Category Archives: Door

Storm Shield Garage Door Threshold

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There is rarely a home anywhere in the world that does not have a garage. This is due to the increasing number of cars that people own. Some households own up to three cars. This means that it is vital that they have somewhere safe and secure to store their vehicle or vehicles. The garage is the best place for this. The piece of equipment that ensures that your garage is safe is the door.

There are a wide variety of different materials available to have your garage door constructed from. You can have it made from steel, wood or even aluminum. They are all effective but all require some sort of seal to fill in the garage door threshold. Here is some information on the various types of garage door available. The material used will determine the type of threshold seal that you require.

Wood is probably one of the oldest and most used materials. It certainly has a great deal of charm and is still preferred by many over the more modern metals and plastics of the modern world. They feel that the wood gives a character that the other materials just cannot deliver. Garage door insulation is essential with wooden doors, as you cannot allow any water to get in to penetrate the wood. You must have a high quality threshold sealant to help prevent rotting and severe damage to your door. The great thing about using wood though is that if it does endure wear and tear over the years it can be reconditioned without the need to replace the entire door.

The most used type of door however is the steel door. You will see this one on most garages across America. Steel is extremely strong and robust, and is impervious to rust. This gives you great peace of mind that the door will last for many years to come. Even though steel is extremely strong, the threshold still requires to be sealed properly. In parts of the country that constantly suffer from hurricanes, you will often see a storm shield garage door threshold seal fitted. These are extra strong and can withstand even the most extreme of weather conditions. Vital if you are located in a hurricane zone.

Some may even opt for the lighter weight fiberglass composite garage door. These are less common as they do not provide the level of security that the previous two do. They can be lower in cost though. Whichever of the options you opt for you must ensure that you install a good quality garage door threshold seal. This is key is providing you with a weather proof and secure garage.

Tips From A Certified Fire Door Inspector

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A certified fire door inspector will always recommend the use of a fire rated door with a 30 minute rating to make sure that people are kept safe during fire breakout. Any fire that breaks out in a certain location inside a building can still be compartmentalized, depending on the type of door installed in the area. If it is a fire door, then compartmentalization can last at least 30 minutes but with an ordinary door, catching fire would be quick and thus, it can spread to other areas. In a few minutes, all of the combustible materials that were passed by the fire will be gutted down, and that can even include people.

What is a fire door? There are many selections for this door type but basically, these are doors that are manufactured to withstand fire and extreme heat such as a during a fire accident. These doors are important especially for buildings with long corridors. At the end of the corridor, a fire resistant door would be recommended. When there’s fire that’s building up, smoke can be a big hindrance to seeking egress. These fire doors, if they have smoke seals, will not allow smoke to pass through, even the one they call “cold smoke” which is a by-product of a fire that has just started.

A fire-proof door should show a gap of 5mm from the floor and not exceeding that distance. This is to allow the seal to expand fully when exposed to heat. Any deviation from the 5mm will be risky since the seal may not be able to fully cover the gap and thus, the door will put people in jeopardy.

Fire-resistant accessories are required to be installed with the door. These fittings should be able to stand the extreme heat of 800°C. any ordinary metal will have melted in that heat but there are materials that are specified for accessories. Your certified fire door inspector can give you an idea how these things are purchased if ever you need a replacement. Chances are, the supplier of these doors also knows how to inspect their products and provide an official compliance label whenever they check a door on a routine basis.

In inspecting these doors, the third-party agency will refer to the previous records of the door and do a check up on the problem areas of the door, especially the seals. Normally, the door will be worked by a router so that the seal can be inserted into the perimeter. In case the seals fall off, there should be a replacement of these seals and they should also come from the same manufacturer to have a uniform thickness.

These doors are not necessarily ugly. They can be made to match the building or house interiors using paints and other embellishments. A fire door can be classy and trendy while providing its legendary protective feature in case a fire breaks out. Once a fire happens, the door would be able to stand the heat of fire and allow egress for people occupying the building.

How To Find The Best Garage Door

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When choosing a garage door it is vital to also consider the aesthetic aspect. Especially when the garage is integrated into the house the visual impact of the door is very high because it can handle up to 20-30% of the facade. Choosing the right pattern, color or texture is essential for the appearance and in general you are advised to opt for a visual association with the garage door.

Safety features

You could use all types of garage door products that meet the technical standards of safety in use. Optional, depending on system usage, there is additional safety systems to choose from. Sectional ones are the safest in terms of living lawfully because they could be equipped with several safety systems such as engine protection, low seal pressure sensors and specially shaped panels that could prevent you from trapping your fingers.

Thermal insulation

If the garage is heated it is essential to install a garage door with insulation. Even if it is unheated but is part of the house structure an insulated door is recommended. The purpose of garage insulation is to maintain a temperature similar to the actual home but a comfort temperature of at least 8-10 degrees Celsius in winter.

Automatic operation for your garage door is possible with most models and a radio remote control will be provided to you for most sectional doors. The choice of engine and other parts of the automation system must correspond to your needs and you would probably need some advice from an expert at this point, because there are plenty of options to choose from. For example, for a large garage you must choose an engine with high frequency operation, with automatic locking barrier and other features. Do not hesitate to seek advice for the appropriate expert, who could analyze your home and determine which models correspond to your needs.

Budgeting Issues

Last but not least, the price you are willing to pay for a garage door should reflect not only the product but the other services offered to you as a customer as well, like free home delivery at your door. A proper operation for a large period of time is also indicated. Therefore the cost that you must take into account when purchasing your garage door product does not only include the price you pay at that particular moment, but also the amount of money you will be able to save over a period of a couple of years.