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In many high-end home remodels, the impression of weight can influence product choices. Inside the home and out, materials that appear more solid lend an air of luxury, regardless of cost. This is also true of garage doors, which occupy a considerable amount of a home’s front elevation. Rather than installing all-function-no-form models, many manufacturers, like First United Door Technologies, are providing new styles with plenty of class, upgrading garage doors to “vehicle concealment portals.”

More on Garage Door Security

It’s amazing how many people install sophisticated home security systems without giving much thought to garage doors and their security. Even if you have a detached garage, it’s important to consider this part of your home. So what can you do to make sure your garage security is ironclad? Pay special attention to the doors!

 

If you have a garage door opener unit that is from earlier than the 1990s, consider upgrading it to a modern unit.

Older garage door openers relied on a unique I.D. number, programmed into each remote and the receiver sold with it. If the remote sends the right I.D. to the receiver, the receiver opens the garage door. Introduced in the early 1990’s, rolling code technology ensured that a garage door opener never transmits the same sequence twice. As implemented in the Liftmaster^®line of garage door openers, the remote and the receiver keep internal counters that begin in synch, and are incremented by a constant value each time the door is opened. When the user presses the button on the remote, the remote transmits the current value of the counter, along with the static I.D. number. The receiver will only open the garage door if both numbers are correct.

 

LiftMaster^®offers a wide variety of residential garage door openers and accessories, including a keyless entry system designed to recognize your unique fingerprint, making it ideal for families with children, or senior citizens.

Another tip?

 

Consider placing a padlock through the garage door track just above one of the rollers. This will keep out those techy burglars who can tinker with automatic door opener devices to trick residential units into opening.

How secure is your home’s garage door?

There was a news segment that appeared last night on ABC-15 in Phoenix, Arizona, that is worth mentioning.

This past October, a Scottsdale man woke up early one morning to find three strangers in his bedroom only to be assulted. The men broke into his home through the garage. He had installed a new garage door and hadn’t reset the manufacturer’s code on the garage door opener.

Click for the video:

As the largest movable object in any home, the garage door is often overlooked in terms of safety and security. Here are a few other items that should be pointed out when speaking of garage door security.   

·         When you are on vacation or your home is unoccupied for an extended period of time, disconnected the overhead track-operated garage door from inside the garage. This will prevent the door from being opened with an electronic remote control device.

·         Do not leave the remote in your car, should a thief break in to your car and steal the remote he has a way into your home. Consider purchasing a key-chain remote you should be able to find one compatible with your system.

·         Your garage door is only as secure as its weakest link. It is of little benefit in having the best of locks if the door itself is flimsy. Likewise a strong and sturdy garage door will not give you the best security if it is fitted in a weak frame.

As Arizona’s only garage door manufacturer, First United Door Technologies recognizes that the security and safety of garage doors is paramount and provide education and materials with every door manufactured to our nationwide network of licensed installing dealers.

Garage Door Openers: A Quick Look

Garage doors are no longer the regular roll-top ones, which have to be pushed up by hand. These days, garage door openers are provided with various accessories to make opening easier. No matter how heavy the garage door, it can be fitted with the right kind of opener. These openers ensure utmost safety and security for garages under any conditions. They are also provided with several options and in various designs to suit the exact requirements of the user. The best thing is, they can be installed within 3-5 hours. A professional can install a garage door opener in one hour!

Garage door openers are of two kinds depending on the use: residential and commercial. In the commercial range of garage door openers, the main models are: Trolley, Jackshift, Hoist and the Slide models. While Trolley openers are used for standard lifting on sectional doors, Jackshift is used for grilles, rolling doors and shutters. Hoist operators are similar to Jackshifts but they are also suitable for heavy duty industrial doors. The slide door openers are meant for single and bi-parting slide doors and also for fire doors.

The main step in purchasing a garage door opener is to determine the actual drive system. Garage door openers are of three kinds depending on the drive system: belt driven, chain driven and direct drive. The most important points to be considered in a garage opener system are the kind of motor and the horsepower. Garage door openers differ in speed also. The average speed is 7 inches lift/drop per second. There are openers that operate at even double this speed.

Garage door openers are provided with different kinds of warranties. Safety is another important aspect while choosing the right garage door opener. It is mandatory that all automatic door openers should be equipped with a non-contact invisible beam system that can sense the approach of a person and make the door to reverse back to the open position. Other mandatory features of garage openers are: automatic lights, a timed reversing feature, a manual emergency release cord and a force adjustment feature.

Garage door openers are usually noisy but some advanced models are being designed to be really quiet. Proper maintenance and lubrication would also lessen the noise made by garage door openers. On the whole, garage door openers should be weather resistant, safe, and should have the least wire exposure for long life.

Garage doors can also be operated by a remote control. This is especially useful for people who have homes with multiple garages. However, it is better to have a rolling radio signal code for the control as it is easy for thieves to capture the code from thin air. Garage door openers can also have an automatic light, remote control and a wall operator, as well as the option of single/two/three button transmitters.

