Top 10 Questions about Garage Doors
Do you use
your garage – I mean for your car? Many garages are
storage areas and workshops, while the vehicles sit
outside, at the mercy of the elements. But no matter
what you use your garage for, your garage door is
important. Without it, your belongings, including
your vehicle, would be open to thieves. So although
many of us take garage doors for granted, there are
some things you need to know about them. And our top
10 garage door questions will reveal those things.
1.
What’s R-value and why is it so important?
The R-value
on a garage door tell you how well it insulates. You
might think that it isn’t important to insulate your
garage, but there are several reasons why it’s
necessary. If you happen to spend more time than
usual in your garage, like if you have a workshop
there, for example, then you’ll definitely be aware
of the importance of insulation.
But your
garage is also affected by its connection to the
rest of your house, particularly if you have a room
above it. Of course, if your garage isn’t attached
to your house, you can get a garage door with a low
R-value, or even no insulation at all.
So check
the R-value of a garage door before you buy it. The
higher the number, the better its insulation
properties. For example, if you have a good quality
1-3/8” garage door, the R-value could be as high as
6.5. For a lower-priced door, with a 9/16”
thickness, the R-value could be around 4.4.
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2.
What’s headroom, backroom and sideroom?
Headroom is
the amount of space inside the garage between the
top of the garage door and the ceiling. Backroom is
the inside length of the garage, from front to back.
Sideroom is the distance between the sides of the
garage door and the side walls of the garage.
You need
to know these dimensions when you’re installing a
garage door because the hardware needs a certain
amount of room to operate freely.
3. If
I’m replacing my garage door, how do I remove the
torsion springs?
Torsion
garage door springs are under extreme pressure and,
if not handled properly, could release with enough
power to kill you! You need specific tools
and training. Therefore, it’s highly recommended
that you have a professional do this job.
4. How
many cycles should the torsion springs be on my
overhead garage door?
Torsion
spring cycles are figured out mathematically. You
take the average number of times your garage door
goes up and down every day, multiply by 250 days,
and multiply again by 10 years. The reason they use
10 years is because that’s the average life of a
garage door.
You have a choice of 4 torsion spring cycles for
garage doors: 25,000 cycles, 50,000 cycles, 75,000
cycles or 100,000 cycles. So you just have to know
how many times your garage door will be opened and
closed every day, and figure it out from there.
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5. Can I
paint a steel garage door?
You can
definitely paint a steel garage door. If you use a
good quality latex paint, it’ll last a long time.
But don’t use an oil-base paint – it’ll bubble and
peel off.
You can
paint other garage doors, too. Wood garage doors
look great when painted or stained. Fiberglass
garage doors can be painted, too. The great thing
about painting a garage door is that you can match
it to the décor of the rest of your house.
6. How
can I tell if my garage door is unbalanced?
You should be
able to lift your garage door with one hand, no
matter what the size. Garage door systems are
specifically designed to take the weight off the
door. If you can’t lift the door easily, then it’s
probably unbalanced, and you need to call a
professional garage door installer to fix it.
7. What
are the advantages of aluminum garage doors?
Aluminum
garage doors are easy on the mechanisms because of
their light weight. Therefore, they last longer.
However, there isn’t much difference between
aluminum and steel garage doors if the door is 12
feet wide or less.
And, of
course, when the garage door is finally worn out,
aluminum is recyclable, which is really good for the
environment.
8. How do I
find out what high-wind rating I need for my garage
door?
In high-wind
areas, garage doors can be blown off their hinges –
then they become very dangerous projectiles! So
special steel-reinforced garage doors are made,
using heavy-duty hardware, that can withstand winds
from 75mph to 170 mph.
There are
many areas, especially in the United States, that
are subject to these very high winds. These areas
have local standards for garage doors, depending on
the severity of the winds. You can find out your
local standards by contacting the building
department of your local city hall.
9. Do I
need to do anything after my garage door is
installed?
It’s
important, after your garage door is installed, that
you totally familiarize yourself with the operation
and safety guidelines. Make sure you have owner’s
manuals for the garage door, and for the garage door
opener, too, if you have one.
Your
manual will outline the operation and maintenance
requirements you’ll need to know to make your garage
door last as long as possible. Also, garage door
safety has been a source of great concern in the
past. With new technology, it’s not as much of a
problem anymore, but you do need to follow certain
guidelines to avoid injuries.
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10.
What’s the best kind of garage door opener to buy?
There are
many garage door openers on the market. Many of them
are good. Several stand out and deliver great
quality and value. C.H.I
has many different levels of product from
standard to premium. In our opinion the warranty and
service for this product is second to none.
LiftMaster and
Lanear operators
and accessories also
offer dependable
service and
ease of use. Each of these product lines are sold,
installed and serviced by Apex Overhead Doors.
Which one
is best for you is really a matter of choice. There
are certain garage door openers that are designed
for certain styles and sizes of garage doors but, on
the whole, they all do the same thing – they
automatically open and close your door so you can
comfortably get in and out of your vehicle away from
the elements.
In
Conclusion
There are
many choices when it comes to garage doors. There
are wood garage doors, aluminum garage doors,
fiberglass garage doors and steel garage doors.
There are many styles to choose from, too. Many
people like the retro style of the old carriage
house garage door. Most people have their garage
door match the rest of their house.
So do some research and planning and, before you
know it, it’ll all come together in the shape of a
beautiful garage door!
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