• sticking panels
• slow or sluggish over head motors
• springs that break
• clickers that don’t function
• breaking garage door motor chain

If you have experienced one of the issues listed above, there are a few things you can do to accomplish a Wayne Dalton Garage Door Repair. The overhead motor for example does not need to be replaced with a Wayne Dalton garage door motor. Even though the garage door system is considered a luxury garage door, you can swap out the motor with a cheaper motor from your local hardware store such as Home Depot or Lowes. These motors will usually have the same amount of horse power and work just as well than the expensive brands at a third of the price.

If your garage door springs have broken, don’t even try to attempt to fix these yourself. Call your local Wayne Dalton repair service or any garage door repair service. Springs are under extreme tension and are extremely dangerous. Too many people get hurt and even die from each year from accidents arising from adjusting garage door springs. Do yourself a favor and call the professionals who are trained to deal with these dangerous springs.

Garage door chains and tracks are very easy to fix yourself. You can get all of the replacement parts from any local hardware store and repairing them is easy. Just simply swap out the bad parts with the new parts. Hopefully this article has been useful to get you on the right path to fixing your garage door system.

Although no longer the outright best seller of former years, wooden garage doors have long been among the most popular types of garage door available. Even these days, with modern materials technology, many if not most people think wood garage doors are better for a number of reasons; style, quality and durability to name a few. But it has to be said, there are some areas where wood garage doors don’t stack up so well against the competition any more.

So let’s introduce a little history to set the scene. Prior to the early 1980’s the de-facto standard material for just about all domestic garage doors was wood. The design and manufacture was essentially derived from earlier coach or carriage house (and even barn) doors and given the simplicity and aesthetic appeal of the product there seemed little reason to change.

Even though more modern materials such as steel, aluminum and vinyl were being used to make garage door panels even back then, mostly they were regarded as niche products aimed at commercial rather than residential applications. A significant reason for the lack of interest from the domestic market was simply aesthetics – the new doors just didn’t look anywhere near as stylish and people quite understandably were concerned about the obvious correlation between garage doors and property value.

When a single item can easily account for over one fifth of the immediate visual aspect of a house it’s important to make sure it looks smart and wooden garage door panels certainly achieve that, especially if they are stained or painted to match the wood trim on the rest of the house (doors, window frames, soffits, fascias etc). In fact, it was interesting to note that as metal and vinyl door panels started to gain a foothold they were often made with a fake wood grain effect – imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.

Aside from having a visually appealing natural texture and the flexibility to take an almost limitless number of colors and finishes, wood door panels possess certain other key characteristics worthy of consideration.

The first and (for many people these days) most immediate characteristic where wooden doors are concerned is their cost. Comparing basic entry level wood and steel doors of equivalent size and quality, the price differential for the wooden version averages out at some twenty percent higher. When you start to move up the scale and account for thicker gauge steel and integral insulation then things can move around, but even so you tend to find that on a like for like basis, the equivalent wooden garage door will invariably cost more than its metal counterpart.

Second is the issue of longevity – how long the door will last – which again is not as straightforward as you might expect. Wood, being a natural material, is subject to a process of degeneration over time. It can both rot and warp out of shape, either of which will render the door panel unviable. The extent to which it will do so of course depends on three main factors: how well constructed it was in the first place, the environment it has to cope with, and how well it is maintained,

Steel doors don’t warp or rot as such, but they are easily dented or buckled and they can rust; and none of these conditions is easily treated or masked with a coat of paint (as is typically the case with wood). Vinyl door panels can shatter if hit hard and will eventually degrade and become brittle due to exposure to sunlight (specifically ultra violet).

Which type of garage door “lasts longer” is therefore not an easy question to answer. It depends on a variety of factors that include the material used, the build quality and environmental and operational conditions. It also depends on what is meant by “lasts”. A badly rusted and dented steel door may in fact operate perfectly well but still get replaced long before a wooden door might, simply because most folk cannot stand to look at an ugly garage door (even if it is still functionally ok). The useful lifespan of a wooden garage door is also to a large extent determined by how well its owner looks after it, rather than any fixed duration.

