GARAGE DOOR SELECTION, REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE TIPS

Installing an efficient garage door on attached garages is both practical and makes good financial sense in the long run. High quality, insulated garage doors reduce heat loss (winter) or gain (summer), and subsequently lower your energy bills. The best garage doors have insulation values as high as R-18 and have an indoor steel skin covering the insulation with a thermal break between the indoor and outdoor skins. Find homeowner approved garage door repair companies in Charlotte here.

SELECTING A GARAGE DOOR
Smaller windows placed high on the garage door will make it difficult for someone to see indoors, making theft less likely. Double-pane glass or acrylic plastic works well, and if you need more light, you can install a tubular skylight in the ceiling rather than larger windows in the door.

AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS - CONVENIENCE AND SECURITY
Available in many sizes, quality levels, and designs, automatic garage door openers offer both convenience and security, and can be retro-fitted to most garage doors. Using a wall-mounted or portable remote control, homeowners can open or close their garage from a distance without the inconvenience of getting out of the car, and bending over to lift the door. This feature can be especially useful during inclement weather. Also, when in the down position, the garage is automatically locked and safe from would-be intruders.

SELECTING A GARAGE DOOR - SAFETY TIPS
If you have children, selecting a garage door with pinch-resistant panel edges. Designed so there is no open gap when the panels come together, these doors make it less likely that little fingers will get pinched when the door is moving. Similarly, automatic stop/reverse functionality and photocells prevent damages and injuries by preventing the door from closing on items in the door’s path. To help prevent injury, some experts suggest testing and adjusting the safety reverse periodically to assure it is working properly. Start by opening the door, placing a 2x4 on the floor in the center of the door opening, and then activating the door. If the door does not reverse when it hits the board, then the feature is not working properly. Finally, always hire a professional garage door installer to work on broken springs. Serious injuries are common when less experienced, do-it-yourselfers attempt to replace or repair a broken spring.

GARAGE DOOR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE TIPS

• Apply WD-40 to garage door rollers, the hinges and most importantly the springs 3-4 times yearly.
• Make sure that worn or frayed garage door cables are serviced by a professional technician as soon as possible.
• Ensure that all the bolts on your garage door and track are tight so that your door does not work free and/or fall down.
• Check your garage door springs to make sure they are rust-free.
• Check the garage door’s balance by pulling the emergency release on your door while it’s closed, lifting the door to waist level and then letting it go. If the door flies open or forcefully falls to the ground then the springs require adjustment.

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