2018 on Focusing On Garage Door Problems

Prepping Your Garage For Winter: Four Essential Steps To Take

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 07:45:36 +0000

When winter weather approaches, it's important to make sure your home is ready for the cold weather. Part of winter weather prep includes preparing your garage. Here are a few things to consider as you begin getting ready for the cold months ahead.

Test The Garage Door

The last thing you want is to have your garage door get stuck during subzero weather. This can make it difficult to get your car in and out when you need it. Test the door to ensure there are no faulty springs and to see if the rollers and track are functioning properly. Consider replacing your garage door opener batteries as well so you don't get stuck with manually opening the door during a snowstorm. If you notice any issues with the door, contact your local garage door service for an inspection and repairs.

Check For Leaks

A leaky roof can lead to big problems in the winter months. As ice and snow begin to melt and refreeze, ice dams can begin to form on the roof. This can force water into the garage where it can damage tools and equipment. If your home's breaker box is located in the garage, it can also be vulnerable during potential leaks. You can have the roof professionally tested during the fall to ensure there are no issues with the roof. It's also a good idea to clean any gutters your garage might have to prevent leaks and ice dams.

Keep The Ground Clear

As leaves and debris build up during the winter months, they can prevent your garage door from closing properly. This is because the leaves may end up covering the door sensors. Over time, this buildup may also attract pest animals looking for a warm nest. Remember to sweep the area directly in front of the garage. Once snow begins to fall, you'll also want to clear it along with any ice that's formed to keep the sensors clear throughout the winter.

Stock The Garage

Of course, one of the most important things you can do for your garage before winter weather hits is to make sure you're stocked up on supplies. Inspect your shovels and snow thrower to ensure they don't need to be repaired or replaced, and buy plenty of sidewalk salt. You may also want to invest in a bag of cat litter, which can create traction on icy driveways during severe weather.

Contact a garage door service for more help.

Caring For A Residential Garage Door

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 15:13:25 +0000

Residential garage doors are some of the most used types, as homeowners often open and close then several times per day. During the process of regularly operating a garage door, the parts can become worn and sometimes stop working properly. For instance, the rollers on the door can stop turning from rust accumulating, or begin turning too fast because screws are loose. You can actually end up in a situation where the door doesn't open at all if small problems are not resolved before becoming worse. This article provides a general overview of things you should know to keep your garage door in a working condition for many years to come.

Try to Prevent Metal Parts from Rusting

The most important metal parts of a garage door are the rollers and tracks. A garage door is basically useless when the rollers and tracks are in bad shape or missing altogether. You can help the metal parts stay functional by preventing large amounts of rust from accumulating on them. For instance, oil can be applied to the metal every now and then to make it difficult for them to become rusty. The oil is very useful if your region receives a lot of rain that gets on the garage door parts. A garage door repair company can apply the oil on your behalf, and they will know exactly where it should be placed.

Pay Attention to How the Motor Runs

Another part of a garage door that is important is the motor, unless you have the type that is operated manually. You must pay attention to how the motor operates so it won't go out when least expected and lead to the door not being able to move. The motor can begin making loud noises or become completely quiet when there is a problem to be concerned about. Get the motor inspected by a professional on occasion to find out if any maintenance is needed. A weak motor might need a repair or to be replaced before the problem gets worse.

Ensure That the Tracks Are Properly Aligned

The tracks are the metal strips that are along both sides of a garage door and attached to the walls. The tracks can become problematic for a few reasons such as from being improperly aligned. Check the alignment of the tracks every now and then in case you need to hire a professional to straighten them up. A garage door has to force itself up and down misaligned tracks, which can cause the rollers to wear out in an untimely manner.

If you are interested in updating your garage door, talk with a business like Guaranteed Door Service.

Top 5 Ways To Change Your Garage Door's Appearance

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 13:25:07 +0000

When you are sprucing up your house, especially the exterior, the most obvious areas that receive attention are the driveway, exterior walls, and the garden or lawn, with little to no thought being spared for the garage door. This has a direct impact on the aesthetics and value of the property.

