Roller shutters for the garage: the pros and cons
A rare car owner is not concerned about the fate of his vehicle. Therefore, when arranging a garage of any type, whether it is an attached building that is part of a residential building or a separate building, it is important to correctly select the gate.
In addition to classic garage doors, there are many other convenient and functional garage doors on the market today. The optimal price-performance ratio is demonstrated by compact, durable and aesthetic garage roller shutters.
Sustained interest in garage roll structures in the form of large-sized roller blinds due to the ability to reliably protect their property from unauthorized entry, as well as effectively organize non-standard-sized doorways, equipped with various utilities.
Thanks to the widest choice of colors, roller shutters fit perfectly into the exterior of country households, while maintaining a single style with facade decoration,and emphasize the features of industrial design of industrial premises. In our article we will talk about their features, find out the pros and cons, as well as analyze customer reviews about such devices.
Kinds
Rolling shutters on the garage are classified according to several criteria.
Manufacturing material
For the production of garage doors using steel and aluminum profiles. The latter are extruded or foam-filled roller rolling. It is recommended to block the doorways in the garage with a profile with a soft or hard foam filling to ensure the creation of an optimum temperature in the room. Storing a car in a favorable microclimate prolongs the life of parts and components.
Extruded profile from solid aluminum ingots, with enhanced strength, is a traditional material for the manufacture of outdoor rolling gates, which are installed as protection against burglary. Aluminum structures have all the advantages of this metal - lightness, corrosion resistance, thanks to which they will last longer than metal structures, excellent decorative properties and undemanding care.
When the priority in the arrangement of the garage is to ensure its increased security or filling increased in height and width of the openings, The best solution would be garage roller shutters made of steel. They perfectly cope with the functions of a formidable and reliable guard of another's property, since they have an increased resistance to mechanical damage due to the excellent strength characteristics at fracture.
Control system
Garage shutters can be:
- Hand operatedwhich is carried out by a handbolt - two sliding stops, which work similarly to a latch or a deadbolt in the form of a lock with a key built into the last lamella of the structure.
It is advisable to install these mechanisms on gates up to 2.5 meters wide and weighing up to 30 kg, since lifting a wider and heavier structure manually can provoke a misalignment of the canvas and, as a result, its breakage.
- Electrically operated - the presence of an electric drive, independently blocking the structure after closing, significantly increases the usability of the garage roller shutters.Most models have an electric drive with an emergency manual web-raising mechanism, designed for operation in the absence of power supply. The drive is controlled by a key or key switch, a “tablet” type electronic code device, a plastic card or a remote control.
Security level
The degree of resistance to breaking of roller structures, depending on what they can belong to one of the eight classes of breaking resistance, is confirmed by practical means, namely a series of experiments conducted to determine the protective properties of the gate.
During the tests, hammers, perforators and electric drills are used, checking how serious damage can be done to the canvas with these tools. Used for breaking mount or crowbars, to establish how much time is possible full access inside the premises.
Characteristics of burglar resistance classes:
- P1 - products belonging to this class are distinguished by the lowest resistance to mechanical damage, so there is no need to talk about any protection against hacking. They are sensitive to any physical impact and easily deformed even without the use of any tools.They are good to use as a windscreen, so that less dust will accumulate in the room.
- P2 / P3 - models with higher strength properties. To break into these gates, a hammer or mount is already required, which, however, does not guarantee instant “success” at all. Constructions under the marking P2 will last for 5-6 minutes, whereas with products P3 you will have to tinker about 10 minutes to get full access to the garage.
These solutions for garage roller gates should be considered for installation in a country house, provided that one of the tenants is present around the clock.
- P4 / P5 - These are the most suitable options for equipping garages, which are located in protected areas. In this case, even the most prudent attackers, "armed" with a jack and a heavy percussion instrument, will have to sweat. Model P4 will last about 15 minutes, and design P5 - half an hour. During this time, the guard will have time to react and arrive at the place of hacking himself or with help.
- P6 / P7 / P8 - such rollet systems should be chosen by those who are not used to be content with compromise solutions when it comes to protecting their property.Hacking structures P6 takes about 50 minutes, models P7 - 1 hour 20 minutes, and to overcome the protection of the gate P8, you need to spend at least two hours. Equipping a warehouse or garage with this gate in combination with an alarm system ensures maximum protection of your property against any encroachment from the outside.
Installation method
When installing the garage roller gate use:
- Overhead installation - This is the easiest option, involving the fastening of the protective box over the opening, and the canvas itself to the supporting side posts mounted on the external walls of the opening.
- Built-in installationin which the design is placed in the aperture. The plus of this method is the absence of unnecessary parts overloading the facade, and the minus is the reduction of the opening on each side by the width of the guide.
- Combined installation, requiring arrangement of a separate niche for the box above the entrance.
Advantages and disadvantages
The secret of the popularity of rolling garage doors is explained by the mass of positive qualities:
- Convenient installation in rooms with low ceilings.
- Saving of the useful area, as the work of the rollover is limited by the vertical plane, unlike the swing gates.It is an ideal solution for buildings with a small area of entry to the garage or access from sidewalks.
- The possibility of additional air exchange in the room due to the equipping of the canvas with ventilation profiles, as well as a partial view and multiplication of the garage illumination due to viewing profiles, in which a transparent polycarbonate insert is provided.
