Be Careful Where You Leave Your Garage Door Remote
Thieves have gained easy entry into people’s homes by smashing the window of their car and grabbing the garage door remote. My advice is to keep your garage door remote on your key ring or in your pocket.
You might be surprised how much the value of the goods add up to that you store in your garage or worse still if you’ve got a door linking through to your main house, thieves could get a bumper hoard.
How to Programme Your Homelink Electric Garage Door Opener
If you’ve got a car that has the Homelink system installed, then this video is an easy guide to getting it set up and sychronised with your electric garage door opener.
Car makers like Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen offer the Hoemlink system as an optional extra in numerous models.
The main advantage of the Homelink system is that the remote control is permanently integrated into your vehicle. Depending on the interior design, it is fitted into the rearview mirror, the sun visor – as in the Volkswagen Golf – or in the overhead console.
No more hunting around for the remote control or worrying about the danger of your handheld transmitter being stolen. HomeLink also eliminates the need to keep changing the battery of the handheld control since the power supply runs through the car’s on-board electronics.
Cardale Ups Its Game
Since Cardale Garage Doors bought out Henderson in early 2009 and they are both now part of the BRP group, they have been busy designing a hybrid of the best of the two manufacturer’s door designs.
The changes that have now been implemented since consolidating to one factory in Bowburn offer a significant improvement to the security and ease of installation of these steel garage doors.
Cardale’s product development team have taken the best from both brands and borrowed some ideas from the likes of Hormann and Garador by introducing a chassis based construction of the doors. This superior method of making garage doors gives a stronger and stiffer door for improved reliability and security. The chassis system gives a ‘no-rivet’ construction for a neater overall appearance of the door panel.
The security has been improved with steel telescopic locking rods to replace the previous flimsy cables. The locking latches are spring loaded for a ‘fit and forget’ secured door. To improve your garage’s security even more you can upgrade to the 4 point locking option instead of the standard 2 point system.
Cardale garage doors have addressed the defects in it’s previous door design and made real improvements to it’s range which it now shares with the popular Henderson brand.
What’s the Most Secure Garage Door Type?
Who else doesn’t really care about their garage door? Why not? You should, just because it might look a bit aged and it’s not that easy to open anymore. Your garage door protects all the household products that you store in a garage or the thing that protects your second largest purchase, your much-needed car.
If your garage is integral to your house, your garage door is often the last line of defence that stands between burglars having the opportunity to work unnoticed in gaining access to your home. So maybe you should pay some attention to that old garage door, maybe you should take your garage door security seriously.
Unfortunately, no matter how many extra locks you fit to your existing door, it may not increase the security enough as some older door types are made from low gauge steel and are so flimsy that an intruder could peel the door open like a tin of beans. Older locking latches can easily be released from the outside with a screwdriver in a matter of seconds.
Even a solid door is only as good as the frame it is fitted to, so if this has started to rot or rust then these can be forced relatively easily.
So what are your options? What’s the easiest way to secure your garage door?
In all honesty, a new garage door is the only complete solution and although basic up and over garage door design has improved over the years, sectional garage doors and roller garage doors are increasingly popular because of their superior security benefits.
How to Choose a Garage Door with the Right Level of Security for You
Sectional and Roller Garage Doors offer the best security currently available for domestic garages. Hormann, Carteck & Novoferm Sectional doors come with TUV approval which is a stringent German product testing house.
Seceuroglide roller doors are available with the Excel upgrade which gives you the UK Police & Insurance ‘Secured by Design’ approval.
If there isn’t the headroom for a sectional or roller door then a good quality up and over door is the next best choice. Garador & Hormann offer the best security when it comes to these as they have rigid locking bars rather than flimsy cables. They also offer the option of upgrading from 2 to 4 point locking on doors up to 3048mm wide.
If you are going for an up and over door, it is definitely a good idea to have it with a factory steel frame as these give a tighter seal between the door and the frame than a timber frame. This will reduce the risk of the door being levered open.
With any of the above options it’s a good idea to fit the frame behind the brickwork opening, this will not only give you a better drive through width but will increase the security as there are no gaps to lever the frame off the brickwork.
How to Avoid Disturbing Anyone When You Come Home Late at Night
Have you got a bedroom above your garage or a neighbour close by that complains every time you open your garage door?
If you would like to minimize the noise coming from your garage door and electric opener every time you open it, then for the ultimate in smooth and quiet operation is the range of Hormann Sectional Doors with a matching electric motor.
