Garage door installation is easy until it isn’t when you’re faced with a variety of options. Before you decide which overhead garage door material you’ll pick to adorn your home, you’ll have to consider the specific type of door. On the market, the two most common residential door types you’ll find are overhead and sliding. What’s the difference between overhead and sliding garage doors? Each has their advantages, depending on your needs, use of the door and space constraints. Here are a few issues you need to consider when it comes to design and garage door service.
Overhead Garage Doors
Overhead doors run along vertical and horizontal tracks. Overhead garage doors are a very practical choice for large cars or trucks or if the opening of your door is so small you can barely get your car in. These doors work well with electric garage door openers. They have multiple hinged panels instead of a single panel system. This way, each panel can be replaced independently if one is damaged by weather, accident or wear and tear.
In most homes, you’ll find that overhead garage doors are the norm. These door types particularly excel at being easy to use (and typically easy to repair). Should you have any issues with an overhead door, it’s recommended that you consult a garage door service that deals in repairs. Because of how complex overhead doors are, those who are inexperienced should not try and do their own repairs, particularly on garage door parts like springs.
Sliding Doors
Unlike overhead garage doors, sliding doors run along garage door tracks at the top and bottom part of the doors. The advantage is you don’t have to open them all the way and still get full ceiling clearance. This is handy if you just need to grab tools, a motorcycle or bike, or need to enter yourself. Less heat will be lost this way upon entry and you don’t have to hassle with the door going up and down. Modern sliding doors don’t even require extra space at the outer sides of the garage. You can instead get sectional doors which are more space efficient. These garage doors are very open to repair because of their simple user-friendly design. And of course, sliding doors are far more stylish than overhead garage doors.
Another advantage to sliding doors is you have more overhead space. This way you can store canoes, ladders, bikes, and other equipment on the ceiling without worrying the door will get in the way. With an overhead garage door, the overhead space is taken up by storage of both the garage door opener and the garage door itself. And yes, you can install an automatic opener with sliding doors so you won’t have to get out your car and open the garage each time. One option is to have the opener located on the sidewall as opposed to the ceiling. This is usually much more convenient for space.
Installing Sliding & Overhead Garage Doors
If you plan on installing a brand-new door, let a garage door installation company deal with it. The benefits of going with a garage door service are that you’ll save time and feel safe knowing that your door is in good hands. The best garage door installation companies will thoroughly walk you through the buying and installation process, giving you quality tips to maintain your overhead door. Should there be any issues with your door in the future, the garage door service will be able to get it working in a timely manner, so you can continue to use it seamlessly.