Radford-Team

Garage doors are a major part of the average house in San Diego that contributes greatly to its functionality, security, and curb appeal. While most work on a door should be left to a professional garage door service, it’s still well worth the homeowners’ while to take the time to learn what makes their doors tick.

In this article, we’ll help homeowners get a better understanding of their doors by providing a short glossary of terms and definitions that are commonly used in the context of garage doors. Read on.

What are the names of the garage door parts?

Like most other industries, garage door manufacturers and installers have their own unique lingo. Here’s a quick list of commonly used terms:

• Astragal. The bottom weather-stripping on a garage door.
• Bottom brackets. These are attached to both sides of the door. They’re what holds the lifting cables.
• Bracket-mounted track. These vertical tracks are installed onto the doorjamb.
• Backroom. The space between the door and the back of the horizontal track.
• Clearance. How much sideroom, backroom, and headroom is needed for the garage door to be installed correctly.
• Cables. The long wires that connect the bottom bracket to the counterbalance mechanism.
• Cable drums. The wheel-like components that cables are wound about.
• Cycle. This is what a full opening and closing of a garage door is called.
• Door frame refers to the side vertical pieces and the horizontal header.
• Dead load. How much load the door exerts when it’s not moving.
• Double-thick glass. This glass is about one eighth of an inch thick and not as heavy as plate glass.
• Duplex spring denotes a duo of torsion springs.
• Torsion & extension springs are what produces the lifting force a door needs in order to open.
• Flag bracket is what connects the horizontal and vertical tracks.
• Galvanizing. This is what makes steel doors resistant to rusting.
• Opener. The remote-controlled motor that closes and opens a garage door. 
• Man door. A regular door that’s built into a garage door to enable people to go in and out without having to open the entire garage door. 
• High-cycle springs. These springs can withstand a greater number of cycles and therefore have a longer service life.
• Horizontal track. This track is installed parallel to the ceiling and serves to guide the door during motion.
• Jambs. The vertical components of a garage door frame.
• Jamb seal refers to weather stripping that’s installed around the door jamb.
• Overhead garage door. A type of garage door that uses hinged sections, which enables it to move up and down its track.
• Photo sensors are a safety feature that prevent a door from colliding with an object that’s underneath it.
• Roller assembly. Includes a wheel and an axle, and serves to guide the door along the track.
• Rollers. This is what the wheels within the roller assembly are called.
• Rear track hangers are what keeps the horizontal track firmly attached to the ceiling.
• Shaft bearings. These bearings are what holds the weight of the door and its counterbalance system.
• Sectional garage doors are made of multiple sections that are attached with hinges.
• Spring assembly. The components that make up the counterbalance assembly.
• Tracks. These rails guide the roller assembly and are what the garage door slides along when opening or closing.
• Winding cone. What the torsion spring wounds around.
• Wind load. How much force the wind exerts when it blows into a closed door.

Where in San Diego & the area can I book an expert garage door service?

Looking to replace a dying garage door at your home in Navajo? Or perhaps you’re planning to invest in a new garage door opener and recycle the old one? Here at Radford Garage Doors & Gates of San Diego, we can assist you with all that and more.

With over seven decades of industry experience, we’re superbly positioned to meet your every garage door need in Southern California. Give us a call today.

Modern garage doors are incredibly durable devices. Despite being constantly exposed to the elements and withstanding daily use for years and decades on end, the average unit in San Diego, CA, should still easily last 15-20 years without requiring major garage door repair, provided that it receives annual maintenance.

That being said, even the most rugged door will eventually become too worn down to fix. Knowing how to tell when your unit is at the end of its life will help you prepare you for a new garage door installation in the near future and start budgeting accordingly.

In the following article, we’ll help you do just that by taking a look at 4 common signs of a failing garage door. Read on.

How do I know if my garage door is going bad?

Knowing how to tell when your garage door is on its way out is important not only for financial reasons, but to ensure your and your family’s safety as well. A malfunctioning door may pose a security risk that criminals could exploit to get inside your home. An old and worn down door may even fall and crush whatever or whoever is underneath it.

Here are 4 telltale signs that your door is way past its prime:

1. It’s noisy

While most garage doors aren’t built to be especially quiet, they also shouldn’t let out loud rattling, screeching, or banging noises during use. In some cases, this issue can be addressed by cleaning and lubing up the components that are producing these sounds. However, if this doesn’t solve the problem, it’s likely that your door has bigger problems to contend with.

2. It’s breaking down all the time

Mechanical devices that are nearing or are past the end of their life tend to fail more often and require frequent repairs. Constant service calls, labor, and parts tend to cost a lot more in the long run than just paying upfront for a replacement, and that’s not even factoring in the frustration and inconvenience of having to deal with a malfunctioning garage door.

3. It has slowed down

Significant wear on the opener motor, springs, cables, and other components will eventually cause your garage door to open more slowly or may even be unable to fully open at all. If the door is made of wood, moisture buildup within the wood can also increase its weight and contribute to the problem.

4. It’s not energy-efficient

Over time, bottom seals, weather strips, sealing joints, and other parts of a garage door that are designed to contribute to the insulative qualities of your home will become worn down. This will not only make your house feel warmer in summer and colder in winter, but can also drive up your heating and cooling bills.

While this problem can be somewhat addressed by refreshing the insulation in your home, it’s not nearly as effective of a solution as simply installing a modern, energy-efficient door.

Who in San Diego, CA & the vicinity carries out professional garage door repair?