- The increased windshield of a cloth thanks to end capture.
- Simple and intuitive manual control, which, if desired, can be easily automated by equipping with various useful options.
- Long-term protection of property from any encroachments of ill-wishers. When installing a high-class gate with a crack resistance, this fact is taken into account by insurers, reducing the amount of the installment.
- Lower cost compared to sectional doors.
- A variety of color and texture solutions, which allows you to create various combinations of roller shutters and building facades in order to maintain the overall color scheme of the exterior and maintain a single design style.
Of the minuses of roller shutter systems for the garage are:
- High thermal conductivitywhich eliminates the possibility of their use as a door in a warm room.
- The freezing of parts that drive the planks, ensuring the rise of the canvas. Frosty weather or snowfall provoke the ingress of moisture between the slats of the canvas, and the subsequent formation of ice makes it difficult to lift the gate. The problem can be solved in three ways: equip the garage with a protective visor or a heating mechanism, or use aerosols that prevent icing.
- Roller shutter garage upgrade - installation of motion sensors, “sensitive edge” systems, switching to the remote control automatically increases the cost of the gate.
Device designs
Rolling shutters are a type of blinds and their design also includes main parts and auxiliary elements.
The standard complete set of garage rolling shutter is presented:
- Aluminum or steel louvres (roller shutter profiles), which are fixed to each other by means of hinged joints.
- Two vertical guide tires.
- Receiving shaft for winding the fabric during ascent / descent.
- A protective box of rectangular or semicircular shape to accommodate the web in the collapsed state.
- Mechanically / electrically operated.
- Locking / automatic locks.
- The lever responsible for unlocking the rotary engine in automated door models in cases of power failure.
If desired, the roller shutters can be installed:
- Remote control system
- Anti-theft / fire alarm.
- Silicone / rubber seals.
- Automatic heating system, providing easy lifting of the fabric at low temperatures.
- Photo cells that react to movement, etc.
- The mobile carriage on heavy rolleta.
Dimensions
The formation of the cost of rolling garage doors affects not only the material of manufacture, the type of control system and the presence of additional functions, but also the size of the canvas. Without preliminary measurements of the aperture in width and length, ordering a roller gate is meaningless.
They need to be placed as accurately as possible in the doorway, which contributes to the smooth movement of the slats during lifting and closing, respectively, eliminates premature wear of parts and increases the duration of operation.
Standard sizes for power-operated roller shutters include:
- 1.5 x 1.5 m;
- 2.2 x 2.5 m;
- 2.5 x 2.5 m;
- 3x2.5 m
Sizes of models with automatic drive:
- 1.5 x 1.5 m;
- 2.2 x 2.5 m;
- 2.5 x 2.5 m;
- 3x2.5 m;
- 4x2.7 m;
- 4.3 x 2.7 m
The height of the protective box is 20-36 cm. The rolling gates have a maximum width of 6 meters and can occupy a maximum of 13.4 m2 in area.
Manufacturers
The quality and durability of the garage door is a direct merit of the manufacturer, so his choice should not be allowed to flow by chance, relying on luck. Needless to say that Only companies with years of experience and a high reliability rating among customers should be trusted.. Let's stop on some of them.
Hormann
Garage doors from the largest European manufacturer from Germany demonstrate excellent performance due to double insulating panels of increased thickness of 42 mm and guides with anti-corrosion plastic base. Optimal alignment of the gate with the drive ensures the stability of the entire structure. All products have a 10-year warranty.
Judging by the reviews, the only complaint of users to the gates of this brand concerns only their high cost, which most recognize as fully justified, given the high quality and reliability of the German roller shutter systems.
Alutech
An international brand, whose enterprises are located in Europe and in neighboring countries, produces garage doors of all existing varieties and all the automation for them. In the manufacturing process, the rolling doors are monitored by 50 parameters using modern methods of product quality control.
This approach guarantees the ability to produce reliable and durable shutters that meet the requirements of international quality standards. Most users are satisfied with the purchase of the gates of this brand, noting trouble-free installation and operation, as well as the absence of negative changes in appearance during prolonged use and, importantly, affordable price.
Doorhan
The Russian company has its own production with modern automated lines for the manufacture of aluminum and steel roller shutters of various classes of burglar resistance, including anti-vandal gates with steel cold-rolled profiles. The main advantage of products manufactured under this brand, users believe more than reasonable price.
Of the other advantages, it is noted that it is easy to lift at the expense of the console, which allows you to control the gate while sitting in the car, the smoothness and quietness of the rollers along the guides and the stylish appearance. The disadvantages include the freezing of the lamellae in winter, which, however, is typical of all rollt systems without additional insulation.
Care Tips
Despite the lack of maintenance, garage door rolls still require minimal maintenance, which implies:
- Maintaining their cleanliness through regular cleaning of dirt that inevitably accumulates on the canvas and guides during operation. Rolleta wash with a soft cloth using non-aggressive detergents.
- Removing ice in winter. It is enough to knock lightly on the canvas in order to provoke a split and falling ice. Naturally, we are not talking about severe icing, when the help of defrosting special means is required.
- Regular processing of the driving units of electric gate operated in areas with adverse climatic conditions, anti-corrosion compounds.
If the roller shutters have lost their color brightness and need painting, then the manufacturer should entrust this work, like any kind of repair.
How to install the roller shutters with your own hands, see the next video.