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Hampden County
East Longmeadow is a town of owner-occupied detached houses. Eighty-five percent of units are single-family detached and 10% are in buildings of five or more (ACS B25024); 87% of occupied homes are owned. Fifty-three percent of units were built from 1940 to 1979, 8% before 1940 and 19% in 2000 or later, and the median unit dates to 1966 (ACS B25034).
The East Longmeadow Building Department says "ALL CONSTRUCTION PLANS OR DRAWINGS BEING SUBMITTED TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY," on a thumb drive or by email. Building inspections are by appointment only, and office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (East Longmeadow Building Department). The state's home improvement chart lists a garage door replacement as a possible permit item and a new installation as a yes (mass.gov). A straight door swap rarely needs drawings, but we confirm with the department.
Most homes date from the 1950s through the 1970s. Their garages are commonly one- or two-car attached, sometimes tucked under the house. Many still run on extension springs along the horizontal tracks. Those springs should have a safety cable through each one. When we replace them, we add cables if they're missing, or convert to a torsion system. See extension spring repair.
About a fifth of the housing is from 2000 or later. Those garages usually have insulated steel doors on torsion springs and openers with photo-eye sensors. If the door stops and reverses for no clear reason, wipe the sensor lenses and check that the two eyes face each other.
An old wood or thin steel door can be replaced with an insulated steel door in a raised-panel or carriage style. Insulated doors are stiffer and quieter. See insulated garage doors.
Openers from the 1980s often lack auto-reverse sensors. A new belt drive opener is quieter under a bedroom and can add battery backup and phone control.
Every fall, lubricate hinges and rollers with a garage door lubricant, tighten loose bolts, and test the auto-reverse with a board on the floor.
We install Clopay, Garaga, Wayne Dalton and Amarr doors and service LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Genie and other openers.
East Longmeadow is in Hampden County. Nearby towns: Hampden, Longmeadow, Springfield, Wilbraham. See extension spring repair. Call (781) 602-0737, or see emergency service.
