Shopping for a New Garage Door

April 19th, 2012

How critical is it that you choose the correct garage door to install into your garage? Whilst it may be one of those things that keep getting pushed down the list of home improvement jobs, a new garage door will instantly add to your homes kerb appeal without breaking the bank.

Drive around any residential neighborhood and you will notice that whilst a home with a shabby garage door may be in good general repair, the fact the door is in poor condition somehow gives the impression the rest of the house is too. This is because the garage door forms a major part of the homes elevation when viewed from the street.

Now this has been established, rather than putting off replacing the door, a number of factors must be taken into consideration in order to install a new door that will add to your homes kerb appeal and also add value to your property.

Selecting the type of door

Available in many forms from roller garage doors, side hinged garage doors, up and over doors and even sectional garage doors, purchasing a new door is a major decision that must be thought about. With each type of door presenting its own benefits and drawbacks, take time to look at all the possibilities.

If looking to save some money and install the door yourself, then the ideal door types are roller garage doors or simple up and over doors because they require no specialist tolls to install. When compared to sectional garage doors, which have many parts to fix together and install, the above 2 types of door will be simple.

Another thing to think about is how frequently the garage space is used. For only occasional use, it is generally not worthwhile adding automation to the doors as the benefits will not be gained in full against the price of installation of the garage door motor.

Where the garage is used daily for parking the car inside or where constant access is required, then the addition of a remote control system is essential and will leave you wondering how you ever managed prior to owning an automatic door.

Selecting the correct materials

Doors are available in a wide range of materials that were simply not available at the time the original door was installed. With doors being made from not only steel and wood the choice is pretty endless but the most common forms are aluminium (generally used for manufacturing insulated roller garage doors and roller shutter doors) GRP (glass reinforced plastic) and ABS (same material that plastic double glazed windows are manufactured from)

The drawback to these modern materials is the cost and for that reason tend to be specialist products that do not suit every home owners budget.

With steel being the most popular, many garage door designs are still available to suit virtually every property type imaginable. In addition to this, whilst steel is in itself not a good insulator, the addition of a foam filled core will create an insulated garage door that once installed into the garage opening will help to reduce energy bills by restricting the amount of heat leaving the garage and restricting the amount of cold air able to penetrate through the door panel.

Although more expensive than traditional steel garage doors, the additional energy saving benefits will pay you back in the reduction of heating bills in around 2 – 5 years, which when you consider the average life span of a garage door being a minimum of 20 years is a very appealing and cost effective proposition.

Conclusion

The key to investing in new garage doors is to consider all the options and pick the design and style that best suits your home and budget. With many retailers offering many types of roller garage doors online all with discount garage door prices and efficient nationwide delivery, no longer is there a reason or excuse for not replacing the garage doors.

Common Garage Door Faults and Fixes

February 25th, 2012

As a moving object, garage doors that get used frequently will eventually require some form of maintenance or have some issue that needs resolving. Things like the door becoming stiff heavy to open, noisy tracks, banging as the door opens, the door dropping when opened are all signs that the garage door require some attention.

In addition to a poorly maintained garage door being a potential safety hazard, you may also end up burning the motor out as it works harder to lift the weight of the door.

If this sounds all to familiar, then rather than replacing the garage doors with costly new ones, first do some maintenance of the existing door.

Garage door parts need checking to see where the problem lies and is often simple to fix without the expense of hiring a contractor to do the work for you.

Common Garage Door Faults

The door no longer operates using the remote control?

If the door fails to operate, first check the power supply to the motor. If power is present the next thin to look at is replacing the remote control batteries as they often wear out over time. If the door still fails to operate, the problem will lie elsewhere in either the PCB board or the remotes may no longer be programmed to the same frequency as it once was. In this instance, call a door installer who will rectify the fault immediately for you and normally fix it there and then. The last cause may simply be that the motor is burnt out because of poorly maintained or fitted garage doors.

Why is the garage door bangs and is noisy when operated?

More often than not the root cause of this is dirty tracks and running gear. Adequate lubrication should be in place to keep the moving parts of the door running smoothly and a poorly maintained garage door will more than likely be short of it. Add some lubricant to the tracks and springs. Only use a silicone spray as this prevent further build up of debris over time.

Why is the garage door difficult to open or won`t stay open?

Over time, garage door springs will creep and loose a small amount of tension. Poorly balanced doors are difficult to lift because the spring does not do the job of taking the weight of the door as efficiently. These will need adjusting by a qualified door installer as improper tension can cause the springs to fail causing serious injury to any person in the vicinity at the time.

