Month: February 2017

The garage door is a very prominent part of any house these days. Hence, keeping in line with the development, manufacturers of garage doors offer plenty of options too, differing in style, material and colors. It is rather important to have a good looking garage door in your house. It makes the house look complete and aesthetic. Besides, choosing the correct material will also ensure that your garage door last a long time.

So, when you are looking to pick a garage door, make sure you keep the following in mind.

Decide on the material

As far as the material of the door is concerned, you usually have four choices – wood, steel, aluminum and fiberglass. Each has their own characteristics when it comes to durability, cost, design and maintenance.

Aluminum

• Many style options, stock colors are available
• Almost zero maintenance
• Does not rust
• Lightweight and so, easier to operate
• It is less durable compared to steel and can form dents easily.

Wood

• Can be customized and is a traditional choice
• Requires plenty of maintenance
• Can be rather expensive.

Steel

• Offers a variety of styles
• Stronger than aluminum
• Can rust easily.

Fiberglass

• Comes in many designs
• Durability is better than wood and steel but does crack under immense pressure
• Cost is between steel and wood.

The style should suit your house

The garage door style should naturally blend in with the design of your house. Unless you have a contemporary styled house, it is better to not experiment with the style of the garage door. Here are some styles that you can consider:

Victorian/colonial

• Paneled wood
• Stable/coach look
• Light windows that are divided
• Decorative hardware in the form of handles/iron hinges

Edwardian

• Panels and sections that are raised
• Divided light windows that match your house or arch-top windows

Ranch style

• Plain finish that puts emphasis on design
• Hardware and windows that balance the exterior of the home
• One can forgo the handles if a streamlined look is needed

Modern/contemporary

• Gives you the freedom to choose your own design
• You can consider stained wood, frosted/pebbled glass, horizontal banding, etc. among several others.

Picking the right color

Next, on the list of things to check out, certainly has to be the color that you are opting for. Usually, the color that you choose should complement your home. It must blend in with the overall appearance and not stand out. In this regard, it is always better to avoid extremely contrasting colors and vivid ones.

Also, make sure to match the garage door to the home’s window trim or to the color that mixes with the siding or brick. Avoid matching it to that of the front door of the house. For example, you may pick tan that matches with the brick for less contrast with brick red rather than opting for white.

Picking the finishing details

Design aspects aren’t just limited to the garage door itself but also apply to a wide range of hardware.

Some of the most popular picks are:
Paneling – Offers square or rectangular sections that can help you create a coach house or colonial look.
Decorated hardware – Handles and hinges are available in a wide range of designs and styles.
Decorative strapping – you can go for decorative straps if you wish to give the garage door a nostalgic look.
Windows – you pick among various styles such as divided lights, etched glass, arch tops, and large panels. You can also opt for sandblasted or textured windows for increasing opacity.

Additional options to consider

Installation – The installation process should be carried out in a proper manner. It is best if left to a professional. You might also want to go for a branded door so that the company provides installation.

Insulation – Garage spaces are not just meant for parking the car but also often a workshop and even extra space for living. So, it is good to have an insulation of R14 or more to provide more protection from noise or external elements.

Safety – Adhering to safety precautions are a must. These days’ automatic door openers retract on detecting any obstruction. You can also have finger guards in order to avoid pinched fingers.

Garage door openers – Even the largest and heaviest of doors can be operated by an opener that has rating if 1/2HP. However, an opener of 3/4HP will definitely last you longer. You can also pick the tracks so as to reduce noise during operation.

Security – With several upgrades in terms of security, you can now opt for many features. You may opt for keypads that allow children to enter the house via the garage and without any key. The there are doors without handles to stop thieves and remotes that are known to change frequencies. So, you can program the garage door in a manner that suits you best.

If you keep all the given points in mind, picking the best garage door shouldn’t be a problem at all.

A garage door opener is nothing but a motorized device that performs the function of closing and opening of a garage door. These doors are mainly controlled with the help of switches on garage walls or, at times, by a remote control that is handled by the user.

On an average, a garage door is known to open and close for roughly about 1500 times in a year. Also, they are known to last for up to 10-12 years at most, after which they do break down. It is at this time that the question of reinstalling a garage door comes into the equation. So, here are a few steps that can help you install a garage door opener in a hassle-free manner.

Ensure that that all parts of the door are working

If your garage door happens to be making too much noise and is opening slowly, it might not be problem with the opener. It is good to check for broken/wobbly rollers and brackets. Also, do not attempt to replace the lower bottom bracket by yourself as it under a lot of tension. It is best to call a professional to take a look into such things.

You can change the steel rollers with nylon rollers, as they make less noise. You must also check the torsion spring, on the header above the door opening. There will be a gap in the coils if it happens to be broken.

Check the door balance

It is important to ensure that the door is balanced. To do so, close the door and then you can pull the emergency release cord. The door must be lifted to about halfway and then let go. The door shouldn’t move, but if it slides up or down, the torsion springs likely need an adjustment or even a replacement. Again, a torsion spring should only be replaced by a technician.

Get the right opener

A 1/3HP or 1/2HP opener should be used for a single garage door. 1/2HP is good if there is a double door and 3/4HP in the case of wood of faux wood. Openers have a set opening speed and are available in chain, belt or screw drive.

Chain drives happen to be the least expensive but also make the most amount of noise. Screw drives are priced mid-range and require very less maintenance. However, they are not as quiet as belt drives. Belt drives are quietest but also the most expensive of the lot.

The opener must be set on the ladder for easy installation

Assemble the opener by following the manufacturer’s instructions and then mount the rail to the header bracket. Now, you must set the opener on a ladder for installation. The ladder is used to keep the opener in position as you are making angle iron measurements. You may also use boards under the opener, in order to raise it.

Use a heavy-duty angle iron to hand the opener

Garage door openers come with pretty much everything that is required for installation. However, the mounting straps that are provided in most cases are very flimsy. Thus, you will need to purchase a slotted angle iron and then adjust the size by means of a hacksaw.

Angle iron reduces the vibration, thus prolonging the life of an opener. You can attach the angle iron to the face of a joist making use of 1inch lag screws, if your garage is unfinished. In case of a finished garage, attaché the angle iron along the bottom of a joist and use 3inch lag screws. Then use another two lengths of angle irons, nuts and bolts to hang the opener. You may use thread-locking adhesive and lock washers to prevent the nuts from loosening.

Replace the components

Do not make use of the old photoelectric eyes and opener button. Use the new ones as they are meant to work with the new opener. Wires that run from the opener to the photo eyes may also be exposed. So, replace them as well, since it is likely they have worn. Also, new garage door openers can be very sensitive and might not even work with an old wire.

Check the opening of the door

This is a step that is often ignored. To check the force, you must place your foot on the door handle and then use the remote to open the door. The door must stop if there’s a little bit of pressure, as it is a safety feature. If it does not, then adjust the opening force.

Tune the opening and closing force

Proper closing force means that if the door encounters something, it won’t crush the object. When the door makes contact with the wood (place it at the bottom under the center of the door), it should reverse. If the door happens to open and stop on its own, more opening force is required. Similarly, if it happens to close on its own then you will need to increase the closing force.

Use tough bulbs

Make use of tough bulbs that are specifically meant for garage door openers. Since garage door openers vibrate, it is necessary to have bulbs that can handle vibration.

Installation of a new garage door opener is certainly not a very simple task. However, it can be easy if one goes through the given steps very carefully and follows them. Also, if you are not very confident of carrying out the mentioned steps, it is always good to consult a technician or professional.