You move a lot of large equipment in and out of your garage. It’s important to have good visibility, like that offered here in the 16’x 18’Ice White agricultural garage door from the G-5000 design series .
(Almost) as long as there have been farms and farmers, there have been farm buildings!
At first, these buildings were solely used to keep animals in and thieves out, as well as to protect livestock and property from bad weather.
The evolution of farming has required agricultural garage doors to provide extra utility, function, and even style. You’re in luck, though—we offer it all!
Depending on their particular needs, farmers have altered their farm buildings to accommodate the requirements of their crops, machinery, livestock, and farm processes. Some house large animals such as cattle, while some are there to process food, such as granaries and creameries.
You’re reading this because you have a shelter, storage building, shed, or other farm structure that needs an agricultural garage door or a commercial garage door operator. Let’s look at the things that you should be thinking about.
Number One: The Right Size Garage Door Keeps Your Equipment Protected from Theft and Poor Weather
The G-1000 construction series shown here is one of the most popular choices for storing all types of equipment, such as trucks, tractors, plows, fertilizer spreaders, balers, harrows, trailers, wagons, and more!
There’s nothing more important than protecting your farm equipment!
You need to have the right type of agricultural machinery so you can get your farming done right. This machinery needs to be protected against inclement weather, rust, and other types of corrosion or damage.
● Tractors and seed drills are often used for cultivating, feeding, plowing, and planting in every season.
● Farm trailers and pick-up trucks are what most farmers use to lift, load, and move other small machinery as well as small amounts of crops. They’re also used for general transportation.
● Harvesters are used for getting work done quickly and efficiently so that farmers can move on to other types of work.
As you can see, different farms use different types of equipment for their particular methods, land, and what they raise or grow.
This means that every farmer is going to have unique needs. It’s best to have a highly trained garage door technician help you decide which type and size of garage door are best for you.
No matter what type of agricultural garage door you install on your building, it’s going to keep your valuable machinery and animals from getting damaged by weather as well as from theft.
The size, safety, and sturdiness of the G-5000 agricultural garage doors can’t be beaten. One like this (28’x 16’) is over twice as tall as the average person and wider than a whale is long.
Even though most of your tractors, trailers, and other machinery would be difficult to steal due to their size, that doesn’t mean you should leave them out in the open! Protect them and get peace of mind.
You can’t prevent every unfortunate situation. But you can put measures in place that make them even more unlikely!
Since your agricultural garage door is heavy, big, and carries a lot of weight, it needs appropriate hardware to function properly.
This chart shows the comparison between both choices of hardware for agricultural garage doors. Depending on the number of cycles performed each day, you can choose duty or heavy duty in the G-5000 construction series.
Number Two: Properly Insulating Your Agricultural Garage Doors Keeps Your Space and Livestock Dry
All types of farm animals need protection, whether they’re working animals or if they’ll be sold as food.
It’s your responsibility to keep your farm animals from getting sick and possibly spreading illness to other livestock. You can’t control the weather, but you can protect them from it and give them a temperature-controlled environment with an insulated shelter.
There’s a solution that will cut down on your bills while keeping your animals healthy at the same time. All you need is high-quality weather stripping on your agricultural garage door. This should include a weather seal that’s encased in an external PVC pipe to guarantee a watertight seal around the threshold.
Many farmers find that they not only have to protect their cows, sheep, pigs, etc. but that they also have to think about keeping the animals’food safe. It’s easy to provide a convenient feeding place as well as a highly-insulated agricultural garage door to keep out humidity, rain, snow, and other undesirable weather.
These agricultural garage doors with weather stripping don’t come cheap, but they’re an important investment.
Your farm couldn’t function without the animals and the machinery that you use every day. Insulating your garage door with either polystyrene or polyurethane can help improve the function of your door and keep your valued assets safe.
Perhaps you need the top-of-the-line when it comes to sturdiness and insulation. The G-5000 series comes in insulation levels between R-12 and R-18. This Ice White 24’x 14’door offers plenty of visibility with the line of five windows.
Not all insulation materials are created equal! Here are the important differences between polyurethane foam and polystyrene (also known as Styrofoam).
● Polyurethane - Polyurethane foam is added to the gaps in your agricultural or commercial garage door using a high-pressure instrument. It’s twice as strong as Styrofoam, as well as more flexible. It also offers better protection against weather since it insulates better.
● Polystyrene - This choice is more budget-friendly and easier to insert into your door, but it’s best for more temperate climates as it has a lower thermal resistance. It comes in large sheets that are placed inside the door’s panels.
This comparison shows how the polystyrene on the right fills in most of the space but leaves gaps. On the other hand, the injected polyurethane foam gets into each crevice, providing better insulation.
You need to choose the R-value that’s best for your particular agricultural building.
Every aspect of your overhead garage door should be accounted for when determining how energy-efficient it is. Let’s say that two doors have the same R-value. They could use and lose heat very differently depending on the insulation in the panels and how the perimeter is constructed.
Due to these factors, it’s best to talk with a professional with experience in agricultural, commercial, and industrial garage doors when determining insulation needs and energy-saving levels.
Number Three: Making Sure Your Garage Door Opener System, Remote, and Other Accessories Are Waterproof
Some buildings require the versatility of two different-sized garage doors, such as those shown here from the G-5000 construction series . Both are in Ice White, but one is 18’x 24’and the other is 12’x 12’.
You can’t stop the research once you’ve found the right commercial garage door. You also need to ensure you have a garage door opener system that’s protected from weather, rust, and corrosion.
