For hundreds of years, the material used for almost every kind of construction was wood. It wasn’t because wood was the best insulator, or because it looked the best. It was because that was all there was. So builders did what they could with what they had. But when you look at it, they did pretty well. Garage doors evolved fairly quickly, from the old barn-door style of the carriage house, to the folding overhead door that we know today.

The first overhead garage door, which swung outwards, was built by Overhead Door Corporation, back in 1921. Since then, that company has introduced many innovations in the garage door industry. But they’re not the only one, by far. One of the largest garage door manufacturers is Wayne-Dalton, who offer a full line of garage door openers and hardware, as well as their own line of high-quality doors, crafted by the meticulous Amish craftsmen. Clopay Building Products is another company that started early, and developed superior technology in their garage doors and openers. In fact, today, Clopay is the largest manufacturer of residential garage door systems in the United States.

There are a number of other companies that have made significant contributions to the industry. Stanley is probably one of the most well-known. Although there’s been a split in the Stanley company, they’re still contributing to the relevant technology. For example, their StanVision Door Automation and Surveillance System has been installed at the Jacksonville International Airport in Florida. And their sister company, Stanley Hardware, has a complete selection of garage door replacement parts.

And then there are the companies that specialize in garage door openers, like Liftmaster and Craftsman. Liftmaster’s latest claim to fame is their EverCharge Battery Backup System, which keeps an automatic garage door opener running, even when the power goes out – a valuable tool if you need to get your vehicle out of the garage in an emergency. They also have their own line of opening systems for garage doors. Craftsman’s latest contribution is their “Silent Drive” garage door opener. It uses a polyurethane belt that provides the quietest-opening door on the market. And that’s important if you have a room above the garage where somebody may be sleeping.

There are several types of garage doors available. The oldest, as we mentioned, is wood. Wood is a great insulator, but doesn’t stand up well to excessive weather. And wood is heavy, too. That’s why manufacturers knew they had to come up with something lighter, that could insulate as well as wood. The industry’s first answer to that was the steel door. Steel garage doors are made from galvanized panels of steel, attached in the same way the wood panels are in wood doors – in hinged sections that fold as the door travels up a vertical track and onto a horizontal track.

But steel isn’t a good insulator, so to compensate, they double up the panels and fill the space between them with polystyrene or polyurethane insulation. Polyurethane insulates better than polystyrene, but it tends to break down after a period of time, whereas polystyrene lasts forever. Of course, if you don’t need insulation, like for an outer shed or similar building, then a single-thickness steel door will do the job. Steel is very low maintenance, so the manufacturers can offer longer warranties up to several decades longer than wood.

Garage door manufacturers make good use of synthetic materials composites. You can now get a wood door that’s combined with resin for extra strength and durability. Or you can get a fiberglass door that’s also very durable. Vinyl is also a very useful material when used strategically in the manufacture of garage doors. Although it’s more expensive than other materials, vinyl is popular because it’s dent resistant. And if you have children that are constantly hitting the door with bikes or balls, then a dent-resistant door is very important.

The most complicated part of a garage door is the opener and its hardware – the drive mechanism, the springs, the tracks, the brackets – all the parts that combine to make it work smoothly over and over and over again. There are all kinds of garage door springs and parts. One of the most important parts are the actual springs themselves. These powerful springs are under very high tension – that’s what gives them the strength to lift the weight of the door. If you look at a garage door, you’ll see either a set of springs, one on each side, or a long spring running across the top above the door.

The springs mounted on either side of a door are called extension springs. They’re usually used on single-car garages, because their mechanisms aren’t strong enough to hold the weight of a double door. You can see these springs stretched along the horizontal part of the track when the door’s closed. Since there are more double garages than singles these days, the more popular spring system is the tension spring. You’ll see this spring mounted to the header, just above the top of the door. Tension springs can be extremely dangerous if tampered with. It’s a wound spring, which means it winds up into a coil, as opposed to the extension spring that expands and contracts. And because it winds up as the door closes, it holds a tremendous amount of tension. Any manufacturer will tell you that garage door installation of a tension spring type is a job for a professional only.

Your actual motor drive can be one of three types – chain drive, screw drive or belt drive. Many people are going with the belt drive today, even though it’s the most expensive, because of it’s smooth and quiet operation. But the chain drive system is also very popular because it’s the most affordable. The screw drive mechanism is slow-moving, so it’s used the least. But whatever type of garage door opener you use, especially if you have an automatic garage door opener to go with it (and most people do), then you probably love the convenience of not having to get out of your car in that horrible weather to open the door.

