Insulated roller garage door - under 12 months old PROBLEMS!

[hedgefinder]

Just wodnering if anyone has any adviceon here regarding the Insulated roller door I had fitted under 12 months ago.
Recently I have noticed that the door has started to ripple along all the slats and dents are becoming evident - the back of the door now has noticable kinks in the slats and dents also. you can hear the door creaking as it opens and closes.
Although there are 2 marks doen by the kids on the front of the door the rest are simply from the door opening and closing and no one has even touched it.
I had the fitting company out last week to inspect it and the guy said he couldnt do anything about it and would have to speak to the manufacturer (AUTOROLL i believe) although he did suggest that it may be somehting to do with the hot weather we have had lately?!?!? How does an aluminium insulated door ripple in the heat? It now looks like a 20 year old battered door - after less than 12 months. I was told they would call me back by friday, but no surprise i have had no return phone call.
When we ordered the door I was told by the fitter to try and stop kids kicking footballs against the door as it might dent it which i have... but it seems to be so soft that simply opening and closing the door is causing it to dent and ripple!
really pissed off and frustrated as i would never have pruchased this type of door if I had known and would have went for a steel door.

Any advice?

[hedgefinder]

theres nothing touching it, so definately just opening and closing damaging it.
I know they had a problem when the door was first fitted as it had dents in it and it ended up being replaced immediately...

I will try and take some pictures and post them up.

[hedgefinder]

sorry - its not that easy to see due to the colour of the door, but hopeufully these pictures show at least some of the kinking and bowing of the door slats inside and out. Its literally rippled down every slat. ( a bit dusty too, as I was busy cutting and fitting rosewood upvc reveals..)

[hedgefinder]

eliot said:

Have you got kids? Looks like they have been using the door as goal. Mine tried the same thing - got that stopped pronto.

yes i have kids, but neither of the girls play football...as i already stated, no one has touched the door.. definately never been hit by a football, its started kinking on the BACK of the door as well and has ripples all down the slats, not just the bigger "dents" there is also damage in an area where it would be impossible for anyone to touch it as there has been an enclosed trailer backed up to the door. The damage is DEFINATELY just from the door opening and closing.

[hedgefinder]

I know its not easy to see in those pictures but if you look closely at the first picture you can see in the middle that the slats all have small "ripples" down them.

[hedgefinder]

well, the installer didnt call me back after repeated calls to him and then today I have been told that due to the minor scrape on one of the slats that I told them was from one of the childrens bikes falling over they say that the suppliers have said they accept no responsibility for every single slat kinking and rippling down its entire length.
I feel for the installer as he isnt really responsible for the product and have drafted a quick letter and emailed Autoroll and await their response, but i fully intend to take the matter to small claims court should they fail to respond.
Anyone viewing the door can see how ridiculous their denial is - the slats are rippled down their entire width of the door on EVERY single slat and kinked on the back of the door in various places. even the last 2 slats which never actually touch the roll have kinks along them in exactly the same manner as the rest of the door.

[hedgefinder]

colin2296fs said:

is it very wide? a roller door will have all the weight of the top slats in the roll sitting on top of the rest

yes,its wide, but even the 2 slats that hang and do not go onto the roll are rippled in exactly the same way, so thats not whats happening here, either way it still shouldnt be happening.

[hedgefinder]

Although I have alreayd written to the door manufacturer - after taking a small ammount of advice I may have to write a letter to the installer first as it was them I dealt with. As they are currently not returning my calls and their email address just bounces back I am forced to send a recorded letter I suppose.
Being in the building trade i would have preferred to have dealt directly with the manufacturer as i beleive it is a product issue and not an installation problem and I know first hand what its like to have a faulty product you supplied come back and bite you... not nice.

[hedgefinder]

installer has offered to go halves on a replacement curtain at cost price as the manufacturer is refusing any liability.
Although considering that i would have had to pay to have the 2 slats replaced that the kids scraped it isnt a bad deal i still feel its wrong on principal that the installer should have to foot the bill for a faulty product and we also have the possibility of the same happening next summer...
I have at this point said that I would accept paying for half the replacement cost provided the manufatcurer gives a written guarantee that the same rippling issue wont happen to the replacement curtain, which I think is a reasonable compromise.

[hedgefinder]

doorman said:

PM sent

thanks, i have replied.

even though the installer said he would call me back within a 10 mins regarding any guarantees that the same wouldnt happen again, I have as yet had no further contact and the manufacturer has not replied to any emails.. not looking good so far.. especially on hearing that someone else had to take legal action to get anywhere with similar problems with the same type of door..

