Top Tips For Choosing And Installing Garage Doors

The very first thing you need to do before going any further with choosing and installing new garage doors is to consider what your "requirements" actually are. Why are you even looking for new garage doors? Is it a quick make-over or a long term investment? How long should the doors have to last before starting to need maintenance, repair or replacement? Must they match existing features in the rest of the house? Should you consider secure garage doors to protect against intruders or storms? Are automation or insulation key issues?

Once you've got the basic requirements sorted out, then it's time to think about what types of garage door to consider. Essentially the choice of materials for garage door panels is between metal (typically steel) and wood (typically conifers such as cedar and redwood, or oak). If your requirements are minimal and/or your budget tight then vinyl or fibreglass garage doors may also be an option.

Choosing between wood and metal is largely a matter of weighing up cost versus quality. Wooden doors tend to be a lot more expensive, but then they undoubtedly also look a whole lot smarter and last better. However, you may discover at this point that the decision over materials has already been determined by your requirements (another good reason to start there).

While wooden garage doors are, due to the nature of the material, inherently thicker, stronger and better insulated than metal door panels, they are also considerably heavier and need much more robust mechanisms to operate them. Certainly, wood doors can be further reinforced with the insertion of hardened steel rods during the manufacturing process, but ultimately steel doors are able to take much more in the way of additional garage door insulation and reinforcement (to the point where they can even resist hurricane winds).

Steel door panels are also much lighter and thus easier and cheaper to install and to automate. So if enhanced security, protection against the elements and/or getting more bang for your buck are high on your agenda then steel is likely to prove the best option. On the subject of options, once you've decided on a particular type of door panel you ought to consider any further options and customisation you might want (such as adding windows, integrating with the house security system, etc) .

With the garage door panel itself sorted out it's time to consider the mechanism parts. There are all manner of components that hold a garage door in place and allow it be easily opened and closed. These parts can vary considerably in quality and therefore how smoothly they will operate and how long they will last. When considering the opening mechanism, ask your supplier how many cycles (how many times the door can be opened and closed) the parts are rated for. You can usually choose between cheaper parts that may last only a few years and more expensive versions that will almost never wear out.

Finally, there is the matter of installation. To be blunt you do not want to even think about doing this yourself. Garage door opening mechanisms not only need to be very precisely fitted in order to ensure smooth and reliable operation, but can also be exceedingly hazardous.

Think about it - even a child can easily lift a heavy garage door above their head using one hand (or a small motor can do the same thing). This is only possible thanks to carefully balancing and distributing the weight of the door panel using very powerful springs. The kinetic energy stored in these springs when compressed or stretched is more than capable of causing serious injury or death to anyone who locks the appropriate training or tools to install or even adjust them.

When looking for a competent and reliable installer, word of mouth is as good a guide as anything else, so if you notice some new garage doors or know someone who has recently has doors installed then ask them about their experience. When checking out a prospective installation company ask them to show you their insurance policies and qualifications their engineers have. All reputable installation companies will have this documentation in order and be more than happy to show it to you. If that's not the case then just keep looking - better to take your time over this than end up with a poor quality installation or worse.