Garage Doors
The biggest door in your home
Depending on how many garage doors a home has and how big they are, they consume up to 40 percent of the curbside appearance of your home. But what exactly do garage doors do for a home? Basically, they provide safe, secure and easy access to your garage.
Common Garage Door Materials
There are three types of garage doors that are most commonly used.
Metal
- Either steel or aluminum is a popular option, but steel still ranks number one. Today manufacturers mold the metal during production to look like wood. Downfalls are that they can dent and will rust.Wood
- Also a top-ranking option, wood gives homes that traditional, classic look while providing durability. Usually built on sturdy, heavy-duty steel frames, wood garage doors will wear the same as other exposed wood, such as decks, and will need to be maintained.Composite
- Becoming an increasingly popular choice, composite is made from a mix of recycled wood fibers and resins. The benefit of composite garage doors is that they resist all the wear and tear traditional metal and wood garage doors suffer from, withstanding cracks, splits, separation, shrinkage, expansion, rot, rust and dents. They’re low maintenance, have the strength of steel combined with the durability and look of wood and they can even be painted to match any home’s exterior.
Maintaining Your Garage Doors
Garage doors are the largest moving object in your home, so it’s important to make sure they are working right.
The following maintenance tips can help keep your garage doors looking and functioning like new for years to come:
- Do an annual inspection for loose or worn hinges and springs.
- Tighten any loose bolts as soon as you notice them.
- Lubricate any moving parts, including rollers and hinges, at least once a year.
- Paint the both interior and exterior of wooden doors when brand-new and the exterior again every two years thereafter.
- Make sure the weatherstrip seals on your garage doors are in working order. They help keep out rain, snow, wind and even pests, while keeping hot or cold air in.
- Test the safety features on your garage door opener, such as the automatic reverse, regularly. Disconnect the device immediately if it’s not up to snuff.
Garage Door Openers
Even the most energetic people dread getting out of their cars to open the garage door. This aggravation is made a lot easier with an automatic garage door opener. Garage door openers operate electronically or by battery, and can be operated from your car or elsewhere with a remote control.
Faulty automatic garage doors can be dangerous and even cause death, so ensure the garage door opener is installed and working properly before using. The garage door should also have an electronic eye, or sensor safety feature, which stops closing or reverses when objects are detected. Also, it’s best in install a wall switch that’s unreachable by children. And remember to keep the remote in a safe place.
| Write A Comment |
