Strip Curtains: Small Upgrade, Real Savings

If you operate a restaurant, grocery store, or any facility with walk-in refrigeration, you already know that coolers and freezers are among your largest energy users. What’s less obvious is how much energy is lost every time a walk-in door is opened—even for a few seconds.

That’s where strip curtains come in. They’re simple, inexpensive, and backed by real utility data showing measurable energy savings.

The Hidden Cost of an Open Walk-In Door

Every time a walk-in door opens, warm, humid air rushes in and refrigerated air spills out. The refrigeration system then has to work harder to pull temperatures back down.

In real facilities, this happens constantly:

• Walk-in doors opening dozens of times per shift

• Doors held open during restocking or prep

• High traffic during lunch, dinner, or delivery windows

Without a barrier in place, your refrigeration system ends up conditioning the kitchen or storage area instead of just the cooler. That means higher energy bills, more compressor run time, and faster equipment wear.

How Strip Curtains Solve the Problem

Strip curtains are overlapping, flexible PVC strips installed inside the walk-in doorway. They allow staff and carts to pass through easily while dramatically reducing air exchange.

Key benefits:

• Reduced warm air infiltration every time the door opens

• Immediate re-sealing after someone passes through

• Hands-free operation for busy staff

• Clear visibility to improve safety

• No impact on workflow, even in high-traffic areas

  
  

In short, strip curtains keep conditioned air where it belongs—inside the walk-in.

Energy Savings Backed by Utility Data

These savings aren’t theoretical. Southern California Edison has conducted field studies measuring actual energy savings from strip curtains across restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, and refrigerated warehouses.

Typical annual energy savings per square foot of door opening include:

• Restaurant coolers: ~18 kWh/ft²

• Restaurant freezers: ~77 kWh/ft²

• Supermarket coolers: ~159 kWh/ft²

• Supermarket freezers: ~409 kWh/ft²

With Bay Area electricity rates around $0.38/kWh, even small doors can deliver meaningful dollar savings—especially for freezers.

What Does That Mean in Real Dollars?

For a standard 3’ × 7’ walk-in door:

• Cooler: roughly $140/year in energy savings

• Freezer: roughly $600/year in energy savings

Typical installed cost:

• Cooler strip curtains: ~$200 installed

• Freezer strip curtains: ~$220 installed

That puts payback anywhere from a few months to under a year, depending on usage and application. Freezers and high-traffic doors almost always deliver the fastest ROI.

Benefits Beyond Energy Savings

Energy savings alone justify strip curtains, but they also deliver additional operational benefits:

• More stable temperatures, supporting food safety

• Reduced frost and condensation, lowering slip hazards

• Less compressor cycling, extending equipment life

• Reduced wear on door gaskets and hinges

• Faster staff movement with fewer propped doors

These secondary benefits reduce maintenance costs and help avoid downtime.

Choosing the Right Strip Curtains

Not all strip curtains are the same. Performance depends on proper selection and installation:

• Food-grade, cold-rated PVC that stays flexible

• Proper strip width based on foot traffic or carts

• Adequate overlap (typically ~50%) to eliminate gaps

• Full coverage of the opening, edge to edge

Poorly sized or installed curtains don’t deliver full savings—and often get pushed aside or removed by staff.

Professional Installation Matters

At Bay Area Gasket Guy, we handle everything on site:

• Precise measurement of your door opening

• Correct strip material and width for your application

• Proper mounting to ensure full coverage and longevity

• Fast installation with no operational downtime

Many customers bundle strip curtains with gasket replacement or other preventive maintenance to maximize efficiency in a single visit.

The Bottom Line

Strip curtains are one of the simplest, lowest-cost energy upgrades you can make to a walk-in cooler or freezer—and the savings are backed by utility-verified data.

Your equipment runs less. Your energy bills go down. Your staff moves faster. And your refrigeration lasts longer.

With energy costs continuing to rise, it’s an upgrade that starts paying for itself almost immediately.

Ready to Get Started?

Bay Area Gasket Guy📞 650-271-5781✉️ jrpink@BayAreaGasketGuy.com

We serve restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and commercial kitchens throughout the Bay Area. We’ll measure your doors, explain your expected savings, and provide upfront pricing—no guesswork.