Sectional Overhead Doors

Rev 2 · Updated Jun 4, 2026 · View history

1 Scope

NOTE This standard covers the furnishing, installation, and commissioning of upward-acting sectional overhead doors in commercial, institutional, and industrial construction. (1.1)
NOTE The scope includes insulated and non-insulated steel sectional doors, full-vision aluminum sectional doors, the counterbalance and track systems that raise them, weatherseals, manual and motorized operation, and the entrapment-protection devices required for powered doors. (1.2)
1.3Opening sizes, locations, and wind-load design pressures shall be as indicated on the contract drawings.
1.4This standard establishes the minimum performance, material, fabrication, operation, installation, and inspection requirements that apply to each scheduled opening.
NOTE A sectional door is an assembly of two or more horizontal sections, hinged edge-to-edge, that travels in a pair of vertical jamb tracks and then turns onto horizontal tracks that carry the open door beneath the ceiling. (1.5)
NOTE A counterbalance — a torsion spring on a shaft above the opening, or extension springs alongside the horizontal tracks — offsets the weight of the sections through their travel so that the door can be raised by hand or by an operator sized for the residual load. (1.6)
NOTE Because the sections fold flat overhead rather than coiling, a sectional door is selected where the headroom above the opening and the depth of ceiling behind it can accommodate the open door, and where the panel construction (insulation, vision, finish) matters to the building. The trade-off against a coiling door is that a sectional door consumes ceiling depth when open and needs a defined headroom; that geometry is the single most important coordination item and drives the track and lift selection in this standard. (1.7)
NOTE A sectional door is engineered for its opening — the spring counterbalance, the section weight, the track radius and lift, the wind-load reinforcement, and the operator are matched to the specific width, height, and design load; it is not a catalog commodity that can be cut to fit in the field, and each unit is fabricated and balanced for its opening and its loads. (1.8)
1.9Coordinate this work with the structural and masonry trades that form the opening and provide the jambs and header to which tracks and the spring anchor pad attach (see Doors Frames And Hardware for adjacent hollow-metal openings); with the electrical trade for power and control wiring to motor operators; with Air Barriers and Joint Sealants for the seal of the door frame to the wall air and water barrier; and with Building Thermal Insulation where an insulated door closes a conditioned envelope.

2 Referenced Standards

2.1Materials, fabrication, testing, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of the referenced standards.
Standard Title
ANSI/DASMA 102 Specifications for Sectional Doors (the core product standard for residential and commercial sectional doors — construction, counterbalance, cycle life, and component conventions)
ANSI/DASMA 105 Test Method for Thermal Transmittance and Air Infiltration of Garage Doors
ANSI/DASMA 107 Room Fire Test Standard for Garage Doors Using Foam Plastic Insulation
ANSI/DASMA 108 Standard Method for Testing Sectional Garage Doors and Rolling Doors: Determination of Structural Performance Under Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference
ANSI/DASMA 109 Standard Method for Testing Garage Doors: Determination of Cycle Life
ANSI/DASMA 115 Standard Method for Testing Sectional Garage Doors and Rolling Doors: Determination of Structural Performance Under Missile Impact and Cyclic Wind Pressure
ANSI/DASMA 116 Standard for Section Interfaces on Residential Garage Door Systems (pinch-resistant section joint)
ANSI/UL 325 Standard for Door, Drapery, Gate, Louver, and Window Operators and Systems
ASTM E330 Standard Test Method for Structural Performance of Exterior Windows, Doors, Skylights, and Curtain Walls by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference
ASTM E283 Standard Test Method for Determining Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences
ASTM E1886 Standard Test Method for Performance of Exterior Windows, Doors, Shutters, and Impact Protective Systems Impacted by Missile(s) and Exposed to Cyclic Pressure Differentials
ASTM E1996 Standard Specification for Performance of Exterior Windows, Doors, Shutters, and Impact Protective Systems Impacted by Windborne Debris
ASTM C1363 Standard Test Method for Thermal Performance of Building Materials and Envelope Assemblies by Means of a Hot Box Apparatus
ASTM A653 Steel Sheet, Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) or Zinc-Iron Alloy-Coated (Galvannealed) by the Hot-Dip Process
DASMA TDS-163 U-Factor and R-Value for Residential and Commercial Garage Doors (tested-vs-calculated thermal reporting)
NEMA 250 Enclosures for Electrical Equipment (1000 Volts Maximum) — operator and control enclosure ratings
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (operator power, control, and interlock wiring)
ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (wind-load determination)
ANSI/DASMA 116t / DASMA TDS-155 DASMA Garage Door and Commercial Door Wind Load Guide (code wind-pressure correlation)
2.2Where the contract documents or the adopted building code impose more stringent requirements than a referenced standard, the more stringent requirement shall govern.
2.3The Contractor shall resolve conflicts in writing with the Engineer of Record before proceeding.