Looking to enhance your property in Clairemont with a state-of-the-art garage door? Maybe you’d like to add a man door to your existing garage door? Whatever your needs may be, you can rest assured that Radford Garage Doors & Gates of San Diego can meet them with utmost efficiency and professionalism.

With a tradition that spans more than 75 years, we are your go-to option for all things related to garage doors. Reach out to us today.

Looking to enhance your home in San Diego, CA, with a custom wood garage door? Maybe you’re in need of a highly secure door for your commercial property? Whatever your requirements may be, learning all you can about custom garage doors can go a long way toward helping you make a wise investment.

In previous articles, we discussed the key benefits of having a custom garage door, explained the pros and cons of single and double garage doors, and took a detailed look at the garage door manufacturing process. Now we’ll help you ensure your new door meets your needs by answering some common questions about custom garage doors. Read on to learn more.

Can I replace my own custom garage door?

Although nothing is stopping you from building and installing your own garage door, we strongly advise against doing so. For one, DIY garage door installation can be dangerous. In addition to having many heavy, cumbersome components, garage doors also use springs that contain an enormous amount of energy.

Handling this hardware without access to specialized equipment and the help of a trained and experienced team can easily result in not only costly damages, but serious hazards as well. Every year, there are over 20,000 emergency room visits that are directly caused by DIY garage door work.

While most of these mishaps are fortunately limited to pinches and lacerations, some of them result in mutilation or even death. To stay safe and make sure your new door adheres to the required health and safety standards, always outsource this type of work to an established garage door company.

How long does it take to get a custom garage door?

It depends on many factors, the major ones being the company you hired to do the job and the complexity of your desired garage door. How long the installation process takes can also vary depending on whether the new door can be installed right away or if an old door has to be removed beforehand.

As always, the most reliable way to get an accurate time frame is to contact a local garage door company that builds custom garage doors. They will book a consultation at your property and use this opportunity to have a chat with you and take measurements. Once they have all of the necessary information, they will be able to tell you how long your project will take.

How much does a new garage door and system cost?

As with most tailored home improvement solutions, the price of a custom garage door can vary widely depending on a number of different factors.

Key variables to consider include:

• Size and type of the garage door
• Shape of the opening
• Complexity of the design
• Materials used in its construction
• Whether extra features such as windows need to be implemented
• Who’s doing the work

The best way to obtain a precise quote is to reach out to your garage door company of choice and consult with the experts directly. After asking you a few questions, the pros will be able to tell you how much your new garage door will cost.

Who in San Diego, CA, and the area provides quality custom wood garage doors?

As a long-standing provider of garage door installation, repair, maintenance, and replacement services, Radford Garage Doors & Gates of San Diego is uniquely positioned to supply you with gorgeous and highly versatile custom garage door solutions.

Whether you’re located in Miramar or at the very epicenter of the city, our technicians are just a few clicks away. Get in touch with us today!

It’s safe to say that the times when only wealthy households could afford enough garage space for two vehicles are long past. These days, it’s completely normal for homes in San Diego to have large garages that can fit two or even three custom wood garage doors.

While this provides unparalleled functionality, security, and customizability, it has also created a new dilemma for American homeowners. Namely, should they equip their property with a single double-size garage door or install two standard doors?

In this article, we’ll help you find an answer to this question by taking a look at the advantages each approach provides. Keep reading to learn more.

Why do some houses have 2 garage doors?

When it comes to choosing between one large door and two regular-sized ones, it’s important to remember that there’s no correct or wrong choice in this matter, but rather that either option provides specific benefits for your home.

Consider the following:

Benefits of a double-size garage door

• It’s great for large cars such as SUVs or full-size trucks, as it makes driving in or backing out easier.
• It costs less, mainly owing to the fact that you have to purchase and maintain only one garage door opener.
• Three-stall garages tend to work best with a single double-door plus a regular-sized door.
• If you’re a carpenter or otherwise like to work on your vehicles in your garage, you’ll generally be better served by a double garage door.
• It provides more space for loading, cleaning, repair, and other tasks as it enables you to park a single car in the middle of the space. This is particularly helpful for individuals who use a wheelchair.
• A double door can be made to resemble two single ones, if this is the look you prefer.

Benefits of two single garage doors

• There are many options. Need one 9-foot and one 10-foot wide door? As with other types of doors, there are countless custom options to choose from.
• It adds redundancy. If one of your garage doors fails, you’ll still be able to use the other to exit or enter your home.
• It helps control the space between vehicles. Having two doors enables you to determine how close two cars will park from one another, which can make driving in and out, and loading the cars significantly easier.
• It’s a great way to control airflow. You can choose to keep one door closed if you want to limit the amount of air that blows inside, or open both and really let the air in.

Do garage doors come in custom sizes?

Just about every aspect of a garage door can be endlessly customized to maximize the benefits it provides and perfectly meet your needs and wants. Needless to say, this also includes size.

To quickly get a custom-sized door, reach out to a reputable garage door company in your area and schedule a consultation. Once their experts have assessed your space and taken the necessary measurements, their team will be able to build a personalized garage door that’s perfectly sized for your property.

Who in San Diego and the area sells and installs luxe custom wood garage doors?

Radford Garage Doors & Gates is an acclaimed provider of garage door repair, replacement, installation, and maintenance services that operates throughout San Diego and the surrounding communities.

Whether your property is situated at the city’s outskirts or right next door to Malcolm A. Love Library, you can rely on our team to show up in a timely manner and meet your needs with utmost care and precision. Call us today!