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“Keyway” is the term for the shape of the interface between a lock and its key. It is most clearly seen when you imagine the cross section of the “blade” of a key. If you look at a key like you are going to jab yourself in the eye with it, you will notice that the grooves and ridges that run down the sides back toward the handle are not always the same in size, shape, or number from key to key. This is regardless of the shape of the key’s teeth (the bumps and ridges that resemble a mountain range if viewed from the side).

The keyway is what prevents you from even beginning to push the wrong key into the wrong slot. If you have the right keyway but the wrong key, you can easily slide the key into the lock ­but it will not turn. See the difference? Wrong keyway: square peg, round hole. Right keyway, wrong key: right hotel, wrong room. (I know I am showing my age here, but trust me, hotels used real keys in olden times.)

What does this have to do with the price of rice in China? Well, most buildings that contractors build or remodel have either one of two keyways that are proprietary to the lock manufacturer, so you cannot replace just the guts (cylinder) of the lock and leave the rest. You run into this problem all the time when trying to match a new lock in a house to its existing key(s). If a house has a Schlage/Baldwin keyway, you cannot buy a lock with a Kwikset/Yale keyway and expect to have it re-keyed to the original house key. Or vice versa.

Just to be clear, there at least 1000 different keyways in use at this moment in history. And those are just the mass-produced examples.

Of course, there are examples of lock manufacturers making replaceable tumblers. Any competitor’s tumbler that is keyway-compliant can be swapped in, but these are fairly rare. For example, Kwikset once made a tumbler that was Schlage compliant, but quit production after 2 years. This cross-pollination came from the Kwikset “Titan” line of locks and handsets. The Titan is Kwikset’s top of the line. Many locksmiths will tell you that the Titan line is on par with any good quality residential lock/handset system. I have my doubts. I know that the Titan line of keyed locks has an innovative feature that lets the locks be re-keyed with unprecedented ease. Maybe this is why locksmiths have a soft spot for the Titan.

Some third party manufacturers make tumblers that convert from one keyway to another, but they are not very good quality, and not always available.

So, if you can choose, should you use the Schlage/Baldwin keyway or the Kwikset keyway?

Answer: Always try to stick with the Schlage/Baldwin keyway, but if you have to match a Kwikset keyway, go with Yale products over Kwikset. To my knowledge, Yale has the most keyways available within one line of locks. And their hardware is just fine, as a rule.

I have no vested interest in any lock manufacturer, particular keyway or any industry group that does. I just know what my 20+ years working closely with door hardware tells me. This is a terrible place to skimp when it comes time to finish out a building project.

Maxim: When choosing finishes for a building project, as a function of day-to-day use, the more you have to touch a building part, the more time and money should be spent.

Good door hardware feels good. Heavy, precise door handles/hardware tell the occupant that they are not only safe, but that they are home.

“Replace your own garage door springs?” a forum member might shriek electronically. “You would have to be crazy. Just call a repairman, and get the job done right.” Do I agree or disagree? The answer is “Yeah.”

As winter turns to spring, you may notice that the garage door is out of whack. What is the best first step?

Information on the Internet abounds–both pro and con–for whether non-professionals can/should do DIY garage door repair. And both views can ably state why or why not. What are the considerations, priorities, and intangibles, that can help guide?

In my Web-based reading, it was easy to notice that most assertions against a DIY garage door repair consider the danger aspect. And that is certainly worth giving serious thought. Nobody wants to lose limbs or their life for something they could easily hire out for. Secondarily, there is the thought of time investment. Do you really have the time to learn about this and do it right–with enough of a learning curve to make it worthwhile?

I would suggest a quick thought to start: In the past month or two, how many things have you willingly undertaken that require mechanical skill? If you naturally drift toward such repairs and undertakings, you may be a better candidate than someone who prefers to click and dial only. It is possible that you have some of the tools already in your garage, and they may be easy to find. Now you will need to find more tools (and they need to be refined) to actually do a repair, but you have a head start in thought at least.