If your farm is often exposed to rain, snow, or humidity, you must choose systems that are sealed and that keep out water.
For farm shelters that are exposed to water, the best choice is a CRBH commercial door opener from LiftMaster!
If you know and love the LiftMaster RBH garage door opener, you’ll love the water-resistant LiftMaster CRBH . It uses a jackshaft wall-mount system, which means it’s a great choice for large, high-lift or vertical-lift sectional doors. This model also comes with an electric interlock so you can use it manually in case of emergency. Don’t worry about overuse! This sturdy operating system can handle 25 cycles each hour and up to 90 cycles every day. To top it off, it includes roller bearings, an oil-soaked motor, and even a clutch adjustment.
If you’re a farmer, you’re familiar with dust, dirt, and debris (especially if your farm produces grain). You’ve probably already taken precautions to prevent electrical fires. You can protect your garage door opener, too, with a special casing!
There are many different causes of electrical fires on a farm, including these most common hazards from Conestoga Buildings. Check out their blog to learn how to get rid of these dangers in your farm buildings.
- Smoking
- Baled and stored hay
- Improper storage of dried bedding, food, and dried hay
- Improper installation of frost-proof hydrants
- Dust and cobwebs
- Extension cords and potentially hazardous or exposed barn wiring
- Small heaters for individual spaces
LiftMaster cares about the safety of farmers and has created commercial door opener systems that are both water and corrosion-resistant. They have covers that protect the motor and all the internal parts. LiftMaster didn’t stop there, though! They also have a line of other waterproof parts and accessories, such as button stations, control panels, commercial photo eyes, and optical-edge systems (aka bottom weather stripping). All of these meet the conditions outlined in the NEMA4 guidelines.
This LiftMaster KPW250 commercial door opener keypad doesn’t just look sleek and sophisticated. It’s also sealed against all types of weather, making it the ideal choice for farms exposed to humidity, rain, and other moisture.
Number Four: If You Want Your Agricultural Door to Last for Decades, Keep Up with Annual Maintenance
Farm equipment is made to stand up to dusty, dirty, harsh conditions. Farm Progress gives tried-and-true advice about how to keep your machinery running smoothly all year long.
It’s not uncommon to see the outsides and doors of livestock shelters covered in dirt, mud, and dust. These are all easy to clean, however, when you have a commercial garage door made of aluminum or steel!
When you choose a trained garage door professional to perform your garage door check-up, they should have all the tools, equipment, and know-how necessary to inspect, lubricate, and fix every element of your agricultural garage door.
You can clean your garage door yourself in the meantime!
Don’t use just anything, though. Abrasive cleaning tools and overly strong cleaners can delaminate your door or even harm the paint. Instead, choose gentle car wash and was products and a soft mitt.
Keeping up with annual and intermittent maintenance isn’t an “if you have time” option. You have to do it so that your garage door remains functional and so your farm can remain efficient.
How horrible would it be if you got up at the crack of dawn one day and found that your garage door wouldn’t open, just because of one damaged or misaligned piece? Your entire production schedule could get thrown off, and that means your livelihood is threatened.
So, what are the most important parts of your yearly commercial door check-up?
● Experienced, professional garage door installer(s)
● Tasks executed promptly
● On-site inspection of your garage door opener system and a detailed report on its current condition
● Preventative maintenance to deter damage
● Alignment and adjustment of all garage door components, including tracks and springs
● Top-notch customer service
Should you ever perform these maintenance steps more often than each year?
Every garage door should be inspected at least annually. However, some agricultural or commercial garage doors need to be inspected every three or six months, depending on the building and door type and how often it is used.
Choosing the Best Design for Your Agricultural Garage Door
Your garage door shade can be mixed or matched with the color of your barn, shelter, or other building.
Your barn or other farm building is your pride and joy. It’s been in your family for years, maybe even generations. Spruce it up with a color that’s unexpected, like a beige or brown hue, or maybe even a striking black, silver, or charcoal. White isn’t your only option!
You’ve learned about the most important elements of choosing a commercial, agricultural garage door. Now, you get to have fun with the color and design! Most people go with white, but you don’t have to!
Your options span a range of color choices. Ask our team of professionals for a color code or sample to match, complement, or contrast any part of your building.
There’s so much that happens in and out of your garage doors, including vehicles, machinery, people, and animals. You want to enjoy looking at your garage door whenever this is happening. The G-5000 line of garage doors comes in a range of sizes, frame designs, and colors, as well as several options for glass transparency.
Choosing to add windows on your garage door helps keep machinery, people, and animals safe while adding plenty of natural light.
This might look different than any other garage door you’ve seen, but it allows for visibility and natural light without too much of either. It fits perfectly on the 12’x 12’commercial overhead garage door seen here.
Choosing windows helps to avoid accidents in door areas where there is a lot of machinery or many people going in and out.
You don’t have to wonder about how much this is all going to cost! Reach out to us for a complimentary email quote on your agricultural garage door or doors.
All ‑Mont Garage Doors boasts a team of professionals that can help you find the ideal commercial garage door and garage door opener system for your unique situation. Everyone has different needs, and we want to fulfill yours.
Since we’re business owners, too, we know how important customer service, knowledge, saving money, and protecting your investment are. We guarantee that we’ll give you the best of all these elements.
We look forward to talking with you about your unique agricultural garage door or commercial garage door opener project.
You can reach us by phone at 519-942-1956. Or, come see us in person!
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