I posted about automated garage doors a couple of weeks ago and I intend to add some further information about those products now.
Up and over garage doors – electric operation
The most popular style of garage door is the “up and over” action door. This opening and closing mechanism sees the door rise and tilt above the main entrance and occupy a small space just below the lintel that bridges the opening.
With an automated (i.e. electric and remote controlled) garage door the important feature to be aware of is the up and over mechanism.
Up and over doors come in two variations and one is suitable for automation whilst the other type requires significant modification and customizing.
The two options are known as canopy and retractable and the way that they move and store have subtle differences. Differences that make one far more suitable for motorized control than the other.
Canopy garage doors
A canopy garage door is at the budget end of the door opening mechanism scale and it uses a half frame that places the open door 2/3rds of the way inside the garage entrance. The remaining 1/3rd of the door projects outwards beyond the front of the garage wall.
This door mechanism is comparatively crude and jerky and it is not suitable for remote motorization with a conversion kit. These kits literally act to convert a canopy system into a retractable system, so it is far better to by a retractable door if you believe that automation is a prospect at any time in the future.
Retractable garage doors
A retractable garage door has a full frame with a much smoother and more controllable sliding and tilting mechanism. The frame is stronger and more robust, and the levels and points of support are greater and more secure during door transit.
Retractable up and over garage doors lend themselves to automation with a minimum of modification and can be expected to operate smoothly for many years. This door transit mechanism is ideal for controlled motor power and “soft start” and “soft stop” options (which avoid jolts and jerks), work well with this door type.
Research the web for - For more on automated up and over doors, an explanation of the alternative mechanisms etc. You should also find some explanation of automation options and details of the other types (styles) of garage door opening mechanisms.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Memory foam beds and mattresses
I have been checking out some memory foam mattresses online and also in stores.
The price variations are massive with the most expensive being those produced by the Tempur company.
Tempur are widely regarded as being the first company to take the NASA developed memory foam and use it in bedding and their reputation is the highest in the industry.
This is due to a number of reasons ranging from the mattress concept originating from their R & D department, to the high density visco foam that they use, along with the mix of different foam layers for stability and ventilation as well as moulding.
How good, or indeed how much better they are than the competition I do not know. But I can certainly say that their prices range from double to quadruple that of their rivals.
Staying with Tempur, they offer a 15 year warranty – the longest in the industry, but on looking at numerous forums there seem to be a few people who are unhappy with them.
As far as I can determine their warranty requires a permanent deflection in the mattress of around ¾ inches for the unit to warrant replacement (or repair), and they would also seem to be subject to damage through sweating. Rather concerning as memory foam has a reputation for having warm sleeping characteristics. Water damage (which this constitutes) is not covered by any guarantee.
Needless to say, I would assume that every other memory foam manufacturer is just as unwilling to admit “fault” liability, or a problem with a mattress and my personal view is that very few guarantees are worth the paper that they are written on.
What I should add is that I have tried out some Tempur mattresses for about 10 minutes on 4 or 5 occasions and I found them very comfortable. They certainly do mould to the shape of the body and, in the short term, I found this supportive.
Ultimately, I think that we all have different views of comfort and also different reactions to these body contouring mattresses. Clearly some people love them, some people adapt to them, and others simply find them impossible to sleep on. In the case of Tempur there is a 60 day free trial which lets you determine which category you fit into. If you choose not to take the mattress, then you pay only for delivery and return and receive a refund for the actual cost.
The price variations are massive with the most expensive being those produced by the Tempur company.
Tempur are widely regarded as being the first company to take the NASA developed memory foam and use it in bedding and their reputation is the highest in the industry.
This is due to a number of reasons ranging from the mattress concept originating from their R & D department, to the high density visco foam that they use, along with the mix of different foam layers for stability and ventilation as well as moulding.
How good, or indeed how much better they are than the competition I do not know. But I can certainly say that their prices range from double to quadruple that of their rivals.
Staying with Tempur, they offer a 15 year warranty – the longest in the industry, but on looking at numerous forums there seem to be a few people who are unhappy with them.
As far as I can determine their warranty requires a permanent deflection in the mattress of around ¾ inches for the unit to warrant replacement (or repair), and they would also seem to be subject to damage through sweating. Rather concerning as memory foam has a reputation for having warm sleeping characteristics. Water damage (which this constitutes) is not covered by any guarantee.
Needless to say, I would assume that every other memory foam manufacturer is just as unwilling to admit “fault” liability, or a problem with a mattress and my personal view is that very few guarantees are worth the paper that they are written on.
What I should add is that I have tried out some Tempur mattresses for about 10 minutes on 4 or 5 occasions and I found them very comfortable. They certainly do mould to the shape of the body and, in the short term, I found this supportive.
Ultimately, I think that we all have different views of comfort and also different reactions to these body contouring mattresses. Clearly some people love them, some people adapt to them, and others simply find them impossible to sleep on. In the case of Tempur there is a 60 day free trial which lets you determine which category you fit into. If you choose not to take the mattress, then you pay only for delivery and return and receive a refund for the actual cost.
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