Garage Door Insulation: Energy Efficiency

There are differences in the types of garage door insulation used in the different types of doors. Most use either polystyrene or polyurethane and both products are safe to use as insulating materials. Polystyrene comes in a solid state and is molded to suit the needs of the garage door. This product is preferred by many manufacturers due to its durability and performance in the door. Polyurethane is a foam that is applied through an automated system and fills every possible space in between the panels of the garage door.

Polyurethane may be a better insulation, resulting in a slightly higher insulating value, but with this type of insulation, manufacturers often advise buyers to choose a dark color door if the door will be exposed to long periods of sunlight. If you choose a door that does have polystyrene as the insulator, the gluing process is very important to ensure that the door does not become defective. When contact cement is used the panels become more resistant to delaminating, but the panels in the door should have brackets to fasten inner and outer layers securely to prevent the insulation from coming out.

The energy efficiency of the garage door depends on the insulation, however weather stripping also plays a huge part in ensuring that cold air does not get in around the bottom of the door and the heat you have in the garage stays there. A double lip weather stripping takes on the shape of the door and helps to seal the door to the floor, even if it is uneven.

Insulation in a garage door can help to keep the temperatures inside to reach below freezing even if the temperatures outside dip below the freezing point. This makes it much easier to start your car on cold winter mornings and you don’t need to have a heating block.

Garage Doors: A Major Design Element

Garage is the shelter for your car. That is its main function. Hence, most people then think about their garage doors as strictly functional. They protect the contents of the garage. Now, more and more people care about how they look. The garage doors have to look good and welcoming. Garage doors after all make a huge personal statement about one’s taste and style.

The garage is considered the threshold of a home. First thing that we come faced up with when we enter a house is usually the garage door. Garage doors are becoming a major design element as they say. Most homeowners use the garage as the primary entrance to the house and are subject to much wear and tear. It is only fitting that the garages must be impressive and attractive, as it is durable and secured. The style and the condition of the garage door is influential on the appearance and impression that the house projects.

Today, several manufacturers have created different styles of garage doors with various exceptional features to choose from. The appearances of garage doors have improved dramatically over the past few years adding to the aesthetic value of your home. The erstwhile wooden doors are being replaced in favor of modern day materials like steel, which can be customized to suit your preferred look and color.

Garage doors are built to be durable and long-lasting. The average life of a garage door is about 30 years if you take care of it. Thus, it is imperative to pay extra attention to its specifications and features. Rain, snow, wind and other assaults by the nature can be kept at bay with the use of the tongue and groove feature. It is also important to settle always for low-maintenance garage doors. It will save considerable amount of money and time.

 

Garage doors also have many options such as decorative windows that allow the natural light to trickle in and can often match the window package on your home. You may also want to consider adding decorative hardware, handles and hinges, to your door selection. Whatever you do decide on, make sure you enlist the expertise of a professional to install or service garage doors. 

Garages That Say, `Welcome Home, Cars’

When the car became the dominant means of transport in this country, every new house of any size had to have a garage.

Many if not most of these garages were given a prominent front-row spot – they faced the street. The phrase “attached garage” was a price booster. To be able to walk straight to it from the kitchen without braving the elements was a sign of arriviste luxury.

Often necessitated by lot size, a garage door dominates. Even when it’s not protruding, but set flush in the structure’s front, it manages to draw the eye, to make you look at – because they are closed most of the time – blank walls. The house becomes a backdrop.

“Welcome home, cars,” seems to be the greeting. Here’s the problem: Our cars are bigger and our garages are bigger. Most of our garages face the street so you can’t miss them. Bulky, boring garages make houses look bad and cheap. In certain neighborhoods, the homes look so much alike that the only way to find your house is to use the garage-door opener and see which one goes up.

Adding distinctive architectural styling to the garage door, simply, can add curbside drama.

Thieves Target Garage Doors

Saving money by purchasing cheap garage doors really is not “penny wise” and is, in truth, pound foolish as the garage door opening is certainly the weakest point in your homes structure.

 

Thieves routinely target garage doors in their efforts to get into your home. A solid garage door that is tied to your home security system will go a long way to protecting your family and your homes contents. In some cases the security system will email you whenever someone opens or enters your garage.

 

Purchasing a good quality garage door will save you money and keep you garage and your home secure.

 

Garage door windows can add decorative appeal

Want to add style to your garage door? A simple solution is to add windows.

Steelhouse Garage Door from First United Door Technologies

Garage door windows are typically small and located at the highest section of the door. That way these windows can allow a natural lighting to the inside of your garage without allowing anyone to see inside. Most importantly, adding windows can make your garage door unique. Garage door windows can add to the decorative appeal of the entire front of your home.

Steelhouse Garage Door from First United Door Technologies

 

Enhancing your home’s curb appeal will have the neighbors staring and can even increase your home’s overall value. You can even find custom windows that harmonize with the rest of the window and door styles of your home.

Steelite Garage Door from First United Door Technologies

 

There are so many varieties available… you should be able to find exactly what you want for your home.