These high quality, German engineered doors run smoothly and quietly and the ’soft start’ and ’soft stop’ function on the operator guarantee your door will close with the minimum of noise. The Hormann Supramatic electric garage door openers have a Kevlar toothed drive belt making them maintenance free as well as much quieter than out dated operators that still run on bike chains. These chains tend to rattle when opening your door as well as drip oil all over your garage and car!
Despite all this, a poorly maintained garage door will creak when it opens if you don’t oil and grease the moving parts such as the springs and rollers.
Why 50% of Homeowners Can’t Get Their Car in Their Garage
It’s amazing what people love to hoard in their garage at the expense of keeping their often prized possession at risk on the drive way.
A recent survey by Ecclesiastical Insurance demonstrated the problems of low storage space provided in modern built houses.
It estimated that the average British garage now houses more than £2,400 worth of items. Some of the items kept there by the 2113 Britons who were surveyed included beehives, a tiger’s head, a model solar system and an ex-wife’s wedding dress. Men were identified as the main culprits, because they are increasingly using garages as gym space.
If you are going to keep all this stuff in your garage it might be worth investing in a more secure garage door, maybe one with insulation and a weather seal. Better still have a good clear out and start putting your car away.
For more information on electric garage doors visit the www.garagedoorsuperstore.co.uk.
How to Insulate Your Existing Garage Door
When the weather turns cold it’s a good idea to think about keeping your energy bills down. If your home lacks adequate insulation you may wind up with high power bills in the wintertime. Unlike windows and doors, garage doors are not often looked at for energy efficiency.
An insulated garage door can reduce your energy use especially in houses where the garage is attached. Bedrooms above garages can always feel cold when the garage is just a cold void underneath so an insulated weather-sealed door can make all the difference. In the past garage door manufacturers used material that is not energy efficient and designs that are draughty. Newer sectional garage doors are designed to solve these problems and have a U value that gives information on the energy performance level.
The U value rating will be based on the amount of internal insulation the door has. Most sectional garage doors will have an U value of between two and one, with a lower value indicating less heat loss. Most often new garage doors are insulated with polyurethane insulation, polystyrene compound, or foam which has been injected into the structure of the door. For outdated garage doors you wont see a U value.
If your garage door is in good shape you may not want to get a new one so you can conserve energy by getting a Hormann polystyrene garage door insulation kit for your old garage door. Almost any garage door will work with this kit as you cut the polystyrene panels to size and fix them to the rear of the garage door panel. Installing an insulation kit is more cost effective than replacing your door in the short term but will never be as good as a purpose made insulated garage door.
Most garage door insulation kits contain polystyrene which is considered to have good insulation properties but it’s better than nothing. The U value will lower dramatically when you apply one of these insulation kits to your existing door especially if add a draught seal as well.
Garage Door Types Comparison Table
| Side Hinged Garage Doors |
|||||
|
Easy to automate?
|
Yes
|
No (except Cardale doors)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes with converter bars
|
|
Good security
|
OK
|
Not bad
|
Very good – door held in C channel down each side | Very good – door held in C channel down each side |
Depends how many bolts are fitted
|
|
Materials available?
|
Steel, Timber, GRP, ABS
|
Steel, Timber, GRP, ABS
|
Steel, Timber, GRP, ABS
|
Steel or Aluminium
|
Steel, Timber, GRP, ABS
|
|
Draft proof?
|
No
|
No
|
Good (can also be insulated)
|
Good (can also be insulated)
|
No
|
|
Drive through width?
|
Frame needed – normally 75mm x 75mm | Frame needed – normally 75mm x 75mm | No frame needed mounts to rear of brickwork | No frame needed mounts to rear of brickwork | Frame needed – normally 75mm x 75mm plus the thickness of the door on each side |
| Space needed inside garage to accommodate the open door? |
The whole of the door height
|
Approx’ 2/3’s of the door height
|
The whole of the door height
|
varies: 200 x 200mm 300 x 300mm 450 x 450mm |
None
|
| Park on drive close to the door? | Approx 1m clearance required in front of garage | Approx 0.8m clearance required in front of garage |
Yes, no clearance required
|
Yes, no clearance required
|
Open outwards
|
Garage Door Buyer’s Guide Comparison Checklist
Here’s a quick and simple overview of the various garage door types, lifting mechanisms and materials available to help you quickly decide which door is best for you.
- Easy to fit – Good for DIY
- Maximum Width Available 8ft (2438mm) Wide
- Wide range of door designs available
- No horizontal tracks required
- Not suitable for automation, requires bow arm extension which reduces opening height. (Cardale canopy doors can use Autoglide operator which fits to the side frame and does not need bow arm).
- Door swings out when opening leaving 1/3 of door protruding as canopy.
