New Richmond, Wisconsin

Under the Wisconsin Commercial Building Code (2015 IBC adopted, with state amendments), automatic doors must open with no more than 5 pounds of force, have a minimum 32-inch clear opening, and the low-energy operator must hold open for at least 5 seconds. Thresholds cannot exceed 1/2 inch vertical rise. If your unit was installed before 1991 or has been retrofitted without a sensor upgrade, it likely doesn't meet current ADA compliance. We can adjust or replace operators to meet the standard.

Standard closer fluid thickens below -10°F. That's why doors in unheated New Richmond warehouses start slamming or refuse to latch by January. Most stock closers are rated to 0°F only. We install LCN 4040s with -30°F fluid where needed. EPDM threshold seals take a compression set after two or three freeze-thaw cycles — you'll see daylight under the door by February. Aluminum thresholds contract and expand — the gaps around the jamb can open 1/8 inch. We adjust sweep speed and replace seals before the first hard freeze.

Dock doors in the New Richmond Industrial Park — those pushing 15,000 to 20,000 cycles per year — need inspection quarterly. Look for worn cables, stretched springs, and operator chain slack. Storefront entry doors with automatic operators should have sensor calibration and closer speed checked twice a year — before winter set (October) and after spring thaw (April). Lube hinges and rollers with dry PTFE spray, never WD-40. Document every visit for your insurance and fire marshal.

Replace when the frame is twisted more than 1/8 inch out of square — you'll never get a fire-rated door to seal properly. If the torsion spring has cycled past 25,000 (or 15,000 in cold storage), replace the whole spring assembly. If the UL label on a hospital or school fire door is missing or illegible, that door must be replaced to pass inspection. Also if the door skin is dented or rusted through — patching a hollow metal door voids its fire rating.