The third feature regarding wooden door panels is weight. There is no question that wood panels are significantly thicker and heavier than either metal of vinyl (it’s also the main reason why these alternative materials first started to appear in commercial applications that required very large garage doors). This is not necessarily either a good or bad thing, it’s simply a fact, but there’s no doubt that the chunkier appearance of wooden door panels looks nicer and exudes an air of quality.

Also, the concept of “secure garage doors” is something of an oxymoron when looking at most standard metal doors, but wooden doors are intrinsically more robust. Wood is also a naturally effective insulator and outperforms all man-made materials used for garage door panels, though once again it’s not quite so simple, since it is quite simple to fit garage door insulation to any metal door (either pre-installed or using a DIY kit) and immediately turn the tables. And the reason you can’t so easily do the same with a wooden panel? It’s already too thick and heavy to take another layer of insulating foam.

So that’s a short and hopefully informative introduction to the subject of wooden garage doors and their enduring popularity. If you’re actively looking to make a purchase then why not check out this guide to buying a garage door for more tips and ideas.

Of course, there’s also always the option of consigning your garage to a more useful purpose in life (how about using your garage as a gun safe or a games room, or a gym or anything really other than a place to park a car)? Then simply sort the car out with a carport (and in keeping with my own prejudices I’m specifically suggesting that you consider one of the many excellent wood carport kits currently available because, well frankly wood carports look great and other types look for the most part outright plain and utilitarian and that’s not what I want stood next to my house).

Remote Control:

One of the first things you should consider when purchasing an automatic garage door is the remote control unit. Some remotes have a single button, whilst some may have two or more. If you have two garage doors, then you should look for a remote control that has two buttons. These garage doors will allow you to control each door separately so that you do not have to open both at the same time.

Drive System:

The next aspect to consider when choosing an opener is the drive system. Screw systems are used to actually lift the garage door and have relatively few moving parts and so require less maintenance. Chain driven systems use a metal chain to move the door along a track. These types of garage door openers are generally less expensive, but can generate more noise than the screw variety of units and may require more maintenance.

Power:

When buying a new garage door opener the amount of power also needs to be considered. You can choose between a door with 1/3, 1/2, or 3/4 horsepower. This decision is essentially based on the weight and type of door you have. If you have a double garage door, then you should buy an opener with a minimum of 1/2 horsepower.

Speed:

Garage door openers also come in different speeds. More expensive types open the door quickly so you do not have to wait so long. However, even these garage doors will always be closed at a slower speed for safety reasons.

Lighting:

One last aspect to consider when buying a garage door opener is lighting. Some models include a security light incorporated into the opener. The light is activated when you open the garage door. Some remote controls can actually turn on the light without opening the garage door as well.

Hopefully these simple tips should help you in your research and purchase of a new garage door opener. Check out also these tips for buying a garage door.

They are also very often one of, if not the, most frequently used entrance doors into your home yet considering fitting a secure garage door somehow seems to be low on most people’s list of priorities (that is, until after they are unfortunate enough to suffer a break in, by which time it’s a bit late).

On a related theme and especially if you use your garage door as the primary entrance to your house you would be well advised to consider insulation in order to help maintain the desired temperature in the house. You can either opt to specify this up front as many garage doors provide the option to fit integral insulation or add it later using a generic garage door insulating kit.

Then there is the balance of cost and quality – if you don’t plan on staying in your property more than a few years and/or don’t use the garage doors much then cheaper or budget garage doors could easily fit the bill (in both senses). However, if your garage doors get a lot of use and you would rather not encounter “garage door repair hell” when the inevitable happens then go for the best you can afford.

So there are a number of things to balance against each other then, but essentially your start point before proceeding further is to decide what exactly you want from your garage and hence also its doors. Is this a temporary makeover or a long term investment? Do you need to consider security? Ability to withstand strong winds and/or extreme temperatures? Once you are clear about the answers to these questions then you will understand how to judge specific criteria.

So what should you look for when considering installing or replacing a garage door?

