Home Improvement – Real Estate

Buying a garage door opener should not be difficult, but in today’s world of multiple options and vast variety of products, finding the right garage door opener can sometimes be, shall we say, a bit confusing?  Don’t turn this simple shopping trip into a hassle. Know what you need and what you want before heading to the local home renovation center to order your new garage door opener, and avoid buying the wrong type of opener, and spending too much in the process.

The first step to choosing the right garage door opener to met your needs, begin by asking (and answering) these basic questions:

1.  What Type of Features Am I Looking For in a Garage Door Opener?  If it has been awhile since you went garage door opener shopping, you might be surprised at the features available on today’s models.  Garage door openers don’t just open up access to your home any longer.  Modern openers can also turn on your house lights when activated; warn you if someone slips in the garage from behind your car in the dark; offer remote access; be mounted on the wall instead of the ceiling to free up much needed ceiling space for boats, bikes; open up with virtually no sound to bother anyone in the house and more.   All of these things must be considered when choosing a new garage door opener to make sure you get exactly the model that you want and need.

2.  What Kind of Performance Record Do Specific Models Offer?  There are a lot of different companies making garage door openers these days, so be sure to check the durability record of any models you consider.  Some work well in different types of climates or for different types of garages and doors.  What works well in a warm weather region may give the user problems in a cold temperature zone, so make sure that you check to see that all product reviews discuss the individual concerns you may have to deal with.

3.  Which Garage Door Openers Are Durable Enough to Handle the Job?  Not every garage door opener is equal.  Some are designed to work under heavy duress; while others are made for less hectic use. Consider carefully how you plan to use your garage door opener before choosing one.  For instance, commercial garages featuring heavy steel doors will likely need to use a high horsepower model designed to take a lot of abuse, while residential properties may not need to spend the money on such a high-end model but can easily rely on a smaller garage door opener to take care of their needs.

4.  What Models Are Available?  One look at a garage door opener catalogue and you may be surprised at the number of different manufacturers and models available to consumers these days.  In order to figure out which model will best suit your needs, you will first need to familiarize yourself with a variety of the different types of garage door openers you can choose from.  Here are a few of the most basic styles and models on the market today:

* The Belt Drive Opener: Forget the loud screeches and groans some garage door openers cause when in use, the belt drive opener is one of the quietest models on the market.  Recommended for residential use, , the belt drive garage door opener is recommended for home’s where the garage door is located beneath bedrooms and other living spaces.

* The Chain Drive Opener: Maybe the most popular garage door opener model offered to consumers, the chain drive opener is known best for its superior durability, reliability and performance, not to mention is less expensive price.

* The Screw Drive Opener: Designed to work in even the most frigid temperatures, it is recommended for those living in colder climates who want to ensure hassle-free use during the winter months.

* The Jackshaft Opener:  One of the newest models of garage door openers available in stores, the Jackshaft opener is being embraced by consumers because of its two main features: a standby system that allows the opener to work during a power outage and wall mounting to free up much needed ceiling space for storage.

One you have the chance to really think about what you want and need your new garage door opener to do, you can more easily answer the questions listed above and review the basic models available to make a better informed decision when shopping for that new opener.

If you are setting up a new house, constructing a new building, you will need garage doors to  provide safe, secure, easy access to your garage or that of your clients.  A new garage door will bring relief and refreshing experience as well. The garage doors are not only essential requirements but also can be a style statement.

What to look for while choosing a garage door:
1. Manual vs. Automatic
2. Commercial vs. Residential
3. Garage Door Types
4. Usability vs. Style and Aesthetics
5. Repair and Renovation vs Replacement

Manual vs. Automatic

The operation of an automatic garage door is much simpler than a manual door. The former is user friendly, comes with added features like remote, illumination of the garage, auto light on and off.

The disadvantages are that installation and maintenance of an automatic door is much more difficult. Power back up is also must for automatic doors.

Commercial vs. Residential

The basic differences between the two is the work load. While the residential garages would be opened only a few times in a day, commercial garages would be opened many more number of times during the day. Even when some residences require multiple opening and closing of the garage doors, the commercial variation would be more useful for them.
In addition the commercial garage doors generally serves larger number of vehicles and normally the gates are larger in comparison to domestic garage doors.

Garage Door Types

There are several types of garage available in market today to suite your requirements:
1. Tilt Up Garage Doors: Tilt up models consist of a single panel door that pivots out and up, sliding in a single section along the ceiling of your garage.
2. Roll Up Garage Doors: Mostly suited for commercial  purpose, it is made for high-traffic areas, where the risk of something running into the door and causing damage is high. Commercial doors are also made to open more than one hundred times per day, which means they can take a lot of mechanical use and abuse. However, there residential roll up doors which are of high quality and affordable.

Usability vs. Style and Aesthetics

You must ensure that there should be a proper balance between style and usability. A stylish garage door need not compromise on durability or easy operation. The features should not be confusing and easy to access or use. At the same time, garage doors should enhance overall look of the house or building.

