1.)Ask about R-value and it’s importance?
The R-value on a garage door tells you how well it insulates. Insulating your garage door isn’t always needed, but there are some situations where it may be necessary. For instance if you need to cool or heat your garage. Your garage can also affect the rest of your house, particularly if you have a room above it. Of course, if your garage isn't attached to your house, you can get a garage door with a low R-value or even no insulation at all. When checking the R-value, the higher the number: the better the insulation properties. For example, if you have a good quality 1-3/8" garage door, the R-value could be as high as 6.5. For a lower-priced door, with a 9/16" thickness, the R-value could be around 4.4.
2.) Ask about headroom, backroom and side room?
Headroom is the amount of space inside the garage between the top of the garage door and the ceiling. Backroom is the inside length of the garage, from front to back. Side room is the distance between the sides of the garage door and the side walls of the garage. Your garage door mechanic should know these dimensions when installing a garage door because the hardware needs a certain amount of room to operate freely
3.) If I'm replacing my garage door, how do I remove the torsion springs?
Torsion garage door springs are under extreme pressure and, if not handled properly, could release with enough power to kill you! You need specific tools and training. Therefore, it's highly recommended that you have a professional do this job.
4.) How many cycles should the torsion springs be on my overhead garage door?
Torsion spring cycles are figured out mathematically. You take the average number of times your garage door goes up and down every day, multiply by 250 days, and multiply again by 10 years. The reason they use 10 years is because that's the average life of a garage door.
You have a choice of four torsion spring cycles for garage doors: 25,000 cycles, 50,000 cycles, 75,000 cycles or 100,000 cycles. So you just have to know how many times your garage door will be opened and closed every day, and figure it out from there.
5.) Can I paint a steel garage door?
You can definitely paint a steel garage door. If you use a good quality latex paint, it'll last a long time. But don't use oil-base paint - it'll bubble and peel off.
You can paint other garage doors, too. Wood garage doors look great when painted or stained. Fiberglass garage doors can be painted, too. The great thing about painting a garage door is that you can match it to the décor of the rest of your house.
6.) How can I tell if my garage door is unbalanced?
You should be able to lift your garage door with one hand, no matter what the size. Garage door systems are specifically designed to take the weight off the door. If you can't lift the door easily, then it's probably unbalanced, and you need to call a professional garage door installer to fix it.
7.) What are the advantages of aluminum garage doors?
Aluminum garage doors are easy on the mechanisms because of their light weight. Therefore, they last longer. However, there isn't much difference between aluminum and steel garage doors if the door is 12 feet wide or less.
And, of course, when the garage door is finally worn out, aluminum is recyclable, which is really good for the environment.
8.) How do I find out what high-wind rating I need for my garage door?
In high-wind areas, garage doors can be blown off their hinges - then they become very dangerous projectiles! So special steel-reinforced garage doors are made, using heavy-duty hardware, that can withstand winds from 75mph to 170 mph.
There are many areas, especially in the United States, that are subject to these very high winds. These areas have local standards for garage doors, depending on the severity of the winds. You can find out your local standards by contacting the building department of your local city hall.
9.) Do I need to do anything after my garage door is installed?
It's important, after your garage door is installed, that you totally familiarize yourself with the operation and safety guidelines. Make sure you have owner's manuals for the garage door, and for the garage door opener, too, if you have one.
Your manual will outline the operation and maintenance requirements you'll need to know to make your garage door last as long as possible. Also, garage door safety has been a source of great concern in the past. With new technology, it's not as much of a problem anymore, but you do need to follow certain guidelines to avoid injuries.
10.) What's the best kind of garage door opener to buy?
There are many garage door openers on the market. Many of them are good. Some of the more popular ones are Genie garage door openers, Liftmaster garage door openers and Marantec garage door openers.
Which one is best for you is really a matter of choice. There are certain garage door openers that are designed for certain styles and sizes of garage doors but, on the whole, they all do the same thing - they automatically open and close your door so you can comfortably get in and out of your vehicle away from the elements.