If you are currently residing on your property or have put it up for sale, changing or upgrading the appearance of your garage door can pay some good dividends. You would be surprised at what a transformative change to your property sprucing a garage door can bring. If it is up for sale, this same change can play a part in giving your property more curb appeal and adding to its value.

How to Give Your Garage Door a Facelift

1. Painting

Painting is possibly the simplest and most straightforward way you can have your garage door looking nice and spiffy. Consider a color that matches the wall or shutters for good effect, and this time, work with several coats of color. Color has a way of affecting mood, and your garage door could cause that effect on you every time you drive in or when a potential buyer comes for a show around.

2. Natural Light

Typical residential garage doors will rarely have a window, and as such, you have to light a bulb inside in order to see. Incorporating a window(s) can be a way of allowing natural light to flow in and give your garage door a really unique look.

3. Accessorize

Accessorizing a garage door sounds out of this world. But you would be pleasantly surprised after doing several coats of paints and adding a few accessories like a door handle, pot plants, and lamps; your house will look pretty different. If you get creative with the accessories, your garage door might just outshine every other part of your exterior.

4. Changing Doors

If the garage door is completely out of repair, it's best to replace it completely, giving some aesthetic thought to the next one that you want to replace it with. Consider custom making your next door.

5. Detail Your Blank Door

Although a blank garage door symbolizes simplicity, it won't add to your curb appeal. By adding, some lines, shapes, and some art to your door, you will take it from simple to appealing and even inviting.

Don't overlook your garage door, get residential garage door services to spruce it up, and let it add you to the aesthetic value of your home.

4 Garage Door Tips To Keep Everyone Safe

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 08:51:50 +0000

Garages can add a great amount of curb appeal to your property; however, the garage door causes thousands of injuries every year. To ensure that everyone in your family is safe from harm, there are a few things that you need to do as a homeowner.

1. Perform Monthly Inspections

One of the most important steps that you can take as a homeowner to prevent injuries is to make certain that you are performing inspections of your garage door and its components on a monthly basis. Open and close the door several times and watch how everything moves. Make sure that everything is working as it should, including all gears and cables.

This also includes testing the safety sensors, which are located roughly six inches above the ground on each side of the door. These sensors should cause the door to reverse its direction (if it's closing) if an animal or person walks under it while closing. To test it, you can use a broom to place underneath the door as it is closing. It should stop closing immediately and reverse. If it doesn't, call a professional immediately for an inspection and necessary repairs.

2. Keep the Remote Out of Reach of Children

Kids enjoy playing with things that they don't know about, which could likely include the garage door remote – and this is not a good idea. Make sure that the remote is not within reach of your children. However, at the same time, it is important to make this a teaching lesson. Sit down and explain to them that the remote is not a toy, should not be played with and could potentially hurt someone if it is played with.

3. Never Leave the Garage Door Open

IT is very important that you never, ever leave your garage door open, or even open half-way. Not only does this allow cold air or heat to escape and your utility bills to increase, but it also makes your home an easy target for burglars. It is essentially an invitation to a thieve to "come on in".

4. Watch Your Fingers

If your garage door opens manually, you will want to be very careful with your fingers and make sure that your children are as well. If your fingers were to get caught in between the garage door sections, you could get seriously injured. Take the time to teach your children about this. Ideally, the best thing to do is to utilize the door handle when you need to open the door and avoid placing your hands on the door when you open or close it. You could also opt to purchase a garage door without pinching panels.

Contact a garage door installation company for more help.

Painting Over Graffiti On Your Garage Door

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 19:34:46 +0000

Did someone vandalize your garage door with graffiti? Rather that replace your entire garage door (which you are most certainly entitled to do), here is how you can paint over the graffiti to restore your garage door.

Use One Dark Solid Color Made for Outdoor Painting

Depending on the nature of the graffiti, you may want to cover it up quickly and thoroughly. That requires a couple spray paint cans in a single, dark, opaque color.

Choose a color that complements the siding on your home and garage. Also, select a color that is formulated for painting metal and painting things that are outdoors all the time.
Tape off the posts and lintel of your garage door.
Then, in full sweeping left-to-right movements, paint the door one full coat. Let this dry.
If you can still see the graffiti, give the door a second coat. Let this second coat dry.
Repeat until the graffiti is no longer visible (usually, three coats is enough).

