Garage Door - Frequently Asked Questions
Need answers?
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding garage doors and openers. For other queries, please contact us.
How do I arrange a measure and quote for my house?
It’s simple, just phone us on 03 83157054, or fill out the form here.
Should I use a professional installer?
At Choice doors, we believe that the installation of a garage door is not a do-it-yourself job. A garage door is the largest moving object in your home, its installation is highly technical. Connecting the springs can be particularly dangerous and proper installation is critical to the performance of your door. One of the other services a professional installer can provide is the disposal of your old door, if you are replacing a door. Professional installers can typically install a door in a few hours and are careful to make sure safety requirements are met. Installations by most homeowners typically span several days and cause much frustration. In addition, incorrect installation can void certain warranties, so we recommend a professional handle the job for you.
I want to replace my old door, but don’t know how to dispose of my old one.
Choice doors will haul your old door away after the new door is installed for a small additional fee.
How important is insulation in a garage door?
Insulation is important in a garage door for many reasons. Insulated doors help control the temperature of the garage allowing less heat to escape in the winter and less heat to get in in the summer. This reduces the amount of energy required to cool or heat your home which saves money! Insulated doors also reduce noise from the exterior of your home. In addition to helping control the temperature, insulation adds strength to your door while reducing exterior noise.
The amount of insulation a garage door provides is represented in its R-value, which represents its resistance to heat flow. It is important to select a garage door with an R-value that is consistent with your local climate and lifestyle. Ask yourself these questions when deciding the R-value that best fits your needs:
- Is my garage climate controlled? If you heat or cool your garage, insulation is very important. Having a well-insulated garage door will keep your heating or cooling costs down by reducing the heat flow through the door.
- What climate do I live in? Someone living in an extreme hot or cold climate would likely require a garage door with a high insulation value. Even in milder climates, having an insulated door can still affect the temperature in your garage by a noticeable amount, as well as provide additional benefits.
- Is my garage attached to my house? If your garage is attached to your house, the insulation value of your garage door affects the insulation of your whole house. The R-value of your walls affects how much heat escapes from your house into your garage, and the R-value of your garage door affects how much heat then escapes into the environment. Insulating your garage well will help keep down the heating and cooling costs of your home. In addition, Insulation helps reduce the noise of your garage door as it opens and closes.
- Do I spend a great deal of time in my garage? People who like to work on their cars or who have workshops in their garages may want their garage to be more insulated, especially if in a colder climate.
- Is there a bedroom or other interior room above my garage? Many houses are built with rooms over the garage. Whether this room is a part of the house or is a separate apartment-style room above an unattached garage, the insulation value of the garage can greatly affect the insulation of the room. And, again, a higher insulation R-value can equal lower heating and cooling bills. In addition, insulation helps reduce noise.
How often should my garage door be serviced?
Your garage door is the largest piece of moving equipment in your home. Most families use their garage door more than their front door. In order to ensure a properly working door and operator, you should have your overhead garage door and operator serviced every year.
The noises your door or operator make are your initial “warnings” that something is not quite right. The longer you put off the necessary service, the more damage may result. Regular service can extend the life of your door and operator.
How long should my garage door springs last?
The most common torsion springs have an expected life of about 10,000 “cycles”. A cycle is one opening and one closing of the garage door. The steel spring experiences tremendous force each time the door opens or closes. Gradually, the steel fatigues with each flex, and eventually cracks and breaks, usually releasing its stored energy in an instant with a loud noise or bang. In garage door repairs, most accidents occur during the replacement of the springs. While many door companies quote a flat fee for spring replacement, we prefer to quote a range and charge our customers for the actual cost of the spring that is on their own door. Also, if one spring breaks and they were installed at the same time, it is likely that the other will not be far behind since they both have the same wear and tear. For this reason, we suggest changing both springs at once (we always replace both if they are extension type) to save you the expense of a second service trip.
How do I release the door from the operator so that I can open the garage door by hand?
With the garage door fully closed, simply pull the red release cord down toward the floor. Always take special caution whenever you release the garage door opener if the door is not in the fully closed position, since the door may want to slam closed when released. If at all possible do not release the garage door when open, except for emergency or security purposes and close the door with caution. Some older openers may not have a red release cord and may need to be released by pulling down a handle, a spring loaded clip, or even possibly unbolting the arm from the door and opener. If you do have an older door that is difficult to disconnect you may want to replace the opener with a new garage door opener that has an easy pull red release cord.
