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A garage door is more than just a means of protecting your garage and its contents from weather and burglars. It’s also an important aspect of exterior design, especially nowadays where there are many different styles to choose between. The sheer amount of operating types, finishes and colours, means you have to do your homework, because this could affect the look and feel of your house for the next 20 or 30 years. The first part of choosing a garage door is deciding on the operating type and there are many to choose between, such as sectional, roller, round the corner and up and over to name a few. Of course, these are just a few of the most popular options, but we talk about all types on our bog. All of which will come with a range of options such as electric operation, remote controls and glazing finishes, so be sure to read up before you buy.

With the constant increase in technology over the past ten years or so, automatic systems are a part of most people’s lives. So why not continue this trend onto your garage door?

Automatic garage doors can be controlled by a simple click of a button, allowing you to enter and exit your garage without getting in and out of your car repeatedly. Many car owners actually avoid using their garage and choose to park on the driveway as they cannot be bothered with the hassle of getting in and out of their car and then unlocking, opening, closing and locking their garage door manually.

A benefit of parking your car in a secured garage is that it helps to reduce the cost of your car insurance compared to roadside and driveway parking. The remotes for garage doors do not have to be bulky, they can be small and even attach to your car keys on a key ring system, making it easy to keep them safe.

If you’re looking to invest in a new garage door, side hinged garage doors should logically be your first choice. Not only are they easier to manipulate than ‘up-and-over’ garage doors are, side hinged doors require a lot less effort and are more convenient for single-person access.

For those after convenience, investing in side hinged garage doors for your home is a sound decision. Thanks to technology, side hinged door panels can be fashioned out of steel, timber, or even fiberglass. With the added bonus of available insulated options, side hinged garage doors are just as energy efficient as any other type of garage door.

Switching from manual to electrically operating your garage door is considerably easier with the side hinged design. Since the door mechanism is fairly basic, you’ll find that automated side hinged doors open more fluidly than the up-and-over designs. Side hinged garage doors also offer more in terms of aesthetic design, with the variation of the classic half-split design into the 1/3-2/3-split giving considerably more to choose from.

If your electric garage door is beginning to play up, you may want to get it checked over before it becomes a big issue. Electric garage doors certainly do require servicing over years, even when they don’t have any obvious issues. A regular service will help to reduce the risk of faults occurring throughout the year.

Faults with garage doors could be due to an electrical issue within the doors sensor or remote system, but it could also have mechanical faults too. Mechanical faults can include faulty springs, worn runners, or alignment of the tracks. There may be dirt and debris build up over time that can also reduce the correct functioning of the garage door.

Hiring a professional to take a look at your garage door may save you a great deal of money in the long term, as they will be able to spot a potential problem before it occurs, reducing the cost of repair considerably.

If your current garage door is looking worn and faded, or you just want a change, you could try to re-paint the door yourself. The colour of your garage door should certainly compliment your home, either by matching your front door colour or your window frames. Alternatively, you could choose a bold, bright colour to stand out from the crowd. Whichever you decide, you must make your garage door fit for a repaint, this will include cleaning and drying the door making sure it is smooth and ready for the paint to be applied. Choose a calm day with minimal wind, as you don’t want dust and dirt to be blown onto your freshly painted garage door.

If you feel your garage door to old and damaged for a re-paint, you could opt for a new garage door with your choice of colour already applied. You then have the added option of selecting the material it is made from, and the style of door you wish to be installed.

Roller shutter doors are a common choice of door for the automotive industry across the globe. They are generally constructed from hinged panels and bars, making them durable and long-lasting.

Above the shutter door in the internal side of the building, these rolled up bars are held up by a box. In some instances, you can view the boxes from outside. A mechanical system is used to open and close the shutter doors, as the weight of these doors cannot be opened or pulled manually.

In the automotive industry these doors are well known because these doors play a vital role in the logistic process. Ease of access and low maintenance ensures optimum production for the manufacturing industry.

