Residential Garage Door FAQ

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

2. Why should I choose an insulated door if my garage is not insulated?

3. What are the benefits of a steel door?

4. I have a one-piece door now. Can I replace it with a sectional door?

5. I’d like to purchase an ADVANTAGE steel door, but I need a color other than those you offer. Can I paint the door once it’s installed?

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

7. My garage has very little space (headroom) above the door. What is the minimum headroom required to operate a sectional door?

8. I’ve been comparing R-factors of various doors and am surprised at the variance among them. Can you explain this?

9. Do I need a lock on my garage door?

10. What type of care and maintenance is necessary for my Advantage steel door?

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

We believe that the installation of a garage door is not a do-it-yourself job. A garage door is usually the largest and heaviest moving object in your home and therefore posses risk of personal injury. This fact coupled with the large number of small parts utilized in the installation of a garage door makes sectional garage door installation highly technical. Connecting the springs can be particularly dangerous and proper installation is critical to the performance and longevity 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. In addition, incorrect installation can void certain warranties. We strongly recommend using a professional door installer.

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2. Why should I choose an insulated door if my garage is not insulated?

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.

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3. What are the benefits of a steel door?

Steel doors require less maintenance than a wood door. Advantage galvanized steel doors are pre-painted with a durable factory-applied baked-on coating.

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4. I have a one-piece door now. Can I replace it with a sectional door?

Yes. Your professional garage door dealer/installer can install a sectional door for you by installing track and springs to accommodate a sectional door. Depending on the construction of your garage, other modifications may be necessary. We advise you ask your dealer to evaluate the job prior to installation, so that any required modifications can be preformed.

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5. I’d like to purchase an ADVANTAGE steel door, but I need a color other than those you offer. Can I paint the door once it’s installed?

Yes. All Advantage steel doors are pre-painted with a factory applied baked-on coating that is suitable to be repainted with a waterbased acrylic exterior grade paint.

*** Do not use oil-based paints

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

Yes. Advantage residential garage door series offer doors in widths between 4’2” and 20’ in two inch increments and in heights between 6’ x 12’.*

*** Not all door models are available in this range of widths/heights. Please call your dealer or download brochures listed below.

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7. My garage has very little space (headroom) above the door. What is the minimum headroom required to operate a sectional garage door?

Standard headroom applications require 12” to 18” of space between the bottom of the opening header and the unobstructed ceiling. However, Advantage doors can accommodate custom-built applications. Many track options are available allowing many unusual garage dimensions to be successfully fitted. By using a low-headroom track, it is possible to install a door in an area that has a little as 6 1/2” of headroom.

Other Specialty Track Applications:

• Vertical-Lift Track - utilized in situations where the ceiling is extremely high and the garage door has room to lift straight up.
• Hi-Lift Track - used when the ceiling is unusually high, but the door must still retract to a horizontal position.
• Follow-The-Roofline Track – applicable when the garage ceiling is pitched and the door is to follow the same angle to provide additional unobstructed overhead room.

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8. I’ve been comparing R-factors of various doors and am surprised at the variance among them. Can you explain this?

Many manufactures use R-factors to show the energy efficiency of their product. This number is calculated based on the thickness of the insulation and its chemical properties. Therefore, most of the published R-factors reflect only the R-factor of a section or panel, not the installed door. A door’s insulating capabilities can be greatly affected by the door’s construction and installation. For that reason Advantage insulated doors not only include high rated insulation but are also built to maximize energy efficiency.

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9. Do I need a lock on my garage door?

If an electric garage door opener has been installed on your door, it my 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 - but only after the motor operator's manufacturer's recommendations have been reviewed.

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10. What type of care and maintenance is necessary for my Advantage steel door?

It is recommend that you wash your steel door a minimum of one (1) time per year with one cup of detergent containing less than 0.5% phosphate dissolved into five gallons of warm water.

*** NEVER BLEND CLEANSERS OR DETERGENTS WITH BLEACH

The use of a well-soaked cloth, sponge, soft bristle brush or low pressure spray washer is recommended. Once the door is washed, thoroughly rinse with clean water to eliminate residue.

The hardware and door components have been engineered and designed for many years of continuous operation. It is, however, a good idea to periodically check for the following:

• loose bolts on hinges
  
• bent hinges
  
• bent or broken rollers
  
• track brackets bolts
  
• visually inspects cable for frays
  
• visually inspect bottom brackets for wear

If you notice that bolts or any other components are broken, contact your local installer for service.

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Advantage Residential Sectional Garage Door Catalogs

Advantage

Advantage Plus

Advantage CS

Advantage CSL

* * WARNING * *

GARAGE DOORS USE TORSION OR EXTENSION SPRINGS TO COUNTER BALANCE THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR. NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, ATTEMP TO ADJUST REPAIR, REMOVE, OR INSTALL ANY SPRING ASSEMBLY, BOTTOM FIXTURES, SPRING ANCHOR, CABLES, PULLYS OR ANY OTHER COMPONET UNDER SPRING TENSION. CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL FOR HELP. FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.