How to measure for a new Garage Door

Before you ever start looking at new garage doors, be sure of the proper size garage door you need. Fortunately, measuring your garage door can be a quick, easy process with the right approach.

 

Before you start, you’ll need to be prepared with some basic materials. You’ll want a tape measure to get the actual measurements, a step ladder for easy access to all areas, and a pen and paper to write it all down.

Now you’re ready to actually measure the garage door.

Start by measuring the width of the door. For this measurement, you want to make sure you record the width at its widest point. You will measure from the middle of the left side of the finished opening directly across to the right side. Measure in feet and inches. It may be difficult for you to stretch a tape measure all the way across by yourself, so get assistance or use a digital tape measure.

Once you’ve got the width, the next step is to measure the height, also in feet and inches. Again, you want the highest possible point. Make sure the floor is level and the top of the finished opening is as well. Measure from the garage door floor to the top of the finished opening.

Now you need to know how much room you have between the door opening and the ends of the garage. Measure the width from the opening on either side to the end of the garage on that side. You’ll need up to 3.75 inches on each side to install vertical track. For a double car garage door, you need a center post at least 10 inches wide.

You’re almost done. Next, you’ll need to measure the distance from the top of the door opening to the ceiling. You’ll need a stepladder for this part. This area is known as the headroom, and it is important because the garage door will need to roll up on tracks through this area.

Finally, you’ll need to measure the distance from the garage door opening to the back of the garage. This is called the backroom, and it is also critical because this is the area where your garage door will retract when open. If you have a sectional door, you’ll need the amount of the door height plus 15 inches for manual lift doors or 18 inches for doors that retract with an electric garage door opener.

 

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5 Reasons Why Now is the Time to Get a New Garage Door

People often put off getting a new garage door. They may think: “as long as it opens and closes, upgrading to a new door is really not necessary.”

The most obvious reason to get a new garage door is that you should not wait until it stops working altogether. You do not want to end up in a situation where you need your car but you cannot get it out because the garage door will not open.

Yes, you certainly want to replace an aging garage door so that you can avoid this kind of emergency situation. Here are five other equally important reasons why you should consider upgrading your garage door right now.

1- It will increase your property value.

A new garage door will make your home more attractive. If the property looks better, cosmetically, then the value will increase in the eyes of prospective buyers or home appraisers. Even if you do not plan on selling your property in the near future, a new door will make your home more attractive and, hopefully, give you a greater sense of pride in your property.

2- It will bring a higher level of safety and security

New doors are more secure than older ones. This means that you can store something of value in the garage and feel better about its security. As of 2014, some doors have the capability to be opened via a smartphone app. This means you can control access to your garage from anywhere in the world.

Also, all new garage doors have photoelectric reversal systems that will stop and reverse the door if the sensors detect something or someone under the door when it is closing. This has been mandatory since 1993, so older doors still may not have this important safety feature. Photoelectric reversal systems are an invaluable feature for homeowners with children and pets.

3- You can customize your new door

Rather than getting a stock door, you can combine the different elements of a garage door to create exactly what you want. When designing your own door, you can have control over both the look (color, decorative elements, windows) and the features (size, insulation).

4- It will lower your energy costs

A new door can literally pay for itself by lowering your energy costs. New doors are airtight and many models come with insulations. This will allow you to control the climate inside the garage with a minimum amount of heating or cooling. Furthermore, the airtight design will protect your car and items stored in your garage from the weather no matter how harsh the conditions outside get.

5- You will not have to worry about maintenance

Like other appliances, a new garage door will add value because it will probably not need maintenance or major repairs for a long time. If you sell your property, the buyer will value this peace of mind, and if you do not sell, you can enjoy not having to worry about paying for major maintenance projects.

 

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THE PROS AND CONS OF WOODEN GARAGE DOORS

One very popular material for garage door design is wood. Wood garage door offers a timeless appeal, especially for older homes in the Boston area. But wooden doors can present a host of problems, too. So what are the pros and cons of getting a wooden garage door, and is it the right garage door design for your home? The Mass Garage Doors Expert can help you decide.

PROS OF A WOODEN GARAGE DOOR

• They are beautiful. If you want a really beautiful garage door that can increase your curb appeal and even the value of your home, a wooden garage door might be the right choice.
• They can be built to suit any size garage door opening. Wood is a versatile material, so your garage door can be built to suit a garage door opening that’s an unusual size or has a sloped entrance more easily than with other materials.
• They offer some soundproofing. This can be an advantage especially if you live on a busy street or in an otherwise noisy area.
• They can be easily customized and changed. If you want your garage door to match your home, you can paint a wooden garage door easily. If you change the color of your home, you can easily change the color of your wooden garage door.
• They are relatively resistant to damage. Most wood doors are difficult to scratch, dent, or otherwise damage. If it doesn’t get damaged, though, they are usually easy to repair.