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1The following submittals shall be submitted for review and returned before fabrication or procurement begins.
Action Submittals Requiredcheckbox
Door schedule cross-referenced to drawings
Shop drawings with clearance, track, and anchorage details
Product data for sections, finish, glazing, seals, operator, and controls
Structural / wind-load calculations or test report (where design pressure specified)
Thermal R-value / U-factor and air-infiltration test data (insulated doors)
Operator wiring diagram and UL 325 entrapment-protection documentation (powered doors)
3.1.2Because each sectional door is engineered for its opening and loads, the action submittal shall be specific to the door schedule and shall not consist of generic catalog literature alone.
3.1.3A complete door schedule shall be submitted listing every sectional door by mark number, including opening width and height, door type (insulated, non-insulated, full-vision), section thickness, panel material and gauge, insulation R-value where applicable, design wind-load pressure where applicable, track and lift type, operation type, and finish.
3.1.4Fabrication and installation shop drawings shall be submitted for each door type showing section profile and joint detail, track configuration and radius, required headroom and sideroom, counterbalance shaft and spring data, bottom-section and bottom-seal detail, vision-lite layout where applicable, wind-load reinforcement (struts and posts), anchorage of tracks and the spring anchor pad to the structure, and operator mounting.
3.1.5Shop drawings shall indicate the clearances the door requires so that the opening and the surrounding construction can be verified before fabrication.
3.1.6Manufacturer's product data shall be submitted for the sections, finish system, glazing, weatherseals, counterbalance, operator, controls, and entrapment-protection devices.
3.1.7For doors with a specified design pressure, structural calculations or a current test report shall be submitted demonstrating compliance with ANSI/DASMA 108 or ASTM E330 (and ANSI/DASMA 115 or ASTM E1886/E1996 where windborne-debris resistance is required) at the design pressure for the opening, including the strut and reinforcement schedule.
3.1.8For insulated doors on conditioned openings, the R-value or U-factor shall be reported in accordance with ANSI/DASMA 105 (tested installed door) or DASMA TDS-163 (calculated section), with the reporting basis clearly identified, and the air-infiltration rate shall be reported per ASTM E283.
3.1.9For powered doors, the operator listing, the NEMA enclosure rating of the operator and control station, the entrapment-protection scheme, the wiring diagram, and confirmation that the operator and its monitored safety devices comply with the edition of UL 325 in force shall be submitted.

3.2 Closeout Submittals

3.2.1At substantial completion the Contractor shall provide the following before final acceptance:
  • Operation and maintenance manuals for each door type, including lubrication points, spring-tension adjustment procedure, recommended maintenance frequency per ANSI/DASMA 102, and operator and control programming
  • Final as-built door schedule reflecting field conditions
  • Warranty documentation from the door manufacturer and the operator manufacturer
  • For powered doors, the record of the UL 325 entrapment-protection functional test and the safety-reverse test
  • The manufacturer's safety warnings regarding spring tension and the prohibition on adjusting or removing the counterbalance by untrained personnel
Closeout Submittals Requiredcheckbox
Operation and maintenance manuals
Final as-built door schedule
Warranty documentation (door and operator)
UL 325 entrapment-protection and safety-reverse test record (powered doors)
Counterbalance safety-warning package to Owner

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Manufacturer Qualifications

4.1.1The sectional door manufacturer shall demonstrate a minimum of five years of continuous production of sectional overhead doors of the types and sizes required on the project.
4.1.2The manufacturer shall furnish, in accordance with ANSI/DASMA 102, standard installation and operation instructions with warnings and a listing of components requiring regular maintenance.

