Choosing a roller door motor
Roller door openers sit beside the roll or inside it, and each one is rated for a door size. Gliderol says its Rollamatic GEN II is tucked inside the roll and suits residential roller doors up to 12 square metres, while its Glidermatic Dual handles larger doors up to 16 square metres. Steel-Line's opener with F-linX Wi-Fi suits single or double doors up to 16 square metres and can be checked from a phone.
If blackouts are a worry, ask about battery backup before you buy. Of Merlin's three roller door openers, only the SilentDrive Elite MR855MYQ lists battery backup as compatible. Steel-Line adds that its emergency key release means the door can be run by hand when the opener fails or the power is out, which is handy when the garage has no other way in.
Side room beside the opening
| Opened by hand | With a motor | |
|---|---|---|
| Steel-Line "A" series | 90mm | 120mm |
| Steel-Line "AA" series | 125mm | 150mm |
Reading the side room figures
These are Steel-Line's minimums for its own doors; Gliderol says its Glidermatic Heavy Duty opener needs 120mm. The motor sits at one end of the roll, which is why that side needs more room, and a brick pier or a downpipe in the way can rule a motor out. The door specialist measures both sides before quoting.
Salt air and your warranty
Much of the coast lives close to salt water, and the warranties say so. Gliderol's 7 year corrosion warranty on its roller door curtains does not apply within 800 metres of a high salt concentration. Steel-Line's warranty leaves out installations within 800 metres of the sea or of any water at least as salty.
Washing helps either way. BlueScope says steel that rain does not reach, including the top of a garage door, should be hosed down with clean fresh water at least every six months, and more often where sea spray is common.
Around the Central Coast
The Entrance and the lakes
Tuggerah Lake meets the ocean at The Entrance, and the NSW Government says it is mostly open to the sea. Ask the door specialist whether a lakeside home counts as coastal for your door's warranty.
Storm seasons
A natural disaster was declared for the Central Coast after the June 2007 storms, and Norah Head recorded 135 km/h gusts in April 2015. Wind locks that hold the curtain in its guides are worth asking about on an exposed block.
Bush fire prone land
Central Coast Council maps bush fire prone land with the NSW Rural Fire Service. If your property is on it, the BAL assessment decides what the door must meet.
What we would do
If you might add a motor later, choose the door with that in mind. Check there is enough side room at the motor end now, and ask for a power point on the ceiling while any building work is under way, done by a licensed electrician.