One Piece, Tilt-Up, Garage Doors in Plano, TX

What happened to Tilt-up Garage Doors?

One piece tilt-up garage has actually been a part of America’s home front for decades. These doors were popular on homes built in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. Even today, believe it or not, some of these doors are still used. As technology and design progress and become more advanced, older garage doors followed suit and are still dangerous as ever. While many continue to operate moderately, we here at Plano Overhead Garage Door recommend replacing them with a current, up-to-date sectional door.

Flaws of One-Piece Garage Doors

Flaws of this type of door lead to eventual disruption and breakdown. There are major safety and security issues with having a tilt-up. They were known as, “shinbusters’ because they bust your shins every time the door tilts out and up. These heavy old doors use two very large springs that are mounted on each side of the door. This type of spring can be very dangerous when worn. If and when one of these springs break, the door can slam down with full force, crushing objects or people if they’re in the way of the door’s pathway. Unlike sectional doors, that just roll straight up and utilize safe torsion spring systems that are mounted above the door.

The Aspect of these “Shin-busters”

Old Tilt-up wooden doors consisted of a single panel door that pivots out and up, sliding into a section along the ceiling of your garage. Tilt-up doors greatly reduces your overhead space in your garage as well. It’s even very possible in most cases, they can hit your car when the door is opening or closing, if it’s parked too close to the doorway.



Hard Management

Insulating a one-piece garage door is close to impossible to insulate, especially when we start bringing wood doors into the mix. They have no additional insulation features. Also, due to the tilt-up design of these older doors, it’s almost impossible to have a good weatherseal. Living in Texas with our cold winter months, it is very important to have a well-insulated and tightly sealed garage door to keep the elements out! Considering that most tilt-up garage doors are made from wood, they can weigh up to 300 lbs each, which brings to our attention, another safety hazard.

Time to Upgrade?

Now in some circumstances, you may be surprised if you come across a company that may install a one-piece or “tilt-up” door, but it’s HIGHLY recommended to replace or repair using a more modern sectional door. So bottom line – modern sectional garage doors made from steel are easier to maintain – are safer, work better in any weather environment that’s thrown at you, provides better insulation – lasts longer – and because they look great, will increase your curb appeal. If you have an older tilt-up door, consider upgrading soon!

By  Nick McGregor , General Manager of  Plano Overhead Garage Door

Tags:  1 Piece Garage Door ,  Dangerous Garage Doors ,  Garage Door Replacement ,  Tilt-up garage door