Wausau, Wisconsin

Wisconsin adopts the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Clear opening width must be a minimum of 32 inches. Power-operated doors need activation sensors that keep the door open for at least 5 seconds. Closing force cannot exceed 15 pounds for interior doors. Safety stops are required on both swing and slide doors. Also, Wisconsin SPS 362 mandates accessible entrances in new construction and alteration projects. We can test your automatic openers with a force gauge and verify compliance.

Below -10°F, hydraulic fluid in standard closers like LCN 4040 or Norton 7500 thickens, causing slam or incomplete latch. You need closers rated for -30°F—we stock them. EPDM threshold seals lose compression after repeated freeze-thaw cycles; gaps over 1/8 inch let in snow and ice. Replace every 2 to 3 winters. Aluminum thresholds contract roughly 1/8 inch per 100°F temperature drop, creating gaps at jamb ends. We use silicone sealant and shims to maintain a weathertight fit.

High-cycle doors—15,000 cycles per year or more, typical in Wausau's food distribution and manufacturing—need spring replacements every 5 to 7 years and quarterly lubrication with dry PTFE spray. DASMA recommends torsion spring replacement at 10,000 cycles for safety. Visually inspect cables for fraying annually. Adjust track alignment if you see panel drag. For low-cycle doors like retail back rooms, service every 3 years. We tag each door with the cycle count at the last service.

Replace when the frame is out of square by more than 1/8 inch—shimming won't fix it. If a fire-rated door's UL label is missing or illegible, you legally need a new door for compliance. Torsion springs beyond 15,000 cycles should be replaced entirely, not just re-tensioned. Threshold corrosion that has eaten through the aluminum extrusion is a replace situation. Also, if an automatic operator motor fails for the second time, the cost of a new operator often beats another repair.