The garage door is really an important part of your home, but unfortunately it is one that we hardly ever pay any attention to until the day it breaks. The garage door is easily the largest moving part of your home and you really need to consider the options wisely when you are thinking of purchasing a new door for your home.
Appearance
Before you start talks with a garage door salesman, you really need to have a good idea of what you want for your home. One excellent way to decide what type of door will suit you is by taking a drive around your local neighborhood and looking at other people’s choices of garage entry door. You can of course also browse the Internet at your leisure for more ideas and designs. Once you have a visual conception of how you would like your garage door to be. And then, you can start talks with a salesman.
Functioning
Today, although not the cheapest model on the market, the most popular garage port doorways are indeed automatic doors that are sectioned. These doors are more expensive and also require a lot of maintenance in order to keep them in good working order.
There are a lot of different materials from which your garage door can be made including metal alloys, steel, wood and fiberglass. Wooden doors are the most expensive and require a lot of maintenance but are also the best looking gates. Steel gates are however a very popular alternative to wood nowadays as the material is durable and economic.
Steel doors are also versatile, as you can paint them in any color you want in order to fit in with your surroundings. Other materials such as vinyl or fiberglass are more expensive, and your choice should depend on the weather conditions at your home as well as your budget and lifestyle.
Extra features
Depending once more on the environment in which you live, it may be wise to check the resistance rating of your door. The R value of your garage door is very important if you need to think of a door that will cut down on your energy bills. Depending on the R value of your door, both the weight and the price of the door will vary accordingly.
When you are planning on upgrading or replacing your existing door, you really need to know if you require a complete new door of if you can refurbish your existing door. If you are choosing a new door then other factors that you need to take into consideration are the warranty and the installation service offered by the company.
Replacing a door is not difficult, and it can be accomplished with a few basic hand tools, a reciprocating saw and a good level. The first step is to select the new door, preferably of the same width and height of the door that’s being replaced. This will avoid a need to re-size the opening where the new door will reside.
The easiest type of doors to install are pre-hung in a wood jamb, and pre-drilled for a lock. Others are independent doors that have a primer coat, are mortised for hinges and pre-drilled. Finally, there are raw doors that are unfinished and require routing for hinges, as well as drilling for the lock set
Raw doors require skill and expertise to size and hinge, and should be installed by someone that has the necessary tools. However, pre-hung and primed doors can be installed with a minimum of effort, and the installation can be accomplished in a matter of hours.
Begin by pulling the hinge pins and removing the old door from the opening. If the hinge pins are rusted, drive a pointed awl or framing nail into the hole at the bottom of the hinge to free the pin. Remove the old hinges from the jamb and bring one along for comparison when purchasing the new butts.
If a pre-hung door has been selected, the jamb and casing trim must be replaced. To remove the jamb, use a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade to cut the nails that are holding it in place. Work the blade into the seams along each side of the jamb, then across the top to free the jamb.
To install a pre-hung door, begin by removing the hinge pins, and separate the new door from the jamb. Plumb one side of the opening and attach the jamb tight to this side, using wood screws or #8 finish nails. Shim the opposite side of the jamb and attach it in the same manner. Re-hang the door in the jamb and replace any casing trim. Install the lock and the strike plate to complete the installation.
For a mortised door, install the hinges on the door, and split the top hinge by pulling the hinge pin. Measure from the top of the door to the top of the upper hinge, deduct 1/8″ and use this measurement to locate the top of the upper hinge on the jamb. Mortise for the upper hinge and hang the door on this single hinge. Transfer marks for the remaining hinges to the jamb, and mortise for these. Re-hang the door, attach the hinges and install the lock.
More people than ever before are attempting to do home repair jobs themselves rather than paying the high labor costs of having professionals come in. Obviously, some jobs do require the help of a pro, but there are others, such as the repair of your overhead garage door, where you can tackle most of the repair jobs. The challenge comes in learning how to diagnose the problems, deciding what you can do about them, and knowing when to call in expert help. You’ll find that there are many strategies which will keep your garage door in top shape without costing you a lot of money.
The door itself rolls up and down on metal tracks with the help of tension springs. The easiest preventive maintenance you can do is to regularly make it a point to check over the tracks. Look for debris, dryness, dents, or other types of damage. Tracks need to be cleaned and oiled periodically in order to keep them operating smoothly. Dents and dings can be straightened using a rubber hammer. If the tracks have more severe damage, they will need to be replaced. In addition, you need to check all the screws and bolts that hold the tracks in place and tighten them if necessary.
Take a visual assessment of your door. Is it hanging straight, or does it appear to be out of plumb? Check all hinges and tracks to make sure they are in proper alignment and operating correctly. If tightening the screws doesn’t tighten the hinges, it usually means that the screw hole has become enlarged, and you may need to change to a larger screw. If the wood the hinge is attached to has been torn away, wood filler may or may not give you the solid surface you need to reattach it. You can try it, but if it doesn’t work, then it’s time to call an expert.
Tension springs that operate the door can be dangerous due to the pressure that they are under. If you only have one spring above the door, never try to repair or replace it yourself. When you have springs on both sides of the door, it’s okay to tighten screws and try to straighten the springs yourself, if you know what you’re doing. There are websites that will give you step-by-step instructions for tightening springs. If you feel the job is beyond your abilities, call in the professionals.
Most overhead garage doors today are equipped with electric door openers. Once again, you can perform routine maintenance by making sure hardware is tight. If the opener isn’t working, the first thing to check is to make sure that it’s still plugged in. If it is, and if it isn’t working properly, you may need to have it looked at. You can also replace it yourself if you believe it can’t be fixed.
Chances are that your garage door is having problems and not working properly. If this happens what should you do? Well, you don’t have to go too far to know how to replacing them altogether. By following simple steps repair works can be done all by yourself. And if at all you feel this task is too complicated or if you feel what your are doing is too dangerous, you could always look to a service provider.
On the other hand if you decide you can do this job yourself, make sure that you are following all safety measures possible. At the end of the day, your should not get hurt at any point. The very first thing you should do is ensure that all the power supplies to your door are unplugged. This will get rid any possible danger of being electrocuted.
Next, check the metal tracks looking to see if there are any dents on them. If there are any, use a hammer to smooth and remove them. Another step in a repair will require you to check if there any loose bolts and screws that is causing the door to malfunction every now and then. Make sure that the tracks are clean as well as in alignment. If there is any faulty parts, make sure you call upon the manufacturer and get them replaced. On an occasions, you could see the appearance of gooey substance on the rails and rollers of doors. The presence of these things will make the door to get stuck while still in operative mode. Using mild soap and water should fix that problem
While you are looking into different problems related to your repair, make sure you find out what types of springs the door needs. If your door makes use of standard extension spring they can easily be repaired. However, the doors that make use of torsion spring needs a lot of your attention. This is because these springs operate under high tension and one fault of yours could lead into a mishap. It is always a good idea to get garage door service provider’s help in these cases.
If for any reason you find that your door has stopped working what you need to do is remain cool. In these situations, you either have to buy a new one or get some expert advice on it.