Residential Garage Doors

Garage doors come in two major types: tilt-up doors and sectional roll-up doors. While sectional roll-up doors are more expensive than tilt-up doors, the extra cost is well worth it. 

Tilt-up garage doors consist of a single panel of material. In order to open a tilt-up door, the door has to be pulled out and then pivoted up so it can slide along the roof of the garage. Sectional roll-up garage doors, on the other hand, are made of a number of horizontal sections. Each section is hinged to the next section, allowing the door a certain degree of flexibility. Since the door rests on rollers, to open a sectional roll-up door the door is just lifted, allowing it to roll into place along the roof of the garage.

From a utilitarian perspective, sectional roll-up doors are better than tilt-up doors because they take up less room. Since the door doesn’t have to be pulled out more room is left in front of the garage door for things like car. The door will also take up less room in the garage, since it can be placed higher than a tilt-up door.

Garage Door Materials

Both tilt-up and sectional roll-up garage doors are usually made from wood or steel. Of these two materials, wood is the cheaper and – in the opinion of many – more attraction option. Just like wooden patio furniture, however, a wood door will be more easily damaged by the weather. This is especially true in particularly hot or cold climates.

Steel garage doors are more expensive, but do not have the same problems as wooden doors. However steel doors need to be properly treated to prevent rusting.

Garage doors can also be made from aluminum or fiberglass. While both of these materials are less expensive than steel or wooden garage doors, you should consider carefully before using them. Because neither material is as strong as steel, they generally do not hold up to the usual wear and tear very well. And once again depending on the climate, they may not be as energy efficient as a steel garage door.

Garage Door Maintenance

Just like any other exterior surface on a house, a garage door will be exposed to the elements day in and day out. To keep the garage door working smoothly and looking good, it needs to undergo regular maintenance. Your garage door says a lot about your house and you’d be surprised how much the look of your garage door can affect the perceived value of your house.

No matter what material a garage door is made of, it should be washed regularly. Wooden garage doors need to be repainted every other year to ensure that the wood stays protected. Steel garage doors can be painted, or given a yearly shine with car wax

To prolong the life of the mechanical parts, all moving parts should be lubricated with motor oil whenever the door starts to feel stuck.

Garage Doors and Safety Concerns

Every year, children are seriously injured from accidents involving garage doors. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states that all automatic door openers should be equipped with an automatic reverse function. This way, if the door encounters any object while it is closing, it will immediately stop and open back up.