4.2 Installer Qualifications

4.2.1The installer shall be a firm trained and authorized by the door manufacturer to install, balance, and adjust the products supplied.
4.2.2The installer shall be trained in safe winding, tensioning, and release of torsion and extension springs.
NOTE Counterbalance springs store substantial energy, which is why safe winding and tensioning training is required of the installer. (4.2.3)

4.3 Single-Source Responsibility

Single-Source Responsibilityradio
Door, counterbalance, operator, and controls from one manufacturer or its authorized system
Operator and controls by others, coordinated by the door manufacturer
4.3.1The door, counterbalance, operator, and controls shall be furnished from one manufacturer or its authorized system, or the operator and controls may be furnished by others coordinated by the door manufacturer.
NOTE Single-source responsibility is preferred because the counterbalance, the section weight, the track engagement, and the operator must be matched as a system; splitting responsibility across vendors creates a coordination gap precisely at the interface that determines whether the door is balanced and whether the operator can move the door without overloading. (4.3.2)

4.4 Wind-Load and Impact Certification

4.4.1Where the adopted code requires the door to resist a design wind pressure, and in windborne-debris regions where it must additionally resist impact, the door type and size furnished shall be covered by a current structural test report or engineering calculation at or above the required pressure and impact class.
4.4.2The reinforcement schedule shall be specific to the scheduled width.
NOTE A door selected from a catalog without verifying that its tested size envelope covers the actual opening is the most common wind-rating failure. (4.4.3)

5 Environmental and Service Conditions

NOTE Sectional doors are engineered assemblies, and the most common in-service failures trace to a service condition that was understated at procurement: a door selected without the wind-load rating the code required for its location, an uninsulated door on a conditioned opening, or a light-duty spring on a door cycled hundreds of times a day. (5.1)
5.2The requirements in this section stand independent of the catalog model and shall be satisfied for the specific opening.

5.3 Wind Load

5.3.1 Design Wind Pressure

Design Wind Pressure (positive/negative, ASCE 7)range
psf
15100
152025304050607080100
Default: 30 psf
5.3.1.1The design wind pressure for each exterior sectional door shall be determined in accordance with ASCE 7 for the building's risk category, basic wind speed, exposure, and the door's height and location on the wall, including the higher pressures that apply at building corners and edge zones.
5.3.1.2Manufacturers publish wind-load tables, but the design pressure is a property of the building and the opening, not of the door; it shall be established by the design team and indicated on the drawings.

5.3.2 Structural Test Method

Wind-Load Structural Verificationradio
Manufacturer wind-load table covering the design pressure
Test report to ANSI/DASMA 108 / ASTM E330 at the design pressure
Not required (interior door)
5.3.2.1Each exterior sectional door shall be designed and, where required, tested to withstand the design wind pressure without permanent deformation that impairs operation, demonstrated under uniform static air pressure in accordance with ANSI/DASMA 108 or ASTM E330.

5.3.3 Windborne-Debris Resistance

Windborne-Debris (Impact) Rating Requiredradio
No — outside windborne-debris region
Yes — large- and small-missile impact per ASTM E1886/E1996
Yes — missile impact and cyclic wind per ANSI/DASMA 115
5.3.3.1In windborne-debris regions, exterior sectional doors shall additionally resist large- and small-missile impact and the subsequent cyclic pressure loading in accordance with ASTM E1886 and the impact classification of ASTM E1996, or the missile-impact and cyclic-wind method of ANSI/DASMA 115.
NOTE Windborne-debris resistance is a separate requirement from static wind pressure; a door rated for the static pressure is not necessarily impact-rated. (5.3.3.2)

