Thursday, February 27, 2014

Opener Reinforcement Bracket & Why Is It Needed?

Opener Reinforcement Bracket

What is an opener reinforcement bracket and what is its purpose?
Opener Reinforcement Bracket
Different Reinforcement Brackets

Not knowing the garage door industry, when installing a new garage door opener all manufacturers of garage door openers recommend you install this in the fine print. Some garage door companies let their customers know about this and some will not. It is also recommended that the strut bar accompanies the reinforcement bracket during installation.
Opener Reinforcement Bracket
Properly Installed Strut & Reinforcement Bracket
Due to the weight of garage doors and their widths, the opener creates a lot of pressure on the center of the door when the motor is lifting the door initially off the ground. On larger doors, you may see several strut bars across the door due to the width of the panels. These struts support the door when it is in the air over your head. When springs become weak over a period of years, the opener is forced to work harder to lift the door, causing more stress on the top section. In the picture below, a garage door reinforcement bracket has not been installed, and as you can see, over a period of time the damage is evident.
No Opener Reinforcement Bracket Installed
Damage Caused When A Reinforcement Bracket Is Not Installed
There are several different types of reinforcement brackets due to panel heights (18", 21", 24") and panel appearances (steel and powder coated). They all serve the same purpose of hopefully saving you hundreds of dollars in garage door repairs. So the next time you decide to have a new garage door opener installed, remember to ask about these.

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