If you carry out the following steps when encountering garage door problems, you will save money in the long run as the garage doors will have a much longer operating life than a garage door that is neglected for years at a time. If you are not confident to make these adjustment then contact a local specialist and they will have the door up and running in no time at all.

Sun Awnings – Solar Shading Solutions For The Home

February 24th, 2012

When the sun is at its hottest point during the summer, the cooling effect of a shaded area is a welcome addition to any home. One of the most cost effective and attractive solutions to this is to install high quality sun awnings.

The installation of sun awnings will enable more time to be spent outside enjoying the summer sun, but in a cool shaded environment that will not only offer relief but will also keep the skin from becoming over exposed to the suns harmful UV rays.

Unlike a patio umbrella, retractable awnings can cover a much larger area, enabling the creation of endless uses of the space. I addition to this, because the sun awnings only fix to the wall, they take up no floor space with supports like an umbrella or garden parasol requires.

Costing less than you might think, you can buy sun awnings direct from many leading manufacturers in a wide range of sizes, fabrics and operating types. Whilst the small terrace of patio may only require a small manual awning, solutions are also available for larger shading area to be created. Commercial retractable sun awnings will cover very large patio areas without the requirement of any ground supports making it the ideal entertaining area.

In addition to the shading benefits an awning offers, they will also provide relief against summer showers that seem to frequent us all to often. No longer will the onset of a sudden shower leave your guest running for cover. Now they can simply remain in place, enjoy the meal and let the rain run off the awning onto the garden.

For really effective solar shading, it may be beneficial to install multiple patio awnings or sun awnings. That way, as the sun moves during the day, there will always be a part of the garden that is able to offer shade. To make things even more convenient, sun awnings can be specified to include automatic sensors that will open and close the awning according to the position of the sun. For safety, on larger awnings or where they are installed into exposed locations, the addition of a wind sensor is highly recommended. This works by closing the awnings once the wind speed exceeds a predetermined level. Remember, a sun awning is similar to a sail in the wind and any strong gusts may result in the awning becoming damaged, or even getting ripped from the wall causing potential injury to anyone in the area at the time.

For a touch of luxury and fore ultimate in convenience, sun awnings can be operated using either a wall switch, single channel remote for single installations or a state of the art multi channel remote that operates numerous awnings from one handy location.

When looking to purchase solar shading solutions, you can buy sun awnings direct from many online retailers like www.sunawningsonline.co.uk where you will find a wide range of high quality products in over 50 fabric designs.

The Benefits Of Roller Garage Doors For Security

February 23rd, 2012

A roller garage door is a welcome addition to any home. Easy to use and generally automated as standard, they are simple to operate for any age of person.  The sheer convenience of automatic roller garage doors will allow you to use the garage for more uses than ever before.

Very easy to install and containing only a few moving parts, roller garage doors are ideal for DIY installation. Constructed from interlocking aluminium door laths that coil around a central shaft or drum wheel, they require no specialist equipment to install. With the majority of DIY installations taking no longer than a couple of hours it is clear to see why roller garage doors are increasing in popularity throughout the world.

In addition to the ease of installation and convenience of operation, roller garage doors also offer the benefit of vertical lift operation. This means that rather than swinging out like traditional garage door would do as they open, a roller garage door rises vertically within the side tracks to coil into a neat door roll that is housed inside the garage in a compact shutter box.

Vertical lift garage doors really benefit properties with short driveways, limited space or where the garage door opens directly onto the street as there is no risk of the door swinging out and causing either damage to a car parked a little close to the door or any persons near the door when it is operated.

As roller garage doors can also be specified to include insulation, the internal temperature of the garage can be controlled far easier. This type of roller door is the ideal product to install if the garage is used as a workshop or hobby room and in instances where a bedroom or living space is located directly above the garage space.

Regardless of the type of roller garage doors that are chosen, the y need to be safe to operate. To prevent injury occurring as a result of becoming entrapped or crushed beneath the door, safety features must be present. The operator should have an inbuilt sensitivity feature that will stop the door in the event an obstruction is detected. Likewise, with insulated roller garage doors, the bottom edge of the door should also contain a pressure sensitive leading edge that will serve the same purpose of stopping the door when an obstruction is detected.