5.4 Thermal Service

5.4.1Where the door closes a conditioned envelope, an insulated section shall be specified.
5.4.2The building's energy code may set a maximum U-factor or minimum R-value for the door.
NOTE An uninsulated door on a heated warehouse is a large uninsulated hole in the envelope and a frequent source of comfort complaints and condensation; conversely, an insulated door on an unconditioned shed adds cost without benefit, so match the insulation to whether the space behind the door is conditioned. (5.4.3)

5.5 Duty Cycle

5.5.1The expected number of daily open/close cycles shall drive the spring cycle-life selection and the operator duty class.
NOTE A dock door at a busy distribution center may cycle hundreds of times a day while an infrequently used drive-through opens a few times, and under-rating the spring for the actual duty is the leading cause of mid-life spring failure. (5.5.2)

5.6 Corrosive and Coastal Exposure

Service Environmentradio
Interior / dry — standard
Exterior, normal exposure
Coastal / corrosive / washdown — enhanced corrosion protection
5.6.1Doors in coastal, washdown, food-processing, or chemically aggressive environments shall be furnished with corrosion-resistant materials and finishes (galvanized with a full paint system, aluminum, or stainless hardware) and the operator and controls in an enclosure rated for the exposure.
5.6.2The exposure shall be specified so that the section finish, the spring and hardware coatings, and the operator NEMA enclosure are all selected for it.

6 Door Construction and Performance

6.1 Door Type

NOTE The door type sets the panel construction and drives most downstream selections. (6.1.1)
Door Typeradio
Insulated steel — foamed polyurethane sandwich section
Non-insulated steel — single-skin ribbed or pan section
Full-vision aluminum — glazed rail-and-stile section
NOTE Insulated doors use a foamed polyurethane core sandwiched between steel skins and are the default for conditioned and most exterior commercial openings. (6.1.2)
NOTE Non-insulated doors use a single-skin ribbed or pan-formed steel section and suit unconditioned and interior openings where thermal performance is not required. (6.1.3)
NOTE Full-vision doors use aluminum rails and stiles glazed with glass or polycarbonate and are selected for showrooms, car washes, restaurants, and any opening where daylight and visibility through the closed door are wanted. (6.1.4)

6.2 Section Thickness

Section Thicknessselect
1-3/8 in. — light commercial, non-insulated or lightly insulated
1-5/8 in. — standard insulated commercial
2 in. — heavy insulated commercial / higher R-value
3 in. — maximum insulation and span
NOTE Section thickness contributes to both thermal performance and panel stiffness; thicker sections carry more insulation and span wider openings against wind with less reinforcement. (6.2.1)
NOTE Commercial sectional doors are produced from about 1-3/8 in. through 3 in. thick. (6.2.2)

6.3 Insulation R-Value

Insulated Section R-Valuerange
hr·ft²·°F/Btu
626
691216182026
Default: 16 hr·ft²·°F/Btu
R-Value Reporting Basisradio
Tested installed door (U-factor per ANSI/DASMA 105) — required where energy code compliance depends on it
Calculated section R-value (DASMA TDS-163) — section-only, not a whole-door value
6.3.1Where an insulated door is specified, the section shall achieve the specified thermal value.
NOTE Procurable foamed-polyurethane commercial sections commonly reach an installed R-value in the range of about R-6 to R-26 depending on thickness and skin construction. (6.3.2)
6.3.3The specifier shall require the thermal value to be reported on a stated basis and should specify the ANSI/DASMA 105 tested basis where the energy code compliance depends on it, so that submittals are compared on equal terms.
NOTE Under DASMA TDS-163, a "calculated" R-value applies only to a portion of an individual section and is not comparable to the "tested installed door" U-factor produced by ANSI/DASMA 105 testing of a complete door; the tested whole-door value is lower because it accounts for the section joints, the perimeter, and thermal bridging that the calculated section value ignores. (6.3.4)

