Buying a New Garage Door in Fort Collins: What to Consider

• Ask for a quote

Before ordering for a new door, it’s important to ask for a quote. Getting a quote does not only give you an idea on the amount of money you are likely to spend but helps you in making an informed decision on the desirable design. You can obtain a quote online, over a phone call or via the email. However, it’s advisable to have a door expert coming over your home to assess the location of your home and the needs. This helps in generating an accurate quote for the door type suitable for your home while eliminating possibilities for errors. Note that a standard door will cost anywhere between $800-$8,000.

• Maintenance cost

All doors of the garage require regular preventive maintenance for good performance. However, some types may require extra maintenance to retain their appearance and enhance their performance. For example, wood doors require more maintenance compared to steel types. Wood doors appear fantastic when new and provide that natural feel. This natural finishes and polish disappears after few years after the door is exposed to harsh environmental conditions. In this case, you may need to spend more on polishing the door to enhance its appearance. Contact a professional in Fort Collins to guide on buying the door that requires less maintenance.

• Door type

The type of the door ideal for your garage is determined by the geographical location of your home. It’s important to consider the extreme weather seasons such as hot summers and very cold winters. Also, think about the possibility of your area experiencing storms and strong wind such as hurricanes. This helps you making the right decision on the right door to be installed in your garage. For instance, if your residence is situated in an area likely to experience strong winds and icy winters, it’s advisable to buy a strong door. Steel doors are ideal for such regions. However, if you’re looking for a door that can give you that natural feel, consider getting embossed steel with faux wood grain finish. In case of hot summers, consider getting door with an overlay of wood composite or fiberglass skin. Call a door expert to guide you through the buying process.

• Insulation

Most modern garage doors come with extruded polystyrene insulation. This type of insulation is good but for good performance and energy efficiency, you may need to upgrade it. In this case, it is advisable to engage a technician to upgrade the insulation to polyurethane insulation hence increasing the R-Value of the door. You may have to spend about 15-20% more and make huge savings on the power bills.

• Torsion springs lifespan

Springs operate under intense tension that helps in lifting the weight of the door. A standard torsion spring has the ability to withstand about 10,000 cycles. This accounts for a lifespan of about five years while opening the door for an average of six times a day. Good news is that by spending an extra $50, you can access heavy duty torsion springs with a double lifespan of about 20,000 cycles. Contact as at Fort Collins for more information. 

• Install a new opener

Doing a total door replacement? Well, it’s time to have the opener replaced too. The advantage is that you get to spend less on installation because the person installing the door mounts the opener as well. Also, you may want to get an opener with quieter operations and designed with modern security features. Express your desire for a new door and opener to a professional for a negotiated deal.

• Installation process

DIY door installation steps are available and are relatively easy to follow. However, remember that the performance, safety and lifespan of the door depend on how well it has been installed. It’s true that you may save few bucks by installing your own door but this may not pay off. Door installation involves assembling numerous parts that may be a tedious task putting them together and a possibility of missing and mixing some. Come to think of springs winding which is a dangerous procedure. This boils down to only one thing, that a lot could go wrong. It’s therefore advisable to engage a professional garage door technician to handle the installation process as it saves you time, money, guarantees quality and safety.

How to Install a Garage Door

Garage door installation is an easy to follow process for DIY enthusiasts. However, for the first timers, this can be an up-hill and risky task. Before you embark on the task, assess the risks involved such as injuries, destruction of properties or door parts destruction such that you may need to buy a new door. Kindly review the safety precautions for your safety and those of other garage users. Here are the DIY steps to follow:

• Attach the weather stripping

Ensure that you have a quality weather stripping and place it at the entrance of the garage. Fix it firmly making sure that there’re no spaces that can allow the water or air to pass through. If not sure, you can leave this as the last step and involve a technician to guide you through.

• Gather the different pieces

Basically this involves putting the various door parts together in readiness to start mounting them on their rightful places. Here, assemble the pieces by putting together the vertical, curved and horizontal tracks in place. It is advisable to have the manufacturer’s manual at hand for reference if need be.

• Mount the rollers and brackets

Along the door section and wall, install the rollers and any required brackets. Here, make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Some instructions come with pictorial demonstrations to assist you. It’s important to make sure that you do not miss any bracket or rollers as this may lead door issues later.

