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1 Q. |
Why should I use a professional installer?
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A. |
We
firmly believe that the installation of a garage
door is not a do-it-yourself job. A garage door is
the largest moving object in your home and because
of the large number of small parts, its installation
is highly technical. Connecting the springs can be
particularly dangerous and proper installation is
critical to the performance of your door. One of the
other services a professional installer can provide
is the disposal of your old door, if you are
replacing a door.
Professional installers can typically install a door
in a few hours and are careful to make sure safety
requirements are met. Installations by most
homeowners typically span several days and cause
much frustration. In addition, incorrect
installation can void certain warranties, so we
recommend a professional handle the job for you.
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2 Q. |
Is 25 gauge steel thicker than 24 gauge steel?
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A. |
No. When comparing strengths of steel, remember, the
lower the gauge number, the thicker (and stronger)
the steel is.
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3 Q. |
Why should I choose an insulated door if my garage
is un-insulated?
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A. |
A garage door opening is a very large hole in your
garage. Insulated doors will help to reduce the
amount of outside temperatures that enters your
garage, thus keeping it more comfortable for you.
This is important for a number of reasons:
1) If your garage is attached to your home, any air
in the garage can travel through the doorway to your
living area.
2) If you use your garage as a workshop, your
comfort will be a top priority.
3) If your garage is below another room in your
home, air can travel through the ceiling of the
garage into the floor of the room above. An
insulated door will keep temperatures in the garage
fairly stable to reduce the temperature fluctuation
in the room.
4) An insulated door is generally quieter and has a
more attractive interior than an un-insulated door.
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4 Q. |
What are the benefits of a steel door over a wood
door?
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A. |
1) Steel doors are low maintenance. Typically a wood
door needs to be painted as frequently as the wood
trim on your home due to weathering.
2) Amarr steel doors have longer warranties than
wood doors.
3) Steel doors can be insulated, making them far
more energy efficient than wood.
4) Amarr steel doors are pre-painted and most are
available in your choice of three colors. Wood doors
are unfinished or primed, both of which need to be
finish painted upon installation.
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5 Q. |
What is required for installing an electric
operator?
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A. |
In the event that an electric operator is installed,
the top section must be reinforced with a strut or
14-gauge angle iron spanning the length of the top
section.
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6 Q. |
I want to replace my old door, but don't know how to
dispose of my old one. Will my Amarr dealer take
care of that?
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A. |
Most dealers will haul your old door away after the
new door is installed for a small additional fee.
Discuss this with the salesperson when you get your
estimate on your new door.
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7 Q. |
When I replace my existing door, can I keep my old
track?
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A. |
We recommend replacing your track when you replace
your door because each brand of garage door has been
specially designed to work with a specific type of
track. In addition, replacing your track is an
inexpensive way to insure that your entire garage
door system is as safe as possible. By replacing
your track you also ensure that your door warranty
will apply, in the event that you have a problem.
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8 Q. |
I have a one-piece door now. Can I replace it with a
sectional door?
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A. |
Yes. Your professional garage door installer can
install a sectional door for you by installing track
and springs to accommodate a sectional door.
Depending on the construction of your garage, other
modifications might be necessary. We would advise
you to ask your installer to evaluate the job prior
to installation, so that any modifications can be
performed before installation.
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9 Q. |
I'd like to purchase an Amarr steel door, but need a
color other than those you offer. Can I paint the
door once it's installed?
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A. |
Yes. Please contact us for Amarr's detailed paint
instructions.
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10 Q. |
Are special size doors available? I have a
custom-built garage that features an unusual size
door.
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A. |
Yes. Amarr makes residential doors in widths
beginning at 6' wide and continuing to 20'*. We can
make any width between 6' and 20' in two inch
increments. In addition, virtually any height
between 6'6" and 12' is available in three inch
increments. The only height that is unavailable is
7'3".
*not all models are available in this range of
widths
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11 Q. |
My garage has very little space (headroom) above the
door. What is the minimum headroom required to
operate a sectional door?
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A. |
Standard headroom applications require 12" to 18" of
space between the bottom of the opening header and
the unobstructed ceiling. However, Amarr specializes
in custom-built applications. A variety of special
track options are available and make it possible for
many unusual garages to be fitted with doors. By
using low-headroom track, it is possible to install
a door in an area that has as little as 61/2" of
headroom.
