Garage Doors: Let’s Make a Deal

Buying a garage door seems like an effortless endeavor for some people but if you have never tried buying one before, you would discover that could be a big challenge. Not only does the market offer countless of choices that can easily confuse you, you would also probably want to get the best deal. Getting value for your money is not difficult if you know some of the tricks of the trade including the ones mentioned below.

Do the math. Do not hesitate to take out a piece of paper and calculator when shopping for a garage door. Make a comprehensive comparison of products offered in terms of price, shipping cost, hidden charges, features, type, and so on.

Choose steel garage doors. Steel is the most practical option for garage door material as it is heavy-duty and inexpensive. It is also low in maintenance.

Get the best of the best. When buying something as important as a door for your home’s garage, it is advisable that you weigh quality carefully with price. Do not buy a door just because it is cheap. Getting the best deal means getting the best quality for a lower price. This means that you should only trust on reliable and topnotch brands so you do not have to worry about the safety of your family and home.

Getting the best deal on garage doors does not only mean getting big savings. More importantly, it means that you are able to get your hands on a garage door that is durable, high quality, and safe for an inexpensive price. That is how you determine real value for your money.

Garage Door First Aid Station: Today’s Tip

There’s good reason to keep the home’s largest moving object in proper order. The garage door is often the largest entry point in the home. Consumers can bring garage door and opener safety awareness to the home front this summer–the International Door Association (IDA) and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) have designated June as Garage Door Safety Month.

Here are ten safety and security tips to keep in mind throughout the year.

1. Make sure the garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

2.  Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

3. Never place fingers between door sections. Explain the dangers to children and consider pinch-resistant door panels.

4. Consult the owner’s manual and learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.

5. Visually inspect the garage door each month.  Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. These parts are under high tension, and should only be fixed by a trained door repairman.

6. Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2×4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, seriously consider a new one with auto-reverse as a standard feature.

7. While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.

8. Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also compromises a home’s security.

9. If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, which changes the access codes each time the opener is used to prevent code grabbing, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model  with more safety and security features that are now standard.

10. Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. A stolen opener or car leaves you more susceptible to home invasion. Consider using a key chain remote and always lock the entry to the inside of your home, especially if your opener is programmed to your vehicle. It’s a small inconvenience for safety and security.

Seal It! Weatherstrip It!

Garage door seals and weather strips are intended to prevent dirt and dust getting into the garage through doors. They are also functional in keeping out rodents from getting into the garage. They can very well fit with a steel or wooden garage doors in a commercial or residential garage. This weather strip or doors gets easily and quickly install through staples or nails. The seals get easily fit with adjustable screws also and it can easily combine with brush seals for giving better protection. Most of the doors in older garage do not have seals in perfect condition allowing the cold air, dust and dirt to enter in the house which does not able to keep the inside of the house warm.

Before buying a garage door seal or weather strip, you need to look at the seals by adjusting between the door panels. Normally, the compression type seals are the most common type, which compresses the metal spring seal in the gap or the polyurethane bulb weather stripping in the gaps between the door and the garage. The best designed garage door seals and weather strips are the one in the form of shiplap panel edge and the one with the tongue and groove. These designs help creating a path for non-straight air leakage, which prevents air blow from outside and inside the garage.

Garage Doors: Improving the Appearance Of Your Home

With the warm weather months here, it’s the perfect time for the annual ritual of performing a spruce up around your home. Planting gardens, improving the look of your lawn and maybe applying a fresh coat of paint to the window trims are on your to-do list. An appealing exterior offers an invaluable first impression to neighbors, friends, and – if you’re trying to sell, which many do prior to the beginning of school in the fall – perspective buyers.

One exterior feature that greatly contributes to this first impression is the garage door, and updating it can drastically improve your home’s front exterior or “curb appeal.” If you’ve looked into replacing a garage door, you know that it can be an overwhelming task with so many styles and materials from which to choose. It’s important that your choice complements the architecture of your home as well as your lifestyle. In other words, you don’t want a door that sticks out like a sore thumb or one that requires more maintenance than you’d prefer.

So how do you make sure that you pick the right garage door? Follow these simple steps: pick a material, choose a style and find a good dealer.

When selecting a material, decide what material best fits your home and lifestyle, whether it be the natural beauty of wood, the durability and low maintenance of steel or the environmental friendliness of wood composite. Wood doors offer a classic, handcrafted look that won’t go out of style but will require more frequent upkeep. Steel doors need the least amount of maintenance and come in many affordable designs.

Once you’ve selected the material, it’s time to choose a style. Doors are available to match any architectural style to match the style of your home.

Once you’ve chosen a design, you’ll need to select a color and any decorative hardware desired to enhance the door’s beauty. Steel doors often come in pre-painted colors, but they also can be customized with exterior latex paint. Wood doors generally come in their natural finish and can be easily stained or painted. Wood composite doors are sold painted or primed and ready to stain or paint. Depending on the style you choose, you may also have the option to add decorative hardware or decorative windows.

Finally, it’s important to find a reputable dealer who can provide pricing for the correct door size needed and installation and removal of the old door if you’re purchasing a replacement door. Garage doors are sold sized to specifically fit your garage door opening. An important, but often neglected step, is enlisting a professional dealer to measure your door to ensure that it will be correctly sized. Make sure that your local dealer is authorized, fully insured and has a good local reputation. Never try to repair or install a garage door yourself – it can be extremely dangerous.

Investing in a new garage door is a sure way to improve the look of your home’s exterior, as well as improve energy efficiency and protection. You can also take comfort in knowing that this purchase will add value to your home and will be an important asset should you decide to sell.

Garages likely left open to ventilate, keep openers functioning

As it gets warmer, we tend to see people leaving their garage doors open about 12 inches. Does this really keep the house cooler? It seems like it would just let in more heat.

