CA as a General Building Contractor, Electrical Contractor, Door, Lock & Security Equipment Contractor, Cabinet & Millwork Contractor, and Painting & Finish Specialties Contractor. 40+ years hands-on experience in all construction trades with over 2000 cases since the year 2000. Local to CA & New England. Nationwide Inspection & Testimony, all states and internationally.

Areas of Expertise:

Automatic Door Personal Injury, Wrongful Death Cases
Door and Door Hardware Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Defects Cases
Cabinetry, Architectural Millwork, Furniture Personal injury, Defects Cases
Slip, Trip, Fall / Railings / ADA Personal Injury Cases
General Construction (all trades) Defects Cases, Personal Injury Cases, Wrongful Death
Premises Liability, Premises Security for Criminal Cases, Elder Abuse Cases, Wrongful Death
Building Inspections (all types), Site Evaluation, Product Evaluation, Defect Analysis, Poor Workmanship, Costs & Estimates, Plans Analysis, Proper Installation, Claim Analysis

View Michael Panish's Expert Witness Profile.

• Curriculum Vitae

• Complete List of Expertise

• Testimonials

• Published Articles

1/5/2016 · Construction

Safety Equipment & Protective Gear: The Right Equipment Can Save Your Life!

By: Michael Panish

As a construction expert witness, I am often asked about the importance of using safety equipment. I have many years of personal experiences with the proper observance of safety procedures and appropriate safety equipment requirements.

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12/11/2015 · Construction

Modular Cabinet Systems Retail Store Fixtures: Injuries from Improper Installation

By: Michael Panish

I have been the retained expert witness by both the plaintiff and defendant to determine the causes of a variety of significant injuries that have happened as a result of improper cabinet and millwork installation practices. In most claims, if product abuse or deferred condition was not the reason for the injury, poor installation practices that have omitted required hardware was to blame. Architectural millwork injuries have occurred repeatedly in shopping centers and malls, hotels, hospitals, airports, and offices throughout the country. Casinos and restaurants are also routinely the location of significant cabinetry related failures leading to serious injuries. Many offices and industrial buildings that utilize modular furniture have had employees injured by improper or completely unattached components. In my other articles, improperly attached architectural millwork has been discussed. Heavy mirrors and headwalls have fallen upon hotel guests while they were asleep in bed. Generally, these failures occur due to lack of appropriate fasteners, missed structural connections, or product tampering.

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11/2/2015 · Construction

Mechanical Fasteners

By: Michael Panish

Mechanical fasteners, when properly used as recommended by the manufacturer, almost always assure safe and secure attachment of a fastened product. In commercial and residential applications, injuries resulting from mechanical attachment failures have often been attributed to inappropriate usage of products, improper installation procedures, or the failure of a poorly manufactured fastening product. When a product becomes disconnected from its point of attachment, serious personal injury can result.

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10/13/2015 · Construction

Plastic Laminated Products: Fabrication & Installation Problems

By: Michael Panish

This article will discuss plastic laminated products only. Although many other laminated materials are used for residential and commercial applications, plastic laminates are one of the most common products involved in casework claims and personal injuries.

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8/31/2015 · Construction

Cabinetry & Millwork: Defective Design or Defective Workmanship? Who is Responsible?

By: Michael Panish

My job as a cabinetry and millwork expert witness is to inspect and evaluate casework, cabinetry, or millwork that may have either failed or may be deficient in some way. Many of the past cases where I have been designated as the cabinetry and millwork expert witness have involved analyzing products that no longer exist because they have either been replaced or destroyed. What is available for review is often in the form of architectural elevations (renderings), photographs of the damaged cabinetry, or shop drawings and samples of the materials that were used. Generally, there is a question as to what entity is responsible for the monetary loss sustained. The usual course of action by attorneys is to sue all parties in the chain of events, from design through installation.

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7/21/2015 · Construction

Elder Abuse - It Isn't Always About Physical Abuse

By: Michael Panish

Having recently testified as the door hardware, lock and security expert witness on a very serious elder abuse case involving the rape of a 93 year old resident of a retirement home, I am intimately aware of the potential for physical violence and neglect aimed directly at senior citizens. The following is about a completely different kind of abuse involving our senior population.

