ANSI/DASMA 116 - Standard for Section Interfaces on Residential Garage Door Systems

A sectional garage door is made of panels stacked on top of each other. The joint where two panels meet is called a section interface. If that joint cracks, gaps, or loses its seal, the door lets in air, water, and cold. ANSI/DASMA 116 sets the rules for how those joints must perform.

What this standard says

ANSI/DASMA 116-2018 establishes minimum requirements for the section interfaces in residential sectional garage door systems. Section interfaces include the profile of the top rail of a lower section and the bottom rail of the upper section, plus any sealing material that runs along that joint.

"This standard defines the dimensional requirements, materials, and performance criteria for the joints between sections on residential sectional overhead door systems, including weatherseal performance and cycle-life requirements."

Key requirements include:

Dimensional tolerances. The standard sets the acceptable range of dimensions for mating rail profiles. Sections that are out of tolerance produce gaps or bind during operation.

Weatherseal performance. Any sealing strip or astragal at the section interface must maintain its sealing function through the rated cycle life of the door. The seal must resist compression set (permanent deformation from repeated closing).

Cycle-life compliance. Section interfaces are tested as part of ANSI/DASMA 109 cycle-life testing. After the rated number of cycles, the joints must still meet the dimensional and sealing requirements in ANSI/DASMA 116. A door cannot claim a 20,000-cycle rating if its section joints fail at 15,000 cycles.

Material compatibility. The standard addresses how the rail material (steel, aluminum, wood) and the sealing material interact over time and in temperature extremes common on the Front Range.

When it applies

Panel replacement after damage. When one section of a garage door is damaged by a vehicle impact and needs replacement, the replacement section's interface profiles must be compatible with the adjacent sections. ANSI/DASMA 116 dimensional requirements define what "compatible" means.

Cold-weather sealing. Denver's temperature range spans from near -20°F to over 100°F. Seals that meet ANSI/DASMA 116 are tested to maintain their function across that range. A door with non-compliant seal material may crack or lose contact in cold weather, allowing cold air infiltration at every section joint.

Insulated door performance. The thermal performance rating of an insulated door (measured under ANSI/DASMA 105) depends on the section interfaces maintaining their seal. A door with poor section interface performance lets air bypass the insulated panels.

Warranty claims. If a section interface fails prematurely, the failure may be covered under the manufacturer's warranty if the door was rated per ANSI/DASMA 116. Documentation of the standard the door was built to supports a warranty claim.

What this means for you

Inspect your section joints annually. Look at the horizontal joints between panels from inside the garage. The joint should close completely when the door is down. Any gap visible from inside means the interface is not sealing.

After a panel replacement, check the new joint. A replacement panel from a different manufacturer or production run may not have matching rail profiles. If the new joint has a visible gap, the panels are not compatible.

In Denver winters: cold air leaking through section interfaces makes the garage significantly colder. If your garage is noticeably drafty near the door panels rather than at the bottom, section joint seals may be the source.

G Brothers installs replacement panels that match the section interface profiles of your existing door and can confirm compatibility before ordering.

Full text and source

ANSI/DASMA 116-2018 is available at https://www.dasma.com/wp-content/uploads/pubs/Standards/ANSIDASMA116.pdf.

ANSI/DASMA 116 covers section interfaces on residential sectional garage doors. The bottom weatherseal (between the door and the floor) is a separate component covered by manufacturer specifications and not by ANSI/DASMA 116.