6.4 Panel Material and Gauge

Steel Skin Materialradio
Galvanized steel, ASTM A653 (standard)
Galvanized steel with full factory paint system (coastal / corrosive)
Exterior Skin Gaugeradio
26 gauge — light commercial
24 gauge — standard commercial
20 gauge — heavy-duty / high-traffic / high-wind
6.4.1The steel skin gauge shall be selected for the opening size, the design wind pressure, and the durability the service demands.
NOTE Larger and higher-pressure openings and higher-traffic dock environments warrant heavier skins, and the default above covers typical commercial insulated sections. (6.4.2)

6.5 Glazing and Vision Lites

Vision Litesradio
None
One row of lites in a designated section
Full-vision (glazed throughout) — aluminum door
Glazing Materialselect
Insulated glass (dual pane) — conditioned openings
Single-pane tempered glass
Clear polycarbonate — impact / vandal resistance
Acrylic (DSB) — economy, interior
6.5.1Vision lites shall be sized and located on the door schedule.
6.5.2Glazing in a door subject to wind load, impact, or human contact shall meet the safety-glazing and, where applicable, impact requirements for its location.
6.5.3In windborne-debris regions, glazed sections shall be part of the impact-rated assembly.

6.6 Air Infiltration

Maximum Air Infiltration (ASTM E283 at 1.57 psf / 25 mph)range
cfm/sf
0.21
0.20.30.40.60.81
Default: 0.4 cfm/sf
6.6.1Exterior doors on conditioned buildings shall have a maximum air-infiltration rate verified in accordance with ASTM E283 (or the air-infiltration method of ANSI/DASMA 105) at the specified test pressure.
NOTE A sectional door leaks primarily at the bottom seal, the jamb seals, the header seal, and the section joints, so the infiltration limit drives the weatherseal package. (6.6.2)

7 Counterbalance and Tracks

7.1 Counterbalance Type

Counterbalance Typeradio
Torsion spring on header shaft (standard commercial)
Extension springs with containment cables (light doors, adequate sideroom)
7.1.1The counterbalance shall offset the section weight so the door can be raised by hand or by an operator sized for the residual load.
7.1.2Extension-spring systems shall include containment cables so that a broken spring cannot become a projectile.
NOTE A torsion-spring counterbalance — one or more springs on a shaft above the header, with cables to the bottom section — is the standard for commercial doors because it gives precise balance, longer life, and contained failure, while extension springs mounted alongside the horizontal tracks are an economy option for smaller, lighter doors with adequate sideroom. (7.1.3)

7.2 Spring Cycle Life

Spring Cycle-Life Ratingradio
10,000 cycles — base / low-frequency use
25,000 cycles — moderate commercial use
50,000 cycles — frequent commercial / dock use
100,000 cycles — high-cycle industrial / distribution
7.2.1The spring shall be rated for at least the cycle life corresponding to the door's expected daily use over its service life.
7.2.2ANSI/DASMA 102 sets a 10,000-cycle minimum for residential and commercial door systems and requires the system to be designed for the specified life when more than 10,000 cycles are specified.
7.2.3Cycle life shall be verified by the test method of ANSI/DASMA 109.
NOTE Each cycle is one open-and-close; selecting the spring class to the actual duty — rather than accepting the base 10,000-cycle spring on a door that will cycle 50 times a day — is what prevents premature spring failure. (7.2.4)

7.3 Track and Lift Type

Track / Lift Typeselect
Standard lift — ~15-36 in. headroom (default)
High lift — ceiling well above opening
Vertical lift — headroom ≈ door height, no horizontal track
Low headroom — as little as ~9 in. headroom
Follow-roof-pitch — sloped ceiling / roof pitch over 3:12
7.3.1The track and lift configuration shall be selected for the available headroom above the opening and sideroom at the jambs, which shall be verified against the as-built opening before fabrication.
7.3.2The track type shall be selected at the submittal stage from verified clearances.
NOTE Standard lift — vertical track turning onto horizontal track near the ceiling — is the default and needs roughly 15 in. to 36 in. of headroom; high lift extends the vertical track so the door rises before turning horizontal, used where the ceiling is well above the opening; vertical lift carries the door straight up with no horizontal track, needing headroom about equal to the door height; low-headroom track uses a second horizontal track and special top brackets to operate in as little as about 9 in. of headroom; and follow-roof-pitch track angles the horizontal track to the roof slope where the roof pitch exceeds about 3:12. (7.3.3)
NOTE The wrong track type discovered at installation is the most common field conflict on sectional doors. (7.3.4)