Retractable Mechanism
- Ideal for Automation
- Wide range of door designs available
- Door is fully retracted when open
- Door swings out when opening
- Horizontal rails increase fitting time over canopy mechanism
- Easily Automated
- Insulation Option
- Low maintenance
- Weather-sealed
- High Security
- Ideal for short driveways and garages on the building line – Doesn’t swing out when opening
- Requires minimum 115mm headroom.
- Easily Automated, most come with automation as standard
- Insulation as standard
- Weather-sealed
- High Security
- Maximum Headroom
- Ideal for short driveways and garages on the building line – Doesn’t swing out when opening
- Limited design options
- Requires minimum 205mm headroom (Compact Version) or 300mm standard version.
- Traditional appearance
- Available in Steel, ABS (PVCu), Timber & GRP (Fibreglass)
- Awkward to automate
- Minimal Space Requirement Internally
Garage Door Materials
Timber
- Variety of attractive deigns
- Requires regular maintenance – staining
- Most Expensive Material
- Virtually maintenance free
- Realistic timber woodgrain effects available
- Insulation available
- Higher Cost
- Value for Money
- Huge variety of designs & colours available
- Robust
- Requires some maintenance
Plastisol Coating to Steel
- Low Maintenance finish to steel doors
- Cost effective alternative to GRP
- Dirt gets trapped in the woodgrain effect
- Cannot be repaired or re-touched if scratched or dented
- Low Maintenance
- Compliments UPVC Fascia & Soffits
- Only available in white
- No integral frame to door panel, therefore panel not as strong as other materials.
Garage Door Warranties Comparison Table
It’s always a good idea to check the small print when buying anything, particularly someting with moving parts that you will come to rely on. The length of warranty offered is a good indication of the manufacturer’s faith in their product but beware a 10 Year warranty isn’t always what it seems as this may be limited to certain elements.
Most of the major garage door manufacturers claim a 10 year warranty on their doors and between 1 and 5 years on their electric garage door openers. We haven’t bothered to cover the openers that don’t have at least a 5 year gurantee in the comparison table below as we only sell ones with a 5 year warranty, with the exception of the Hormann Ecostar which is aimed at the budget DIY market and has proven to be very reliable despite only a 2 year guarantee. The Seip range of operators are also not shown in the table but these have a full 5 year guarantee.
See our page on Stumble Upon for more information on garage doors and a useful buyer’’s guide video.
Hormann seem to come out on top with the most comprehensive warranty on any of their products, particularly the Rollmatic Roller Door. Hope you find this useful.
| Manufacturer | Steel Door Panel | Basecoat Treated Timber Door Panel |
Factory Treated Timber Door | GRP (F’glass) | Roller Doors Colour Finish | Woodgrain Foil / Plastisol Coatings |
| Cardale |
2
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
10
|
10
|
| Carteck Sectional |
10
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
10
|
| Cedar Door |
n/a
|
2
|
5
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Garador |
10
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
n/a
|
5
|
| Henderson |
2
|
Not Covered
|
n/a
|
10 (Fading Not Covered)
|
10
|
10
|
| Hormann |
10
|
2
|
5
|
2
|
10
|
10
|
| Novoferm |
10
|
2
|
5
|
10
|
2
|
5
|
| Seceuroglide |
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
2
|
10
|
| Silvelox |
n
|
n/a
|
10
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Wessex |
2
|
2
|
n/a
|
10 (2)
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
Moving Parts and Mechanism
| Manufacturer | Safe & Reliable Operation | Mechanism | Manufacturing Defect:Non Moving Parts | Parts: Rollers, Springs, Pullies, Cables
|
| Cardale |
10
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
| Carteck Sectional |
10
|
5
|
5
|
10
|
| Cedar Door |
2
|
2
|
2
|
n/a
|
| Garador |
10
|
5
|
10
|
10
|
| Henderson |
10
|
2
|
10
|
2
|
| Hormann |
10
|
5
|
10
|
5
|
| Novoferm |
10
|
10
|
10
|
2
|
| Seceuroglide |
5
|
2
|
2
|
|
| Silvelox |
10
|
10
|
10
|
10
|
| Wessex |
10
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
| Manufacturer |
Electric Motors
|
Electronic Parts & Remotes
|
| Cardale |
5
|
2
|
| Cedar Door |
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Garador |
5
|
2
|
| Henderson |
5
|
5
|
| Hormann |
5 (2 Years for Ecostar)
|
2
|
| Novoferm |
5 (3 Years for Rollers)
|
2
|
| Seceuroglide |
5
|
5
|
| Silvelox |
2
|
2
|
| Wessex |
5
|
2
|