CONS OF A WOODEN GARAGE DOOR

• They are heavy. Wooden garage doors aren’t easy to open with manual power due to their size. You’ll probably need a heavy-duty garage door opener to handle the weight, as well.
• They require much more maintenance. Wooden garage doors take a lot more care than garage doors made of other materials. You’ll need to occasionally sand and paint the garage door to keep it in good repair and will need to make sure water doesn’t start to rot the wood.
• They can require a larger initial investment. While a good wood garage door should last a long time, they can be more expensive than doors made from other materials.

IS IT RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME?

So is a wooden garage door right for your home? It might be if you are looking for a beautiful garage door that complements your home’s decor and you aren’t concerned about the investment or the maintenance requirements. Our garage door design team can help you find the wooden garage door or a door made from another material that’s more suitable to your space. You can get a free estimate on all of your garage door needs from us today, from installation to design to repair and more, just by contacting us. Give us a call or fill out the form on our website and Mass Garage Doors Expert will get back to you as soon as possible with the information that you need. Let us help you find the perfect garage door for your Boston-area home today!

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“What should I do if I lost my garage door opener remote?”

When your garage door opener remote has been lost, stolen, or simply misplaced, a fair amount of panic can begin to set in. “What if a thief tries to break into my home?” “How am I going to get back in?” “Am I going to have to buy a whole new garage door?”

At Topline Garage Door in Blaine, we specialize in helping our customers find solutions to these exact questions.

Luckily for you, the ability to disable your remote is a possibility. Depending on the make and model of your garage door opener, a simple button press could be all that’s needed to change the code for your door, rendering all remotes that were connected to the opener unusable. That means potential thieves can’t get in.

Can’t find the button? Or maybe you found it and need to get a new garage door opener remote? We can handle whatever problem you may be having with your garage door opener. All it takes is a quick call to either our North Metro or East Metro location in Blaine and we’ll be on our way to help make sure that you’re taken care of.

Regardless of the reason you need a new garage door opener remote, getting help from the pros at Topline Garage Door Co. in Blaine is a simple process. Contact us today!

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The Serious Dangers of DIY Garage Door Repair

Here’s Why You Should Never Attempt DIY Garage Door Repairs

Everyone has a little bit of a DIY spirit in them. So, when you first experience issues with your garage door, your inclination may be to self-diagnose the problem, watch a couple of YouTube videos, and get to work. And while it may seem easy enough, DIY garage door repairs come with some pretty grave risks.

7 Reasons Why DIY Garage Door Repair Isn’t Smart

When the kitchen faucet drips, you can typically head to the local home store and get the parts you need to fix the issue. When there’s a hole in the drywall, all you have to do is purchase a couple of items and you’re ready to patch, sand, and paint. When there’s a problem with your washing machine, you can do some research and solve the issue within a matter of hours. However, when there’s a problem with your garage door, your first reaction should be to call a professional. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Torsion Springs Can be Seriously Dangerous

There are two types of garage door spring systems: extension systems and torsion systems. The latter – while reliable and commonly used – are very dangerous from a maintenance and repair perspective.

“Torsion springs are normally mounted horizontally above the opening of your garage door,” one expert notes. “When you pull the door down, cables attached to the bottom corners actually force the springs to wind up, in turn energizing the system. When you open the door, the springs then unwind and their energy transfers to the door, helping it to lift up and making it easier to open.”

Sounds simple enough right? Well, once these springs become compromised, they can become dangerous – or even deadly in extreme circumstances. The springs store mechanical energy when they’re tightened. If a spring breaks, the tightly wound coils quickly convert that energy and unwind in a violent and unpredictable manner. If you’re nearby, the springs could hit you in the face, eyes, arms, or chest.

2. You Can Make the Problem Worse

When you embark on a DIY garage door repair, you have all the right intentions. You’re probably trying to save some time and money. However, you may actually make the situation worse. Should you mess something up – which is quite likely – you could cause additional damage to the door. It’s also possible that you could trigger damage to the garage itself or any of the items inside the garage – your car included.

3. Falls are Dangerous and Deadly

Each year, thousands of people are injured or killed in home-related accidents. And, almost without exception, the number one leading cause is always falls. The Home Safety Council says falls account for roughly 6,000 deaths annually.

While you’re always susceptible to a fall, you should do everything you possibly can to avoid situations where falls are particularly dangerous. This includes climbing ladders to fix garage door issues.

4. Improper Use of Tools

Nobody wants to drive to the local home store, just to buy a tool that may only be used once for a specific job. Unfortunately, many garage door repairs require very specific tools. This means homeowners often try to get by with the wrong tools, which results in unsafe work conditions.

Not only does the risk of using the wrong tools increase your chances of further damaging your garage door system, but it could also damage the tools themselves. Furthermore, when it comes to power tools, one wrong move could lead to injury.

