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Opening Mechanisms
Canopy (Slideaway) Mechanism
Used for Up & Over Garage Doors, this is the least expensive option and is very easy to fit but isn't ideal for automation. The canopy door operates in vertical tracks on the side frame of the garage door and is usually cable operated. When fully open the door forms a canopy above the opening of about a third of the door's height.
Although canopy mechanisms can be automated it isn't ideal as the conversion kit required reduces the opening height of your garage, restricting access for taller vehicles and the operation is never smooth. If you are considering a manually operated door, we would always recommend having the retractable mechanism as the extra cost is marginal. This will allow you or future owners of your home to easily automate the garage door at a later date.
The Canopy Mechanism is only suitable for lighter doors and is not available for double door sizes.
Retractable (Tracked) Mechanism
Used for Up & Over Garage Doors, this mechanism is ideal for automation and is easy to fit. The garage door is guided by horizontal tracks inside the garage and retracts completely when fully opened.
Side Hinged
This traditional opening style can be automated using electric gate openers or an overhead mechanism.
Roller Shutter Doors
Roller shutter doors maximise the opening width and height of your garage as they are fitted on the rear face of the opening instead of in the opening, which is particularly suited to larger vehicles such as 4x4's and people carriers.
The door is lifted vertically and is coiled up without the need for springs or arms as with canopy and retractable mechanisms. It is ideal for short driveways as cars can be parked right up to the door.
Sectional Garage Doors
This is a hybrid of the up & over garage door and roller shutter door, it is also ideal for larger vehicles as it maximises the drive-thru width and height of the garage opening. It is ideal for short driveways as cars can be parked right up to the door.
Automating an existing vertically tracked canopy garage door with a 'Bow Arm' or 'Canopy Arm' adaptor.
The canopy door adaptor or "bow arm" was designed to enable a conventional horizontal boom type electric garage door operator to lift a vertically tracked canopy door. It does this by converting some of the motor's horizontal force into a vertical force, enabling it to raise and lower the garage door on its vertical tracks.
The bow arm reduces the headroom as it protrudes approximately 150mm - 200mm (6" - 8") from the underside of the open door. It puts undue strain on the motor and garage door support mechanism resulting in premature failure of the installation.
Safety Issues
Because a canopy garage door fitted with a bow arm adaptor requires a very high level of motor force in order to move the door, the motor's safety-stop device has to be programmed to allow dangerously high levels of push /pulling force, resulting in a higher risk of injury if children or pets become trapped under the moving door.
We do not supply canopy bow arm adaptors because doors fitted with this device are unlikely to meet EU Machinery Directive Safety Regulations for power operated garage doors to which all our installations must comply.
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