In this blog entry, the professional Chicago garage door installation and Chicago garage door repair experts here at Garage Door Repair Chicago will detail the main considerations garage owners need to think about before garage door repair service.

1. Garage Door Type – Garage doors need to be studied and well built. They should lock ust as wella s any front door, and ideally have a solid core, which increases the safety it provides as well as its durability.
2. Installation Technique – Garage doors need to be installed properly, with accurate measurement and quality drilling. Safety materials like glasses and gloves should be used by any garage door installation expert, even if they are installing a prehung frame garage door.
3. IRC Codes – The International Residential Code has mandatory regulations that specify tat solid door garage doors need to be 1 and ⅜ inches thick, that solid core steel doors have to be 1 ⅜ inches thick, that doors need to have a 20 minute fire rating, that doors cannot open directly into bedrooms or sleeping spaces, and that garage doors have automatic self closure for safety and protection.
4. Steel and Fiberglass Garage Doors – steel garage doors are affordable and weather resistant, providing ideal energy efficiency and requiring little maintenance. Make sure to paint over scratches right away to avoid rust. Dents can be more difficult to repair. Fiberglass is more wear resistant, although it can crack when experiencing an impact. Fiberglass entry doors can provide aesthetic benefits with their smoothness, or can be embossed for a grainy texture, as well as easily stained or painted. Wood entry doors are also common, and they are wear resistant, but expensive – and can remain durable and attractive with semi-regular varnishing and painting.
5. Glass Garage Doors – Glass can be placed into garage doors if all IRC guidelines stipulated above are met. Just make sure that the door has a quality fire rating that’s been tested at a fire rating laboratory before any glass panes are installed.
6. Swing In and Swing Out Garage Doors – Garage entry doors can swing both in and out. If the door swings out of the garage, its best, as it allows easy exit in the event of a fire. Self closing doors can also protect you in the event of a fire, making it harder for smoke and flames to spread outside of your garage.
7. Energy Efficiency – Steel and fiberglass provides superior insulation to wood. Pay attention to frame design, as Energy Star rated garage frames are tighter and have more insulation, which reduces heat transfer. Additionally insulating a door is a cost so it’s best to focus on investing in a garage door that’s high quality itself and provides good levels of insulation.