Repair and Renovation vs Replacement

If your garage doors are sagging and cracking, almost impossible to lift, or just generally falling apart, it’s time to replace them with a new one that’s easy to operate and maintain. However, you may like to take an expert opinion before you decide to replace it or not. Sometimes, the repair or renovation might make things absolutely perfect saving your dollars.

The FBI Says: “Every 12 Seconds a Home is Invaded
By Someone Simply Going Right Through the Door”

You hear about them on the news all of the time. The reason is simple. It’s the most lucrative, least risky activity of all for criminals. According to the lastest FBI statistics, only 12.4% of burglars are ever caught, charged and convicted. The lastest crime statistics on home invasions, burglaries and robberies in the United States are staggering…

* 6,088 Home Burglaries Per Day in the USA
* 70.3% of Burglaries Involve Residential Properties
* 67.6% of Burglaries Involved Forcible Entry or Attempts
* 38% of All Assaults Occur During a Home Invasion
* 60% of All Rapes Occur During a Home Invasion
* $4.6 Billion Worth of Property is Stolen Annually

Most home burglaries happen between 9 a.m. And 5 p.m. While most home invasions happen between 6 p.m. And 6 a.m. The reasons for this are quite easy. A burglar doesn’t want anybody home while they rob a house, but the premise of a home invasion is for the occupants to be at home so the intruder can extract valuable information from the occupants such as ; where the’real’ property are, account info, credit cards and pin numbers, car keys, and so on. And many home attackers have much more baleful thoughts in mind , such as physically or sexually attacking you or your loved ones ( 60% of all rapes happen during a home invasion ).

burglars gain entry most often By Kicking In Doors! .And that sure is a Fact.

Front Door Security The FBI claims [*CO]‘Every 12 seconds a home invasion occurs by somebody going right through the front or back door’. This happens in 73% of all break-ins and’door frame failure’ is virtually always the cause.

How frequently have you seen the police on those real crime television shows kick in doors? A lot, right? Well if a person in a police uniform can do it that easily, then why can’t a person in a thief outfit also do it that easily? The fact of the affair is, you do not need anybody to be in a position to gain access into your home that simply, if in any way.
Watch a number of these Door Kick-in Videos and see just how easy the average door can be kicked in.

Why Are Doors So easily Kicked-in or Forced Open?
Front Door Security door frame repair

It all boils down to one vital design issue and it’s found on virtually each exterior home door entryway. Most exterior doors, hinges, deadbolts and door locks are reasonably powerful. It’s the WOODEN DOOR FRAME also known as the door jamb that’s the weakest area. Front Door SecurityThese soft woods can’t resist the force of a 1/2′ to 3/4′ solid steel deadbolt stem being tremendously forced against them as happens when a door is kicked or’shoulder slammed’. The most efficient, most cost effective solution is to install a metal door frame reinforcement device that extends well above and below the strike plates on the door celebrity. This way you have steel holding steel rather than wood holding steel.

In the picture below, notice the typical short, small diameter brass screws that are on most door strike plates. They supply little support aside from simply holding the metal strike plate on the door frame.

two. Notice the thin, weak, decorative softwood trim that the strike plate is mounted on. 3. 4. It’s LESS THICK THAN the person’s fingernail is long! That’s ALL that’s protecting your home AND it’s just soft wood!
Front Door Security
Now go look at your exterior doors and probably you will have this precise same situation. Therein lies the 1 problem that you must correct or you, your folks and your home remain fully vulnerable to trespassers.

A garage door is one of the most important apparatus of your garage. It not only provides protection but also can be a design statement for the rest of your property.

Before you build a garage or decide to give existing one a facelift, it is indispensable for you to determine the style, shape and size of your garage door. This will give you a fair idea on how much drive through width you require and also so you don’t end up compromising on a mannered garage entry.

Select The Material Wisely:

The most important apprehension in setting up your automatic garage door is the material used. Selecting the best automatic garage door materials for your needs will depend on a few things like the style of your home, and how warm you want your garage to be. When you’re planning to establish a garage door, you must think about door type and materials. You can also incorporate into your plan such things as heated garages or unique window options.

Automatic garage doors are by far the trendiest type of garage door available to homeowners. With automatic stop and begin features, people find automatic garage doors easy to use, with wonderful options and security features. Automatic garage doors work with a rolling system. The door rolls up and stores along the roof of the garage. Automatic door features to look for are that they are smooth, quiet and condensed. Installing an automatic garage door is simple; do it yourself, or get help from the manufacturer.

Walk With The Upcoming Trend:

Automatic prefab garage doors are becoming progressively more fashionable because of the economy. Everyone wants to have a beautiful garage door and still purchase within his or her budget. By purchasing a automatic garage doors you can have the beautiful home and not worry about the stress of building or paying several businesses to make your home look great. By purchasing an automatic prefab garage door, you still get to choose your options and most places allow you to personalize your home so that you feel like you build it. You get to have control on what it looks like, but you get it for a fraction of what it would cost for you to build.

