Frequently Asked Questions

Door Questions

Why should I use a professional garage door dealer/installer?

Is 25 gauge steel thicker than 24 gauge steel?

Why should I choose an insulated door?

What are the benefits of a steel door versus a wood door?

Can I paint a steel door once it's installed?

Are special size doors available? I have a custom-built garage that features an unusual size door.

Do I need a lock on my garage door?

What type of spring is better, torsion or extension?

Opener Questions

What horsepower garage door opener do I need to lift my door?

Which model is better, the chain drive, the belt drive or the screw drive?

Will your garage door opener open my eight, nine, or ten-foot door?

It is time to replace my garage door opener. Can I just replace the motor head and reuse the existing rail and other hardware?

What is the difference between AC and DC Motors? What are the advantages of each type of motor?

Door Questions

Why should I use a professional garage door dealer/installer?

The installation of a garage door is not a do-it-yourself job. A garage door is the largest moving object in your home and because of the large number of small parts, installation of a garage door is highly technical. Connecting the springs can be particularly dangerous and proper installation is critical to the performance of your door.

Professional garage door dealer/installers can typically install a door in a few hours and are careful to make sure safety requirements are met. Installations by most homeowners typically span several days and cause much frustration. In addition, incorrect installation can void certain warranties, so we recommend a professional handle the job for you. One of the other services a professional garage door dealer/installer can provide is the disposal of your old door, if you are replacing a door.

Is 25 gauge steel thicker than 24 gauge steel?

No. When comparing strengths of steel, the lower the gauge number, the thicker and stronger the steel.

Why should I choose an insulated door?

A garage door opening is very large. Insulated doors will help to reduce the transfer of heat or cold air into your garage. This is important for a number of reasons:

• If your garage is attached to your home, air in the garage can travel through the doorway to your living area.
• If you use your garage as a workshop, your comfort will be a top priority.
• If your garage is below another room in your home, air can travel through the ceiling of the garage into the floor of the room above. An insulated door will keep temperatures in the garage fairly stable to reduce the temperature fluctuation in the room above.
• An insulated door is generally quieter and has a more attractive interior than a non-insulated door.

What are the benefits of a steel door versus a wood door?

Steel doors may require less maintenance than a wood door. Steel doors are pre-painted with a factory-applied baked-on coating. We recommend an annual cleaning of the exterior of the door with a common household detergent and warm water at least one time per year. Wood doors are unfinished and need to be primed and painted or stained on all six sides of the door upon delivery. We recommend visual inspection of the paint or stain finish on wood doors one time per year to confirm if another finish application is necessary.

Can I paint a steel door once it's installed?

Yes. All steel doors are pre-painted with a factory-applied baked-on coating that is suitable to be repainted. Steel doors will accept a wide variety of commercially available latex exterior paints, when applied in accordance with the paint manufacturer's recommendations. Do not use oil-based paints.

Are special size doors available? I have a custom-built garage that features an unusual size door.

Yes. Typically we can order and have made a door that is for your opening size.(this may take a few weeks).
*Not all door models can be made to abnormal sizes

Do I need a lock on my garage door?

If an electric garage door opener has been installed on your door, it may not be necessary to have a lock. Newer electric openers function as the lock, making it improbable that an intruder would be able to lift your door from the outside. If you have an older opener, check to see if your door can be lifted from the outside.
DASMA, the trade association for the garage door industry, discourages homeowners from attaching a lock when an opener has been installed, because too frequently, a child or other family member will accidentally lock the door. If someone then tries to open the door using the electric opener, the opener will pull against the lock causing the door to be damaged. If no opener is installed on your garage door, a lock is highly recommended.

What type of spring is better, torsion or extension?

The two types of springs used on garage doors today are extension and torsion springs. Extension springs are attached on either side of the door and stretch along the horizontal track when the door is closed. Torsion springs are typically located just above the top section of the door and are mounted to the header. They are wound springs and do not expand or contract when the door is moved. Torsion springs offer more safety and provide better balance to the door for smoother operation.

Opener Questions

What horsepower garage door opener do I need to lift my door?

Before installing a garage door opener, please complete the following tests to make sure your garage door is properly balanced and is not sticking or binding:

• Lift the garage door about half-way open as shown. Release the door. If properly balanced, the door should remain in place, supported entirely by its springs.
• Raise and lower the door to see if there is any binding or sticking. The door should move freely and easily, without dragging or becoming difficult to move.

Please remember that the easier it is for you to operate your garage door manually, the easier it will be for the new garage door opener to open the door, resulting in a longer lifespan for the new system. In general, a properly balanced and aligned single-car or two-car garage door can be raised and lowered with a ½ horsepower opener. For some heavier doors, we have ¾ horsepower openers available.

Which model is better, the chain drive, the belt drive or the screw drive?

Each style of "drive system" has its advantages. Chain drive and belt drive openers work well in all types of applications. Screw drive openers are better choices when you have a one-piece tilt open door, as they run slightly slower, and allow a smoother movement of the one-piece type of doors.Belt drive openers are the smoothest, most quiet openers manufacture, and have an excellent reliability record. They are recommended for use whenever noise and vibration are important considerations. If there is a living space above or near the garage, the belt drive openers will minimize the amount of noise generated by the opener.

Chain drive openers have been in production for the longest amount of time, and offer dependable performance year in and year out.

Regardless of which type of opener you choose, all of our drive systems are very reliable and require virtually no maintenance throughout the life of the opener.

Will your garage door opener open my eight, nine, or ten-foot door?

All LiftMaster® openers, with the proper installation components, can raise up to a 10-foot high garage door. Certain model LiftMaster openers can raise up to a 14-foot high door. We can provide recommendations for which models will best suit your needs. Prior to the installation of your LiftMaster garage door opener, we will verify that the proper equipment will be used for your garage door.

It is time to replace my garage door opener. Can I just replace the motor head and reuse the existing rail and other hardware?

This is rarely a possible or appropriate way to replace your opener. Due to changes in the designs of our systems, and for warranty purposes, Chamberlain® strongly recommends that all new components are used for the new opener. In addition, although it may seem to be an easier way to install a new opener, it may actually be more difficult to attempt to replace only the motor head.

What is the difference between AC and DC Motors? What are the advantages of each type of motor?

AC Motors are less expensive and easy to manufacture. Speed is constant and hard to control efficiently.DC Motors are more expensive as they are more complex to manufacture. Also, additional components are required to make them work with the standard AC current found in homes. Speed can be controlled more easily with a DC motor and more accurately. They have a quick response to control signals. Due to easier speed control, DC motors can be used in applications where powerful but in control performance is desired, such as the soft start/stop feature.