If the graffiti is not too offensive, maybe you would like to get a little creative yourself.

Putting a Mural over the Graffiti

Some people like to put tattoos over their scars or put new tattoos over old tattoos. Painting a mural over the graffiti is akin to that. You are hiding or covering up the graffiti by painting something much more attractive and less offensive on the garage door. If you are not the super-creative artist type, hire a local artist to paint the door for you. You can request a drawing of the design before the artist begins so that you can see how the door will look when the artist has finished.

Sponging the Garage Door

If your garage door is metal (as most are these days), then you could do something really unique with this graffiti. Grab a giant car washing sponge, some rubber gloves, and paint solvent. Soak the sponge in the solvent, and then don your gloves. Wring out the sponge, and then swirl the solvent-soaked sponge in spirals over the graffiti. The result is that the solvent "melts" the paint, you are pushing the paint in a swirling pattern, and thus you create a hypnotic design on the garage door that removes some of the graffiti while replacing it with something more fun.\

If you want to replace the door entirely, contact a professional, like Eudy Door Co., for more information on installations.

2 Reasons To Call A Garage Door Repair Service

Sat, 20 Jan 2018 09:42:07 +0000

Having a garage with an automatic garage door is a wonderful luxury. It gives you a safe place to park your car and is great for storage purposes. The automatic garage door is also an excellent feature because you can open and close it with the push of a button. However, there are certain circumstances when your garage door doesn't operate as it should. In these cases, it is a good idea to call a garage door repair service to come and fix it. Here are two reasons to call a garage door repair service.

Your Sensors Are Not Working

One excellent reason to call a garage door repair service is if your sensors are not working properly. The two major issues that you can run into with sensors is either they don't go off when they should or they go off too often. If your garage door closes on things, then you have a serious safety issue. The garage door could potentially close on your vehicle, an animal, or even a small child. If your sensors go off all of the time for no reason, then this can make it next to impossible to get your garage door to close. In either case, a professional can help to fix the issue. They will determine if your sensors are either broken or they are out of alignment. The professional can work to realign both of your sensors, replace any broken or missing parts, and otherwise get your sensors functioning and your garage door working as it should.

Your Door Comes Off The Track

Your garage door opens and closes on a track and things go very smoothly when the garage door is properly attached. However, if the garage door comes off the track for one reason or another, this can cause some serious issues for you. When you go to open or close your garage, it will not move. The track will move up and down, but the garage door is stuck. This makes your garage itself impossible to get in and out of, and if you have a car inside, then it is stuck. Thankfully, a garage door repair service such as J & B Door can deal with this issue fairly quickly by getting your garage door back on the tracks so that it functions well once again. If there is a problem with one or both of the tracks, then replacements can be ordered to fix the issue as soon as possible.

Don't Wait Until It's Too Late: 4 Reasons You Need To Replace Those Damaged Garage Door Springs Right Away

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 10:49:19 +0000

If the springs on your garage door are showing signs of wear and tear, you shouldn't postpone their replacement. You might think that you can keep them in place until the actually fail. However, that decision presents some serious risks. Here are just four of the reasons why you shouldn't postpone the replacement of your garage door springs.

Prevent Injuries

You might not realize this, but you could be seriously injured if the springs break on your garage door. Those springs are under a lot of pressure. Once they break, that pressure has to go somewhere. Unfortunately, it usually goes outward, which means if your springs break while you're nearby, you could be injured. Not only that, but once the springs break, they'll no longer be able to hold your door up, which means it's going to come crashing down. If it crashes down on you, or someone else, there could be devastating consequences.

Avoid Damage to Your Car

When it comes to your car, it's probably the second biggest investment you'll make – next to your home. The last thing you want is to have your car ruined when your garage door breaks. Unfortunately, that's exactly what's going to happen if the springs give out while you're car is in the path of your garage door. That means you'll be dealing with a broken door and a damaged vehicle.

