Do I need reinforcement struts on my garage door?

If you’ve heard people talking about reinforcement struts and are wondering if you need them, you’ve come to the right place.

Not everyone needs to use reinforcement struts to strengthen their garage door, in fact, they’re only used in certain situations.

1. To support your garage door when it’s in an open position
2. To reinforce your garage door if you live in an area prone to hurricanes and strong winds

Reinforcement struts are generally found on double garage doors, for example doors that are 16 feet wide. If you’ve got a double garage door, you might have seen a U‑shaped steel bar attached to the door… Well, this is your reinforcement strut! They are generally 2 ¼ inches (57 mm) wide and screwed into place with hinges, or held in place with steel clips.

While they might look like fun to climb, please ensure your children do not use them as a toy, as they could be seriously injured, especially if the door is moving.

So, do you need them?

Well, as we mentioned above, they are used in very particular circumstances. Firstly, to support your garage door when it’s in the open position. If a high gust of wind hits your open garage door, the door itself can easily bow, especially if it is lightweight and not injected with polystyrene or polyurethane insulation. Reinforcement struts support the door and make it more resistant to bowing. As a general rule, we recommend that you install three reinforcement struts on a standard double garage door, and four if you have windows in the top section of your garage door.

Secondly, they are used to strengthen your door and combat high winds and hurricanes. Garage door openings are usually the largest opening in your home, if the wind can get into your garage, it can wreak havoc, not only to your garage walls and ceilings, but it might also find it’s way into your home, causing serious damage. If you live in the Canada or in the United States, particularly in Florida or in North Carolina, there are standards that govern reinforcement struts, including how many you must have installed. It is therefore of the utmost importance that you contact a garage door expert before attempting to install reinforcement struts yourself. A garage door expert will also know how to recalibrate your garage door to counterbalance its new weight, ensuring that it’s perceived weight doesn’t increase and no nasty accidents happen!

The Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) have two key pieces of advice for those of you who live in hurricane and strong wind prone areas:

• DO NOT park too close to your garage door: If the garage door is ripped off in strong winds, your vehicle could be seriously damaged
• DO NOT leave your garage door open: If your door is left open, the wind will find its way in, and could potential also damage your home

The US EPA believes that winds are only going to get strong as climate change and global warming continue, therefore it makes sense to invest in reinforcement struts and protect your home and garage from the inevitable.

Get in touch!

If you have any questions about how to best reinforce your garage door depending on your particular situation, contact us at anytime at 616-453-0164. We are experts in our field, and once we know a little more about your situation, we’ll be able to provide you with the best possible advice, and even send you an online quote.

If you’re more of a people person, come down to our showroom and speak to one of our team who will be more than happy to show you our range of garage doors and help you make the best choice for your home. If you are looking to change your garage door but lacking inspiration, why not look through our image gallery or try out or Design Centre?