Although similar in design, roller garage doors from different manufacturers will vary slightly in the technical aspects of installing the door. Be sure to check the available space is suitable to install this garage door type as not all garages have adequate room for a standard installation. In this instance, more compact roller doors are ideal.

Roller garage doors are available in a wide range of sizes and colours to suit all taste and requirements. With roller doors in various levels of insulation, replacing garage doors with energy efficient solutions may cost less than you might think.

For more information on roller garage doors, be sure to look online where you can compare garage doors prices. In addition to this, delivery is normally available direct to your door in only a couple of weeks from placing an order.

Various Gate Designs & Materials

February 22nd, 2012

The benefits of having good home security are numerous.  Although there are any number of home additions that help with security, one of the best precautions are having high quality gates installed. Gates are great because they create borders to the boundary of your property.

With a wide range of gates available to purchase, consider not only the intended location of the gates but also the aesthetic look that will be achieved from installing them.

For high security applications, metal gates should be selected and can be made to include barbed or spiked tops to prevent anyone climbing them. For a more appealing design and lower security installations, simple wooden gates may be sufficient.

Wooden gates can be broadly classed into a number of categories;

  • Driveway Gates
  • Field Gates
  • Pedestrian Gates

Within each category is a number of design and construction options, not to mention the various timbers that can be used to construct the gates.

Close Boarded Gates

Gates of this design can be used for driveway applications where a solid panel appearance to the gates is required. These types of wooden gates offer good levels of security an privacy.

Tongue & Groove Gates

Simple in the construction, tongue and groove gates are relatively cheap and are normally used for pedestrian access gates or small single gates. Once stained or painted, tongue and groove gates will last for many years.

 Picket Gates

Popular in America, Picket gates are made using vertical pieces of timber fixed to a frame. The gates have equal gaps in them to allow the wind to freely blow through them. For this reason, they do not offer high levels of security, but will provide a welcome design addition to the home.

Field Gates

Field gates are constructed using 2 vertical posts jointed to horizontal timber  rails. To create strength, the are braced diagonally. Popular locations for installing wooden field gates are driveways and pedestrian access. In addition to the obvious location of field entrances, sports grounds etc.

Wooden Garden Gate

Wooden garden gates are designed to offer a pleasing design detail to enhance the look of the home and garden. Available in numerous sizes, garden gates offer an affordable, practical solution to home security precautions.

Wooden garden gates can be painted or stained. For a more natural appearance, garden gates can be left untreated and they will weather down to a silver grey finish that may look more natural in the garden environment.

Their a number of designs for garden gates, some of which include;

In addition to wooden garden gates, they can also be specified in metal. The design of metal gates can offer more detailing such as decorative scroll work and the like but are often more expensive than simple and basic wooden garden gates.

For more information on purchasing garden gates and driveway gates be sure to search on line at reputable retailers.

Home Awnings – Health and Lifestyle Benefits?

February 21st, 2012

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the amount of homeowners looking to install high quality patio sun awnings who understand the importance of staying safe in the sun. To meet demand, many manufacturers have developed innovative designs and fabrics to maintain their market share.

With lots of companies manufacturing and supplying awnings direct to the public, this has brought the price down significantly.

In addition to the shading benefits an awning offers, they will also provide protection from the rain and other unpleasant weather. In addition to these benefits, because the awning is such a useful addition to the home, it will also add value if you ever sell your home.

Having well located patio awnings will allow you to spend time outdoors in a comfortable environment without the potential risk of becoming either over exposed to the harmful effects of the suns UV rays or from becoming wet during a summer shower. No longer will it be necessary to go running indoors. The rain will simply run off the fabric and onto the ground besides the awning canopy.

When considering which awning will be best suited to your desired area, there are a number of factors to take into consideration. Available in many sizes and fabric designs, a well thought out awning specification can be a real winner on the home improvement product front.

Type of Awnings

Sun awnings are available in a wide variety of designs. Many domestic awnings are retractable awnings because when they are not required they retract into a compact cassette that does not over impose on the homes aesthetic appeal.

For more commercial applications or where heavy duty use is required, a range of patio awnings are available that incorporate a fixed support system. The fabric is capable of opening and closing within the supports to create a shaded environment that will enhance the users experience of the space.

If you are looking to provide shade to a small window, drop arm awnings are an extremely popular solution. As they do not protrude out from the wall much, pedestrians can still pass the window when the awning is fully open without the requirement of having to step into the road.

