Garage Doors

The ABC’s of Insulated Steel Garage Doors

With today’s rising energy costs, investing in an insulated garage door can be just as valuable as upgrading to energy efficient appliances, entry doors and windows elsewhere in your home. Insulated garage doors help keep utility costs down, and they have a huge impact on the comfort of the garage, which is important as people increasingly utilize the space for more than just storage.

Why Garage Door Insulation Matters
Garages are more susceptible to temperature fluctuations given how often they are opened and closed. Replacing an older garage door with a new, energy efficient model can keep an unheated garage 10 -20 degrees warmer on a cold winter day.

Since attached garages typically share one or two common walls with the house, any hot or cold air that travels through the garage door will ultimately reach the living areas adjacent or above. An insulated garage door can help stabilize temperatures to reduce energy loss through the garage by up to 71 percent, according to a study conducted by engineers at Clopay Building Products, the nation’s leading manufacturer of residential garage doors.

Plan Ahead to Avoid Garage Door Lock-In During a Winter Storm Power Outage, Part 2

We can all appreciate a snow storm, but when we lose power things become inconvenient.  Here are a few more tips to avoid a garage door lock-in:

3. Lock the garage door. When the automatic opener is disconnected, the garage door is not securely shut until you manually slide the lock bar.

4. Reconnect the automatic garage door opener when the power comes back on. Make sure the garage door is unlocked when the opener is reconnected. Attempting to open the garage door with the lock bar in place can cause major damage.

5. Invest in an automatic garage door opener that includes a battery back-up feature. That way, when the power goes out, the garage door will still function using the opener, as will the entry keypad and safety sensors.

Remember, it's best to think about a power outage before it actually happens.  Stay safe this winter!

Plan Ahead to Avoid Garage Door Lock-In During a Winter Storm Power Outage

Power outages are common during winter storms. Getting electricity restored can be a multi-day effort. What happens if you have an emergency and your car is essentially locked inside your garage?

Most people do not even think about their automatic garage door opener not working during a power outage. We just expect it to faithfully go up and down when we press the button.

If the power goes out, you may need to disconnect your automatic opener to manually open the garage doors. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process in advance to avoid having to search frantically for the garage door instruction manual in the dark.

Here are some tips to help avoid getting “locked-in” the garage:

1. Disconnect the automatic garage door opener when the garage door is closed, not when it’s open. Otherwise, if the springs aren’t balanced, the garage door could suddenly drop to the ground and cause injury.

2. If the springs are properly balanced, the garage door will open easily with the lift handles. If it is difficult to lift, have a garage door maintenance professional service the door as soon as possible to avoid further damage or safety risks.

More Garage Door Winterizing Tips

A few more garage door tips before it gets too cold...

Surface Cleaning

Wash steel garage door surfaces with a mild household detergent and rinse with water.  In harsh coastal environments, applying car wax to a painted steel door surface will help maintain its finish. This should be done twice a year, immediately following cleaning.

Remove Rust

Visible rust or flaking paint on a steel door indicates that moisture is taking its toll. Sand the rust, apply a zinc-rich primer, and paint with a quality exterior latex.

Replacing your garage door

The average life span of a garage door is 15 to 20 years.  If you are in the market for a new door, use the Internet to research garage door manufacturers and find a professional garage door dealer in your area.

Put Your Garage Door on Your List of Home Winterizing Projects

It’s the single largest opening on a home and the most frequently used entrance. Yet when it comes to winterizing, many homeowners forget to include the garage door on their list of items to inspect and repair.

Here are some tips to help get your garage door ready for the cold. 

Keep the Heat In

Keeping the garage warm in the winter doesn’t have to be a challenge. The easiest way to trap heat in and keep cold air out is with a weather seal. If you see a gap between the bottom of the garage door and the driveway when the door is closed, it’s time to replace the stop.

If cold living spaces above or next to the garage are an ongoing problem, upgrade to an energy efficient garage door. Today’s insulated garage doors can help keep an unheated garage 10 -20 degrees warmer on a cold winter day. Homeowners who purchase a qualifying energy efficient garage door by December 31, 2010 will not only save on their heating costs, they may qualify for up to $1,500 in federal energy tax credits, thanks to the new stimulus legislation.

Visually Inspect Hardware for Wear and Tear

Look for bent or loose hinges, broken wheels, bent shafts or worn out bearings on steel rollers, and bent or misaligned track. Tighten or replace loose or missing bolts on the door and track supports. Check the spring lift cables for proper operation. Regardless of its age, your garage door should open and close smoothly. If it doesn’t, the spring system may be out of balance.

