Garage Door Repair-Big Names Usually Just Mean Big Repair Bills

August 8th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs
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If you’re having a problem with your overhead garage door or your automatic garage door opener and you suspect that the scope of repair is beyond your DIY abilities calling a garage door repair company with a big name might just mean a big repair bill.

Garage door repair just like electrical repair, plumbing repair or heating and air conditioning repair has it big huge repair companies that are practically a household name and many more medium to small size local garage door repair companies.

The misconception is that bigger garage door repair company is better or that bigger is cheaper or even that bigger is more reliable and the real hard facts are that none of that is true. Your local garage door repair company has far more to gain by having you as a happy satisfied customer than the big name overhead door company and your local garage door company has far more to lose by not treating you the customer professionally and fair.

Small to medium size garage door repair companies don’t have the huge overhead that big name companies do and can therefore afford to do the same work for less and because they don’t have huge advertising and marketing budgets they have to capitalize on every new customer opportunity. This will generally result in less expensive garage door repair bills for you the valued customer and because the garage door company is smaller the owner will usually be hands on.

When you need your garage door repair look for a local garage door company and beware of the national scam companies that have popped up across the country. Ask for the owners name and ask where they are located.

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Garage Door Opener Repair-Infrared Safety Sensors

July 25th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Openers, Garage Door Repairs
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So you went to close your garage door today only to discover that the motor won’t close from your garage door remote, keypad or wall button so you think you’re in need of a garage door repair. Don’t panic and call your local garage door repair company, yet!

Before you call for garage door service and repair there are a few things you can try on your own and possibly save yourself some time and door opener repair money.

The first thing you can check on your own is with the door in the open position press and hold the wall control through the entire closing cycle of the garage door opener. If your garage door opener successfully closes the garage door you have now narrowed the problem to your infrared safety sensors. Infrared sensors can often be a simple garage door opener repair.

If you have a Genie or Overhead brand automatic garage door opener you can unplug the motor from the outlet on the ceiling for about 30 seconds and see if this resets your infrared safety sensors or not. Try your unit from the wall button again if your garage door opener functions properly you have successfully repaired it yourself for free.

If this doesn’t solve your problem or you have a different brand of garage door opener such as Liftmaster, Linear, Chamberlain or Sears Craftsman the next thing to check is the infrared sensors themselves. First check and make sure that your garage door sensors are not blocked or partially obstructed by garage items, dirt, cobwebs or bugs. Also check the bottom edge of your garage door for cobwebs and leaves etc. that might interrupt the infrared safety beams. Simply cleaning away debris can save your-self a garage door repair.

If your garage door sensors aren’t obstructed and your garage door opener still won’t close the next thing to check is the alignment of the infrared sensors themselves. Often your garage door opener’s infrared sensors are bumped out of alignment because of trash cans, mowers, bicycles etc. Your infrared sensors have to see each other and can be adjusted up and down or in and out so check them for proper alignment before you call your local overhead door company for a garage door repair.

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Garage Door Repair-Beware of Bait and Switch or Hidden Fees

July 23rd, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs
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With today’s economy being desperate and most businesses just trying to survive many companies are stooping to some very low places to gain your garage door repair business. Also with consumers trying to stretch every penny to keep a roof over their head it’s easy to see how someone could be easily taken by deals that seem too good to be true.

All garage door repair companies have some type of overhead expenses even the mom and pop overhead door companies have to advertise, buy trucks, insurance, pay for phone lines etc. When you see a garage door repair company offering “free service calls” or “no trip charges” your red flag should get hoisted high in the air and you should start looking elsewhere. Another common gimmick is a “free in home estimate”, again when you see these kinds of tactics to attract you garage door repair business run. I can assure you that their trucks run on fuel like everyone else’s, their advertising isn’t free in fact it can be very expensive and their garage door service technicians don’t work for free.

Look for a reputable local garage door company that charges a reasonable service call and labor fee somewhere between 59-89 dollars, ask them if there are any other charges to show up at your home and explain what the problem is that you’re having with your automatic garage door opener or your overhead door. Ask them to give you a quote based upon your description. If they aren’t willing to provide a fairly accurate quote based upon your description keep shopping for a different garage door repair company.

Doing your homework ahead of time will save you time, money and potential aggravation as well as the possibility of being ripped off for your garage door repair.

 

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Garage Door Repair or Replace

July 23rd, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Installation, Garage Door Repairs, New Garage Doors
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If you have a broken overhead door and are in need of a garage door repair you might be faced with the decision of whether to repair your existing garage door or replace it.

Here are a few suggestions for your consideration. What kind of condition is your existing garage door in and how old is it. If it’s an older wooden overhead door you’d want to examine the entire garage door before making a decision. If you have a wooden garage door and the door sections are in good condition and aesthetically the garage door still looks good then I would opt to repair your garage door. If the garage door panels or sections are rotting, sagging and just plain falling apart I would balance the cost of a replacement garage door with the costs of repairing your existing overhead door.

