How to Increase Your Home's Curb Appeal

If you are looking for a way to update your home, as well as add style and interest to your home's look, you may want to consider adding a garage and selecting a great looking garage door. After all, by adding a garage you gain more livable space-whether used for the vehicles, as a storage room or perhaps a family gathering space. Of course, once you have decided to add a garage, then the next step is to choose what type of door(s).
As you begin the process of selecting a garage door, you may be surprised at the many choices and styles available. Not only do garage doors come in virtually any size, but they can be customized to fit the look of your home. There are 4 basic types of garage doors available:

• Flush panels which are flat and typically have a textured panel that can be used to compliment the house exterior and not be overly noticeable.
• Long raised panels will offer add to the home's overall look, as well as give depth and character to the door.
• Short Raised panels work great with homes that have a Victorian look as well as in homes that have the details and lines of Tudor and Colonial homes.
• Painted Panels will add personality to the raised panel when the sloped part of the panel is painted in a contrasting color.

Of course, you may also choose to have windows install in your garage door. These will not only add some personality but also provide additional light. Double paned windows are recommended by many professionals as they allow natural light in but will keep extreme temperatures out.
As you begin considering the style of the garage doors, you will want to determine what type of door you would like as well. Most doors are either wooden or steel. Wooden doors are generally more expensive, are available in a wide variety of styles, as well as types of wood, and allow for easy painting or staining.
Steel doors are more budget friendly, making them the more commonly used door. You can purchase them in a variety of colors, or easily paint them to match your home. They come in 3 types:

• Single layer doors, are the most economical and are made from a single sheet of galvanized steel.
• Double layer steel doors have galvanized steel on the outside with a thick insulating layer on the inside. This backing offers soundproofing.
• Triple layer doors are similar to the double layers except that the inside layer has an additional galvanized layer on the inside. These doors are the most impenetrable, and make the area nearly soundproof. You can even get them with an extra thick layer of insulation making them a better thermal resistor (R-value). If you are considering this extra layer, be sure that it has a value of least a 3, but it can be as high as 10.

For more details and information on garage doors please visit www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com.
Article indpendently authored by Janet Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.

How to Choose a Garage Door

For many home owners the garage is an "extra room" where families can visit, play games, work on hobbies and much more. For others, it is used primarily for vehicle storage and a tool shed. Regardless of what you use your garage for, it is an important feature of your home and as such you will want to put some thought into the door selection.
5 Steps in Choosing a Garage Door
A garage door is an easy way to give your home a new look and there are many styles, types of materials and options to consider. Use these steps to make your garage door selection easier.

1. Determine your budget. Garage doors can be expensive, with wood and fiberglass doors being the most costly. Should you plan to have insulation added, then plan on an additional 10%. Of course, if you live in a region where winter temps often dip below the freezing point, or where typhoons or hurricanes are common, this extra expense is well worth it and will soon pay for itself in energy costs and peace of mind. Another added cost, is whether or not you want windows as part of the garage door. Also, when looking at the doors, be sure to ask about maintenance costs and warranties.
2. What's your style? Is your home reminiscent of the Old South? Then you may want to use recessed paneled doors. Does it have a modern flare? Then look at doors made of contemporary materials such as wood and copper or aluminum and glass or perhaps having panels that does not look like a garage door. You may even want to look around your neighborhood to see what style garage doors others have used. Doors can be made from wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and contemporary materials like glass, copper, or a combination of wood and zinc. You may also want to think about what color, if any, you would like for your garage door. Most doors come already finished in neutral colors, but you may wish to accent the other colors in your home's exterior.
3. Decide whether you want your door to roll-up or tilt when being opened. Tilting doors often allow moisture and debris into the garage but are cheaper in price. Roll up doors are composed of several sections, save on space, and are stronger, but they are more expensive.
4. Decide whether you want windows. Having windows can add style and break up the plain look of a door. You can select from curved, square rectangular or arched windows. However, keep in mind their placement in the garage door in regards to what can be seen through them from the outside.
5. How much maintenance do you have time for? Metal doors dent and show imperfections like scrapes caused by branches. Wood doors can accent your home's exterior features, but can be easily damaged if not maintained as per instructions; fiberglass doors are long-lasting but are not recommended in colder climates.