How do I tell if the garage door spring is balanced properly?
Disconnect the operator by pulling the red release cord with door fully closed. Open the door halfway by hand and let go of the door. The door should pretty much stay in the same position, although some slight drifting may occur. If the door wants to drop or if it opens on it’s own, the garage door springs should be adjusted by trained and experienced garage door service technicians.
What maintenance can I do on my garage door and opener?
Disconnect the operator by pulling the red release cord with door fully closed. Open the door halfway by hand and let go of the door. The door should pretty much stay in the same position, although some slight drifting may occur. If the door wants to drop or if it opens on it’s own, the garage door springs should be adjusted by trained and experienced garage door service technicians.
What maintenance can I do on my garage door and opener?
Because a garage door is a very large, heavy, moving part, it’s prone to fall out of adjustment with daily use. When this happens, the door becomes harder and harder to lift and lower. The best way to lengthen a garage door’s life span is to perform the following maintenance on at least an annual basis.
- Visual Inspection. Stand inside the garage with the garage door closed. Look over the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, such as hinges, for signs of wear or damage. If you notice any loose screws, bolts, or nuts, tighten them so parts won’t fall out of adjustment. Look for cable wear or fraying. Is the mounting hardware becoming loose? If something doesn’t look quite right - or doesn’t sound quite right - it could be the symptom of a more serious issue. Have the garage door system inspected by a trained service technician. NOTE: Garage door springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware attached to the springs are under very high tension and, if handled improperly, can cause serious injury. Do not attempt to repair or adjust torsion springs yourself. Only a trained service technician should adjust them.
- Door Balance Test. If your door is equipped with an automatic opener system: close the door and disconnect the automatic opener. You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little resistance. It should stay open around one metre above the floor. If it is difficult to open or does not remain open, the door may be out of balance and should be serviced by a trained service technician.
- Reversing Mechanism Test. With the door fully open, lay a piece of wood such as a section of a 90 x 45 on the floor in the centre of the garage door opening where the door would touch the floor. Push your garage door opener’s transmitter or wall button to close the door. When the door strikes the wood, the door should automatically reverse. If the door does not automatically reverse, the door should be serviced by a trained service technician.
- Force Setting Test. With the door fully open, push your garage door opener’s transmitter or wall button to close the door. As the door is closing, hold up the bottom of the door with your hands outstretched and stiff. If the door does not easily reverse and continues to close, pull your hands away immediately. The closing force is excessive and the door should be serviced by a trained service technician.
How do I select the right garage door opener?
Before selecting an opener, you will need to determine:
- The size (height, width, thickness) and construction (steel, insulated, wood) of your garage door. This will help to determine the size of the motor and type of drive needed to lift the door.
- The living spaces that are near or above the garage, which may affect how quite an opener you’ll want.
- The safety devices, features and accessories that you want so that your new garage door system fits your needs and preferences.
What’s the difference between chain drive, and belt drive?
All make for an effective garage door opener, but each has its advantages.
Chain-drive openers are the oldest style, and they continue to be very popular and a good value. They can be noisy, though, and may not be a good choice if the garage is under a bedroom or adjacent to a room where quiet is appreciated. On the other hand, some people appreciate being warned (through the garage door opening) that someone is about to walk into the house.
Belt-drive openers are identical to chain-drive openers except that they operate with a rubber belt. They don’t use chains, so there is no noise from metal-on-metal contact so they are ultra-quiet
How long does a door opener last?
The average life span of a door opener can vary from 10 to 15 years depending on the model and usage. If the door and door opener are maintained properly, some openers will last more than 20 years. New features, safety devices, etc will continually be made available, so when an existing operator breaks down, the repair cost and age must be taken into account to determine value of repair versus replacement.
How do safety beams work?
Safety beams are actually an invisible, continual, infrared electronic beam that stretches across the door at its installation point. This beam scans the garage door opening at all times and if interrupted by a person, animal or object, it automatically stops the door from traveling.