So, before you go and call the first garage door company listed in a business directory, make sure to check for the stuff we discuss below.

Experience Matters More than You Think

It is the most important consideration and should never be overlooked. Take a look at how long the business has been around? Do they have a team of certified garage door technicians? How many reviews has the garage door service provider received that are favorable? All of that should count towards making your decision. Always hire a service provider with the most experienced team.

Good Workmanship Can Save You Money

In most cases, you will be paying a garage door repair technician by the hour, which is why it is in your best interest to hire a fast and reliable professional but one which does not sacrifice quality. However, quality repairs and excellent workmanship while being slightly expensive will help you save money in the long-term. One prominent indication of excellent workmanship is that the company provides a workmanship warranty. That way if something goes wrong, you can claim that warranty.

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Is the Business Compliant with Your City?

Always check the records of the business to make sure that they are compliant. Ideally, the garage door repair service should be licensed and should follow all the required business codes and local regulations. Knowing this will tell you if the company has been able to pass all mandatory safety standards when it comes to repairing and installing garage doors.

Check Insurance Coverage

Since you’ll be spending a lot of money on hiring a professional, they should be duly insured. The garage door repair technician should have professional insurance. That way if something goes wrong, the company will be able to compensate you for the loss. For instance, if the technician mistakenly broke the grass panel on your garage door, a complaint can be filed and the company would be liable to pay for the damages.

Easily Accessible

Finally, you will always want to hire a company that can be easily contacted when needed. You’ll also want it to be within easy driving distance so that if required visiting the company in person is a possibility.

Conclusion

Hiring a garage door service provider isn’t exactly rocket science, but it does require due diligence. By taking the required steps, it is possible for you to hire the best professional possible which in turn saves you money.

If you want to see professional results, it is imperative to hire a professional! Below we run through a few reasons why you’d want to hire a professional to install your garage door.

Experience Matters

A professional garage door installer should have a lot of experience because that’s the only way for them to install the garage door correctly. Professional installers understand the nuances of various brands of garage doors and how to deal with them. Plus, their expertise will help them to solve problems quickly, all without voiding the warranty of the garage door.

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Professionals can Assure Your Safety

A professional garage door installer will have the experience to ensure that the job is done safely. An inexperienced person installing a garage door isn’t just dangerous for them but potentially dangerous for those who use the door. That’s why if you want to keep yourself and the family safe, hiring a seasoned professional is the only way to do it.

Tools and Equipment

Professional installers will come with their tools and equipment to ensure that the garage door is installed professionally. They will also come fully equipped with other stuff like nuts and bolts that a regular person may not be aware of during the installation process. However, the reason why you should hire a reputed professional is that the stuff they use is of top quality, which means decades of trouble-free service life.

A Professional Installer Will Make Your Life Easier

The garage door installer you hire should be able to assure that your life will become easier. A pro will not require any input from you, no extra tools, and will not require that you wait around till they go out hunting for extra stuff for a garage door. A true professional would help you save time and prevent frustration, which would otherwise be a problem if you were to do it yourself or hire someone who wasn’t experienced. Hiring an expert can go a very long way when done correctly.

Conclusion

Always make sure that you choose a reputed garage door installation company to install your new garage door. Sure, these professionals are often slightly more expensive, but they do ensure that you save money in the long term. A reputed garage door installer will also use the best tools, people, and parts to ensure that not only is their reputation protected but so that you can be assured of trouble-free years with the garage door. That in itself is a saving.

What Makes a Garage Door Secure?

Many of the older garage doors come with either a twin or single cable latching which has been shown to be less secure. Most locks and older doors can be broken into without making much of a racket since the latch is mainly just secured to the wooden frame and so it can be opened with some force from the outside. More recently manufacturers have introduced two latch or locking points, and some even use steel rods as opposed to a cable. However, the most secure ones are where the locks and latches are welded into the steel frame or a steel plate. If anything it minimizes the chances of the lock being forced open.

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Which Garage Doors are Secure?

Ideally, a secure or security garage door should consist of multi-layer high gauge stainless steel sheets. The manual locks should be welded into the metal so that they can’t be pushed open. However, homeowners should also invest in secure garage doors with electronic locking options too if they have the budget since they are a lot more secure.

