Frequently Asked Questions

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Door Questions

• Should I use a professional installer?

  A. At Affordable Overhead Door we believe the installation of a garage door and/or garage door opener is not a do-it-yourself project. A garage door is the largest moving object in your home. There are a large number of  moving parts with potentially dangerous counter-balance systems, some of which require special tools and can be very technical.  Our service technicians are highly trained professionals and can typically install a door in a few hours making sure safety requirements are met. We provide an installation warranty on all products we sell and install.  Most typical home owner installations can span several days and cause much frustration.

• How do I choose a garage door company?  What should I avoid?
  (A)  Experience
  Of all the five check points, this is perhaps the easiest to validate.  How long has the company been in
  business?  If a new company, do the principals have experience in the door and operator industry?
  How much?                         
  (B) Workmanship
  This may be the most important check point, and is also easy to verify.  Does the door dealer have satisfied
  customers? If so, do they have letters of recommendation from their customers?  Do they have a good
  report from the Better Business Bureau?(Testimonials) 
  (C) Code & Regulatory Compliance
  There are numerous requirements pertaining to safety and the installation of a garage door system.
  Federal, state, and local codes must be followed.  Are they registered with the state?  What is their
  contractor’s registration number?
  (D) Insurance Coverage
  It is important hat the door dealer carry proper insurance on their business and employees.
  One checkpoint is to ask for a copy of the company’s certificate of insurance.  If they don’t have one or
  hesitate to comply with your request, it could be a negative signal.
  (E) Financial Integrity
  Although this is a sensitive issue, a dependable, honest door dealer won’t mind telling you about the
  basic financial integrity of their company.

  (F) What should I avoid?
  1. Companies with “to good to be true” promises and no track record or a poor track record.
  2. Companies that operate under several different company names.
  3. Companies who are not members of the Better Business Bureau or International Door Association.
  4. Companies who subcontract their labor.
  5. Companies who are not insured. (Proper liability insurance and workman’s compensation insurance).
  6. Companies who don’t offer a free written estimate.
  7. Companies that don’t have clearly marked vehicles.

• What are the benefits of a steel garage door over a wood garage door?
  • A. 1. Steel doors come from the factory pre-painted.
  •     2. Better warranties
  •     3. Less Maintenance
  •     4. Steel doors can be insulated
• Should I choose an insulated door if my garage isn’t insulated?
  A. Non-insulated doors are a good choice for many applications. Some of the advantages of an insulated door are: Insulated doors look more attractive on the inside. Warranties are generally longer. Insulation provides the door sections with more rigidity than non-insulated. (more resistant to possible accidental damage) Tend to operate quieter because of the insulation.
• What is R-value?
  A. R-value is a standardized measurement of thermal efficiency. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating properties.
• Which is thicker 24-gauge or 25-gauge?
  A. 24-gauge is thicker, the lower the number the thicker the steel.
• Will you dispose of my old garage door if I replace it with a new one?
  A. We include disposal of your old garage door on residential installations.
• Can I use my existing track for the new door?
  A. Generally it’s best to replace your old track with a new door installation, although in some instances it may be possible to use your existing track.
• What do I need to do to prepare my garage for your technicians?
  A. To install doors and openers efficiently, our technicians need the space to be free of clutter, and all vehicles out of the garage during installation.
• Can I install or repair the garage door myself?
  A. It is well worth the price to have a professional install your new door and haul away your old door. Torsion Springs require special tools and training to adjust, if they are not handled properly they can cause severe injury or even death.  Professional installers know what they are doing and have the proper tools at their disposal to do the job right saving you time, money, and headaches.
  

• Important: We do not recommend you attempt to make repairs on your garage door without assistance of a qualified professional door technician. Do not attempt to do any repairs on a standard torsion spring assembly (which requires the use of special tools for installation or adjustment). Springs, cables,& bottom brackets are under extreme loads.  Improper installation, or repair can cause property damage, injury, and possible death

• What is the difference between extension and torsion springs?
  A. Extension springs run parallel to the track and stretch out when the door is down to help raise and lower the door. Extension springs are most often found on single size doors. All doors utilizing extension springs should have safety cables installed.  Safety cables help to keep the springs from flying around the garage when a spring breaks. Torsion springs are on a shaft across the top of the door, mounted to the header and track.  They are most often found on double size garage doors.  They are wound with special tools to provide the counter balance to the door.
• What are standard size doors? (expressed W x H)
  A. Width: 8’, 9’, 10’, 12’, 15’, 16’, 18’
      Height: 6’6”, 7’, 7’6”, 8’
  Although these are standard sizes they are not all are stock sizes.  ( Other widths and heights are also available.)
• Can I get a special size door?
  A. Custom sizes are available.
• Why do you need to come to my home to give me an estimate?

  A. To have an accurate assessment of the garage door opening size, condition of the door jambs, headroom, side room available, are there any side doors or any other obstacles to take into consideration for proper track selection. With this information we can give an exact quote. Due to this, only ballpark estimates can be given over the phone. This is also one reason we do not post prices on our website; as well as fluctuations in fuel, material, and shipping costs.