Garage Door Types

First there is the material type. This falls into three basic categories:

• Metal garage doors are far and away the most common these days accounting for some 80% of the market in America and Canada. They are invariably either steel or aluminium – steel doors being cheaper but heavier. Both should be painted with a specialist outdoor metal paint and are otherwise relatively low-maintenance apart from the inherent problem that flat metal doors tend to dent and buckle easily, which can affect both their look and operation. However, metal doors provide a good platform for adding optional features such as insulation and reinforcement.
• Vinyl and fibre-glass doors have the advantage of being both low in weight and sturdy. Again they can be painted (though some are pre-treated to a specific colour), tend to be more robust where dents and scrapes are concerned and will last for as long as the material holds out against break-down from ultra-violet light. These tend to be occupy the budget section of the market for those who have minimal requirements where their garage doors are concerned.
• Wooden garage doors go back as far as “garages” and have a classic, timeless quality. Wood is a naturally attractive, versatile and easy to maintain material which may be painted or stained to match existing timber features such as entrance doors or window. As with all wood products, the quality varies according to the specific type of wood and whether it is a composite construction (compressed fibres and laminates) or solid wood. Hence the price can also vary quite widely, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for and most people recognise that wood garage doors are best.

Wood garage doors can be anything up to ten times more expensive than a standard steel door due to the inherent costs of the material, a more involved and precise manufacturing process to assure against warps and cracks, and the simple fact that the additional weight requires the installation of much stronger (and heavier) rails and beams to support the door. This last point also effectively rules out DIY installation where wooden doors are concerned – you absolutely must invest in paying for professional installation.

The types of wood mostly commonly used to make garage doors are conifers such as Redwood, Hemlock and Cedar since these contain a high concentration of oil and thus resist condensation and rot well. It is also not unusual to find Oak used as a material thanks to it high strength and durability (slightly interesting related fact – the English navy established by Henry 8th was built using Oak).

There is however more to consider when choosing a material for your garage doors than simply issues of cost or appearance. For most people the debate usually narrows down to a choice between steel versus wooden garage doors. Sometimes the deciding factor may be out of your hands anyway though, because although wooden doors undoubtedly project an image of quality, can be reinforced to provide a high level of security (discussed later) and have good natural insulation properties, if you happen to live in an area that experiences extremes of weather (wild fluctuations in temperature or very strong winds) then you may have little choice but to opt for a specially strengthened and/or heavily insulated steel door.

Buying A Garage Door

Second you should consider where to source your chosen type of door. As with many major household items, a quality original product installed by competent fitters will ensure years of trouble free enjoyment. Accordingly, you would be well advised to check for references of previous installations and evidence that your supplier has been around a while, has a reputation worth protecting, carries full insurance, employs properly trained/accredited staff and offers reasonable warranties and after-sales support in the event that anything should go awry.

Garage doors can be purchased from large DIY stores, door and window companies and garage door specialists. Bear in mind though that the long term durability and reliable performance of your garage doors will depend crucially on the quality of the installation process as much as the doors themselves. Specialists who fit garage doors day in day out are far more likely to deliver a result that looks good and lasts from day one for many years to come.

Another reason to consider using a garage door specialist is customisation – you can have exactly what you want, in the style and size you specifically want rather than have to compromise to fit in with a standard product.

Garage Door Maintenance

Third, as with any long term purchase you need to consider the likely useful lifespan of your new doors and any maintenance issues. This is not just down to caring for the surface finish on the doors, but also bearing in mind that the mechanism for the garage door opener will need to be kept in good order.

Many people forget that although the door panel itself is the most visible element it is only one part of the overall system – “part” being the operative word. Garage door opening mechanisms use quite a few parts (springs, rollers and so on) that need to all work smoothly together otherwise the door will cease to open and close as it should.

Like many things, a garage door is only as good as its weakest part and if even a quite trivial component should fail then the whole door is compromised. How long any given part will last is measured in “cycles” where one cycle is one opening and closing of the door. Cheaper parts are often rated for 5,000 cycles, which assuming an average of 3 uses of the door per day (or roughly 1,000 cycles per year) effectively limits their life span to about 5 years.