7.4 Wind-Load Reinforcement

Wind-Load Reinforcementradio
Not required at design pressure
Struts / reinforcement per wind-load listing
Struts plus removable center post(s) for wide openings
7.4.1Where the design wind pressure requires it, the sections shall be reinforced with horizontal struts and, on wide openings, removable center posts or a wind-rated track and bracket package per the wind-load listing for the design pressure.
7.4.2Reinforcement shall be specific to the scheduled opening width, and the strut schedule is part of the wind-load submittal.

8 Weatherseals

Weatherseal Packagecheckbox
Bottom astragal (floor/sill seal)
Jamb weatherseals (vertical edge seals)
Header seal (top of opening)
Section-joint seals (insulated doors)
8.1Exterior and conditioned-opening doors shall be furnished with the weatherseals needed to meet the specified air-infiltration limit: a flexible bottom astragal sealing the bottom section to the floor or sill, jamb weatherseals sealing the door edges against the jambs, a header seal at the top of the opening, and, on insulated doors, integral seals at the section joints.
8.2Seals shall be field-replaceable without removing the sections.

9 Hardware

Roller Typeradio
Steel rollers, sealed bearings (standard commercial)
Nylon-tired rollers (quiet operation / interior)
Heavy-duty bearing rollers (high-cycle / industrial)
Lockingradio
None (powered door with operator hold)
Interior slide lock / step plate
Cylinder lock, keyed exterior
9.1The hinges, rollers, brackets, track, fasteners, and cables shall be sized for the door weight, the design wind reaction, and the specified cycle life, and shall conform to ANSI/DASMA 102 component conventions.
9.2Rollers shall run on sealed or hardened bearings on high-cycle doors so the roller, not the track, takes the wear.
9.3On residential and light-commercial doors the section interfaces should be pinch-resistant in accordance with ANSI/DASMA 116 to reduce finger-entrapment between sections.
9.4Lift cables shall have the safety factor required by ANSI/DASMA 102 against the door weight.

10 Operation and Operators

10.1 Operation Type

Operation Typeradio
Manual push-up (small, well-balanced doors)
Manual chain hoist (hand chain and reduction)
Motor operator — jackshaft (wall/shaft mount)
Motor operator — trolley (ceiling rail)
Motor operator — hoist (wall mount)
10.1.1The means of operation shall be selected for the door size, weight, frequency of use, and whether powered operation is functionally required.
10.1.2The operator mounting type — jackshaft on the torsion shaft, trolley on a ceiling rail, or hoist on the wall — shall suit the headroom, sideroom, and lift type, and shall be confirmed against the shop-drawing clearances.
NOTE Manual push-up is suitable only for small, well-balanced doors; a manual chain hoist (hand chain through a reduction) is the default for larger manually operated doors; and motor operation is selected for high-frequency use, large or heavy doors, and remote or automated control. (10.1.3)

10.2 Operator Duty Class

Operator Duty Classradio
Standard duty — up to ~10 cycles/hour
Industrial / continuous duty — frequent or continuous cycling
10.2.1The operator shall be rated for the door's daily cycle count and weight.
10.2.2The operator duty class shall be coordinated with the spring cycle-life selection so that the whole system is matched to the service.