Whether you buy aluminum or steel insulated sectional garage doors or roller shutter doors you will want to buy ones that are properly reinforced so that it thwarts opportunist attacks. Double skinned steel hinged swing doors are another great option. If it is timber garage doors that you want, then make sure that it is double skinned too.

Get the Garage Door Installed Professionally

You can buy a $10k garage door which is guaranteed to be secure, and even that can be compromised if it isn’t professionally installed. By professional installation, we mean that it should be installed by a company that has experience installing security garage doors.

When a garage door is professionally installed, it isn’t easily broken into since the installation company understands how the door can be compromised and installs it accordingly. Not to mention the fact that professionally installed garage doors last longer and so you don’t have to worry about it breaking down because of incorrect installation methods.

Conclusion

If you are still not sure about which garage door is more secure or what can be purchased with your budget, then we can help you. Our word of advice is never to buy a secure garage door without reading reviews and speaking to local experts.

Generally speaking for a standard garage door that uses an electric opener you will want at least 15-inches of overhead clearance. Out of that 15 inches, 12 inches is reserved for the torsion spring and the accompanying door, with three inches generally required for the opener equipment. However, we always run into clients who don’t have that 12-15 inches of space, so what do we suggest then? Do you really need to give up your dream garage door or that brand new opener? Well, not really but you’ll have to consider a couple of other options. We discuss some of the best options at your disposal below.

Using Low Headroom Track Systems

Now, this is perhaps the most commonsense solution for most homes where there isn’t enough headroom for a regular garage door. The low headroom track garage door system is specially designed for garages where there is little headroom. The system allows for homeowners to install their garage door and the opener even if they just have 9 inches of headroom.

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The Frame Down Opening

These doors are available in increments of 3 inches and at no extra charge. That means using these you can lower or raise the garage door opening to a height that you want. It also happens to be one of the most cost-effective ways of installing a residential garage door with little headroom.

Jackshaft Garage Door Openers

If all you want is to save a couple of inches of space, then this type of garage door opener will work best. Normally if you want to save a few inches or you have a beam somewhere in the middle of the garage, this type of garage door opener works perfectly. The good thing about using a jack shaft garage door opener is that it is as effective as any standard garage door opener, but they work from the side instead of the top which eliminates the need for having extra headroom. Plus the center of the garage door will look spacious and clean. That’s why this is an option we often recommend for small or oddly shaped garages.

Contact a Team of Experts to Help You Find the Right Residential Garage Door

Whenever you’re in doubt, it is always a good idea to consult with experts like us. We know that buying a residential garage door can be challenging especially if you need it to meet special needs. The good news is that we have the experience to help you deal with any problem.

A new garage door is a great way to increase the amount you get and makes the home easier to sell. If you’ve decided to replace the garage door, the after-mentioned tips should help you.

The Pricing Matters

Focusing on pricing when you want to replace a garage door is important. Sure, you want to spend some money to ensure that you make it up by selling the home at a slightly higher price and sooner than what is otherwise expected. However, once you set a budget, you can then go about finding a garage door that fits that budget. You can also speak to a garage door service who should help give you an idea of what you can expect to pay.

Choose the Best Model with Your Budget

Unless you have unlimited money, we don’t advise that you buy the most expensive garage door. Get something that looks nice and which adds to your home’s curb appeal. Plus an energy efficient model with a lot of safety features is always a good buy.

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Get Professional Garage Door Replacement

We understand that there are many videos online that make installing your own garage door look simple, but it isn’t. Installing it on your own can be dangerous. Hiring a professional service will cost a little, but it will ensure that the garage door is installed correctly. Plus, it ensures that the warranty is intact.

Save the Paperwork

Your new garage door is going to come accompanied with a bit of paperwork which may seem irrelevant. Things like the warranty, features, etc. are all worth keeping. You can then give this to the new owners who will find it very useful.

Add the New Garage Door to the Listing

Garage door replacement is major, and so you’ll want to add this to the listing. Also, tell the real estate broker about the new garage door. After all, a new garage door is a major selling point that you should be leveraging.

Conclusion

Garage door replacement isn’t rocket science, yet many people find it hard to get done right especially when they are in the hurry of selling the home. Always do your research and find out what you are getting into. Also, speak to the broker in our area to find out how much of a difference a new garage door will make to the selling price to evaluate if it is worth the effort.