For example if you have broken garage door springs and you’ve already been considering a replacement garage door now would be the time if the budget allows to install a new garage door. When your garage door is replaced all the components that go with the door such as garage door springs, hinges, tracks, garage door rollers and sections are all replaced. So if you have your garage door springs replaced today and a replacement garage door installed six months later the garage door springs will be replaced again.

One of the things I often see are steel garage doors with a broken garage door spring or worse yet both springs broken and since the customer was unaware and continued using the garage door with a broken spring the overhead door is now damaged as well. When this happens it’s usually financially advantageous to install a new replacement garage door rather than repair the existing garage door.

A general rule of thumb is that if the garage door repair is going to be 50% or more of the cost of a new garage door, replace the garage door. Contact your local garage door company for more assistance.

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Garage Door Spring Changes-Do You Really Need Those Extra Parts?

July 20th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs, Garage Door Spring Replacement, Garage Door Springs, Garage Door Torsion Springs
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If you overhead garage door isn’t working and you’ve determined that you have a broken garage door spring, here is some important information to help keep you from getting ripped off. Garage door springs are eventually going to wear out and break from usage. Generally the springs supplied by the garage door manufacturer are rated for 10,000 cycles, so depending on how many times a day you open and close your garage door you can do the math and determine the life expectancy of your garage door springs.

With that being said most of the other components on your overhead garage door are very reliable and are seldom a cause for a garage door repair. If your garage door installation was properly executed then most of the other moving parts on your overhead door seldom if ever need replacement.

Getting to the point, many garage door repair companies today have slashed the cost of replacement garage door springs so much that the only way they can turn a profit is to sell you additional replacement garage door parts whether you need them or not.   A reputable local garage door repair company will sell new replacement garage door springs only and not try to sell you a bunch of extra parts that virtually never wear out. Garage door cable drums for example are often sold as a way of making extra profits and I can assure you that unless a set screw is stripped or the casting is cracked they virtually never need replacement. Furthermore with little exception if your cable drum is damaged it’s due to improper handling or installation. Garage door torsion spring shafts are also sold usually un-necessarily as another means of additional profits.  Torsion spring bearings do occasionally wear out and will need to be replaced and the wear is obvious so if you are in doubt ask to inspect the alleged worn parts.  Overhead garage door hinges will occasionally break but not often and again the need to replace them is visually evident.

When you need replacement garage door springs for your overhead door don’t be afraid to speak up, ask questions and protect your hard earned money from the garage door rip off artists.

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Garage Door Opener-Repair Or Replace

July 19th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Openers
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If you are in need of a garage door opener repair the thought might be on your mind whether to repair your existing garage door opener or install a new garage door opener.

This is a very valid question and here are some tips to help you make a more intelligent decision about your pending garage door opener repair. The first question I always ask a customer is how old is your existing automatic garage door opener. All overhead door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 were required to have infrared safety beams installed at the bottom of the garage door tracks as part of the garage door opener system. Therefore my first rule of thumb is if your garage door opener is older than 1993 making it at least 19 years old as of this article, don’t repair it replace it. Now there are several reasons for this, first and foremost most all of the parts are obsolete, especially any electronic type components. My second reason for replacing a pre-1993 garage door opener is the infrared safety beams.

The infrared safety beams on your garage door opener provide a very valuable safety solution and can prevent entrapment or your pet or child being severely injured, crushed or killed. Other safety features built into your garage door opener can fail or be defeated but the safety beams are virtually failsafe.

The life expectancy of a new garage door opener is roughly 10-15 years with that being said once an automatic door opener is 9 years or older I recommend weighing the repair costs versus the cost of a new garage door opener.  Your local garage door company can help you with garage door opener repair versus garage door opener replacement. If the expected garage door repair is half the cost or more of a new garage door opener I recommend replacing the overhead door opener.

If your existing garage door opener has been working trouble free and is less than 10 years old I would repair the unit as long as the cost is less than half of a new garage door opener installation.

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Steel Replacement Garage Doors vs. Wood Garage Doors

July 16th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Installation, New Garage Doors
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For years wood garage doors ruled the new home market as well as the replacement garage door market. About 27 years ago manufacturers started offering decorative raised panel steel garage doors in limited design and initially most garage doors were only primed and required finish painting. Well the times have changed and wood overhead doors are almost completely obsolete with the exception of custom wood carriage garage doors.

First I’ll speak of some of the benefits of wood garage doors. First and foremost they’ll take a beating without falling apart or becoming unsightly. Wood overhead garage doors can also be cut to fit your garage floor to help ensure a good seal along the floor. If your concrete garage floor is extremely out of level or broken and settled a steel door won’t seal the floor. In a rental home situation where tenant abuse of property regularly occurs, a wood garage door will last much longer with minimum repairs and maintenance other than painting.