On the other hand, some people are born shoppers. They know how to compare and find the best deals possible. And they probably have numerous commercial websites on their “favorites” tool bar. So in a similar vein, is that closer to describing you? Your comparing, reasoning, and discussion skills will serve well in getting a good professional repair at a decent price.

Now to address danger, we know that most things we do every day involve risk. Driving a car is actually propelling a few tons of metal by means of exploding gasoline, on a straight or curved roadway, with thousands of others doing the same thing. That is to say nothing of many ill-advised cell phone conversations going on at that point. But since we do it every day, we are conversant with the risk factors. Statistically, the able-bodied and mentally alert could plan on coming home for dinner.

This means controlling for the risk factors associated with DIY garage door repair is key. Most of these involve understanding and respecting the power of wound garage door springs, knowing the “connected-to” relationships of the parts, and doing everything according to mechanically sound, sequential procedures. Reading about and watching video of how it is done professionally and by DIY enthusiasts, and asking critical questions is a good start. Corresponding on DIY forums is good also. Speaking with a DIY expert is best.

Or perhaps you simply prefer to get the work done for you and move on. That is completely up to you. Not everyone is wired in such a way as to go in the direction of DIY. It is possible, also, that you are a Web-oriented shopper and a mechanical buff, in varying degrees. Follow your priority set at the moment, and decide from there. Whether your time is short or ample, you can utilize your best strength for getting satisfaction from a completed garage door repair in the manner you choose.

When you make an investment to obtain electric garage doors for your home, you are not only increasing the value of your property, you are also increasing the security factor of your home. However, in order to ensure that your investment lasts for an elongated time frame, it is your obligation to ensure that it is properly taken care of.

These doors are a lot better then your old fashioned manual doors any day. Of course, the reason why so many people prefer these particular doors over the manual garage doors is based off the way the doors work. These doors provide an easier means to enter your home, without having to get out of your vehicle.

In most cases, you will receive a handheld remote which can be used to open the door from a far distance. The remote is programmed to the keypad that is used to control the garage door, so you never have to worry about getting up from your car anymore just to put your car in your garage. Everything is controlled from the push of one single button.

Since the doors are programed to run solely off of electrical currents, many people that have the doors have noted that break-ins to their homes are less apparent. The reason why this could be, is because in order to break in to someones home that has electric doors, you either need to know their keyword to open the electric doors or you have to have access to their hand held remote.

In order to ensure that the security level for these doors remain at their optimum height, you need to ensure that the doors are consistently maintained properly. If you simply put the doors up in your home and forget about them, you are not going to receive all the benefits that go along with these security doors.

You want to always ensure that these doors are functioning correctly. You can do this by taking a note of the balance of the door. The balance of the door is what affects the way the door opens and closes. The garage door must remain a stature that allows it to open and close with a minimal amount of resistance.

If your door does not have at least an estimated three or four feet when you decide to close it, you need to ensure that you call a service man who can come and fix the malfunction of the door, before the door ceases to operate for you.

Analyze the appearance of your garage door. You want to check for any screws that may be out of places as well as any brackets that may be damaged. You want to ensure that your investment lasts for an elongated period of time, the only way to do this is to ensure that all parts of the door continue to work correctly.

Any sings of damage could result in a forced entry. When something on an electronic garage door becomes loose or ceases to operate, security risks go up, because now burglars have a way that they can both enter and exit your home without anyone noticing.

You should also ensure that all parts of the door remain properly lubricated at all times. Since the parts will always be moving when they are opening and closing, any parts that ware down will inadvertently stick which can also jeopardize the security of your home.

When it comes to choosing a garage door opener, there may be more items to consider than one would think. Garage door openers range in styles, price, and levels of noise they make. It is important to understand some of the basics about garage door openers before purchasing one.