For more information on garage doors, please visit www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com.
Article indpendently authored by Janet Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.

Garage Doors and Door Openers - Basic Proper Maintenance Can Save Money and Keep the Operation Quiet

Garage doors and openers work on very simple principles of mechanics, however, the majority of home owners do not have the tools, knowledge, or experience to install and service the various types available on the market today. Experience is exceptionally important when servicing garage door components for reasons of safety.
Almost all of the garage doors installed in residential buildings are made up of separate panels set on top of other panels. Above these sectional doors panels are usually two torsion springs coiled around a horizontal bar mounted on the header. The purpose of these springs is to act as a counter balance to the weight of the door itself. Without these springs, it is quite likely that the home owner or garage door opener would be unable to lift the door to open it. Extension springs may be present near the horizontal door tracks as well.
The easiest and best method for the home owner to test the torsion spring is to disengage the door opener by pulling on the manual/emergency release handle. Make sure that the door is completely open or in the closed position. Once done, manually move the door into a position where the bottom edge is about chest level. The door should remain near that position without traveling up or down a great distance on its own. A door which slams shut on its own is an indicator that the torsion springs may need adjusting.
A word of caution: these springs are under immense tension and can be very dangerous to adjust by the home owner. For safety reasons the door manufacturers and installers recommend to the home owner not to attempt to make adjustments to these components. Should the door opener be unable to lift the door or begin to sound strained during operation, the torsion springs may need adjustment by a professional installer. It is worth the small service charge rather than risking serious injury or death.
Over time humidity and age will cause the torsion springs to become dry. The maintenance a home owner can perform, which is considered safe, is to lightly oil the torsion springs as they become noisier with use. Oiling the springs will not only protect the metal from moisture, but also reduce friction which will save the hardware from greater wear and tear. If the garage door opener is of the traditional chain drive variety it will be necessary to oil the chain just as one would do with a bicycle chain. Many people can also lubricate the rollers attached to the garage door, the hinges and track. Basic household oil or graphite can be used to lubricate moving parts at the contact points. Grease is not advisable due to the viscosity and the messiness factor. Some of the rollers on the market are advertised as maintenance-free or self lubricating and may not need any additional attention. If at times a roller does need to be replaced, it is best to call a garage door installer or take the roller to a home improvement store to ensure an exact match and size.
Assuming basic proper maintenance is performed regularly, a home owner can expect the door components and garage door opener to last for several years beyond a non-maintained door. Even though some garage doors installed can be as low as $600, at an average $1000 to $1200 for an installed garage door, it obviously makes sense to take care of this home investment.
For additional information on the topic of garage doors and garage door openers visit www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com.
Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflec the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.

How to Choose a Garage Door

For many home owners the garage is an "extra room" where families can visit, play games, work on hobbies and much more. For others, it is used primarily for vehicle storage and a tool shed. Regardless of what you use your garage for, it is an important feature of your home and as such you will want to put some thought into the door selection.
5 Steps in Choosing a Garage Door
A garage door is an easy way to give your home a new look and there are many styles, types of materials and options to consider. Use these steps to make your garage door selection easier.

1. Determine your budget. Garage doors can be expensive, with wood and fiberglass doors being the most costly. Should you plan to have insulation added, then plan on an additional 10%. Of course, if you live in a region where winter temps often dip below the freezing point, or where typhoons or hurricanes are common, this extra expense is well worth it and will soon pay for itself in energy costs and peace of mind. Another added cost, is whether or not you want windows as part of the garage door. Also, when looking at the doors, be sure to ask about maintenance costs and warranties.
2. What's your style? Is your home reminiscent of the Old South? Then you may want to use recessed paneled doors. Does it have a modern flare? Then look at doors made of contemporary materials such as wood and copper or aluminum and glass or perhaps having panels that does not look like a garage door. You may even want to look around your neighborhood to see what style garage doors others have used. Doors can be made from wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and contemporary materials like glass, copper, or a combination of wood and zinc. You may also want to think about what color, if any, you would like for your garage door. Most doors come already finished in neutral colors, but you may wish to accent the other colors in your home's exterior.
3. Decide whether you want your door to roll-up or tilt when being opened. Tilting doors often allow moisture and debris into the garage but are cheaper in price. Roll up doors are composed of several sections, save on space, and are stronger, but they are more expensive.
4. Decide whether you want windows. Having windows can add style and break up the plain look of a door. You can select from curved, square rectangular or arched windows. However, keep in mind their placement in the garage door in regards to what can be seen through them from the outside.
5. How much maintenance do you have time for? Metal doors dent and show imperfections like scrapes caused by branches. Wood doors can accent your home's exterior features, but can be easily damaged if not maintained as per instructions; fiberglass doors are long-lasting but are not recommended in colder climates.