So roughly every 5 years you can expect to call out a garage door repair specialist – or more likely suffer a spate of call outs since it won’t just be one part that has reached the end of its working life. Be aware also that adjusting garage door springs and potentially repairing or replacing door mechanism parts can be both difficult and dangerous and you should check carefully that anyone who comes to repair your doors is properly covered by valid liability and workers compensation insurance.

In the event that anything goes wrong you need to be sure that insurance will cover both damage to property and personal injury, otherwise (it being your property) you could find yourself liable and facing ruinous costs. Also, asking for proof of insurance is a good way to weed out the cowboys since reputable companies will not hesitate to provide this information if asked.

On the other hand, you could insist on parts where testing was discontinued at 80,000 cycles since they just wouldn’t fail and then you can expect quite literally a lifetime of pretty much trouble free operation. Ask your supplier to provide (in writing) the manufacturers’ cycle ratings for the parts that will be installed with your door – this is little different really to asking a car dealer about mileage.

And talking of “lifetime” it is worth understanding what many so-called “Lifetime Warranties” really mean. For example almost all steel garage doors are sold with a “Lifetime” guarantee against rust-through which is where a door rusts so badly that you can actually see through it; but in practice most people cannot stand to look at a rusting door and will paint the door long before the rust totally eats through the metal with the result that no-one in fact ever claims for rust-through. It is a worthless warranty and in reality just a sales ploy to reassure the naive and unwary.

Finally, it might be obvious but do be sure to ask about all aspects of your new garage doors before you buy and if anything doesn’t feel right then look elsewhere till you find a supplier/installer you feel comfortable with. It’s your property and your money after all.

There are pros and cons on both sides, but whichever you type you eventually decide upon, bear in mind that this is a long term decision since both steel and wooden garage doors can last easily a couple of decades or more according to the amount of use or abuse they’re subjected to and how well they are maintained.

Of the two, steel garage doors are more abundantly found in most typical domestic installations, thanks mainly to lower initial purchase cost and wide availability of suppliers, door designs and finishes. On the subject of door finishes, many garage door suppliers offer different warranties according to the selected finish, since some last significantly better than other (as with all things, the decision comes down to higher purchase price versus reduced maintenance costs).

As a rule steel doors are quite a bit lighter than solid wood but are prone to collecting dents and suffering deformities due to twisting and strains imposed by the opener mechanism. As a consequence you are more likely to find your self in need of a competent garage door repair services outfit at some point.

The most commonly found styles for steel garage doors include both raised and flush panel designs and in recent years any number of variations on “carriage style” garage doors, which mimic traditional carriage house doors but in fact are sectioned to roll up vertically. It is not uncommon these days to also find insulation offered as an option for steel garage doors, which not only helps render the garage a more habitable space but provides additional insulation for any walls shared with the house, saving on ongoing heating and/or cooling costs.

After steel, wood is the next most popular material for garage doors. Wood garage doors are on the whole more expensive and whereas a paint finish is optional on other materials, for wood it is mandatory and must be maintained to ensure the doors last properly. The main benefits that wood has over steel are:

• better looking;
• more customisable and hence more versatile;
• better intrinsic insulation properties;
• more robust and able to withstand knocks etc;

The ability to customise wooden garage doors to precisely match existing architectural features is in fact a major attraction for many people.

Wood garage doors, especially solid timber ones, are of course heavier than steel doors. However, there is an alternative that is lightweight, cheaper than solid wood, and environmentally friendly. Composite wood garage doors are manufactured from a tough amalgam of recycled wood and resin that is moulded to shape. The result has many of the benefits of a solid timber door but is considerably lighter – both physically and on the wallet.

Then there are considerations of physical security and insulation i.e. keeping out unwelcome visitors and weather. There is no doubt that “out of the box” wood panelled garage doors win out here; they are inherently more robust, thicker, heavier and provide decent natural insulation. However, if you’re looking for serious garage door security or heavy duty garage door insulation then a steel door might be the better bet.

Because of their basic strength coupled with inherent light weight, there is more scope to add additional reinforcement and insulating panels to a steel door. It also relatively cheap and easy to do as an after thought. This is not to say that you cannot achieve this with a wooden door, just that in general it will be more expensive and you will need to invest in a new wooden door that has already been factory fitted with internal reinforcing steel bolts and insulation.