First, there are three types of garage door openers: those with a chain drive mechanism, those with a screw drive mechanism, and those with a belt drive mechanism. Chain drive systems are probably the most popular, mainly because they tend to be the cheapest. Just as the name suggests, a chain is responsible for opening and closing the door. These types of garage door openers average around $150. Systems with a screw drive mechanism are more expensive, and use a mechanism that moves the door by running it along a threaded steel rod or plastic track. Typically, these are a not as noisy as chain drive systems, and do not require a lot of maintenance due to the small number of parts used. These units average around $180, but are probably the hardest type of opener to find. Finally, garage door openers with a belt drive mechanism are the most expensive type. Using a rubber belt to open the door, these systems usually cost $200 or more. They are considered to be the quietest option available, but may be more complicated to install. Some who choose this option end up hiring someone to install the opener, as it can be a tedious task.

Many garage door openers feature safety options that should be considered. Often the main safety feature is an infrared beam that will stop the door from closing if something is in its path. Some openers even have a feature that changes the signal each time the door is opened, to prevent signals from being crossed with neighboring doors, and to prevent unwanted intruders from gaining access to your signal.

All garage openers come with a remote to operate it. Some have battery back-ups in case of a power outage. Many also come with a keypad that can be attached to the outside of your home, so that you can open and close the door that way. This would be handy if you were going for a walk, and did not want to carry a house key or garage door remote with you. When you return home, simply punch in your code, and the garage will open for you.

It is important to look for the simplest garage door opener that fits your needs. Depending on where your garage is located in relation to the rest of the house, the noise level may not be an issue. However, if a baby’s bedroom is located above the garage, the noise level may be the biggest factor to consider. Liftmaster and Genie brand garage door openers have received very good reviews, but are on the high end for price. Craftsman openers are widely used, and a bit more affordable. However, they tend to be noisier than others. The most expensive models do not necessarily mean they are better. They probably just have more features available, which may not be necessary for everyone. Consider what options are important for you, and make a decision based upon that; it may save time and money.

Finding the best garage doors for your new home or business can be a problem for many people. Looking at the different ratings of garage doors can also be misleading as well. One of the most important things you must do prior to beginning your search is to make a list of the features that you feel are important. Once you have this list you will be able to make a more logical selection.

In terms of garage door pricing the all metal garage doors are probably the cheapest door on the market today. In many cases these doors can be purchased and installed for as little as $500. The most expensive doors on the market are custom made wooden garage doors that may exceed $5000. As you can see the ratings of garage doors using price alone is generally not a good Idea. Modern garage doors are constructed using a number of different materials. One of the most popular garage doors is an all wood door. The beauty of wood will accent almost any home. The most common woods used include Cedar, Hemlock and Redwood with Cedar being the most popular. Cedar is not only light but also very rot resistant. Be aware that all wood doors have two major deficiencies they being lack of overall strength and requiring a relatively high degree of maintenance. The rating garage doors that are made of wood should include the type and look of the wood, door design and the required maintenance and care that is required.

Metal and composites materials should also be included in your ratings of garage doors. In terms of strength and durability steel garage doors are pretty unbeatable. The galvanized steel frame along with a quality maintenance free surface will provide protection for many years. Always pick a door that features panels that use at least 25 gauge or heavier rating. However steel is a poor insulator and if you are heating or cooling your garage your energy bills will most likely be unacceptable. Better ratings of garage doors include those with an all steel door that has panels constructed of two or more steel sheets that sandwich some form of insulation in between them. The best designs include polyurethane foam that is sandwiched between two layers of galvanized steel. Your ratings of garage doors should include the fact that metal doors also allow you to select a wood or composite exterior finish if you are looking for the look of a custom door.

When considering your ratings of garage doors you should consider the various styles including the popular carriage door designs as well as the window options that are available. It would be wise to visit one of the big box home improvement stores such as Lowes or Home Depot and ask the qualified staff what the best ratings of garage doors are for their products. In most cases they will provide you will valuable insights on picking the best garage door that will meet your home construction design.

The most common thing that a sliding door is used is on garages. Sliding garage doors often come with an automatic trigger for convenience. These automatic doors can operate with a flick of a button.

One of the advantages of having them is on a bad weather. You can easily open them without getting out of your car; you don’t need to get wet or even call for somebody inside your house to open them for you.

