Operate my electric gates from same remote as garage door

A popular question asked by those homeowners who have electric gates, is, “Can I operate my electric gates from the same remote as my garage door?”

For the most part, the answer is “Yes.” It is true that remotes can be programmed to open an electric gate opener in addition to a garage door. Unfortunately, the gate opener will need to have the same sort of receiver board.

For some this will mean that an existing gate opener may not be able to work with your new electric garage door installation. Fear not, it is possible to purchase a universal receiver which will solve this problem.

Do I rebuild my garage (opening) to fit a new automatic garage door?

No, there is aboslutely no need to rebuild the garage door opening. Depending on the quality and type of your door, you may be able to use your existing garage door.

The suitability of a new opener will depend on the size and shape of your garage opening. Things associated with the roof height and the available space between door top and roof will play a factor. In most cases, only 30mm of space is required between the garage door in the open position and the ceiling/rafters.

Nonetheless, we should be able to install a fully automatic, remote-controlled garage door within only a few hours.

Special power requirements for electric doors?

Electric garage doors have been manufactured with ease-of-use in mind.  This idea has been carried over into the area of installation.

Automatic garage door opener units come supplied with a normal 3-pin plug as standard, so will plug into a standard household socket. Yes, there’s none of those funky Euro-only or American plugs to worry about.

The 3-pin plug socket should be situated in relative proximity to the garage door opening (if you have a very long garage); however, if you do not have power available in your garage, we recommend that you contact a certified electrician.

Garage doors cables are fraying

You should always be concerned about garage door cables fraying especially when consideration is made that the problem is only likely to get worse. In most instances, we would advise against any use of the garage door if it appears that your garage door could compromise your personal safety.

Most garage doors operate through the use of heavy-duty springs which enable the easy open/close operation of your garage door.  A sudden brake of a cable could cause a spring to suddenly lose tension and/or snap causing incidental injury.

If the cable is severely frayed to where there is only a few strands left that could break at any moment, the cable should be replaced by a qualified garage door service technician as soon as possible.

Are garage doors weatherproof?

This is a difficult question to answer? How do you define weatherproof?  Is a weatherproof door one that is resistant to rusting or corrosion? Is a weatherproof door one that is well insulated?

Nevertheless, the level of waterproofing will more or less have a correlation with the price of the door. Manufacturers will often have little weatherproofing on canopy/retractable doors, but roller or sectional doors will protect against the worst elements.

There are some important points to consider if you are looking to purchase a door that is weatherproof:

1. Is the door protected with rubber seals along the side and bottom of the door? Some garage doors will come fitted with side guides (brush strips) and a draught strip along the bottom of the door that will stop draughts and leaves.
2. Is the door insulated? An insulated garage door will help regulate the temperature not only in your garage but also to the rest of your house (if your garage neighbors your home), saving heating costs and keeping you warm.
3. Is your garage door corrosion resistant? Is it finished with a protective finish? All garage doors should be finished with a protective coating which will lengthen is life span protecting your door from any rust.  Wooden door should be appropriately treated to minimize the chance of any rot that may form.

The importance of an insulated garage door

The amount of insulation found in a garage door can have not only a dramatic effect on the temperature of your garage but on the temperature of neighboring rooms. The amount of insulation that a garage door provides is represented by an international measurement called the R-value.

It is important to select a garage door with an R-value that is consistent with how you intend to use your garage.

Do you heat or cool your garage? Well, insulation will prove very important. A well-insulated garage door will help maintain/regulate temperature while keeping your heating or cooling costs down.

People who enjoy working in their garages may want their garage to be more insulated.

If your garage is attached to your house, the insulation value of your garage door affects the insulation of your whole house.

Can a garage door be painted?

The bottom line is that we would strongly discourage any consumer from painting their garage door.

First off, most manufacturers will void any applicable warranty if an applied finish is not carried out by the manufacturer themselves. Secondly, it is common for consumers to apply incorrect types of finishes which can cause the paintwork/primer to peel, bubble or disfigure the door, revealing the door’s material composition.

The doors best suited for painting are metal doors. The majority of metal doors come with a minimum of a primer finish making them suitable for painting; however, most people leave them as they are. Wooden doors can be painted or treated as required, yet it’s always suggest that you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations/instructions.

How much should I spend on a garage door?

Like anything in life, I higher priced product is usually of greater quality – garage doors are not an exception to the rule. There are a number of factors which invariably affect the price of a garage door including but not limited to:

• Dimensions of the door itself
• Style (Georgian, Europa, Vertical)
• Finish – (Steel, Timber, GRP)
• Colour
• Lifting Gear
• Other extras – (Windows, Accents Pieces, and Automatic Openers).

The aforementioned factors can vary the price of a garage door significantly. For example, timber is significantly more expensive than its steel counterpart; likewise, a garage door of 14′ wide will be more expensive than a door 7′ wide given everything else is the same.

How much you should pay for a door is dependent on your lifestyle and how you intend to use your garage. We would always recommend that you understand all of the options available and speak with a company that is able to give advice and aid you in your choice of door.

Can all types of roller shutters be motorised?

Yes, motorisation and automation of new or existing roller shutters are possible in the majority of cases; however, we would strongly discourage automation of an existing roller garage door (due to cost and potential problems).

Automatic roller garage doors are constructed with a secure barrel situated at the top of the garage door curtain. The motor is located on the inside of the barrel, specially balanced and engineered to withstand the test of time. Due to the high level of technicality and engineering required to design and develop a quality roller door motor, there are only but a few manufacturers of roller shutter motors worth mentioning.

The majority of large roller door manufacturers use French-based Somfy as the motor manufacturer of choice.  Their quality and workmanship is next to none while offering a stunning customer warranty should anything go wrong.

How long does the light on the opener stay on for?

Most if not all modern-day openers include a courtesy light which will automatically switch on when the garage door is activated.  After a period of inactivity, the light will switch off to save electricity during periods of non-use.

How long will the light stay on for? This period of time is configurable from only a few seconds to a number of minutes.  The standard light bulbs can be replaced with energy-saving bulbs to minimize electricity consumption further.