Stop the Annoying Noises

If you're tired of hearing all the racket coming from your garage door, it's time to replace the springs. Aging springs can create a wide variety of noises include squeaks, squeals and moans. You don't want to have your peace and quiet intruded upon by all those sounds coming from your garage door. You can get rid of the sounds, and restore your peace and quiet, by replacing your old garage door springs.

Reduce Need for Additional Repairs

If your garage door springs are wearing out, you owe it to yourself to replace them as soon as possible. Failing to replace them could lead to further damage to your garage door, which will increase the costs of the repairs. Not only that, but if the springs fail, and your garage door crashes to the ground, you're going to be paying to replace the entire door. Unfortunately, the cost of replacing your entire garage door is going to be substantially more than simply replacing the springs. Don't wait until it's too late. Replace your garage door springs at the first sign of trouble.

For more information, contact companies like Raynor Door Company.

Free Your Garage Door With These Ice-Busting Methods

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 09:19:34 +0000

A garage door that's frozen shut due to ice buildup is a rather common wintertime sight. Most of the buildup occurs along the bottom of the door, effectively creating an icy seal that sometimes proves impossible for your garage door opener to dislodge. The following shows how you can free your garage door from winter's cold grasp.

Ice Scraper

Using an ice scraper isn't a glamorous way to free your ice-bound garage door, but it gets the job done. Ice scrapers can easily break up thin ice keeping your door firmly stuck to the concrete, but thicker sheets of ice can prove challenging to remove.

Start by scraping and chipping away along the bottom of the garage door at one corner and work your way towards the opposite corner. Avoid bringing the ice scraper in direct contact with the weatherstripping along the bottom of the door, as there's a big risk of tearing the rubber seal.

Heat Gun

A heat gun offers a faster and less-painstaking way of freeing your garage door. Heat guns are also quite powerful, so you'll want to keep it on the lowest possible setting. Use a slow, steady back-and-forth motion to keep the heat gun from lingering over a spot for too long. Keep the heat gun several inches away from the weatherstripping so it isn't melted by accident.

If you don't have heat gun on hand, you can always use a hair dryer as a substitute. However, you may need to run the hair dryer on its highest setting to get the same effect as a dedicated heat gun.

Space Heater

Compared to the other two methods, this one may seem a bit unorthodox and it's also the slowest method you can possibly use. However, it's the one to choose if you want to unthaw your garage door without risking any damage whatsoever.

Instead of directly heating the frozen areas and risk damaging the weatherstripping, the space heater method evenly heats the door itself. With this method, the surrounding ice melts more gradually, making it easier to open your garage door without any risk of the ice refreezing or the weatherstripping being damaged in the process.

All you need to do is position your space heater close enough to the garage door to warm it, but far enough that your weatherstripping isn't melted in the process. You'll need to keep a close eye on your space heater, mainly to keep melted water away from the unit. Contact a garage door service for more help.

4 Tips For Keeping Your Garage Door In Good Shape

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 09:33:09 +0000

One thing you will want to do is take care of your home as much as you can. It's possible you may use your garage a great deal, and this will mean going in and out a lot. This area is a great place to store a number of your belongings and one of which may be your car. It's essential to know some of the best tips for helping you maintain your garage door.

Tip #1: Lubricate the moving parts

It's essential to take the time to ensure the components in your garage door move with ease. One of the top ways to do this is by lubricating all of the moving parts with the right product.

Doing this one thing can help your garage work as well as it should and may be extremely beneficial when it comes to avoiding issues.

Tip #2: Tighten the hardware

You will want to be sure to check the bolts and screws on your garage door on a routine basis. Taking the time to simply tighten these can be extremely beneficial to you and may help avoid many concerns along the way.

It's a good idea to do a thorough inspection of the garage door and check to see how tight the bolts are at least once a month.

Tip #3: Replace the rollers

Your garage doors will depend on rollers to be able to move up and down without requiring a great deal of work. The rollers should be in good condition, and it may be necessary to replace these after a long period because this is one of the most used parts of your garage.

Tip #4: Check the cables

One of the main components of your garage will include the cables and you'll want to be sure these are strong and sturdy. These work to pull the door open and shut, so it's ideal to take time to look over these occasionally.