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6/18/2015 · Security

Patient Abuse & Rape: Daycare - Skilled Nursing - Long Term Care Facilities

By: Michael Panish

Rape and patient abuse are more prevalent and common place in daycare and long term skilled nursing facilities than anyone would think possible.

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5/19/2015 · Legal Issues

Expert Witness: Plaintiff or Defense?

By: Michael Panish

The first two questions that I am often asked by attorneys during deposition or trial testimony are "On what percentage of cases do you work for the Plaintiff?" and "On what percentage of cases do you work for the Defense?"

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4/21/2015 · Construction

Contractor Fraud: Beware of Unscrupulous Contractors

By: Michael Panish

Most of the misunderstandings pertaining to contractor and homeowner relationships occur as a result of unclear or wrongly interpreted construction contracts. Upon entering into a building contract, the enthusiasm for starting the proposed work often creates a kind of glazing over or dulling of the senses on the part of the homeowner. Many times questionable terms and arrangements for payment scheduling are accepted or unknowingly agreed to as the homeowner's urgent desire to start work overshadows common sense. Often, the lowest priced contractor seduces the homeowner with promises of more value for the money.

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3/19/2015 · Construction

Contractor Fraud : Don't Become a Victim Home Renovation Projects - CONTRACTOR FRAUD SERIES (Part 1)

By: Michael Panish

As a Construction Expert Witness, I have been involved in numerous homeowner vs. contractor lawsuits that turned out to be directly created by contractor fraud. In this article, I have combined a few different actual cases, highlighting the various tactics used by dishonest contractors to bait and then hook the homeowner. In all of these cases, the homeowner prevailed.

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2/18/2015 · Construction

M. O. A. T. A New Approach to School Security

By: Michael Panish

The need to have increased security to public venues such as airports, schools, religious facilities, day care centers, shopping centers, and government buildings is nothing new. However, it has become apparent that many unexpected assaults and deadly attacks are coming from individuals that have gained a certain level of intimacy with the venues and organizations that they are invading. The attackers are not necessarily strangers, but people we know.

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1/16/2015 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Increasing School Security Concepts to Keep Our Students Safe

By: Michael Panish

In December of 2012 a gunman broke into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and viciously murdered 20 children and 6 administrators. Adding Sandy Hook Elementary School to a growing list of other tragic school shootings confirms that any educational institution should be considered a viable target for future attacks.

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12/10/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Door Injuries & "The Eggshell Plaintiff"

By: Michael Panish

Every good attorney needs to consider the validity of every potential claim. As the most frequently retained door expert witness, working for both Plaintiff and Defense evenly, I have been retained on door injury and wrongful death claims that were not caused by malfunctioning doors or door hardware. As discovery has often shown, people in poor physical or mental condition who are left unattended or unassisted while moving through properly functioning doorways are often the genesis of their own injuries. All commercial venues have the responsibility to maintain their facilities to industry wide standards, seek proper routine maintenance, and provide daily inspections of their door systems. However, it is difficult to provide safe passage to every patron of their facilities when some of those patrons may include persons requiring diligent physical supervision, special assistance walking, or have special needs due to disease, mental incapacity, or other unknown infirmities.

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11/4/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Door Panic Hardware: Getting to Know the Basics

By: Michael Panish

Injuries resulting from panic hardware are more prevalent than you might think. Injuries can be due to lack of maintenance on these devices and/or installation of spurious parts or components.

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9/24/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Door Injury Cases Pertaining to the Insurance Carrier

By: Michael Panish

One of the most common types of expert related calls that I receive pertains to some sort of door injury. Door injuries caused by automatic pedestrian doors, manual doors, or garage doors often lead to serious and potentially life threatening high dollar liability and personal injury lawsuits. My case load as a door expert witness is evenly split between plaintiff and defense. I have written articles, testified, and been consultant on many door injury cases throughout the country and abroad. In addition, my services have been utilized by defense teams representing cross defendants such as door maintenance companies also named in the chain of commerce.