The bottom brackets, cables, pulleys and springs are under great tension and should ONLY be repaired by a garage door professional.

Clean and Lubricate Hardware

Use a clean rag to remove any debris, grease or dirt build-up from the track. Lubricate all moving parts of the door (hinges, metal rollers and track) with 3-in-1oil. Never use heavy oil or grease. DO NOT LUBRICATE nylon rollers, plastic idler bearings or locks. Use graphite to keep locks in operational condition.

Clopay Voted No.1 in Professional Door Dealer’s “Best of Business” Poll

Clopay Building Products, the nation’s largest manufacturer of residential garage doors and a leading supplier of commercial sectional garage doors, has been voted No.1 in Professional Door Dealer(PDD) magazine’s “Best of Business” dealers’ choice poll in the following categories:

Most Innovative Products
Best Residential Garage Doors
Best Customer Service
Best “Green” Products

Clopay also ranked in the top tier for Best Web Site, Best Custom Doors, and Best Commercial Garage Doors.

Professional Door Dealer is a trusted and independent source of information for the garage door and access control industry. Industry professionals were invited to vote via an online poll hosted by PDD. The poll was open for five months, and voters chose from more than 20 categories, picking their top three company choices in each.  

The winners of the poll received recognition in the December issue of PDD, and will receive an award from the magazine at the 2010 IDA Expo in Las Vegas.

“‘People committed to customers and the industry’ is the cornerstone of the Clopay mission,” says John Palazzolo, vice president of sales and marketing for Clopay Building Products. “It is rewarding to have members of the industry recognize the hard work and dedication of our team and confirms that we are accomplishing our goal to provide the best garage door products and service in the building products sector.”   

“Manufacturers and distributors work very hard to establish positive relationships with their customers,” added Lauren Vasquez, Editor for PDD. “This poll shows that their hard work is noticed and appreciated by dealers, who were able to voice their opinion by voting for the Best Customer Service, Best Residential Operators and Best Commercial Doors, to name just a few of our categories.” 

“PDD is thrilled to recognize all of our winners,” said Mike Saxby, Group Publisher for PDD. “Nearly 3,000 votes were received from industry professionals, and we were delighted at the overwhelming response from our readers.” 

http://www.clopaydoor.com/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?release=144

Upgrade Your Garage Doors by Dec. 31st to Qualify for Tax Credit on 2009 Return

Homeowners who purchase an energy efficient garage door before the end of the year will not only save on their heating bills this winter, they may qualify for up to $1,500 in federal tax credits on their 2009 return, thanks to the stimulus legislation.

The tax credit is equal to the sum of 30 percent of all qualified energy saving improvements, which includes garage doors, installed in an existing home from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010. For instance, if two new garage doors cost is $2,000, the applicable homeowner tax credit is $600.
 
The credit applies to the product only (not labor) and the maximum credit for all of the improvements combined is $1,500.
 
A tax credit is more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because it reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only decreases the amount of income that is taxed.

Garage doors must meet the following criteria to qualify:

- The door must be an insulated residential garage door placed in service from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010.

- The door must have a U-factor equal to or less than 0.30 and there must be a means to control air filtration at the door perimeter.

- The door must be expected to remain in service for at least five years.

- The garage must be an insulated space and part of the taxpayer’s principal U.S. residence.

Professional garage door dealers and retailers should provide a manufacturer’s certification statement for all qualified insulated garage doors along with a breakdown of the cost of the door(s) and the cost of labor at the time of installation. Homeowners do not need to submit a copy with their tax return, but should keep a copy for their records.

Replacing an older garage door with a new, energy efficient model can reduce energy loss through the garage by up to 71%, according to a comparison study conducted by engineers at Clopay Building Products, the nation’s largest manufacturer of residential garage doors.

Here are some things to look for when making an upgrade:

▪ 2”- thick three-layer ”sandwich” construction – environmentally safe, CFC-free insulation layered between two sheets of heavy-duty galvanized steel.

▪ R-value or U-factor – these are measurements of the thermal efficiency of a garage door’s insulation. The higher the R-value, or the lower the U-factor, the more energy efficient the door.

▪ Insulation type – There are two different types of garage door insulation: expanded polystyrene and polyurethane. Doors constructed from either type qualify for the Energy Tax credit, and both are strong and durable.

 ▪ Design – Get the most out of your garage door upgrade. Choose a model that complements your home’s architectural style.

More details are available at www.clopaydoor.com and www.energystar.gov.