It is said that garage doors can serve as the easiest and most direct way to break into a home. However, a well-chosen and advanced option like a sectional garage door can prevent unexpected events and keep your valuables safe from snoopy eyes.
Hence, it is essential to be smart and attentive while choosing these. Among all popular options, sectional doors are one of the most preferable picks. Identifying what is a sectional garage door is important to know why it should form your preference. In addition, one should be aware of its functioning, features, levels of safety it can assure, etc.
What is a Sectional Garage Door?
A sectional garage door is a type of door with a distinctive structure. It comes with three or more panels. In this option, every panel is pivoted to each other. As a result, you can easily utilize the space available outside and inside the garage.
You can either choose single-fitted or double-fitted types. Depending on the specific needs, you can get iron, wood, steel, or aluminum sectional garage doors. These are highly preferred options because of their sturdy designs, flexibility, and reliability.
Along with this, such a garage door is available in a huge variety in terms of sizes and can easily be coated with different colors. Due to this, it is an exceptional choice for numerous architectural designs.
How Does a Sectional Garage Door Work?
A sectional door comes with 4-8 sections that are horizontally created. When you open the doors, every panel or section vertically moves upwards. Talking about the thickness, each panel is around 50mm thick. Due to being closely hinged, these doors will bend as you move them up.
In addition to this, cable drums are attached on both sides (track ends). These doors also have a torsion spring. It supports the doors’ weight to prevent sudden falls or any accidents. You are advised to check the springs once if the door is closing faster than usual.
Is a Sectional Garage Door Safe?
After knowing what a sectional garage door is and how it works, you should also find out if they are a safe option or not.
Indeed, sectional garage doors are absolutely safe. This is one of the reasons why most homeowners prefer having them.
- Be it a single door or a double one, every option comes with a high-end locking mechanism.
- This is something a door must have to avoid being pushed open or jerked up by unknown guests or visitors.
- Although a single door is a sturdy option, double ones are stronger, safer, and more exceptional.
Is there Any Advantage of Using a Sectional Garage Door?
The features of a sectional garage door make it advantageous. It is better and different than other available options. When it comes to the benefits, you will get the following:
1. Space-Saving
Sectional garage doors make the finest way to maximize the space available in the garage. They do not swing like other doors. Rather, they move vertically when you open them. Additionally, they can be horizontally opened by installing the guide track in the headroom of the garage.
2. Get Maximum Insulation Against Heat
In general, a vehicle garage is the biggest room. Hence, you must keep it well-insulated against different climatic conditions. By insulting the garage doors, you can easily regulate the temperature within the garage as well as the home.
Along with this, insulation will help you create a quiet place as it will absorb excessive noise. Lastly, you can maintain the right temperature of the garage through these doors when they are featured in the right material. For instance, you can opt for heat-resistant material such as iron.
3. Easy to Customize
A house reflects the persona of the owner. Since the garage is the most crucial part of a home, it must complement it well. A sectional door comes with a huge variety in terms of color, finishes, materials, and designs, you can pick as per your preferences and choices. Simply put, you should get the one that blends perfectly with your home’s architectural décor.
4. Reliable and Durable Option
When you want the garage door to withstand different climatic conditions, you should consider its durability while or before buying one. Speaking about the sectional garage doors, particularly the steel and aluminum ones, they are quite durable. It is believed that they can easily last up to 25-30 years if maintained properly.
5. Great Safety
In most homes, garage doors serve as the main entryway. Thus, it is necessary to invest in a system that is highly secure and can protect the home, valued belongings, and loved ones from any unexpected event in your absence. This is where you can count on sectional garage doors.
- Since they are tightly and closely hinged, opening them with fingers or other means is almost impossible.
- Besides, the top door panel is equipped with a high-quality mechanical lock to make pushes harder.
- In case your area is highly prone to intruders, sectional garage doors offer immense security.
Is there a Drawback to Using a Sectional Garage Door?
Indeed, sectional garage doors are an exceptional addition to the safety of your home. But they have certain downsides though they are not major and need a little effort to eliminate the same. These include:
1. Debris and Dust
These sectional doors for the garage come with a sturdy bottom seal that protects against climatic hassles. However, dust and debris can find their way through it. A lot of issues can easily be managed in case you clean the same regularly.
2. Low in Affordability
A sectional garage door will cost you a bit more than other options. Along with this, these come with more hardware than standard garage doors. This means that repairs and replacements may cost you more than other doors when something goes wrong.
Can We Open Sectional Garage Doors Manually?
In relation to automation, with sectional garage doors, you will get two-sided benefits. Firstly, they can be automated as needed. Besides, you can go for the manual option to operate the door without any remote. If you cannot decide, consider your needs, compare the pros/cons of automated and manual doors, and check the price to make a wise choice.
Maintenance Tips to Keep Sectional Garage Doors in Good Condition
Although sectional garage doors do not need excessive maintenance, you will need to clean them regularly to maximize lifespan and get amazing performance. For this, the following can be done:
1. Check the Garage Door Travels
Sectional garage doors open and close by gliding, so, you must check the speed of the same to determine whether there is any issue. To kick-start the process, see that the doors are smoothly opening and closing. Generally, these doors need minimal effort to pull up and down.
In case they are coming down too swiftly or you are putting excessive effort into opening them, it is advised to call an expert garage door repair firm to fix the potential issues.
2. Keep the Hardware Lubricated
You can use silicon sprays to avoid dirt and debris in sectional garage doors. When it comes to the suggested time to lubricate the doors, you can do it twice in every 6 months. Before you spray the hardware, you are advised to clean the area with methylated spirit and a cotton cloth.
3. Clean the Garage Doors’ Seal
Typically, the bottom seal of a sectional garage door is made of rubber and similar material. Therefore, you should keep a check on this regularly to see and clean any debris and dust. To clean this, you can use a soft cotton damp cloth.
Everything Considered
A sectional garage door is a kind of door that saves space, offers high levels of security, and ensures other features. However, it does come with a few disadvantages. Regular maintenance and assistance from professionals like Garage Door Repair Group can help overcome these.