Other special track applications include:
1) Vertical lift track, for use in situations where
the ceiling is extremely high and the garage door
has room to lift straight up.
2) Follow-the-roofline track, which is used when the
ceiling of the garage is pitched at the angle of the
roof, making it desirable for the door to follow the
same angle, thus providing additional overhead room
and
3) Hi-lift track, which is used when the ceiling is
unusually high, but the door must still retract to a
horizontal position.
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12 Q. |
I'd like windows, but I'm concerned about security?
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A. |
There are many parts of our country where security
is a large concern. Because of this, Amarr has
designed DecraGlass™- safe, secure windows for your
garage doors. DecraGlass™ windows are tempered,
translucent windows that feature beautiful etched
designs to compliment the style of your home. In
addition, they offer more security than standard
garage door windows because they feature baked-in
translucent ink. This allows light into your garage,
but masks the contents from potential intruders.
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13 Q. |
I've been comparing R-values of various doors and am
surprised at the variance among them. Can you
explain this?
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A. |
Many manufacturers use R-values to show the energy
efficiency of their product. This number is arrived
at through a calculation that looks at the thickness
of the insulation and its chemical properties.
Therefore, most of the R-value numbers you see,
reflect only the R-value of the section...not of the
installed door. A door's insulating capabilities can
be greatly affected by the door's construction.
For that reason, Amarr's insulated doors have a
5-step system that works together to maximize energy
efficiency. Our double thermal break and tongue and
groove construction are critical parts of that
system and help to keep your garage as comfortable
as possible.
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14 Q. |
How do I know if my door is properly balanced?
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A. |
There are several tests you can perform to tell if
your door is balanced:
1) You should be able to raise your door in 1'
increments and the door should stay in place where
you stop it.
2) When the door comes down, it lowers in a
controlled manner and doesn't slam.
3) When the door goes up, it is at a controlled
pace.
4) The bottom of the door should align with the
bottom of the header when the door is in a raised
position.
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15 Q. |
Do I need a lock on my garage door?
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A. |
If an electric garage door opener has been installed
on your door, it may not be necessary to have a
lock. Newer electric openers function as the lock,
making it improbable that an intruder would be able
to lift your door from the outside. If you have an
older opener, check to see if your door can be
lifted from the outside.
DASMA, the trade association for the garage door
industry, discourages homeowners from attaching a
lock when an opener has been installed, because too
frequently, a child or other family member will
accidentally lock the door. If someone then tries to
open the door using the electric opener, the opener
will pull against the lock causing the door to be
damaged.
If no opener is installed on your door, you should
certainly have a lock installed.
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16 Q. |
What type of spring is better...extension or
torsion?
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A. |
There are two types of springs used on garage doors
today...extension and torsion. Most people are more
familiar with extension springs. These are the
springs that are attached on either side of the door
and stretch along the horizontal part of the track
when the door is closed. Torsion springs are
typically located just above the top section of the
door and are mounted to the header. They are wound
springs and do not expand or contract when the door
is moved.
A torsion spring is a superior spring, primarily
because it offers more safety to the homeowner and
better balances the door to provide smoother
operation. Amarr single-car doors are equipped with
extension springs as part of the standard hardware,
but torsion springs are available by request. All
double-car doors are equipped with torsion springs.
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17 Q. |
How do I paint a wood door?
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A. |
Many homeowners feel that they have thrown their
money away when their wooden garage doors rot or
break-up because of moisture problems. Amarr
guarantees its wood doors for one year, but a
properly maintained wood door should provide a
"reasonable" length of service to the homeowner.
The following information on proper painting of wood
doors comes from the American Hardboard Association.
These guidelines were established by the hardboard
manufacturers and do not replace Amarr's
instructions or warranty. For further details on
painting, you may refer to Step 22 in our Homeowners
Instruction Manual and warranty in the Homeowners
Information Packet that comes with every Amarr door.
FINISH SELECTIONS Quality: Purchase a good quality
exterior paint that is recommended for use on
hardboard. "Bargain paints are rarely genuine
bargains because they are usually harder to apply,
do not cover well and do not last as long as good
quality materials. Follow the advice of your paint
dealer for the products specified for coating
hardboard.