There could be a couple of different reasons some people leave their garage doors slightly ajar.
Letting in some air to drain off some of the heat in the garage wouldn’t necessarily make the house itself hotter, but it could keep the garage cooler, especially if there were a breeze blowing from the right direction.

And it’s possible some people might have some heat-sensitive junk stored in the garage or maybe something that doesn’t smell so great.

But I think this probably is the main reason: garage-door openers.

Hot air rises, right? It’s probably hot enough in your garage as it is, assuming it’s not air-conditioned. But up near the ceiling it’s a lot hotter.

Many garage-door openers come equipped with a heat sensor that sort of pulls the plug on the opener when the mechanism gets too hot. That’s to prevent fires.

So leaving your door up a few inches helps keep the garage a bit ventilated. Of course, you don’t want to leave it up high enough for a burglar to wiggle under it.

If you don’t like the idea of leaving the door up a few inches and you’re having an over-heating problem with your opener, you could install a couple of roof vents to funnel off that hot air.

The Modern Garage Door

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.

June is Garage Door Safety Month. Call on your local licensed garage door dealer to perform your annual safety check. Your garage door will love you!

Garage Door Remote Control Safety

These days, a garage door is usually remotely controlled instead of manually controlled.

There are still manually controlled ones around but these are fewer compared to the openings controlled by a remote. Since these openings should be able to let a vehicle through, it is understood that they are large and heavy. Safety is a key concern when it comes to this part of the home.

 

Maintenance

The open and shut mechanism of a garage door should be well maintained as well as other parts of the unit to ensure that there is minimum risk of accidents. The motor should be kept free of dust and other debris which may cause it to get stuck or to operate erratically.

Depending on what kind of entry one has at home, there are several different kinds of openings. Roll up and roll down, hinged doors and others are some of the more common ones around. Even the remote control used to operate the mechanism should be maintained well and should be brought in for servicing if there is any damage incurred on it.

It is Not a Plaything

The unit is not a toy. This is something that should be impressed on children to avoid accidents and even fatalities. The idea of a mechanism that does the bidding of a remote can be appealing to small and even older children.

Many play with the garage door as part of their make believe world or just out of curiosity how it works. It is important to point out to a child that once the unit starts to go up or down there is little that anyone can do to stop it unless using the remote.

The possibility of being squashed under it or lifted up and caught in the paneling is serious and dangerous. It is imperative that children are taught not to play in and around the vicinity of a moving garage door or even an open one. Accidents can and will happen even with the utmost care.

Playing with the controller can prove fatal and the entryway should always be kept in sight when opening or closing it until it is fully opened or closed to prevent accidents or damage. Even the hinges, motor and any other moving parts of the garage door can prove dangerous when little fingers or clothes are caught in them. Reading the user manual can help to understand safety when it comes to these parts of the home. Regular maintenance of the unit also helps to prevent accidents.

June is Garage Door Safety Month, an annual event to increase awareness of the possible hazards of garage doors and automatic opener systems, and the need for periodic inspection and maintenance to keep them safe. Give your garage door a safety check to insure it’s in proper working order.

Garage Door Safety Beams: How Do They Work?

One of the most important inventions of the last few years has been the advent of the garage door safety beam.

The safety beam is a beam of infrared light that sits near the floor of your garage. If something is in the way or if something breaks the beam as your door is closing, the sensor will automatically make the door rise back up. It is basic motion sensor detection technology that, thanks to military research, has come down in price considerably from where it was just a decade ago. Let’s take a look at why these beams are so important.

The safety beam is a basic motion detector. The units transmit a beam from one end to the other that, when broken, serves as an effective safety device. When you close your garage door, the censor in the safety beam allows the door to continue closing as long as the beam remains unbroken. Should a person, pet, or even a piece of paper happen to break the beam, the door will immediately begin to open. It is a long overdue safety feature that works like a charm and can saves lives.

Along with high quality insulation and a durable opening mechanism, the safety beam is definitely one of the most important inventions in garage door history. The idea of someone being crushed under a 400 lb. door is unthinkable. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 46 confirmed deaths from 1982-1990 involving children and garage doors. It was this call by the CPSC and garage door industry associations that brought the use of the safety beam into today’s homes. Best of all, the addition of safety beams has not significantly increased the cost of garage doors, which makes this addition something everyone can agree on. The beams help protect you and your family from accidents, slips, falls, and disasters. They also protect the garage door companies from being sued by families that have experienced such accidents.

If you want to install or retrofit your garage doors with safety beams, you may want to call a professional to do the installation for you. Many of the best safety beams on the market are made by companies that have been in the industry for many years, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility problems.

JUNE IS GARAGE DOOR SAFETY MONTH!

The International Door Association and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association have designated June as Garage Door Safety Month. The IDA and its affiliated dealers will be working to increase awareness of the possible hazards of garage doors and automatic opener systems, and the need for periodic inspection and maintenance to keep them safe. Give your garage door a safety check to insure it’s in proper working order by using these ten garage door safety and security tips.

1. Make sure garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

2. Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

3. Consult the owner’s manual and learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.

4. Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. A trained door repairman must make adjustments to these parts, which are under high tension.

5. Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2 x 4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, seriously consider a new one with auto-reverse as a standard feature.

6. Never place fingers between door sections and explain the dangers to children. If you have small children, consider a door with panels that can’t pinch.

7. Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also impacts your home’s security as well.

8. While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.

9. If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, which changes the access codes each time the opener is used to prevent code grabbing, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with more safety and security features that are now standard.

10. A new trend in home invasion is gaining access to the home by stealing the opener or car. Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. Consider using a key chain remote and always lock the entry to the inside of your home – especially if your opener is programmed to your vehicle. It is a small inconvenience for safety and security.

Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.