When people think of shopping, they usually don’t think about garage doors. If you’re a homeowner, though, chances are that you may be shopping for just that very thing at some time. The part Stone Door Frame Rust of your home that houses your cars, and/or stores a lot of the things that you don’t want to put in your main living areas, is important, but it can’t do a good job without a good door.
Natural daily wear and tear usually means that eventually you’re going to have to go shopping for a new door for your garage at some point.
Manual or Automatic?
Your first decision when it’s time to look at new garage doors is whether or not you want a manual or an automatic. The automatic kind Sherwin Williams Garage Door Paint used to be a novelty, but these days they are common. Automatic usually costs more than manual, but they provide a lot of convenience.
Having a manual door means that you have to be out of the car when you open or close it, and during bad weather that can be less than ideal. Having the automatic kind means that more can go wrong with it mechanically. It’s a judgment call, based on your own particular circumstances.
Installation
Garage doors are large, heavy, and cumbersome to deal with when replacing them. That being said, it’s certainly possible for you to replace one yourself. You should never try to take on a project like this without help, though, so if you do plan on doing it yourself, line up your helpers ahead of time. Nor should you begin without a complete plan that covers every detail of what you need to do from start to finish.
If you don’t want to do it yourself, then you need to find a reputable contractor. One of the best ways to find a good contractor is to get recommendations from friends or family. You still want to check if the contractor is properly licensed and bonded, and do some price comparisons among your top picks.
Maintenance
Garage doors obviously get a lot of wear and tear, but once you’ve replaced yours, it’s in your best interest to keep the new door in good condition for as long as possible. If it’s a manual one, be sure to oil all of the metal parts on a regular basis, and consider adding some type of bumpers to the inside and outside to guard against damage from cars.
Paint it on a regular basis as well with weather-proof paint, or use a clear weather-proof varnish. For the automatic kind, be sure all gears are kept well-lubricated and inspect the mechanical parts periodically to see if anything needs to be replaced.
More than likely, unless you’re in the business of installing them, you won’t have to deal with garage doors that often. When you do, however, it’s good have some guidelines to follow so that you can deal with any problems that arise quickly and efficiently.
