Here are some basic answers to basic questions regarding garage doors and openers. For even more frequently asked questions, please visit the Amarr website.
Before You Buy
If your garage door does not operate, the door is a potential hazard. Do not try to fix on your own, instead contact a professionally trained garage door dealer. Another reason to replace a garage door is to enhance your home’s curb appeal. According to the 2010 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, garage door replacement is the #2 remodeling project in regards to return on investment. The report states that replacing your garage door will return 84% of the cost at the time of home sale. Lastly, your current garage door may be fading, sagging and just in need of a replacement. If you have a wood garage door that needs re-painting, replacing it with a new pre-painted steel garage door may be a better value. Painting a garage door adds significant weight to a door which may affect the spring and the performance of the garage door and opener.
Each homeowner has unique needs for a new garage door based on the desired styling, the level of care & maintenance required, the energy efficiency and the location of the garage in one’s home. Steps to determine which garage door best suits you are:
1. Determine the material that best suits the care & maintenance that you desire. Amarr offers garage doors made from steel, wood composite, wood and aluminum.
2. Choose the door design that best complements your home, including window, color and decorative hardware options.
3. Determine the level of energy efficiency and noise reduction that best suits your needs depending on if you have a room above or adjacent to your garage or have children that play in front of the garage. Most Amarr doors are available with insulation or no insulation options.
A Carriage House door is a type of garage door that replicates the look of doors found on carriage houses in the early 19th and 20th Century. Amarr distributes a variety of striking carriage house designs made from steel and wood. These Amarr garage doors look like they swing open, but they actually move up and over your car. We offer stamped-steel carriage house doors in the Amarr Classica collection and Amarr Oak Summit collection that eliminate a homeowner's concern of misaligned trim overlays. In addition, the Amarr By Design collection offers beautiful, natural wood carriage house doors.
Yes. Amarr offers residential doors in widths between 6' and 20' in two inch increments and in heights between 6'6" and 12'.*
*Not all door models are available in this range of widths.
*Not all door models are available in this range of widths.
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 is available and makes it possible for many unusual garages to be fitted with doors. By using low-headroom track, it is possible to install a door with a garage door opener in an area that has as little as 9-1/2" of headroom.
Other special track applications include:
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.
3) Hi-lift track, which is used when the ceiling is unusually high, but the door must still retract to a horizontal position.
Windows can be placed in any section of the door layout. Amarr recommends window placement in the top or second to the top door section for the most natural lighting and security.
Amarr has designed DecraGlass™ to be safe, secure windows for your garage doors. DecraGlass™ windows are tempered, translucent windows that feature beautiful designs to compliment the style of your home.
The glass in the window frame of your Amarr steel garage door can be replaced. Please contact your local Amarr garage door dealer for glass and insert replacement.
If an electric garage door opener has been installed on your door, it may not be necessary to have a lock. Properly installed, electric openers can 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 garage door, a lock is highly recommended. A standard Amarr residential steel door is sold without locks since most garage doors are used with garage door openers. Optional locks may be purchased from a garage door dealer.
If no opener is installed on your garage door, a lock is highly recommended. A standard Amarr residential steel door is sold without locks since most garage doors are used with garage door openers. Optional locks may be purchased from a garage door dealer.
The two types of springs used on garage doors today are extension and torsion springs. Extension springs are attached on either side of the door and stretch along the horizontal 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. Torsion springs are a better choice because they balance the weight of the door better than extension springs for smoother operation and safety. Watch the Amarr spring video to learn more.
Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to measure for a garage door.