10.3 Operator Horsepower

Operator Horsepowerselect
1/2 hp — small to moderate doors
3/4 hp — standard commercial
1 hp — large or heavy doors
1-1/2 hp and larger — industrial / high-wind reinforced doors

10.4 Operator Electrical and Enclosure

Operator / Control Enclosure Rating (NEMA 250)select
NEMA 1 — interior, dry
NEMA 4 — exterior / washdown
NEMA 4X — corrosive / coastal
NEMA 12 — dusty / industrial interior
Operator Powerselect
120V, 1-phase
208-240V, 1-phase
208-240V, 3-phase
480V, 3-phase
10.4.1The operator and control-station enclosures shall carry a NEMA rating appropriate to the location, in accordance with NEMA 250.
10.4.2Operator voltage, phase, disconnect, and conduit shall be coordinated with the electrical drawings, and wiring shall comply with NFPA 70.
NOTE A standard interior operator may be NEMA 1, while an exterior, washdown, or dusty location requires a higher rating (NEMA 4 / 4X or NEMA 12). (10.4.3)

10.5 Controls

Operator Control Typeradio
Three-button (open / close / stop), constant-pressure close
Three-button momentary with monitored entrapment protection
Three-button with radio/remote and access-control interface
Manual Override on Powered Doorsradio
Chain hoist override (standard)
Hand-crank / disconnect to manual
10.5.1The control station shall provide open, close, and stop functions.
10.5.2A manual override (chain hoist or hand crank) shall be provided on powered doors so the door can be operated during a power failure.

11 Safety Devices

11.1 UL 325 Entrapment Protection

UL 325 Entrapment Protection Schemeradio
Inherent reversing system plus monitored photo-eye (external)
Inherent reversing system plus monitored sensing edge (external)
Constant-pressure (hold-to-close) station — no automatic close
Additional Safety Devicescheckbox
Photo-eye across opening near floor
Reversing sensing edge on bottom section
Audible/visual motion warning on close
Vehicle-detector / loop interface
11.1.1Powered sectional doors shall comply with the edition of UL 325 in force.
11.1.2A powered door that closes automatically (momentary contact) shall be protected at the entrapment point by at least two independent means of entrapment protection.
11.1.3Every external entrapment-protection device shall be monitored by the operator for both proper operation and proper connection, and on a monitored-device fault the operator shall inhibit automatic closing.
NOTE An inherent reversing system alone does not satisfy the two-means requirement, and a duplicate of the same device does not count as the second means. (11.1.4)
11.1.5A constant-pressure (hold-to-close) station, where the door closes only while the operator holds the control and stops the instant the control is released, is an alternative permitted in lieu of automatic closing for certain commercial doors.
NOTE The reason for the monitored, redundant requirement is that a sectional door closing on a person or vehicle can cause serious injury, and a single safety device that has failed silently gives a false sense of protection; monitoring forces the failure to be detected and stops automatic operation until it is repaired. (11.1.6)

12 Finishes

Section / Exterior Finishradio
Mill galvanized (no topcoat) — interior, non-insulated
Factory primer (field-finish by painting trade)
Factory-applied baked polyester topcoat (standard)
Two-coat factory paint system (coastal / corrosive)
Anodized or factory paint (aluminum full-vision)
12.1Where the section is factory-primed only, the topcoat shall be coordinated with Exterior Painting or Interior Painting as applicable.
12.2Color selection shall be confirmed against the manufacturer's standard finish range before order.

13 Installation

13.1The opening shall be verified before installation begins: width, height, plumb of the jambs, level of the header and floor, and — critically — the available headroom above the header and the sideroom at each jamb against the track and lift type on the shop drawings.
13.2A sectional door cannot be installed in less than its required headroom and sideroom; where clearances are tight, the low-headroom or alternate lift configuration shall have been selected at the submittal stage, not discovered at installation.

13.3 Track and Jamb Attachment

13.3.1Vertical tracks shall be anchored to the jambs and the horizontal tracks supported from the structure above so that the track is plumb, level, and to the correct radius and backhang for the lift type.
13.3.2Track shall be set so that the rollers run freely without binding through the full travel.
13.3.3Anchorage shall develop the wind reaction and the counterbalance reaction.
13.3.4Anchorage into hollow masonry or to studs without solid blocking shall not be substituted for the listed anchorage on a wind-rated door.