Steel replacement garage doors come from the factory pre-painted in a handful of colors and numerous designs. They have the options of decorative windows, insulation, various sizes, can be custom designed and generally weigh less than a wood overhead garage door. Steel replacement garage doors don’t sag like wood garage doors and if the garage floor is level they make an excellent seal against the floor. Steel replacement garage doors won’t rot and since they’re pre-painted they require virtually no aesthetic maintenance only routine mechanical maintenance. Even if you choose to paint your steel replacement garage door, as long as you prepare the surface properly and use good quality paint on your overhead door the finish will last for many years to come.

If you need assistance with a new replacement garage door for your home or rental property a professional garage door company can help. If your existing garage door needs a wood replacement section or you simply need your garage door repaired.

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Replacement Garage Door Opener Remotes

July 12th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Openers
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If you’re in need of a replacement garage door opener remote control or transmitter as they are commonly called here is some information that will be helpful to gather before you start hunting for one.

It’s important to know what brand of automatic garage door opener you have and if you have an existing remote control you can usually find a model number on the back of the garage door transmitter. If you don’t currently have a remote control, look on the garage door opener motorhead itself which is located near the ceiling and look for a model number.

Liftmaster, Chamberlain and Sears Craftsman garage door openers manufactured since the early 90’s have what’s known as a learn code button located on the back or side of the motor unit. The button can be round, found on the older units or square on the garage door openers made since about 1998. The colors can be white, yellow, green, red or purple and the color determines the model of garage door opener remote needed for your unit. Older Liftmaster, Chamberlain and Sears Craftsman garage door openers have slide switches or dipswitches and these units are considered obsolete however universal remote controls can be found to operate these garage door openers.

Genie and Overhead Brand garage door openers also have learn code buttons going back to the late nineties and Genie refers to them as Intellicode and Overhead as Code Dodger. All of these units use virtually the same remotes up until  2011 when they introduced Intellicode II remote controls. The current remote controls can be programmed to work Intellicode I or II garage door openers.

This blog post provided by an Atlanta Garage Door Company

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Carriage Style Garage Doors-What Kind Of Garage Door Opener Works Best

July 9th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Openers
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Certain designs of carriage style garage doors can pose significant operational problems with the wrong type of garage door opener drive mechanism.

Although carriage style garage doors come in many designs and sizes the main determining factor is how many sections tall your garage door is. Traditional garage door designs have the garage door or carriage door broken down into 4 or 5 sections tall. This design of carriage door will work with any drive of garage door opener, chain, screw or belt drive. The reason being is that the height of each section is smaller and will easily roll through the curve of the garage door track with minimal resistance and virtually no binding.

Custom style carriage doors are often manufactured with only 3 sections making the height of each section anywhere from 28-32” tall compared to a 4-5 section carriage door where each section is 18-21”. The taller height of the sections even with larger 32” radius track or carriage door track as it’s often referred to causes the door to hesitate and bind as each section goes through the curve of the track.

When you have a 3 section carriage style garage door the drive of opener that works best and handles the uneven load of the door and binding is a screw drive garage door opener. Chain drive garage door openers work but not as well as the screw drive opener and it’s an absolute mistake to install a belt drive garage door opener on a 3 section carriage style garage door.

Liftmaster and Genie both make excellent screw drive openers that will work well with your 3 section carriage style garage door and I recommend you install the larger horsepower or higher Newton rated motor to ensure the longevity of your garage door opener.

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Garage Door Need Repair-Listen To What It’s Telling You

July 3rd, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Companies, Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs, Uncategorized
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If you own a home with a garage door and automatic garage door opener it’s going to occasionally need service or repair. If you think about it your garage door is the largest moving object in your home and does the most work to allow you convenient access to your garage and your home.

A great way to tell if you might need a garage door repair or service is to simply listen to the noise your overhead door makes when opening and closing your door. Often before your garage door breaks altogether it will start making excessive noise and may even become jerky when operating. Listening to your garage door opening and closing can let you know if your garage door opener is suddenly straining when opening or closing this could be a telltale sign that the garage door springs may need adjustment or that you might even have a broken torsion spring or broken Wayne-Dalton Torquemaster system.

Garage doors need occasional adjustment as well as lubrication and over time different moving parts on your garage door will become dry and in need of lubrication. Routine garage door service will prolong the life of your overhead door as well as your automatic garage door opener.

Garage door rollers, hinges, bearings, pulleys, cable and garage door opener drive mechanisms need to be lubricated in order to ensure long life and reliability. Sometimes even with routine garage door repair and service moving parts will wear out and need to be professionally replaced. As these parts become dry and start to wear you’ll likely notice an increase in operational noise and possibly the door operating rough, when this happens don’t wait call a professional garage door repair company and save yourself the hassle of a broken garage door.

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