[hedgefinder]

motco said:

I am about to have a pair of single SWS Compact doors fitted. The brochure says that double sized doors in dark colours facing south may bind or become marked on the inside (concave) surface on very sunny summer days.

interesting, I have not heard that from anyone before...

[hedgefinder]

motco said:

Bottom of page fifteen of the Seceuroglide Brochure from the www.swsuk.co.uk website.

thanks, just downloaded and read it, but its definately a lot more happening with my door than just "slight marking over time". Its only 10 months old and isnt just marked, its bent and rippled.

[hedgefinder]

looks like I will be putting everything in writing on Monday.
I am suspicous that they are hoping that it will run out of their 12 months guarantee before anything is put in writing..
They are obviously not willing to guarantee that the same fault wont happen again, and from what I have heard so far it isnt unknown for this type of door from this manufacturer....the SWS is suposedly superior.

[hedgefinder]

Simond S said:

Could it be that when closing it is pushing too far into the ground, essentially placing a pressure on every slat as it is forced downward?

that was my first thought, but the installer came out months ago not log after it was first fitted as I thought it seemed to belly in the centre when closed, but he assured me that was normal for this width of door and never commented on it pushing down too much..

and still i dont see how that could be doing what is happening here... the more i look at it the more i think its a heat issue and the aluminium skin is too thin and rippling in the heat - the garage isnt even in use yet, so it has only been opened a limited ammount of times since it was fitted!

[hedgefinder]

no further contact from the installer/supplier
and now it just gets better -
I just opened the door tonight and it wont close anymore the motor just gives off a loud buzz...ffs...definate small claims court now..

[hedgefinder]

well, the installer came round last week and basically said that i could have a new door and motor fitted or my money back , BUT he would offer no guarantee that exactly the same wouldnt happen to this door and if ANYTHING at all went wrong with it he wanted nothing to do with it,so rather than end up in 6 months time with another shagged door I opted for my money back. I wouldnt let him take the door down and leave me unsecure, as he intended and he agreed to allow a month for me to arrange a replacement.

I have today found out why he may have changed his mind and started answering my calls....I had it explianed to me exactly why the door has ended up the way it has by discussing it with an expert in the production of the aluminium slats. He has informed me that the door would be judged not fit for purpose due to a couple of other points I discussed with him regarding the door features and fit, he also offered to do a full report for me to take to the Door and Hardware Federation and to also send a copy to Autoroll direct should I have further issues, which should see a response from them.
It also came to my knowledge during the conversation that the installer am having the issues with is currently involved in a court case regarding a door collapsing onto a customer after installation...... so I was suggested not to hang about in getting my money back!

Edited by hedgefinder on Friday 1st November 12:33

[hedgefinder]

phelix said:

What was the root cause: wrong door for the installation environment, fundamentally poor quality door or an installation issue?

pretty much all 3!

but the main problem issue - notably the rippling and denting - is due to poor manufacturing processes at the foam curing stage.

Edited by hedgefinder on Sunday 3rd November 12:56

[hedgefinder]

yes, exactly!
After taking advice that I wish I had recieved before we had this door fitted -
SWS securoglide appears to be the one to go for.
Whenever I mention the manufacturer of our current door to anyone in the industry I recieve either a SIGH, GIGGLE or roll of the eyes.. which should tell people something!

[hedgefinder]

Had a quick look at hormann and SWS and Warm Protection and also ALUroll, which have all been recommended. Hormann have only just started doing a residential roller shutter door recently from what I was told.
Had a quote for an ungraded Warm protection door with thicker aluminium skin slats and am still awaiting quotes for SWS and Hormann which I should get either today or tomorrow.
I just wish I had done as much research into what I was buying last time...
it really is true - ALL insulated roller shutters are NOT the same!

[hedgefinder]

well, the saga continues...just been given an install date so I call the original supplier and give him the dates that he can remove his door and give me my refund as agreed, he said "fine, i will check my diary and call you back" an hour later he calls back and says that the removel date is no problem and he will be here at 8am.... BUT he isnt willing to give me the full refund as previously agreed and now only wants to give me the refund minus £400 due to 12 months usage and the couple of slats that are scratched... now being fair I said ok, i agree to slightly less than full refund and stupidly said £200, but definately NOT £400 less.... i know that the slats on this door cost about £3.50 per metre...so the damaged slats ammount to about £35, never mind the door being absolutely knackered everywhere else... he has told me to send any further letters to his solicitor.
So I am now just waiting for trading standards ect to call me back as everyone was busy when I tried them this morning.....I definately will take this all the way with the small claims and report him to the Door and hardware Federation, trading standards and the health and safety executive..

Edited by hedgefinder on Friday 6th December 18:26