Lower Keys
Hurricane Bracing in Stock Island
Hurricane bracing here means the horizontal steel struts fastened across the sectional door you already have. They stiffen the sections and they add real weight, so the springs have to be checked. People ask after a storm, or when the middle of the door bows in a gust. A simple steel strut added onto this door is not a wind rating for the opening. Track fasteners and jamb anchors are a separate check from the strut on the door itself.
Struts across the door
A door that bows in the middle is the usual reason someone asks about struts. End struts are sometimes wanted when the outer stiles flex more than the center. The existing door may already carry a bar, and a second bar changes the weight again. Wind noise and a visible bow are signs of flex, and they do not assign a pressure. The springs feel every pound the new steel adds, even when the door still looks quite the same.
What you can see
See whether a strut is on the door, and whether the middle bows in a breeze. Do not even drill into the door sections yourself, and never touch the springs or the set screws. You can also count the bars and note if they are loose at the outer stiles. A photo of the bow and of any existing bar helps, taken with the door down. Keep people fully clear if a loose strut is hanging where it could fall.
Balance after added weight
We fasten the struts the door needs and then check balance because of the added weight. A door that becomes heavy gets spring work, and a larger opener is the wrong substitute. Track screws and jamb anchors are inspected apart from the bars on the door sections. One loose strut can be tightened when the steel and the stile are still quite sound. Several missing bars on a badly bowing door are when a fuller set of struts makes sense.
Strut versus wind rating
A new strut stiffens the skin and does not file any building paperwork for the house. The bar belongs to this door only, and a neighbor label stays on that other door. Available headroom and the stile thickness together decide which bar will actually fit the door. Fasteners at the track and the jamb carry a different load from the screws in the strut. Balance is rechecked after the bars are on, with the trolley released and the door still.
Bracing near the yards
Older houses among the boatyards take salt spray on steel bars along a narrow spur. Some open bays leave those struts in the weather, so the fasteners see damp air. A bow in the middle is still a bracing question, whether the bay is open or enclosed. The added weight is checked the same way, and spray is why the screws are watched. Mention an open bay so the strut coating and the exposed stiles are part of the plan.
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Call (645) 256-1794 about this door.
We answer any hour Sunday through Friday.
Saturday stays closed.
Keys Door Co is family-owned, local, and insured.
We have worked this coast for over ten years.
Common questions
Do horizontal struts make my whole garage door wind rated?
A strut stiffens the door you have and also adds weight the springs must carry. The bar stiffens the existing door, which is separate from any tested assembly. Balance is checked after the bars are on, because the door got much heavier.
Will the door springs handle the extra weight?
Springs are checked after the struts are fastened, because the door weighs more. A door that feels heavy needs spring work, and a bigger opener is the wrong substitute. The trolley is released so the real weight can be felt by hand.
Are the track screws part of this bracing?
Track screws and jamb anchors are a separate check from the bars on sections. A strut does not tighten a loose track bracket or a tired jamb anchor. Those fasteners are looked at on the same visit when the bars go on.
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