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8/22/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Garage Doors: A Brief Tutorial on Garage Door Safety & Installation

By: Michael Panish

As a door expert, I am called upon many times a year to evaluate garage door injuries. In my professional career as a general contractor and door & hardware contractor, I have installed many different types of garage doors. I have been involved with roll up doors, both for commercial warehouse applications and automotive repair facilities that allow the passage of a motor vehicle. I have installed and serviced life safety/fire drop doors typically seen in hospitals, pharmacies, labs, shopping centers and other commercial venues. I have placed sectional doors in apartment buildings, single family homes and condominiums. My company has custom built many types of garage enclosures that have had special cosmetic concealed purposes for themed attractions. Working on historic buildings has given me the opportunity to work on sliding barn type doors, hinged parting doors and old carriage style swinging doors. I have removed and replaced the older style, overhead vintage single panel pivoting hinged garage door from commercial and residential locations, and have installed a variety of newer and safer products.

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7/18/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Concealed Door Closers

By: Michael Panish

The overhead or floor mounted concealed door closer is a very common type of door closer mechanism which is normally unseen and unnoticed. In the majority of installations, these concealed closers are used on aluminum glazed storefront doors, hollow metal stand alone, or structural framed window systems. The concealed door closer design concept was initially engineered as a self-contained product that featured a center pivot allowing a variety of door functions with no exterior arm or visible operating hardware.

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6/12/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Manual Door Closers - Do You Have an Open and Shut Case?

By: Michael Panish

During the past several years I have been contacted many times regarding door injury claims related to manual door closers. In response to numerous inquires asking if I have published any manual door closer articles similar to the primers I have done on automatic pedestrian doors, I am offering this article for general information to assist attorneys in determining potential issues relating to manual door closer mechanisms.

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5/7/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Door Defects & Door Related Injury Claims

By: Michael Panish

We are all used to opening and closing doors on a daily basis. Unless you encounter a problem with the function of your doors, you probably don't give their operation and component make up much thought. I am continually contacted by attorneys seeking my advice on an injury that took place because of an improperly adjusted or malfunctioning door. In this article, I am simply discussing manually operated doors. Nothing fancy or automatic about them, the kind where you grab a lever, push a plate or bang on a bar to enter or leave a room or building. So, if you want to learn to communicate professionally and simply with your door expert or even your building manager, read on.

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4/7/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Automatic Door Service Providers How to Limit your Liability

By: Michael Panish

If you run an active automatic door service company it is not a matter of IF you will be sued . . . it is a matter of WHEN ! What every door service provider can do to proactively protect their business.

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2/26/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Automatic Door Injuries: High & Low Energy Automatic Doors

By: Michael Panish

Automatic doors are generally grouped into two major categories. Low energy and high energy doors. The difference between the two types of doors pertain to the ways that the doorways operate.

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1/23/2014 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Overhead Door Injuries - Commercial, Industrial, Residential

By: Michael Panish

As the retained expert witness on many overhead door injury and wrongful death cases, some of the injuries I have seen include injured or severed fingers and limbs, bodily trauma, and death. Disabling injuries often lead to involved lawsuits due to the combination of jobsite and employer, landlord and tenant contractual agreements, and property owner liability insurance coverage. Knowing who is responsible for maintenance and inspections of these doorways is essential.

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12/17/2013 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Low Energy Door Systems A Basic Primer for Your Next Door Injury Case

By: Michael Panish

In conjunction with many other articles that I have had published pertaining to high energy doors, or what most people think of when they say automatic doors, low energy systems can be equally dangerous and need to be appropriately and properly maintained.

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11/11/2013 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Revolving Door Injuries

By: Michael Panish

Within the past few months, I have been retained as expert witness to evaluate revolving door injuries in over a dozen different locations nationwide. While I usually see an even distribution of sliding door, swinging door, and revolving door injury cases, the revolving door injuries currently seem to be the most prevalent. What is particularly interesting is that no two of my recent cases were created by the same problem.

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10/14/2013 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

Automatic Doors Maintenance: The Importance of Checking Your Doors Daily

By: Michael Panish

I have been involved in many automatic door cases during the past few years working for both plaintiff and defense. As discussed in one of my previous articles (The Ins and Outs of Automatic Door Operation), automatic doors are highly complex pieces of equipment that require daily attention. Most injuries occur when some component of the automatic door system malfunctions.

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9/23/2013 · Elevators - Escalator - Automatic Doors

The Ins and Outs of Automatic Door Operation

By: Michael Panish

A basic primer in how they work, what to look for, and how to analyze defects vs. deferred maintenance. Expert door contractor, Michael Panish, takes you through the basics for your case. A basic primer about Automatic Door functions.

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