Regardless of the types of awnings you specify, they can also be selected to operate using a number of options. For occasional lightweight use, a manual patio awning is more than adequate as the additional expense of fitting a motor is often not worth it.

For a more heavy duty option where the sun awnings will require operating on a regular basis, the addition of an electric motor will make operating the sun awnings far more convenient.  The awning can then be controlled using a choice of wall switches or remote controls. In addition to this, automatic awnings can also include extras such as wind sensors and sun sensors that will automatically deploy or retract the awning when the weather reaches a pre set desired level.

To find out more about how you can buy sun awnings direct from a range of leading manufacturers and suppliers be sure to look online.

Avoiding Problem Garage Doors

February 20th, 2012

When purchasing new garage doors, a number of considerations must be undertaken in order to avoid potential pitfalls when it comes to either installing the door or further down the line servicing the garage doors.

Reputable Garage Doors Supplier

Many retailers offer garage doors in a wide range of options. Take time to consider the requirements of the door and look at what each manufacturer can offer not only in terms of designs, but in terms of warranties, backup technical assistance, ease of getting spare parts etc.

Remember, when it comes to price, although 2 garage doors may appear identical in advertising literature, they can vary massively in terms of the quality of the end product.

Measuring The Opening

If you are intending on purchasing up and over garage doors then the process is simple. Either measure the overall structural opening in mm if the garage door will require a new frame or measure the internal frame dimensions if you are only planning on replacing the actual garage door.

For doors such as sectional garage doors or roller garage doors, these fit to the back of the brickwork therefore some further dimensions are required. Dimensions will need to be taken to ascertain the side room and headroom available to install the door roll and guides.

Remember that all manufacturers garage door requirements will vary slightly so before setting your heart on a particular door ensure it is suitable for your particular application to avoid costly mistakes.

Installating The Garage Doors

Correctly installing the garage doors will avoid potential safety issues. Garage doors and roller garage doors are heavy, therefore it is essential that the manufacturers fitting instructions are followed to the letter. Failure to adhere to the guidelines may result in a door that is not safe to operate, may wear out faster than a properly installed garage door and also may void warranties.

Although no specialist tools are required, a good knowledge of DIY should be adequate to install a new garage door. Mainly a single man job, the door may be slightly easier to have a person on hand to pass tools and stabilise the door until it is adequately secured

If you do not feel confident installing the door, then many garage door installers will be more than happy to professionally install the door for a modest fee. A list of approved installers can be found through the Door & Hardware Federation.

Servicing The Garage Doors

To keep the door operating safely and smoothly, garage doors will require regular maintenance. By rectifying potential problems at an early stage, injury can be prevented. Maintenance schedules are available from the manufacturer but are generally every 12 – 18 months.

How much of a cause for concern is the increasing weight of the nation?

December 5th, 2011

Weight issues have been a growing problem in the UK for years and now that we are officially the most obese country in Europe, the government are desperately looking for ways to tackle the growing fat problem.

Remarkably, one of the first problems that has been found by the NHS is that 1 in 4 people with a weight problem do not realise they are overweight. In a country where half the population is now medically overweight, this is understandably a concerning figure. More detailed figures that have recently been released are that 23 per cent of 4 to 5 year olds are now overweight, while 33 per cent of 10 to 11 year olds are also classed as being in a dangerous health position.

Many leading experts and professionals from both health and financial backgrounds have announced warnings that the obesity problem could be a financial ‘ticking time bomb’, costing the government millions a year. If every adult living in Britain who was eligible for weight loss surgery opted for the surgery it would cost the country an intimidating £9.1b, one expert has estimated.

It has also been called for that the government stop treating this as obesity prevention, as now that 62% of Brits are overweight or obese it has moved into a more serious dilemma.

Effective treatments such as surgery will mean the government and tax payer will pay a rather heavy cost, a price that the country cannot afford in the current economic climate. Info on this type of treatment is on www.gastricbands.co.uk. As such, there is no definitive strategy. Currently dietary and exercise programmes are being offered by GPs and the NHS, but even here the NHS is finding problems.  The number of nurses, doctors and other frontline staff working for the NHS that are overweight has also made it difficult for these members of staff to confront people about their weight issues, feeling that their own weight issues remove any right they have to advise on healthy eating and living.

This final fact has been a great worry to the NHS and there are now suggestions to encourage NHS staff to seek healthier lifestyles in a hope that improving the health of medical personnel will create healthier role models for their friends, family and patients.

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