The Clipenglyde garage door system is now history but was hailed as the next big thing in garage door technology in the mid-1990s.  It was invented by John Jella, of Spillman-Jella Manufacturing, in 1993. Clipenglyde is a patented track system that uses aluminum tubes instead of steel, and
U-shaped thermoplastic clips instead of rollers. The powder-coated aluminum tubes enable it to have extremely quiet operation. Plus, the lack of steel components made the system corrosion resistant and a sensible choice for coastal and other corrosion-prone areas.    The Overhead Door Company agreed to purchase 10,000 units of the system in 1994 and renamed it Ultraglide to merchandise through Overhead Door Company dealerships. Clipenglyde/Uttraglide won a new product award the following year at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) convention in Houston, but what happened afterwards is a little murky, except that it disappeared from the market within the next decade.

   What we do know is that the plastic track clips did not hold up as well as expected, and that replacement parts are now difficult-to-impossible to find. If you come across one like we did recently and operate it, you will experience an amazingly quiet and elegant solution to a noisy, rusting steel garage door track. The Clipenglyde just never caught on.

    Also, see our blog post How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe?

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  To learn more about doors and windows, see these other blog posts:

• What causes sweating (condensation) on the inside of windows in the winter? 

• Is every exterior door of a house required to have a landing outside? 

• What are the small slots at the bottom of the outside of my window? 

• Why does condensation form on the outside of some windows and not others in the morning? 

• What is the raised metal plate on the floor under the garage door?

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• How can I tell if a window or glass door is safety glass? 

• What are the code requirements for safety tempered glass for doors?• 

• Should a front door swing in or out? 

• Why is pressure washing double pane windows an expensive mistake? 

• Why is a double cylinder deadbolt lock on an exterior door a safety hazard?

  • What is an egress window?

• Does a home inspector test all the windows and doors in a home? 

• How difficult is it to change a window to french doors or a sliding glass door?

• What is causing a foggy haze on my windows? 

• What do those numbers on the manufacturer's stickers in new windows mean?

• What does a home inspector check on an electric garage door? 

• What is the tempered label on glass at windows and sliding glass doors called?

• Do I need to have two exterior exit doors in my house? 

• When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?

   Visit our DOORS AND WINDOWS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.