For additional information on garage doors, please visit www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com.
Article independently authored by Janet Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.

Garage Door Openers - Confusing Choices, But Convenient Luxuries Simplified For the Home Owner

Garage door openers are a modern day convenience and luxury investment invented in 1926 by C.G. Johnson. Since that time, door openers, as well as garage doors, have undergone many refinements. Originally, garage doors were composed of solid wood and were exceptionally heavy and cumbersome to open or close. It was not until much later that steel doors and fiberglass doors became commonplace. A variety of openers have different horsepower ratings in order to handle the variety of doors on the market today.
Gone are the days of the 1940s and 1950s when a home owner would open their door with the remote, as well as the garage doors of multiple neighbors. Because of this and the use of scanner tools being able to detect the transmitted codes of earlier openers, allowing unscrupulous individuals the ability to program a remote and enter the home, manufacturers developed the use of rolling codes. The purpose of this rolling code technology is to enhance the security and privacy of the home owner by preventing scanners the ability to hi-jack the transmitter codes, thereby leaving occupants protected and the contents of the home safe from being stolen. Rolling codes are now universally found on every garage door opener.
Today's garage door openers have a plethora of additional features unheard of in the "good 'ol days". Some of the mainstream features found with every opener are photoelectric sensors, or seeing eyes, pressure sensing technology, and a trolley quick release handle. These features were developed for the safety of small children and preventing the door from crushing an object as it descends. While an injury may still be possible, these changes have greatly increased the safety of the automatic door operation.
The main features to be considered are the type of mechanical drive system the door opener utilizes. The three main types are the proven chain drive, screw drive and belt driven openers. If the speed of which the garage door opens is of major concern, only one type needs to be considered. Screw drive openers generally provide the fastest opening of most garage doors. In addition to being the fastest at opening the door, the screw drive opener is one of the most maintenance free of all the openers.
The quietest of all the garage door openers is the belt drive type. Despite seeming flimsy and delicate, the rubber belt is reinforced by steel for durability. Belt drive models also provide virtually maintenance free operation, but often times cost more than their chain driven counterparts.
If cost is the primary concern, then the chain driven openers are the least expensive to purchase. While chain driven models are the least expensive and the most common to find throughout the majority of homes, the durable construction is a long proven method for opening a door. These particular units usually require more routine attention as the opener ages.
The second main feature to be examined is if the opener is able to accept remote keypads and operate with a battery backup. A few openers on the market are not able to accept additional components, but these models are usually found at the bottom of the pricing scale. A large number of automatic door openers include keypads and extra transmitters. A few openers include a backup battery which will allow the continued automatic operation i the event of a power outage. Starting at the high end of the mid-ranged price point openers also allow the transmitter to operate more than one garage door or gate for convenience.
The most important feature of any garage door opener, however, is the horse power rating. Carriage gates or solid wood construction will determine what rating of opener to buy. Should the garage door be constructed from steel, fiberglass or wood composite, a 1/2 horse power rated garage door opener should be sufficient. For maximum longevity and superior lifting capabilities, a 3/4 horse power opener should be considered.
Once a garage door opener has been chosen, it is recommended to have it professionally installed. While the typical home owner may be handy with a screwdriver and hammer, installing a garage door opener can be an entire day or weekend project of back and neck straining work. A professional installer will have the equipment and experience to make quick work of any joist or ceiling reinforcement necessary and install the opener in the least amount of time possible.

To learn more about garage doors and door openers visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com


Article independently authored by Daniel Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.

