Air Curtains Vs Strip Curtains: Which Is Best For Your Store?
Keeping the right temperature and stopping pests at the door are everyday challenges for food businesses. Whether you run a fish and chip shop, café, butcher, or supermarket, open doorways can quickly lead to lost cold air, higher power bills, and unwanted insects. For small and medium businesses, improving energy efficiency is one of the simplest ways to lower running costs and improve comfort.
That’s where air curtains and PVC strip curtains come in. Both help control airflow, maintain hygiene, and improve comfort, but they work in very different ways. Choosing the right option for your store can save money, meet food safety standards, and make daily operations easier for staff and customers alike.
What are PVC strip curtains?
PVC strip curtains are made from overlapping, flexible plastic strips that hang across a doorway. They form a simple but effective barrier between temperature zones.
Why people choose PVC strip curtains:
- Energy control: Keep cold air in and warm air out of storage areas.
- Insect and dust protection: Reduce the entry of contaminants.
- Durability: Stand up to frequent traffic from staff or trolleys.
- Affordability: Easy to install and replace individual strips if damaged.
They’re most common in back-of-house areas, walk-in coolrooms, freezers, and food preparation zones where consistent temperature and hygiene are vital.
PVC strip curtains are ideal when you need a low-cost solution that supports temperature control and compliance without limiting access. Learn more about our PVC strip door curtains here.
What are air curtains?
Air curtains use a high-speed stream of air to create an invisible barrier across a doorway. The airflow helps separate indoor and outdoor environments while allowing staff and customers to walk freely through.
Benefits of air curtains include:
- Hygiene control: Prevents flies, dust, and pollutants from entering.
- Energy efficiency: Reduces heating or cooling loss through open doors.
- Convenience: Keeps doors open for easy access and customer flow.
- Comfort: Maintains a stable indoor temperature for staff and customers.
Air curtains are most effective in front-of-house areas, retail entrances, or loading docks with frequent movement. They’re particularly useful in high-traffic environments where standard doors or curtains would slow operations.
For more details on their benefits, read our guide: How Air Curtains Reduce Energy Loss in Commercial Spaces or see our Commercial Air Curtains product page.
How to choose the right option for your store
Choosing between air curtains and PVC strip curtains depends on your layout, traffic, and temperature needs. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
| Location | Recommended Option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shop entrance | Air curtain | Keeps insects out while allowing free movement for customers and staff |
| Cold room | PVC strip curtain | Maintains consistent temperature and hygiene |
| High-traffic takeaway counter | Air curtain | Keeps air cool without blocking movement |
| Loading dock or freezer door | PVC strip curtain | Flexible, durable, easy to replace |
Choose PVC strip curtains if:
- You need strong temperature control for a cold room or prep area.
- You want a low-cost, low-maintenance solution.
- You have equipment or trolleys moving between temperature zones.
Choose air curtains if:
- You want to maintain hygiene and temperature control at open entrances.
- You have high customer or staff traffic.
- You need to meet food safety standards without closing doors.
Many food service businesses use both options: Air curtains for customer-facing areas and strip curtains for storage or processing zones. This combination can create complete coverage from front to back.
Cost and maintenance
A key decision-making factor between air curtains and strip curtains is their cost.
PVC Curtains have a lower initial cost with minimal installation. Their maintenance involves cleaning and replacing worn strips due to wear and tear.
In comparison, air curtains have a higher upfront cost and require a power connection along with proper mounting. Air curtains will have minimal wear, but occasional servicing is recommended.
In most cases, strip curtains are cheaper to install, while air curtains deliver better long-term energy savings and comfort in customer areas.
Talk to Focus Doors Today
Every store has different challenges, including climate, layout, and daily traffic, all affecting performance. The team at Focus Doors can assess your site and recommend the right solution to maintain hygiene, control temperature, and reduce costs.
Contact the team at Focus Doors to discuss air curtains, PVC strip curtains, and other commercial solutions that help keep your business clean, efficient, and compliant.
FAQs
Are air curtains better than PVC strip curtains?
Not always. It depends on your store layout and purpose. Air curtains are ideal for customer entrances where you want hygiene, comfort, and easy access. PVC strip curtains are more effective in cold rooms or food prep areas that need stronger temperature control and a cost-friendly solution.
Do air curtains use a lot of power?
Air curtains are designed to be energy efficient. They usually use less electricity than the energy saved from reduced cooling or heating loss. When correctly installed, they can help lower overall power bills.
Can I use both air curtains and strip curtains in the same store?
Yes. Many businesses use air curtains at front entrances to maintain hygiene and comfort, and PVC strip curtains in storage or cold areas to help with temperature and dust control.