• Fix the vertical tracks

Once the rollers and brackets are in place, it’s time to fix the vertical tracks. These tracks should be fixed on each side of the doorway. Therefore, slip one of the vertical tracks on one side of the doorway while the second one you fix on the other side. Ensure that both vertical tracks are held in place by fixing them onto the rollers of the first door section you mounted earlier.

• Mount the rollers into the second section

At this point you will need an assistant to help you lift the door section. Once the section is in place, insert it’s rollers into the vertical tracks. Repeat the procedure on the other side of the doorway.

• Fix the hinges

Here, having a power drill with a nut driver or screwdriver tip makes a lot of sense. Using the power drill, fix the hinges of the first door section to the second one. Having the right tools makes this step easier and faster.

• Mount the third section

At this point, the first and second sections are in place hence laying a foundation for the third section to be mounted. You will basically use the processes used to mount the first two sections. To complete the installation of this section, you’ll need to fix the top plates of the vertical tracks on both sides of the door to the wall. Ensure that the lag screws penetrate the frames completely such that no amount of force exerted by the door will make them loose. Remember that any mistake made at this point can expose the garage users to risks. That’s why engaging a technician in Fort Collins is highly recommended.

• Fasten the jamb brackets

Fix the jamb brackets firmly to the tracks. Once the brackets are well attached to the tracks, fasten them to the framing members using lag screws. Before tightening the lag crews in to the framing members, check whether the tracks need to be adjusted. If you are satisfied with the positioning of the tracks, tighten the lag screws into the framing members.

• Mount the horizontal and curved tracks

It’s advisable to consult the manufacturer’s instructions especially those in diagrams to mount the horizontal and curved tracks in their rightful position. Here, a ladder will be essential as you can place the horizontal tracks on it for easy handling. Align the pieces and hold them together using a bolt.

• Assess the level of horizontal track

Check whether the horizontal tracks are well positioned. Once satisfied, cut the rear track hanger to the adequate length to support the tracks. Locate the ceiling joist and attach the track hanger on it using a screw. Ensure that you have created a solid framing and install the track loosely on to the hanger. Repeat the same process to mount the other horizontal track.

• Fix the last door section

Place the last door section in its rightful position. Take a moment to check whether every other section is in place with brackets, screws and bold properly fastened. Once satisfied, remove any temporary nails and other extra fasteners. 

• Install the torque tube

Installation of a torque tube is necessary especially when you don’t intend to make use of an opener. The tube will render assistance in lifting the door. However, if you intend to use an opener, have it installed instead of the torque tube. To install the tube, follow the manufacturer’s instructions provided. Lift the door up to about 4 feet and stop to test for alignment of the tracks. Make the necessary adjustments if need be and tighten all the nuts, bolts, brackets and screws. If you notice anything unusual, contact a technician in Fort Collins to fix the door before you start using it.

3 Top considerations to make before buying Garage Door Opener

As mentioned earlier getting a new opener while replacing the garage door is of paramount importance. By doing so, you can be sure to experience the desired high door performance, efficiency, safety and security. Here are some major considerations to make in order to buy the best opener for your door of the garage:

• Safety

A garage door is the heaviest moving object you’ll have in your home. Remember that you have pets and kids who may not make objective decisions on when to pass through the garage door or not and where to stop or not. In addition, the door may accidentally fall back just when your car is passing through. This is why you need to have an opener with reversal safety feature. Normally, the modern door models features two sensors placed on either side, just a few inches above the floor. If there’s an object breaking the beam while the door is closing, the door reverses automatically. You need to buy an opener which is compatible with this safety feature.

• Security

Old models of door openers will require you to move out of your car or press a remote to open the door. This can be a risky affair as it can expose you to various dangers. It’s advisable to buy an opener designed using the modern technology. Consider buying an opener with the following security features:

1. Rolling code- This feature automatically generates a new security code at every door opening. In this case, it is impossible for anyone to master the security code.
2. Home-Link Connectivity- This security feature is mounted in the newer car models. The feature allows you to operate the garage door and other security systems around your home right from your car.
3. Wireless Smart Home Feature- Basically, this security feature is connected to your Smart phone or tablet and sends alerts via SMS on every door activity.

• Noise

A residential door operation should be relatively quieter. Go for an opener that produces the least noise possible for comfort and convenience. Contact a garage door expert in Fort Collins for guidance on the quieter openers.