But with this great tool, there are also cons. The battery operated garage doors must be checked occasionally for smooth operation. On rare cases, if there is a relative nearness to other doors, your neighbors’ garage door might be activated too.

Also with long time usage, the doors might get stuck sometimes; this is also true to old cars having automatic window problems. It usually gets stuck and the rails don’t work correctly as they should. They can be easily opened again with helping them manually.

But with this problem being a common one, they can be repaired easily by professionals or you can contact the manufacturer and you won’t spend anything as long as they are still covered by the warranty.

Garage doors that open automatically have some basic features. As with security, they have an auto stop feature so your car won’t get scratched during operation or to prevent your kids to get caught. There is usually a panic button to halt the operation to prevent it to forcibly close the door.

As with common sliding doors, there are also lateral sliding doors. They consist of panels which are joined together to run on a track located on its top. It is also guided by the bottom track which can be either being surface mounted or installed within the floor.

Each sliding garage door is supposedly made to fit the client’s needs. Both types of doors have manual/remote operation buttons and the option to have electrical operation.

There are 5 garage door operating mechanisms available and each type has its own characteristics and advantages.

The 5 available alternatives are:

Side hinged

Up and over

Sectional

Sliding and

Roller

This article will take a look at garage doors that use a traditional side hinged opening mechanism. This mechanism is simple to use and has existed for centuries with applications for almost every door type.

How they work

Most side hinged doors for garages work in pairs. This is because the door requires an opening radius and two smaller doors result in a smaller radius than one larger door. Most door pairs are of equal width, but this does not have to be the case. Equally, most hinged doors are made from wood, but many other materials are available.

The advantages of a side hinged opening operation

Forty years ago nearly all garage doors functioned in pairs that opened outwards. There are good reasons for this and many of these reasons still hold true today. Here are the advantages of this type of garage door.

1. Side hinged doors are easy to open and close because their weight is carried by the hinge. This means that a door in good working order requires almost no effort to open and close.

2. Unlike almost every other kind of garage door, the side hinge allows one of the doors to be opened in isolation whilst the other remains closed. This is ideal for human-only entry.

3. This door format also allows a none equal split between the openers, e.g. a 70:30 divide, where one door (for human access) is smaller than the other. This has the dual advantages of reducing the radius of opening when someone wants to get in and out of the garage and also keeping any vehicle within it more secure.

4. Hinged doors have an attractive and traditional visual appeal and the fact that they are normally manufactured from wood makes them distinctive and eco friendly. They can be finished with the grain of a wood, painted, or made from steel or upvc.

5. This style of door is also the easiest to maintain and repair and, although timber panels may require painting or treating with a preservative, they can last a lifetime. Broken or rusted hinges can be replaced and even damaged panels can be repaired or restored.

6. Surprisingly, doors that work on hinges can easily be adapted to electric operation. This is because there is very little weight to carry during the motorized transition. The only situation where this is not the case is in high winds.

7. This style of door also lends itself to many different locking and security measures making it one of the most theft resistant types of door available.

Think about the moving parts of your home. The largest of these is the garage door. If that door works well, all you have to do is push a remote control button and the door opens or closes with little effort on your part. The garage door is comprised of several parts. Some of these parts move each time the door closes or opens. To prevent garage door repair problems, you need to maintain the garage door on a regular basis.

Inspect the garage door regularly. Look at the rollers and hinges for loose or worn parts. Look for signs or rust or wear in these parts. Also check the mounting hardware. Vibrations will often cause bolts to loosen and a simple tightening with a wrench can prevent many problem down the road. If a part is worn beyond repair, purchase a replacement part at the local hardware store.

Lubrication is necessary for each moving part. They should be oiled on a regular basis and at least once per year. Use any good penetrating oil and apply a few drops to each moving part. Allow to sit for about half an hour and wipe off any excess oil with a dry rag. This allows the oil to penetrate, but will keep you from spoiling clothing with oil stains.