Finish Type: Select finishing systems intended for
exterior use on hardboard as follows:
1) Primer: Use a solvent based oil/alkyd or
waterborne primer which will seal the face, back and
edges of the entire door and is compatible with the
top coat to be used.
2) Top Coat Paint: Use either latex or oil exterior
top coat paints. The oil paint should be semi or
full gloss paint.
NOTE: All paints used should be those recommended by
the paint manufacturer for use on hardboard. Stain
products are not recommended.
SURFACE PREPARATION The surface of the hardboard
skin/panel must be clean, free of dust and dirt,
mildew and other contamination. Unprimed hardboard
doors should be finished immediately after
installation. Primed hardboard doors should be
finished within 7 days after installation.
APPLICATION Method of Application: Follow the
directions on the finish label paying particular
attention to special primer requirements, hardboard
surface temperature, rate of spread and recommended
application procedures. In general, the finish can
be applied by either spray, roll or brush as long as
the resultant film is the recommended thickness, is
uniform in coverage and properly cured. Avoid
application of finish when rain or dew is expected.
Avoid painting with latex formulations if
temperature is likely to drop below 50°F before the
paint fully hardens.
Number of Coats/Coating Thickness: A total film
thickness of 4 dry mils (.004") minimum for all
surfaces face, back and edges is recommended. This
is best achieved by a uniform application of
unthinned finish at a spread rate recommended on the
label. Therefore, apply the following number of
coats to the OUTSIDE, INSIDE and ALL EDGES of the
door before installation:
Unprimed Doors: Primer followed by 2 unthinned
finish coats. Primed Doors: Spot prime any areas of
damage to the factory primer using an alkyd/oil
primer. After the primer has dried, apply 2 finish
coats. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations
relative to the use of a primer and the finish coats
or the 2 finish coats.
MAINTENANCE AND REFINISHING Yearly inspection of the
exterior of the garage door will pay dividends when
re-finishing eventually becomes necessary. If the
finish appears in good condition, cleaning and touch
up is often adequate. When the finish becomes badly
eroded and thin, clean and prime the areas where the
substrate is showing through, followed by complete
priming and finish coating. If there is no substrate
showing through, the finish coating only may be
adequate.
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18 Q. |
What type of care and maintenance is necessary for
my Amarr steel door and hardware?
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A. |
We recommend that you wash your steel door a minimum
of one (1) time per year with: (a) One cup of Tide®
(or other common detergents which contain less than
0.5% phosphate), dissolved into five gallons of warm
water, or (b) One cup of household ammonia dissolved
into five gallons of water (room temperature). NEVER
BLEND CLEANSERS OR DETERGENTS WITH BLEACH.
The garage door may be washed with either solution
and the use of a well-soaked cloth, sponge, brush
(with very soft bristles) or low pressure spray
washer are recommended. Once the door is washed,
thoroughly rinse with clean water to eliminate the
possibility of residue.
In addition, lubrication is recommended on a yearly
basis for the following hardware: pulleys, rollers,
hinges and springs. CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN
LUBRICATING SPRINGS AS THEY ARE UNDER HIGH TENSION.
WHEN APPLYING LUBRICANT AVOID ANY CONTACT WITH THE
SPRING. Visually inspect springs and cable for wear
and binding once each year and contact a
professional garage door repairman if damage is
suspected. |
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19 Q. |
What is a carriage house door?
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A. |
There are 3 types of carriage house doors:
1- All wood faced doors
2-Steel and vinyl faced doors
3-Steel faced doors
Amarr makes the wood faced doors under its Bob Timberlake™, Biltmore
Estate For Your Home®, and By Design brands. These
doors are beautiful and offer the most flexible
design options. However they are the highest priced
type of door. they must be painted or stained, and
are typically heavier than most doors.
Steel and Vinyl faced doors typicaly take a flush
steel door and use some combination of glue and
screws to attach vinyl overlays to the flush
sections. While the price is lower, the design
combinations are fewer. The vinyl cannot be painted
dark colors, there can be fit and finsh issues, and
fading may occur with the vinyl.
Steel faced doors- The Classica is an all steel door
that utilizes a unique stamping process to create
its beautiful looks without the hassles of painting,
heavy weight or overlays . It has no overlays like
some steel carraige house pretenders and comes in 32
different designs. All the doors come in a
prepainted white, but can be painted (see Question
No.9 for paint instructions) to match a home's
exterior.
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