People who procure automatic prefab garage door from all of the social classes have different interests. There is no specific group of people who purchase prefab doors. Automatic doors are usually associated with rednecks since most automatic prefab garage door are like trailers, but that is not the case. Don’t stereotype prefab doors because even people who are well to do have a prefab home.

There are hundreds of garage door openers to choose from but before you can do that there are two key considerations concerning your garage door itself.

Before deciding on an electric garage door opener check that an able bodied person can effortlessly open the garage door manually as a motor will not do what they can’t.  If the door works smoothly and effortlessly, then adding an electric operator should be straight forward.

You will also need to check that your door balances at around chest height to ensure you have the correct spring tension for the operator to lift the door.  If the springs are broken or the door is not balanced properly the electric operator will not work effectively.  You may need to service the door by lubricating the moving parts or replace the door springs and other moving parts.

The other consideration is to know what type of garage door you have.  This is because it is essential for you to choose the correct device to suit your door mechanism to ensure the safe and smooth operation of your garage door.

There are four main types of garage door mechanism: retractable door, canopy door, side hinged door, and sectional door.

Up & Over – Retractable Garage Doors (Tracked)

These are identified by a single door panel with springs either side or horizontal ceiling tracks which support the door in the open position.  When the garage door is fully open, the bottom edge of the door is flush with the garage door frame

If you have a retractable up and over garage door then you are in luck, as these are ideal for automation and you can safely use any type of operator.  Your main considerations must be the noise (AC or DC motor) and the material, width and weight of the door to ensure you choose an operator powerful enough to lift the door.

Up & Over – Canopy Doors (Trackless)

This door type is not recommended for safe automation although there are options available; I would never recommend or safety and reliability.  If you don’t want to replace the entire door and mechanism you can purchase a retractable door mechanism and replace the canopy door gear.

An up & over canopy door is identified by the large spring which runs over the head of the door and when the door is open the garage door panel protrudes by approximately 600mm from the opening.

Side Hinged Doors

These garage doors can be automated using a conversion kit with most operators.  You will need to check the operator can be use for side hinged doors so that the auto-reverse safety feature functions normally.

Sectional doors

Sectional Garage Doors are identified by hinged panels that allow the door to rise vertically without swinging out as the door opens.

They are perfect garage doors for automation as no additional parts are required and you can use any type of AC or DC operator.  To ensure the operator will fit it’s a good idea to check the clearance above the door during its opening cycle then check the minimum clearance requirement for the operator as they vary.

Again your choose an operator powerful enough to lift the door.

There are hundreds of garage door openers to choose from but before you can do that there are two key considerations concerning your garage door itself.

Before deciding on an electric garage door opener check that an able bodied person can effortlessly open the garage door manually as a motor will not do what they can’t.  If the door works smoothly and effortlessly, then adding an electric operator should be straight forward.

You will also need to check that your door balances at around chest height to ensure you have the correct spring tension for the operator to lift the door.  If the springs are broken or the door is not balanced properly the electric operator will not work effectively.  You may need to service the door by lubricating the moving parts or replace the door springs and other moving parts.

The other consideration is to know what type of garage door you have.  This is because it is essential for you to choose the correct device to suit your door mechanism to ensure the safe and smooth operation of your garage door.

There are four main types of garage door mechanism: retractable door, canopy door, side hinged door, and sectional door.

Up & Over – Retractable Garage Doors (Tracked)

These are identified by a single door panel with springs either side and horizontal ceiling tracks which support the door in the open position.  When the garage door is fully open, the bottom edge of the door is flush with the garage door frame

If you have a retractable up and over garage door then you are in luck, as these are ideal for automation and you can safely use any type of operator.  Your main considerations must be the noise (AC or DC motor) and the material, width and weight of the door to ensure you choose an operator powerful enough to lift the door.

Up & Over – Canopy Doors (Trackless)

This door type is not recommended for safe automation although there are options available, I would never recommend or safety and reliability.  If you don’t want to replace the entire door and mechanism you can purchase a retractable door mechanism and replace the canopy door gear.

An up & over canopy door is identified by the large spring which runs over the head of the door and when the door is open the garage door panel protrudes by approximately 600mm from the opening.

Side Hinged Doors

These garage doors can be automated using a conversion kit with most operators.  You will need to check the operator can be use for side hinged doors so that the auto-reverse safety feature functions normally.

Sectional doors

Sectional Garage Doors are identified by hinged panels that allow the door to rise vertically without swinging out as the door opens.

They are perfect garage doors for automation as no additional parts are required and you can use any type of AC or DC operator.  To ensure the operator will fit it’s a good idea to check the clearance above the door during its opening cycle then check the minimum clearance requirement for the operator as they vary.

Again your choose an operator powerful enough to lift the door.