Garages and
Garage Doors
Overview
and garage door overview:
A garage will protect your vehicles from the elements. A garage
is also a storage place for many yard items. Selecting a garage
door that will compliment your home.
Having a garage is
nearly essential if you live in areas that have harsh winters or
harsh summer sun. Protecting your vehicles form the elements
will help preserve the vehicle color and weather related
corrosion. In addition to protecting your vehicles the garage
serves as a storage place for lawn and garden equipment which
also should be protected from the elements. Without garages or
carports to store this equipment it is stored outside where the
weather takes a quick toll on its condition.
In modern spec home construction garages are
quite small, sufficient for parking two cars with little room
for anything else. As a result the homeowners usually have to
build storage sheds in the backyard to store lawn and garden
equipment. Sheds are fine but if you are building your own home
or if your builder gives you a choice in the garage size, build
a garage that will accommodate all your needs and you can avoid
having to build a shed.
The minimum size for an adequate garage
should be 24 by 24 or 26 feet. Typically you see garages that
are 22 X 22 feet which will accommodate two small or mid size
cars but leave little room for anything else. Often a builder
builds three bay garages. Three bay garage construction is fine
if the bays or the overall size of the garage will accommodate
all your needs. I do not recommend three bay garages because the
added cost of the additional garage door and structure to
support the door framing drives up the cost of the home by
several thousand dollars. I prefer garages that have either two
8 or 9 foot wide garage doors or a single garage door that is
either 16 or 18 feet wide. The single wider door provides easy
access for the vehicles and other large items that are stored in
the garage.
Modern
garage doors are made of aluminum construction making them very
easy to open because of the counter balance springs that are
attached to door. Steel doors are available but are very
expensive. There are two types of modern garage door styles; the
section roll-up and the swing-up. The sectional roll up is the
most popular type of garage doors. The sectional roll up
consists of either four or five panels, depending upon the door
height, that are hinged together horizontally across the door
opening.
The swing-up door is a single panel door that swings
out at the bottom as it rotates inward at the top. It is the
least popular door used in garage construction today although
the cost is considerably less than roll up doors.
Both types of
these garage doors are primarily manufactured from aluminum with
either flush or raised-panels and windows. They can be purchased
with a variety of options such as windows and electric
operators. In regards to garage door openers, if you have a
garage it is essential to have a garage door opener.
During a rain or snow storm it is extremely
frustrating to get out of your vehicle to open the garage door
and then return to the vehicle in the inclement weather to drive
it into the garage. By the time you get the vehicle inside the
garage you will most likely be very wet and irritated. If you
have a garage you should install garage door openers. You will
find that it is a great investment.
For more information of
garage doors see:
Garage Door Maintenance
Garage Door Openers
Painting Garage Doors