13.4 Counterbalance Installation and Tensioning

13.4.1The torsion shaft, bearing plates, drums, and cables shall be installed and the springs wound to the tension that balances the door so it stays put at any position and is moved with the specified effort.
13.4.2Spring winding shall be performed only by the trained installer with the correct winding bars.
13.4.3Cables shall be seated in the drum grooves without crossover and tensioned equally so the door rises level.
NOTE The energy stored in a torsion spring is hazardous. (13.4.4)

13.5 Operator Mounting

13.5.1The operator shall be mounted per the manufacturer's instructions and coupled to the shaft or trolley so that the limits and the manual disconnect function correctly.
13.5.2The operator and control station locations shall be confirmed against the available headroom and sideroom before rough-in.
13.5.3The control station shall be positioned within sight of the door and out of reach of the moving door, and any constant-pressure station within sight of the full door travel.

13.6 Sealing and Flashing to the Opening

13.6.1The frame of the door shall be sealed to the surrounding wall so the opening is continuous with the building's air and water barrier.
13.6.2Perimeter joints shall be sealed in accordance with Joint Sealants, and the head and jamb conditions shall be flashed and tied to the wall air barrier in accordance with Air Barriers.
13.6.3Where the door closes a conditioned space, the perimeter insulation and thermal continuity shall be coordinated with Building Thermal Insulation.
NOTE On a conditioned envelope, an insulated door with a leaking perimeter defeats its own R-value. (13.6.4)

14 Field Quality Control

14.1 Operational Test

14.1.1Every sectional door shall be cycled through its full travel and adjusted so that it opens and closes smoothly, the rollers track without binding, the counterbalance holds the door at intermediate positions, the door rises level, and the bottom seal seats fully and evenly on the floor in the closed position.
14.1.2Powered doors shall be tested for correct open, close, stop, and reversing function and for manual override operation.

14.2 Safety-Reverse and Entrapment-Protection Test

14.2.1For each powered door, the entrapment-protection devices shall be functionally tested: obstructing the closing door at the reversing edge shall cause the door to stop and reverse, interrupting the photo-eye shall stop and reverse (or stop) the door per the listed behavior, and disconnecting or faulting a monitored external device shall inhibit automatic closing.
14.2.2The safety-reverse result shall be recorded for closeout.

14.3 Cycle Test

Required Field Testscheckbox
Operational cycle and counterbalance balance check (all doors)
UL 325 entrapment-protection and safety-reverse test (powered doors)
Representative cycle test (high-cycle / industrial doors)
14.3.1Where a high-cycle or industrial door is specified, the installed door should be cycle-tested through a representative number of operations to confirm balance and operator function under repeated use before acceptance.

15 Cleaning, Adjusting, and Protection

15.1After installation the Contractor shall clean the sections, glazing, and hardware of fingerprints, grease, and construction soil.
15.2The Contractor shall touch up minor finish damage with the manufacturer's matching coating.
15.3The Contractor shall adjust the counterbalance, track, and operator limits for smooth, level, quiet operation.
15.4Lubrication points shall be serviced per the manufacturer's instructions.
15.5Installed doors shall be protected from damage by other trades until substantial completion.
15.6A door dented or its track bent during construction shall be repaired or replaced so that it operates and seals as specified.

16 Warranty

Door Manufacturer Warranty Periodradio
1 year
2 years
3 years
5 years (sections and hardware)
Spring / Cycle Warrantyradio
Standard (matches door warranty)
Extended spring warranty matched to specified cycle life
Operator Warranty Periodradio
1 year
2 years
5 years
16.1The door manufacturer shall warrant the sectional door against defects in materials and workmanship for the period specified below from the date of substantial completion, and shall separately warrant the springs and the section finish where a longer term applies.
16.2The operator and its controls shall carry the operator manufacturer's warranty.
16.3Warranty service shall include the labor to adjust or replace warranted components.

17 Spare Parts

Spare Parts to Furnishcheckbox
Bottom astragal and jamb seal stock (one door set)
Spare rollers and hinges (per high-cycle door)
Spare lift cables (per door size)
Operator control board / logic and remote (automated doors)
NOTE Spare seals and rollers are inexpensive insurance against downtime on high-cycle dock doors, and a spare operator control board and remote are warranted on automated openings. (17.2)

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