A drafty, un-insulated garage door may not be an obvious culprit in rising monthly utility bills, but it’s worth giving it a second look if you have an attached garage.

Garages are more susceptible to temperature fluctuations given how often the garage door is opened and closed every day. Since attached garages typically share one or two common walls with the house, any hot or cold that travels through the door will ultimately affect the adjacent living areas.

An insulated garage door can help stabilize temperatures in the garage to reduce heat loss or gain.

The same principle applies to your front door.

If you’re thinking about upgrading to a more energy efficient model, stop making excuses.

Myth: Upgrading my garage door or entry door won’t save that much energy.

Reality: A new, energy efficient garage door can reduce energy loss through the garage by up to 71%.

Depending on the specifics of the home, a well insulated door can keep an unheated garage 10 to 20 degrees warmer on a cold winter day. That can have a significant impact on the comfort of family rooms or bedrooms located above or next to the garage.

It’s also important if items like refrigerators, washers and dryers or water heaters are located in the garage.

There are two different types of insulation used in garage doors: expanded polystyrene and polyurethane. The higher the R-value, or the lower the U-factor, the more energy efficient the insulation is. Doors constructed from both kinds are strong and durable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc_Y3S6ErDg&feature=youtu.be

Improve the Basic Detached Garage

Simple and practical, this detached garage represents a style that lives on at millions of homes.

The modest two-car garage is a prime example of how you can make a basic structure better than average. It’s been dressed with a ribbon of brick around its base, shingle siding, hefty white trim, a hint of a pergola along one side, red roof tiles, and an inviting window and flower-filled window box. It’s tidy, cozy, and a quaint hideaway for a car.

In most cases,  when this does happen, you will find your garage door to have a broken garage door spring.  You will be able to see for yourself if your garage door spring is broken by looking up at the header on the inside of your garage, if the coiled spring has a separation, it is broken. 

Garage door springs are under extreme pressure and we highly recommend hiring a professional to do the job.  In most instances a service crew can get to you that day, quickly and efficiently getting your garage door working again. 

The following comment is from an Angie’s List customer.

“Springs snapped at 7:00am on a Wednesday.  Called Aker and arranged an appointment for the afternoon.  The repair man had arrived on time, he was very courteous, professional and skilled. He explained the work prior and was done within an hour.  I am so very  happy!”

With the adoption of the International Building Code, wind load is no longer an issue in many Minnesota cities.  Wind reinforcement requirements are needed for garage doors in Minnesota because of our wind related weather. 

Reinforced garage doors are critical to preserving a home’s structural integrity.  Because of their size, garage doors are more susceptible to wind damage than other exterior openings.  Unless, you have a tested, wind rated door installed, high winds can force it out of the opening, causing buildup of internal pressure and ultimately a blowout of the roof and supporting walls.

Make sure your new garage door meets your cities building codes and the requirements for wind load.  Retrofitting an older door will not provide the structural support or meet city code. 

http://climate.umn.edu/doc/historical/tornadic.htm

http://greenbuildingelements.com/2010/08/01/creative-reuse-of-a-garage-door/trackback/

1. Locate the Learn button.

• Garage door opener: Located on the back or side of the motor unit (you may have to remove the light lens). The Learn button may be green, orange, red, or purple, with a small LED next to it.
• Gate operator or commercial door opener: Located on the control or logic board, with a small LED next to it.

1. Press and release your Learn button.
2. Within 30 seconds, press and hold the desired button on the remote control.
3. Press the remote control again when the opener lights blink. The operator or opener should activate. If not, repeat the

http://www.liftmaster.com/consumerweb/CatalogResources/Rightnow/Misc/Program_Remote/proRemMenu.html

1. Disconnect the garage door opener when the garage door is in the closed position, not when it’s open.
2. Pull the emergency cord to disconnect the door from the garage door opener. The cord usually has a red handle and will hang down from the center rail of the garage door mechanism.
3. Lift the garage door straight up until the door is fully open. Make sure the door will remain fully open before leaving it unattended.
4. If the springs are properly balanced, the door will open easily with the lift handles and stay in place. If it is difficult to open, have a professional garage door service technician check the door as soon as possible to avoid further damage or safety risks.
5. Close the door manually until it reaches the floor.
6. Lock the door. When the automatic opener is disconnected the door is not securely shut until you manually slide the lock bar.
7. Reconnect the opener when the power comes back on. Make sure the door is unlocked when the opener is reconnected. Electrically opening the garage door with the lock bar in place can cause major damage.