Commercial Overhead Garage Doors: What you need to know

Right door information guides you in accessing the ideal commercial garage door and know how to care for it for high performance, security and convenience.

4 Major Types of Commercial Garage Doors

• Fire Rated Doors

They’re similar to roller up doors as are lowered and raised either manually or using a motor system. They‘re the best choice as they provide more protection compared to other standard roll up doors. Fire rated doors are made from a thick sturdy stainless steel material that is highly resistant to fire, noise and provide great insulation. You can order for a custom made door that suits well your unique garage needs. They’re best for factories, mills, warehouses, distribution firms and parking garages as they can withstand harsh environmental conditions and impact. Above all, they’re fitted with an auto closing feature that is activated automatically once the fire is detected.

• Scissor Gates

These doors are different from overhead or roll up types as they’re designed for heavy duty use. Their unique features include a strong impenetrable steel material that makes them highly resistant to impact if knocked by tracks. This makes them ideal for the outer entrance while best as reinforcement for standard commercial garage doors for the inside walkways. They’re designed to move sideways just like the sliding doors during opening and closing process.

• Roll up doors

Just as the name suggest, these doors roll up forming a single coil when open. To allow for easy movement, they’re designed with thinner slats compared to other door types. They’re best choice for garages where space is limited hence can’t accommodate rails for the overhead doors. This makes them ideal for wide open warehouses. They’re normally mounted to the inner garage wall hence doesn’t require an outer space to operate.

• Overhead Doors

Overhead doors are popular that come with a rail or track that lifts them to a horizontal position on the ceiling. They’re either operated manually or through a motor aided by a remote unit that lifts and lowers the door to open or close respectively. They’re ideal for garages with adequate space such that the rail doesn’t get on the way. They come in a wide range of materials such as glass, wood, aluminum or steel. They are designed with long slat sections, held together by hinges that allow them to move up and down flexibly.

5 Top considerations to make when buying a commercial garage door

Putting the following aspects into consideration will definitely guide you in buying a garage door that suits your needs and expectations.

• Safety

Garage entrance is a high traffic area especially if you’re handling employees and clients. Security of persons and vehicles entering through that door depends on you. Therefore, it is important to consider the safety of garage users as well as properties within the premises. That’s why you will need to choose a door built with sturdy material and designed with modern security features. A door built with strong material and installed professionally is unlikely to fall off injuring the users and destroying property. Security features such as sensors help to detect the presence of objects on the way hence stopping or reversing the door on the opposite direction. Code rolling technology helps in keeping the buglers away. Contact a garage door professional to advise you accordingly.

• The Material

You can get a commercial garage door made of the following materials:

• Steel- Most commercial doors are made of steel as it is sturdy, affordable, durable and requires less maintenance.
• Aluminum- This material is highly resistant to corrosion and rust hence ideal for garages in regions where moisture is a headache.
• Vinyl- It provides durable doors with low maintenance requirements.
• Wood- Doors made from this material are visually appealing hence best for business premises. However, regular maintenance is required for best door performance.
• Fiberglass- This material produces durable doors though not recommended for garages in areas with extreme climatic conditions. Contact a garage door specialist for guidance on the best door material that will respond to your needs and withstand the climatic conditions in your region.

• Convenience

Doors designed to be compatible with modern technology bring about high performance and convenience. Remember that you need to invest on a door that will be functional for years while guaranteeing security and accessibility to your premises. Besides choosing a durable and functional door with attractive features, it is essential to consider its compatibility with smart phone kit or wireless opener keypad. These features will enable you to monitor the door activities while away and automatically open and close your door without necessarily moving from your car or track.

• Motor rating

Motor rating refers to the opener’s horsepower (HP) adequate to carry the weight of the door. The horsepower rating differs from one door model to the other. For example, commercial garage doors will function well for a long time with a horsepower with a high rating as they’re heavy and bulky compared to some standard residential doors that are lighter.

• Cost

In most cases, buyers tend to weigh the price of the door on the price tag. However, going for an apparent cheaper price may be deceiving. This is because you need to factor in the durability of the door and whether it requires high or low maintenance. Call a door technician to assist you in evaluating the cost.

Maintenance Tips for Commercial Garage Doors

Regular maintenance guarantees high door performance especially in cases of increased garage traffic. Here are simple DIY door care tips:

1. Inspect the hardware for wear and tear. Check the springs, rollers, cables and other movable parts whether they’re broken. Contact a technician for springs and rollers replacements.

2. Lubricate the movable parts using a recommended door lubricant. Here, pay attention to:

• Hinges and rollers- Ensure that the rollers and hinges are adequately lubricated.
• Door lock system- Lubricate the keyhole and move the key several times for even distribution. In case of a manual door, lubricate the latches present on either side.

3. Clean and paint the door especially in the beginning or end of an extreme weather season such as winter and summer. This helps in removing the dirt debris and to rejuvenate the door.

4. Check the weather stripping. Contact a commercial garage doors technician for replacement if it’s worn out.