It's possible you may need to put in new cables in place if your home is getting older and it's time to start making necessary changes to it.

The last thing you will want to happen is not being able to get inside your garage because it's not working correctly. This may cause you a great deal of concern and stress in the process. Be sure to work closely with a garage door contractor in your area today, such as at AAA Garage Door, Inc.

Maintenance Tips For Your Garage Door

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 10:41:22 +0000

Maintaining your garage door is something that should be done in order to keep it working properly time and time again. A garage door that squeals when it opens, makes loud noises when closing or any other noise is in need of maintenance. Your garage door should open and close without much noise at all. See below for maintenance tips to follow to ensure your garage door is in working order.

Spray A Lubricant

The moving parts on your garage door should be lubricated with a silicone based lubricant. A silicone based lubricant will help clean these moving parts and prevent grease and grime from building up while also lubricating them. Spray the lubricant on the rollers (not the track) and the pins as well. Be sure to wipe off the excess lubricant. Never use anything too tacky, as it can cause dirt and other debris to stick to it easily, which will do the exact opposite of what you are trying to achieve.

Tighten All Nuts, Bolts And Screws

Be sure to tighten the nuts, bolts and screws on the garage door. Go through each and every part of your door and tighten everything up. Over time, things can loosen up, and the parts on your garage door are no different. Check the tracks as well to be sure they are tightened to the wall. Loose tracks can cause the door to shake when opening or closing, which can cause noises.

Check That The Tracks Are Level

Check that the mounting brackets and tracks are all level. If they are thrown out of whack or aren't level, it can lead to problems with your door. Use a level to check these areas and make adjustments as needed until the mounts are level. The horizontal and verticals should all be level.

Test The Sensors

Test the sensor for your garage doors to be sure it is working properly. The sensor will ensure the door will not close if there is something blocking the door. This can prevent damage or injury. Place something in the way of the sensor to see if it works properly. If it doesn't, make sure the sensor is clean. Then make sure it didn't get bumped, which may throw the sensor off. Also make sure the wires are all connected properly.

Maintenance of your garage door is important to ensure your door is working properly and safely. If your door is in need of more extensive repairs, call a garage door repair company for help.

3 Tips for Promoting Employee Safety Around Commercial Garage Doors

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 15:59:13 +0000

Many businesses, such as warehouses and retail stores are equipped with commercial garage doors that are opened and closed as products and goods are loaded or unloaded. If you own or manage a business location that has a garage door, it is important to take several measures to protect employees from being injured by a commercial garage door while in operation. Use the following tips to keep employees safe around a commercial garage door:

Invest in a Garage Door that Includes Safety Features

Today, commercial garage doors can be equipped with a number of safety features which are designed to protect people who may be working near the door. When replacing an old commercial garage door, look for a new one that has sensor switches on each side of the garage opening. If these sensors detect anything in the path of the garage door, the door will either stop or reverse direction. You may also want to think about getting a commercial garage door that requires a continual push of a button in order to operate to help prevent accidents.

If your business already has a commercial garage door that is in good condition and doesn't need to be replaced, you can still add different safety features to the existing door. Contact a garage door contractor who specializes in commercial garage doors for information for information about retrofitting the garage door with new safety features.

Have the Garage Door Inspected Regularly

A commercial garage door is continually opened and closed, which can lead to a lot of wear and tear. Thus, it is important to have your company's garage door inspected regularly to ensure that all of the components are in good working order and won't malfunction. During an inspection, a technician will check the garage door springs, sensors, support rails, and opening system to ensure that their are no problems that could cause the door to shut unexpectedly while employees are in the vicinity.

Comprehensive Training

Most employees don't spend a lot of time thinking about the garage door in their workplace, but it is important for them to know that a commercial garage door can cause serious injury or even death in some situations. Take the time to develop a comprehensive training program to warn employees about potential hazards. All employees should know how to operate the garage door properly and be able to stop it if needed. In addition, your employees should be advised never to stand directly under the garage door while it is in operation-- it is always better to maintain a safe distance.