When choosing a new garage door, there are plenty of considerations to think about. You need to take into account the style, color, and material of your garage door. However, the most important research you’ll need to do is on the different types of electric garage doors.
The Most Common Types of Electric Garage Doors
Below you will find the most popular garage door options to choose from and their advantages and disadvantages.
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional garage doors are the most popular option for residential properties in the US. A sectional garage door is made up of three or more hinged panel sections and uses a combination of vertical and horizontal tracks to open and close the door vertically.
This type of garage door operates smoothly and quietly, no matter if you choose to go for an electric operation or manual. Due to the complexity of their mechanism and the high-quality engineering involved in their manufacturing, they tend to be relatively expensive compared to some other types. As sectional doors have many components and mechanisms, they also require regular maintenance and lubrication to ensure they remain in working order.
Typically, these garage doors are made from steel, but you will also find aluminum and wood available. Due to their popularity, they are available in a wide range of finishes and colors designed to match the garage door with most house styles.
You can also choose to insulate your door to keep your garage cool or warm, depending on the season. This is especially valuable if you use your garage for a different purpose, such as an office or gym, keeping you warm in the winter months and cool in summer.
Last but not least, with security being a deciding factor when buying a new garage door, you’ll be pleased to know that sectional garage doors are well designed to make them secure against intruders. The solid, strong panels ensure that there are no access points for a trespasser to leverage.
The main disadvantage of this type of garage door would be that it is more expensive than some other types and requires cleaning and lubricating regularly due to its multiple components.
Roller Garage Doors
Roller garage doors are very popular for commercial properties and residential buildings, especially those in urban areas. Similar to sectional doors, they operate vertically. They are usually made from corrugated steel or aluminum panels, and as the name ‘roller’ hints, they roll up into a cylindrical shape at the top of the garage door opening.
Automated roller doors are extremely secure as the steel or aluminum panels offer no leverage points or locks to pick. They are also very durable, rust-free, and can stand up to most weather conditions. The compact design and simple mechanism make them a good low maintenance option.
Their compact design also makes roller garage doors ideal for small garages where space is at a premium, allowing you to use the ceiling for extra storage space.
Though there are many color choices for roll-up doors, they don’t offer the same aesthetic appeal as other types, so they might not be the best choice for a residential home.
Slide to the Side Garage Doors
You might be surprised to read that slide to the side garage doors were one of the first garage door types to be invented. Sometimes known as round the corner garage doors, the name probably gives you a clue how these doors operate.
The slide to the side garage door runs on floor trolleys and opens to one side; it bends around the garage to be positioned parallel to the wall. This is ideal for garages with limited headspace; they also happen to look really stylish! You can choose manual or electric operation with these garage doors.
They also provide a partial opening, so if your garage gets a lot of pedestrian traffic, then the door can be opened as much or as little as you want.
The downsides to slide to the side doors are that they can be costly and not the most weather-proof option.
Tilt-Up Canopy Garage Doors
Tilting canopy garage doors are made of a single panel that, as the name suggests, tilts up into the garage ceiling with around one-third of the door protruding out of the front of the garage entrance once open like a ‘canopy.’
Canopy garage doors are one of the cheapest options and easy to operate. However, they usually require manual operation, and though it is possible, it isn’t really cost-effective to convert them to operate automatically.
Tilt-Up Retractable Garage Doors
A tilt-up retractable garage door like a canopy door is built from a single panel but differs in many other features, the main one being that they are designed for electric operation. These doors also retract completely back into the garage, unlike the tilt-up canopy doors, and can handle much heavier door panels.
A disadvantage of retractable doors is that the horizontal tracks that the door opens into on the garage ceiling can take up a lot of space.
Side-Hinged Garage Doors
Side-hinged garage doors operate like any standard swing outdoor. The advantages are that you get to make use of the extra height savings in your garage and more room for larger cars to drive in and out. Typically Side Hinged garage doors are operated manually, but there are options that allow them to be automated.
The disadvantages to side-hinged garage doors are that if you have a short driveway, they might not be practical. It also involves a more complicated procedure to make them automatic.
I hope this short guide to the different types of electric garage doors has been helpful. If you have any further questions regarding garage door repair, installation or maintenance, please feel free to contact us here.