Park your Car, behind a New Garage Door – But what kind of door?

Garage doors add a beautiful design element to your home’s exterior as well as provide a safe, secure and easy access to your garage. Today’s garage doors come in a variety of types and styles, and are available in different materials, depending on your needs and tastes.

Types and Styles
There are two types of garage doors commonly used in home construction. The first is the tilt up type which is a single panel that tilts out and up when opened. The second is the sectional roll up door. It is made of four or more horizontal panels that are hinged together and mounted on rollers in tracks on either side of the door so the sections can roll up and straight back. While the tilt up door can be 25% to 35% less expensive than the sectional door, the sectional one is preferred by many because it takes less headroom in the garage, a car can be parked directly in front of it, and it is more weather tight, fitting behind the opening rather than within it. Either type of garage door can be purchased in one of three styles – flush, raised-panel or recessed-panel.

Materials
When selecting a garage doors for you dream home, there are several types of materials available to you - Two are the most common.

• Wood is preferred by many for its natural look and affordability. A wood garage door can be stained or painted any color to complement the color scheme of the exterior of your home. Conversely, it will expand and contract with the weather and needs repainting or refinishing every couple of years. If you plan to stain your garage doors, be sure to purchase one made of appearance-grade wood to ensure the wood grain showing through the stain gives a beautiful look to your door.
• Steel provides a much stronger and more secure door than any of the other materials used today. They won’t warp, crack, de-laminate or fall apart due to weather. They are now available with wood grain patterns to complement your home’s appearance, and most are hot-dipped in vinyl or have a baked-on polyester finish for ease of maintenance. These finishes prevent rust and don’t require frequent repainting. Premium quality steel doors are insulated with a core of rigid polystyrene or polyurethane foam to maintain temperature control in the garage as well as making the door easier to operate and less likely to sag or warp over time. While the limited maintenance of the steel garage door is a plus, it can be dented and difficult to repair.

Garage doors are a distinctive element in the exterior design of your home. Whether you are refreshing the exterior of your current home or are designing a new one, the right garage door is available for you. For a Free Estimate contact your local Professionals.

Garage Doors and Curb Appeal

Real estate agents like to say that the three things that determine the value of a house are location, location and location. But they also talk about "curb appeal"—the impression a house gives when you first approach it. It also helps determine value and makes a house feel like home. While the garage door may not be the first item you think of improving when you're putting your house up for sale, but realtors say it's worth giving it some attention.

Your garage door is the single largest moving part on a home and, because it often faces the street, it plays a large part in your homes’ overall appearance. Curb appeal is a critical factor in selling a home. If a prospective buyer doesn't like the view from the street, chances are he won't waste time going inside.

In a recent study 300 realtors nationwide were surveyed to determine if garage door appearance made a difference in the listing price they would assign to a house. Nearly all of the agents interviewed agreed that a new garage door enhances curb appeal and 75 percent believe it adds value to a home. In fact, most realtors have recommended that a homeowner replace their garage door when listing their house for sale because of the condition of the door. Nearly half said appearance was a big reason because the age or style of the door detracted from the home's curb appeal. Check out how homes look before and after new garage doors were installed.

When it comes to adding value to a home's list price, the right garage door does make a difference. Depending on the style of the door, and how it fit in with the architectural style of the house, realtors increased the list price anywhere from one to four percent. On a $350,000 home, that's an increase of somewhere between $3,500 and $14,000 just because of the garage door. This doesn't mean that a home has to have a designer garage door but the door has to enhance the overall appearance.

The average price for a new garage door ranges from $800 to $5,000 depending on the size of the door and the material it's made from. The most popular look in garage doors right now is the carriage-house style door. The doors look like old-fashioned swing-out doors but function like modern roll-up doors with an electric garage door opener. The choices for design, color and materials are virtually endless.

Common Garage Door Opener Problems

Possible problems with your garage door opener can include:

Lack of power caused by a blown fuse, tripped circuit breaker or disconnected power cord. If a fuse is blown or circuit breaker is tripped, take caution as the root cause of the problem could be an electrical short, jammed opener or jammed door.

Issue with the door opener remote or transmitter. This can be something as simple as battery replacement, a lose wire or improper programming. Refer to your door opener owner’s manual for more information.

If the opener goes up but does not close the door, the issue may be with the photoelectric safety devices located approximately one foot above the floor on each side of the door. If these devices are out of alignment, blocked or the wiring to them is broken the door will not close.

If the door opener operates, but does not close or open the door completely, the issue could be that the opener’s limit switches are out of adjustment. Refer to your door opener owner’s manual for more information or contact a professional.

Other common problems with an opener include issues with the internal parts:
Bad motor
Damaged or stripped gears
Broken belt or chain
Bad internal electronics

Even though many internal parts on a garage door opener can be repaired, it is usually easier and more economical in the end to replace it with a new garage door opener.

June is Garage Door Safety Month

Why garage door safety? Because 30,000 people are injured by faulty garage door systems annually.

Your garage door the largest, heaviest and perhaps the most dangerous moving object in your home. Proper maintenance and testing of your garage door equipment are necessary to provide you with safe, trouble-free operation.

Do your self and your family a favor and schedule your annual inspection and maintenance this June. Then put it on your calendar with a reminder for next year.. You'll be glad you did!