• Do I need to replace the whole door or can I replace just a section of the door?
  A. As long as we are able to identify the manufacturer of the section and it is still available, replacing just a section(s) is an option.
• Do garage doors require maintenance?

  A. Yes, garage doors do require maintenance and we recommend they be serviced annually to ensure longer life, smooth operation, and that safety devices are working properly. It is also important to lubricate and check for worn parts i.e. cables, pulleys, rollers, etc. (However, even with general maintenance it is not possible to foresee when a spring will break).

• Can I paint my steel garage door?

  A. Yes you can.  Painting instructions here, and HAAS Door Painting Instructions

• Do I need a lock on my garage door?
  A. If you have a garage door opener installed it acts as the lock for your garage door. (If you have an older opener check to see if the door can be lifted from the outside). Any lock on a door that is operated by a garage door opener should be disabled to prevent accidental operation of the opener with the door locked. If your garage door does not have an opener installed, then yes, you should have a lock installed whether it is a lock with key access or one that is operable from the inside of the door only.
• I’m building a new garage, what size should the rough opening be?
  A. You want your finished opening to be the same size as the garage door you are having installed.

Opener Questions

• What are the pros and cons of a garage door opener you sell, verses one I can purchase from a retail store?
  A. We sell Liftmaster, the world’s #1 professionally installed garage door opener. If you purchase an opener from us we come to you. If you purchase from a retail store you have to go get the unit and bring it home with you, then have someone come out to install it. We provide a two year installation warranty. If there is a problem or you have a question about operation you call us.  If you have a problem with an opener from a retail store, who diagnoses the problem? Who do you call to fix it? The store where you bought it? The subcontractor who installed it for the store, or the manufacturer? Our openers utilize a one piece steel t-rail for increased strength, stability, and smoothness of operation. Operators purchased from a retail store utilize a multi piece slip or bolt together rail.
• Which model is better the chain drive, belt drive, or screw drive?
  A. Chain drive openers are the most popular and have been used for many years.   Belt drive openers are designed to be super quiet and are good if you have living space above the garage, or if you just want a really quiet opener. Screw drive openers are a better choice when you have a one-piece tilt open door, as they run slightly slower.
• What horsepower garage door opener do I need to lift my door?
  A. Residential garage door openers are available in 1/3, 1/2, and 3/4 horsepower. The majority of openers we sell are 1/2 HP, which are more than adequate for most properly balanced residential doors.
• How do I test the automatic reverse system?

  A. Testing the safety reversing system of your garage door opener should be performed once every month.  If your opener does not have a reversing system it should be replaced. You should refer to the specific testing procedure in the owner’s manual for your specific garage door opener, though most follow the same basic procedure. Start from the up position, now push the button for the door to close.  Approximately half way down, apply some pressure upward. If the door does not reverse readily, or at all (Be careful not to apply so much pressure to cause damage to your door or opener)  The force setting may be excessive and need adjusting.  Next lay a 2”x 4” laid flat on it’s side in the center of the door, now close the door. When the door comes in contact with the wood it should reverse.  If it doesn’t then have the unit repaired or replaced.

• If I have a garage door opener on my door do I need a manual lock?
  A. Most electric openers act as self-locking devices. (if you have an older opener check to see if the door can be lifted from the outside).  Any lock on a door that is operated by a garage door opener should be disabled to prevent accidental operation of the opener with the door locked.
• How do I release the door from the operator so I can operate the garage door by hand?

  A. With the garage door in the closed position, pull the red release cord.  Once the cord has been pulled the door will now be able to be operated manually, as long as the garage door doesn’t have a broken spring or cable. Warning! The release cord should never be pulled when the door is in the up position, since the door may want to slam down when released causing possible damage, injury, or death.

• How do I  program my cars homelink?
  A. Programming Homelink with rolling code openers with vehicles out of garage.  When programming Homelink on some vehicles the ignition may need to be on.
  
  1.) Locate the vehicles built in three button Homelink remote.
  2.) Assuming no other remotes have been previously programmed and in use, start be pressing and holding
  the two outer buttons.  The red light will start flashing slowly, continue holding until the red light begins
  flashing rapidly and release.
  3.) In this next step it’s easiest to start with the garage door closed.  Press and hold the button on the remote
  of the door you want to program.  Now while still holding the remote button, press and hold the Homelink button in the car you want programmed. The red light will start flashing slowly. Continue holding both buttons until the red light begins to flash rapidly (up to a minute) and release both buttons. If your opener does not utilize rolling code technology you are done. If it does have rolling code technology continue to step four.   
  4.) Locate the “smart” button on the door opener power head (in the garage), and press it once. Now you have approximately 20 seconds to go back to the vehicle and push the Homelink button you just programmed. Some openers may require you to push the button three times to program.

General Safety Information

IDA/Consumer Safety