5. falling garage door

Did you know that steel garage doors commonly weigh more than 100 pounds and wooden garage doors can weight several hundreds of pounds? In other words, this isn’t something you want to lose control over. Should the door come crashing down, it could damage (a) the door itself, (b) the floor beneath the door, and (c) anything standing in between the door and the floor. That last item could include you, your car, a pet, or just about anything else.

While it may seem unlikely that you’d do something to cause your garage door to suddenly come crashing down, this is actually quite common in DIY repairs. Improper disconnection of the door restraints is a huge risk that shouldn’t be overlooked.

6. Using the Wrong Parts

Every garage door has its own individual nuances. Some have very specific requirements in terms of parts and materials that can be used. As a DIY repairman, you may not be aware of this. As a result, you’ll probably end up purchasing whatever replacement parts you can find.

At first, everything may seem good. The door goes up and down. However, days, weeks, or months down the road, shoddy repairs can come back to haunt you. This could result in additional damage or even injury.

7. Fixing the Wrong Thing

Garage doors are fairly simple mechanisms, but the average person needs to spend some time studying how they work. If you’re attempting to fix a problem without doing any research in advance, you may actually end up addressing the wrong issue.

Much like human illnesses, there are often “referred symptoms” with garage doors. If you aren’t careful, you could end up fixing the symptoms as opposed to the problem itself. This is a waste of money and may make your problem even worse.

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Safety Check Your Garage Door Before Fall

Before the weather starts to turn colder and winter bears down upon us, there are three maintenance checks every homeowner should perform on their garage doors.

Misalignment, cracking, or worn parts only get worse in winter’s rough conditions. Many emergency repair jobs happen when the temperature dips. To avoid having to repair your garage door in the dead of winter, make sure it is in good condition now. Save yourself from the frustration and cold!

1. Test the Balance of Your Door
Step 1. Close your garage door. Disconnect your door from the opener by pulling on the red release cord.
Step 2. Manually lift the garage door. Stop it at waist height, and keep it steady.
Step 3. Release the door. It should stay at waist height. If door goes down on its own, you need to have it adjusted. If it goes back up, the springs are too tight. Both of these scenarios put undue wear on the garage door opener. If the springs are too tight, the door has to work against the spring pulling it up. If the door needs re-adjustment, it has to work against gravity pulling the door down.
Step 4. If your door moves, contact us right away—a professional needs to adjust it for balance right away. A professional has to adjust the garage door and springs for balance.

2. Visual Examination of Parts

Door Service Diagram1. Start by making sure the tracks aren’t bent or rusting.
2. Make sure the rollers on the track aren’t worn out or rusty.
3. Examine the cables for rust, fraying, or areas that seem worn.
4. Close your garage door and inspect the seal around the door. You shouldn’t see any light coming through any of the four sides (left, right, top, bottom).
5. Check the hinges on your door for rust or cracks.

If any of the door’s parts are worn or rusty, give us a call for preventative repairs.

3. Check Bottom Seal

Between the bottom of the door and the floor, your garage door has a seal (astragal). An astragal is either a solid black flap or tube-shaped. Its shape and material enable the astragal to form a tight seal and soft close. In the fall, small animals like mice, rats, chipmunks, and squirrels can chew through the seal to get into the warm garage or to find food.

Take a moment to check your bottom seal throughout the fall to make sure no animals are trying to come in for the winter. If you determine that your door can’t close or seal effectively, try replacing your seal first.

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Advantages and disadvantages of garage doors with pedestrian walk-throughs

You’ve no doubt seen them in magazines and on the internet – they come in many different styles and sizes – and sure, they look interesting, but what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a garage door with pedestrian walk-through installed?

PROS

• Energy savings You’ll often find pedestrian doors on commercial and industrial doors. This is because they are more energy efficient, after all, you lose less heat by opening a small access door than by raising a 16 x 16-foot door.
• Pedestrian walk-though doors are practical if you have a basement garage and installing a regular access door is impossible.
• They are also a practical alternative to regular access doors if you live in a neighbourhood where the building density is high and there isn’t enough available side space for a regular door.
• While a power cut would stop you from being able to access your garage through your electric garage door, you will be able to enter through this alternative entry point.

CONS

• The pedestrian door itself and the safety system that must be installed to avoid any damage to the garage door can be very costly. Sometimes, adding a walk-through door to a single garage door is just as expensive as installing a full garage door system.
• If you use an electric garage door opener system and the walk-through door isn’t fully closed, your opening system would still open your garage door, potentially causing a lot of damage, unless you have invested in a device to prevent this from happening (more cost).
• Your garage door might not be compatible. Walk-through doors must be installed on garage doors that are at least 8-feet wide. We strongly recommend using garage doors that are insulated with polyurethane and at least 1 3/8 to 2-inches thick.
• Although we listed energy savings in the pros, on smaller garages walk-through doors actually reduce energy efficiency.

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