Their are a lot of things that help a home to keep it’s value, the economy, the school district, the subdivision and the home itself.  Today I am writing about a part of the home that is often taken for granted…the garage door.  The garage started out as a barn that was not attached to the home.  That made a lot of since, back in the day, because it typically stored the animal that pulled the buggy that took you to town.  When Henry Ford rolled out the automobile, everything changed and not just the transportation part, but also where the transportation is stored.  Cars found themselves in the barn with the livestock for awhile, but over time that changed.  No one knows if the horse kicked the car out or if the car demanded a less smelly place to spend the night.  The fumes from the original engines probably didn’t settle too well with the livestock, so the car was given it’s own small home and the garage was born.

While the livestock barn was away from the home, usually down wind, the garage was placed closer to the house so the riders wouldn’t get quite as wet during the rainy season.  The original garages were just smaller versions of the barn, shorter in height and in length.  They still had the large double doors.  The overhead “pull up” door came later.   C. G. Johnson invented the electric overhead garage door opener in 1926 in Hartford City, Indiana.  The popularity of the electric garage door opener did not come until after World War II.

Some where along the way garages became part of the main part of the home.  Homes now have detached or attached garages.  These two choices are often the topic of debate when buying a home.  Their are many arguments as to why an attached garage is the way to go, the main one being “you won’t get wet when it rains”.  The number one for detached garages is “they typically offer more space”. But if your putting your car or you expect the next owner to put their car in the garage, you need to install an electric overhead garage door opener.

Your garage is going to have to have a door, if it doesn’t it’s called a porte-cochère or maybe even a porch.  The bottom line is you have to have some type of door and they come in all shapes and sizes.  With the door comes maintenance.  Once a year at least you should oil the main springs on your garage door.  This is the big spring right above the garage door on the inside.  You should also grease the chain if your garage door opener has one.  From time to time you’ll have to adjust the tension on the lift.  The bottom line is you’ll need to perform some routine maintenance or you’ll have to replace part or all of it faster.  I am not a garage door expert so read the label the installer left for you or call your local Overhead Door Company.

The garage door opener is one of the last items on the list of things to maintenance, but in the top 20 of things a buyer wants and wants to work right in their new home.  Hmmm.

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Live Life to the Fullest,

S.C.