If you’re wondering why we’re about to talk about manual garage doors at all, it’s because homeowners do still choose manual garage doors on occasion. You may think that a manual overhead door is something that purely exists because it hasn’t yet been updated, but is that really all there is to manual garage doors?
Maybe.
Why Consider Manual Garage Doors
Manual garage doors are most often found on historic homes and older detached garages. They are typically either one panel that tilts up or 2 hinged panels with extension springs on either side. As per the name, you operate them by lifting and lowering the overhead door yourself. Some homeowners love the vintage look and feel of truly vintage garage doors, but there’s more than just that certain something that makes manual overhead doors something to think about.
Manual garage doors are lower maintenance than garage doors with automatic openers. The garage door has less parts and less necessary infrastructure, so these types of overhead doors are less susceptible to corrosion and breakdown. And maintenance pretty much just consists of lubrication and tightening the occasional bolt.
Bonus: less parts = easier installation of the door, should you choose to replace your manual garage doors with new, still manual, garage doors.
When you aren’t dealing with an electric garage door opener that also means power outages have no effect on your garage door. No more cars stuck in or out of the garage for the hours or days the electricity is on the fritz. Power outages and surges can also damage an automatic garage door opener – but not if you don’t have one!
Why Automatic Garage Door Openers are the Standard
Now, just because we’re asking you not to write manual garage doors off doesn’t mean we aren’t acutely aware of the advantages of automatic garage doors. They’re the most common type of residential overhead garage door by miles, and for some pretty good reason:
- Convenience is key. Zero out of ten people want to exit their car to lift and lower their garage door when the weather’s terrible or it’s the middle of the night. This is especially compounded when you have little kids running around.
- Automatic garage door openers also come with automatic lights, so you’re never pulling into your garage wishing you had night vision goggles.
- Smart garage door openers have extra safety and security features like remote operation and the ability to integrate with your home’s security system. Manual garage doors are notoriously easy to break into.
- Simply: safety sensors and automatic reverse
Manual vs Automatic: Is it Really a Choice?
So, yes; we should definitely give manual garage doors a fair shake. All those advantages, plus the budget-friendly aspect we forgot to mention – there are times where a manual garage door might just make sense, even if it’s a temporary stop-gap while you save up for a new automatic garage door installation. Because, at the end of the day, equipping your home’s overhead door with an automatic smart opener increases the security of your home, the safety of your garage, and the ease of your daily routine.
And don’t worry about that power outage thing; in California, battery backups on automatic garage door openers are mandatory.