One key part of a garage door that will need regular replacement is the torsion spring. This spring is normally located above the door along the wall. The usable life of a torsion spring is only 4 to 7 years. These springs have will give an audible warning when they break.

If you are inexperienced at replacing the torsion spring, this can be a very difficult task. There is a great amount of pressure required to install one of these springs. A mistake can cause great injury, so if you question your ability to do the job, consult with a professional garage door repair person.

Garage doors openers have become very popular in recent years. The door openers increase the security of items stored in the garage and your vehicles. A person cannot just pull the handle to open your door from the outside with the garage door opener. Additionally, you will not have to get out of your car in the snow or rain to open the door.

Most people are very satisfied with their garage openers. Sometimes, a problem with the opener will arise. If you are having a problem with an electric garage opener, look at your owners manual for opener garage door repair directions on troubleshooting.

If you have misplaced your manual, check on line. Most manufacturers will allow you to download a manual for your model garage opener. The directions you find in this manual will help you to get that door working in fine order very quickly.

Electric garage opener problems are often caused by the photoelectric sensor. This is a safety sensor that prevents the door from closing on property or persons. Sometimes it just takes a quick adjustment of the reflector to solve your garage door problems. If the door will not close or closes only partially and then reopens, suspect this sensor.

Other problems may be caused when vibrations cause the force settings to change. These settings are also easily adjusted by following the owner’s manual directions.

During normal use or even during hanging, a door and its frame may develop several defects.

A binding door

If the hinge side of a door comes into contact with the frame before the door is fully closed, it is probably because the hinges have been sunk too far into the door or frame. A door in this condition is said to be hinge bound. A door may also become hinge bound if the screws project out of their countersinks and stop the hinge closing fully.

This problem can be cured cither by packing out the hinge in its recess – use materials such as sandpaper, card, card¬board or hardboard – or by driving the screw fully home. In the latter case, new screws which are smaller than the original ones may be the best solution.

Insert packing beneath the hinges to cure a hinge-bound door. Protruding screws should be replaced

A sticking door

Occasionally a door may stick when it comes into contact with the frame through too much paint on the door and frame or, in the case of external doors, because the wood has swollen.

The simplest solution is to plane off a sufficient amount of wood to allow the door to close freely. Take the wood off the door, not off the frame – it is much easier. The door may have to be removed to get at the top and bottom. Take care not to overdo planing down external doors that are damp. The door will shrink when it dries out and a large gap will be left if too much is taken off.

When a door which has to pass over an uneven floor catches the floor over the high spots, you should locate the problem places on the floor, put sandpaper over them and pass the door over the sand¬paper a few times.

A sagging door

Doors usually sag because the hinges have been pulled out of the frame or door edge, or because the hinges have been strained. Hinges often work loose when a door is hinge bound. To resecure the hinges you can:

o use longer screws

o use thicker screws – size 10s instead of 8s, for example, so long as the hinges have holes and countersinks large enough to accommodate them

o insert pieces of dowel into the screw holes before putting the screws back in.

A problem with strained hinges usually means that the hinges were not big enough – a pair of 75mm hinges will generally hold an internal door, but a heavy external one may need three 100mm hinges.

With boarded and panel doors the swinging (lock) stile – the one opposite the hinges – may drop so that the door bottom catches on the floor as you open it. This sag in the frame can usually be attributed to one of two causes.

Loose joints

In framed doors – panel and boarded – the joints occasionally work loose. To resecure them, cut new wedges for the ends of the tenons and bore two holes through the stile and the tenons to take pieces of dowel. Glue the wedges and dowel firmly in place. If the tenon is broken in the mortise hole, bore two holes down the tenon into the rail and glue pieces of dowel in place to strengthen the joint.

Poor bracing

Framed boarded doors need to be properly braced. A door that is not adequately braced – because its braces are at too shallow an angle, say – has no braces, or has its braces the wrong way round will sag. Braces should have their lowest point at the swinging stile.

A ledged-and-braced door with adequate bracing. Note that the braces hold up the non-hinged side of the door