Garage Door Tax Credit

With the multitude of tax credits available for homeowners this tax season one of the last places most think to look is in their garage. One of the best ways to benefit from tax credits are to benefit both short and long term, and improving the efficiency of your home is one great way to save you bundles. Door insulation can make a huge difference in the overall efficiency of your home and is incredibly easy to install.
Even though newer doors are insulated many are not. It is quite simple to fix this issue and doesn't take much time at all. The first step is to ensure that the garage door seals are effective and do not leak air. The seal along the bottom of the door can often become ineffective and need to be replaced due to a variety of reasons. Sometimes driveway slabs tilt or sink over time creating holes in your seal, or it is possible that the seal is just old and ineffective. No matter what has happened to your old seal be careful when installing the new one, as the most common form of initial damage is stretching the seal beyond its limits.
There are two kinds of garage door insulation that are the most widely used and popular. The first of these is a form of reflective foil, which usually comes in a kit and needs little more than a sharp blade and wrench to install. While the foil does not qualify you for a tax credit it does greatly decrease heat loss and drafts. Once installed the foil looks like large sheets of aluminum foil placed on the back of your door, and typically consists of either one or two layers of air bubble film and aluminum foil.
The second most popular form of insulation consists of panels of either fiberglass or foam insulation, and will qualify you for a federal energy tax credit. Both forms of panels offer benefits: fiberglass offer great resistance to corrosion and mold while foam insulation is laminated and more easily installable. Precut panels that fit perfectly inside the garage door is all it takes for installation here, and results in a great finished look that will not adversely affect the operation of you garage door whatsoever.
No matter what form of garage door installation you choose you will see dramatic improvements to your overall energy efficiency when combined with other home improvement projects. Just remember that even if it may not seem important, the garage is still a part of you home that in today's society is more and more prevalently used. For more information, or tips on how to improve the function and efficiency of your garage door contact your local handyman or door installation specialist for tips and tricks.

For more information and guidance about garage door insulation or installation, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. Premium Garage Door Service specializes in garage door needs.

Posted by WebDrafter.com, Inc. with permission.

Article independently authored by Matthew Eddington. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.

Garage Door Openers...

There Are Many to Choose, But Only One Type of Opener Meets the Gold Standard

The standard residential garage door opener with which "cookie cutter" builders will install in a new home have typically been the most basic of chain driven models. Although a proven and reliable type of opener, these builder installed chain drive openers are usually the lowest rated units with regards to horsepower and quietness of operation. While they may still function for a time, the stress of operation will shorten the lifespan of the basic garage door opener and will only get louder with age.

Even before the economic status quo turned to ashes for many families and businesses, one thing has never changed. A large majority of home builders will slide by with installing the cheapest and most featureless equipment in a home. With the most basic of appliances and especially garage doors and garage door openers, much of the convenience and quality is lost.

With new construction the option to upgrade the garage door opener, unlike ranges, sinks, and bathrooms, is usually forgotten by the home buyer and the builder. Most families are not dealing with new construction, however. If given the option, the gold standard of upgrading to a premium residential garage door opener would be a belt drive unit.

Much like what is used on the most popular American motorcycle sold in the U.S., belt drive openers offer an incredibly smooth and reliable method for opening any garage door. The rubber belt is reinforced with steel, much like most automobile tires are today. The most widely appreciated benefit of a belt drive opener is its virtually silent operation with the only noise being detected from the door rollers on the tracks and the hum of the motor.

Belt driven openers tend to be slightly more expensive than either their screw driven or belt driven counterparts. Ultimately what determines the cost of the opener is the feature set with which it is packaged. No matter which type of drive is selected, all should be available with a bevy of options. The most expensive units will come with all the bells and whistles such as, external wireless keypad, programmable receiver and transmitters, and the all important lifetime warranty.

Despite the torsion spring being used to offset much of the weight of the door, the construction and size of the garage door will determine what horsepower rating will be required of the door opener. A company specializing in garage doors and openers will be adequately able to recommend units to meet the needs of the home owner to ensure a smooth and worry free investment.

For more information and guidance about this topic, including preventive maintenance and repairs, visit http://www.premiumgaragedoorservice.com. The website includes resources, information, and links to manufacturers.

Posted by WebDrafter.com, Inc. with permission.
Article independently authored by Daniel Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Premium Garage Door Service.