Not only are the roller shutter doors used for access and business promotions, their most important function is to provide security. These doors prevent unwanted people from entering the premises. Since they are made from strong substances like iron or steel, they are almost impossible to breach from a security point of view.

Although a garage is seen as an asset to your home, they can also be the easiest access to your home for a thief if security is not maintained. Many garages are attached to the main house, and can even provide access to the home too. With a garage door that is not secure you increase the risk of an easily avoided burglary to your home. You need to keep your garage door in good working condition, which will ensure safety for your belongings and family members. One major aspect of security for remote controlled doors is keeping your remote in safe hands. These remotes can easily be picked up by children as they may see it as a toy, once misplaced you automatically put your home security at risk.

It is important to take time out every 6 months and hire a garage door professional to inspect your garage door, making sure it is functioning as it should. A garage door is designed with complex hardware, which an expert technician can understand and handle. The professional garage door technician will properly inspect the springs, rollers, cables and pulleys to make sure all the hardware parts are working or functioning in a safe way.

If your garage door is locked/ unlocked by an access code or remote with an access code, to ensure security, you need to regularly change the access or standard codes to the garage door. This minimises the risk of the code being discovered and used.

To protect your home and loved ones, you must check your garage door functionality regularly as well as also rely on the experienced technicians. You can contact a reputable garage door company to get professional garage door repair and maintenance, which will ensure the highest level of safety and security for your home. Whether you need a garage door spring replacement or garage door opener repair, hiring the experienced professionals will help in getting a top functioning and safe garage door.

Garage doors are one of the major aspects of every home improvement project. If you are in the process of looking for a new garage door, here are some essential tips for choosing the right material:

Consider your climate

It’s easy to think that your garage door is meant to provide shelter and protection to your vehicle and storage, but make sure it should also work well with your climate so please do choose the right material as per your geographic location.

Wood

Wood is an excellent material if you want to create beautiful aesthetics. If you have a rustic exterior home or fond of the sleek and modern look, go for Cedar, Hemlock, and Larch wood.

Fiberglass door

If you live in an area where there is absolute temperature, then consider a fiberglass door. These doors are durable and have great insulation features. They will curtail your utility bills and also resist splits and cracks.

Garage doors might be the last things you may think of buying when constructing a home. A door for a garage is not flashy nor does it serve a decorative purpose. But it is important to buy a well-made door for the garage to ensure that you will be able to enter and exit your garage without any problem. While designing a garage, security is the foremost consideration which is paramount. Besides security, an appearance of the door also plays a significant role in creating a visual appeal. Though it’s just a garage door, still people fond of aesthetics do not neglect this prospect. Round the corner garage doors, help not only in saving space but also provide an aesthetic visual appeal. They are quite similar to section doors, but they operate horizontally, while section door operates vertically. These doors are formed by joining planks together to create an entire curtain. One can easily make them automatic without putting in too much of effort. (more…)

Many people argue that the purpose of a garage has changed over time. The reason there is an argument for this point is the fact that so many people use their garage spaces not to store their vehicles but to use as another room in the house.

Here are just some of the rooms garages are turned into:

• Games rooms
• Utility Rooms
• Garden Storage/Shed
• Bedroom
• Home Cinema

With this being clear in many homes, it does lend itself to the argument, what’s the point of new houses having garages? A very large number of people will not use their garage as a space for their vehicle, yet developers still produce houses with garages. One the other hand, some would argue that it’s always good to have the option to store your car and a garage will add value to your home. If, for example, you have spent a considerable amount of money on a vehicle, you’ll do all you can to keep it safe, and the best way to do this is to put it in a garage. If your house was not to have one and you don’t have the option, it will of course have less value than a house that does.

This argument of whether it makes sense to have a garage or not can go back and forth and it’s really all down to personal preference. That said, homeowner want garages, they may not want the garage to store their vehicle in for the foreseeable future, but they still want them. This is why developers will continue to meet these demands and it’s also why many garage door companies are hitting record sales. The garage may not be used in the way it was decades ago, but it’s still hugely important.