Almost all garages these days are attached to the house. Because of this, garage builders look for ways to create continuity with the house, designing it to blend with its style and color. And they’ve done well. You can get a wide variety of glass or acrylic windows for your garage door, to match the windows in the house. And garage doors come in many styles and colors now, for the same reason. And you know that screen door you have on your patio? Well, you can get one for your garage, too. Garage door screens allow you to leave the door open while you work in there, without being bothered by bugs and dust.

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Have You Inspected Your Garage Door And Opener Lately – If Not, You Should!

The size of a garage door, its regular use, and the fact that it is often opened and closes with an electrical remote, are all very good reasons why both the door and the electrical opener should be tested on a regular basis. There is a real risk of severe injury from a malfunctioning garage door or opener causing the door to close too quickly.

Inspecting both your garage door and opener on a monthly basis will kept them in top working condition. Your garage door opener should be equipped with a reversal feature. If it’s not; replace it; any garage door opener made after 1992 is required to have one.

Testing Your Garage Door Opener

Perform a monthly test on the garage door opener by first determining if your garage door is accurately balanced. You’ll do this by disengaging the garage door from the remote opener and attempting to raise it manually. If the garage door will not open easily and remain open at a height between three and four feet, it needs to be adjusted by a professional.

If you garage door passes the balance test, re-engage the electric opener and open the door completely. Place a two-by-four, about an inch and a half thick, flat on the garage floor at the door’s center. Operate the electrical opener and see if the door reverses when it hits the two-by-four. If it doesn’t, call a professional to see if it can be repaired or needs to be replaced.

Inspecting Your Garage Door

If you garage door opener checks out, go ahead and inspect the garage door itself. Your garage door springs are under extremely high tension, so they should be situated where they cannot harm anyone’s fingers or hands.

Usually the door springs are found close to the garage ceiling and should be equipped with central cables so that if they snap, they will be less apt to injure any bystanders. If you notice that your garage door springs do not have retaining cables, have some installed.

Even the brackets located at the garage door’s bottom and the doors lift cable to which they are attached are attached to the springs via the door’s lift cable are under high tension. The brackets should not have their screws loosened or even adjusted. Check the springs, brackets, and pulleys for wear and if they need replacing, again leave it to the professionals.

Finally, make sure the garage door is lubricated with heavy grease and that the roller shafts are not bent so that the rollers operate smoothly.

You can also find more info on Garage Soltions and Garage Organizer. Garageplanshelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Garage solution.

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Take some time to read on for more information about this tireless device that serves to make every home owner’s life a little easier.

Automatic Garage Door Openers Are A Great Investment

The concept of a garage door system arrived during the Second World War. Garage Door Openers have been saving Americans from back injuries for over 35 years, yet there have been few new modifications or major innovations in these garage door openers. Believe it or not some people have voice activated garage door openers instead of you having to place your finger over the button when you walk from your house to the garage.

Garage door can keep the home safe because when they close the doors are locked automatically, this way you don’t have to worry about locking the doors. Garage doors are important features in a security system for a number of reasons and those who use openers, however, need to be mindful of a few things. The main parts in a garage door opener system are: transmitter, the remote control, safety sensors, key pads, receiver/remote kits, screw drive and much more.

The garage door openers are automatic and so convenient they are standard in most garages today. An automatic garage door opener is not just a convenience; it’s an investment in your house, and an important home appliance that will get daily use for many years to come. An automatic garage door opener is a terrific convenience and it may give you a sense of security as well.

When building a home it is sometimes confusing when trying to figure out the opening of the garage door. The rough opening for a garage door, simply put, is the actual size of the door itself. You should make sure the garage door is properly balanced you can do this by slowly opening and closing the door, when the bottom of the door hits the floor evenly and the door doesn’t sway back and forth the door is balanced.

The reason garage door openers do not burn out is because the springs allow the door to open easily by pulling the door up so the opener has less strain on the motor, the springs also help if you need to open the door manually. Usually two types of springs are used linear expansion and tensional springs. The springs on your garage door can pose a safety hazard. These kinds of springs are installed over a shaft that helps roll the door up to the open position. Garage door springs are very dangerous, even when the garage is closed, as they contain large amounts of potential energy (that’s just waiting to be suddenly converted to kinetic energy, ie movement) and have killed or seriously injured many people.

Some garage door openers offer heavier steel or a sturdier design. Some garage door openers do not use the steel chain pulley system; they use a screw threaded steel rod that turns to move the garage door up and down. If you are deciding on which type of garage door to purchase keep in mind the differences between wood and metal, the wood doors need to be taken care of just like a deck, you need to stain or paint it so it doesn’t rot, a steel door is easier to maintain. If you decide to get a steel door the main thing to check is that it has been properly prepared to prevent rust.

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