How To Choose A New Garage Door Opener

May 30th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Openers
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In times past when it was time to purchase a new automatic garage door opener you the customer only had a few choices to choose from and all the garage doors were pretty much the same. Today there are many choices and most importantly the garage doors today require a garage door opener specific to the weight and operation of the garage door.

If you currently have a standard raised panel steel garage door or an old school wood garage door you can use virtually any type of drive or horsepower and as long as you buy a name brand professional garage door opener you would be ok.

If your garage door is a carriage style garage door and especially if it’s a 3 section door then the only type of garage door opener that will long term operate your carriage garage door is a screw type garage door opener. Screw drive garage door openers are available from Liftmaster, Genie and Overhead and they’re available in ½, ¾ and 1 horsepower equivalents. For a 3 section carriage garage door more horsepower is better and although a chin drive machine or belt drive machine may initially operate the garage door it won’t do it for long.

If your overhead garage door is a 4 section or more raised panel steel or wood garage door any of the different drives will work just fine. Liftmaster, Genie and Linear make an excellent selection of chain, belt and screw drive machines. A basic garage door opener installation will be a chain drive opener and if you want something a little quieter the new screw drives are pretty quiet.

Ultimately the quietest garage door openers available today are the belt drive openers with a DC motor which offers very smooth starting and stopping and almost silent motor noise.

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How To Choose A Garage Door Repair Company

May 30th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs
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When you search on the internet for garage door repair you’ll have hundreds of choices to choose from and many repair companies advertising can be very misleading. So here’s a little help.

Add a city or location to your search term such as “garage door repair Lawrenceville”, next look at the entire first page to see what catches your attention. Look for duplicate advertisements for the same garage door repair company so you don’t unknowingly call the same company twice.

Beware of the offers that sound too good to be true because they most likely are, not very many things in life are free so pay attention. Reputable garage door service and repair companies will list access to their online reputation and look for at least 85 favorable reviews from an independent source not just what’s posted on their website it could be made up.

If you contact a garage door repair service and they don’t ask very many questions of you and just want to send a technician out for free or not stay away. An experienced garage door company can ask a few questions from you about the problem your garage door or opener is having and can make a general assessment of what’s wrong and a pretty firm estimate right over the phone. If they’re unwilling to provide a phone quote keep shopping.

Make sure the garage door repair company you are calling actually has a home office nearby and not across the country, if they don’t skip them and move onto a company with hometown roots they have the most at stake.

One final note remember big name advertisers build those expensive advertisement costs into your garage door repair, so like it or not you’ll be paying for more than you bargained for.

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Garage Door Repair Checklist

May 30th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs
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If your existing garage door or automatic garage door opener is in need of repair here is a checklist you might find helpful in choosing a garage door repair company. Always check a garage door repair company’s online reputation before you call, if it’s not good keep looking. Look for a minimum of a 100 independent reviews.

1  Most folks turn to the internet and perform a search such as garage door repair or garage door opener repair, this type of search will yield 100’s of results so narrow your search by adding your city.

2  Its inaccurate to think that a Local garage door repair company will provide faster service, less expensive garage                                    door repairs or better warranty service if you need it.

3  In today’s marketplace very few companies only service the geographical area they’re located in most garage     door companies have to service an entire metro area to survive.

4  Make sure the garage door opener repair company you choose has their home office in your metro area if not     choose another company. Out of town companies are usually bad news.

5  Describe the problem you’re having over the phone and ask for a quote before they ever come to your home.      if they won’t provide a quote over the phone call someone else.

6  Beware of free, you don’t go to work for free and neither does your garage door opener repair company.

7  When the repair technician arrives ask for them to confirm the quote before the work starts, no surprises.

8  Most garage doors and openers can be repaired so beware of being sold new products if you don’t need them.

9  Make sure the garage door repair company you choose checks springs, all hardware and safety mechanisms.

10 Always have your garage door repair company leave the old parts behind, this holds them accountable and gives you recourse if there’s a problem and can confirm whether or not parts were really needed.

11 Doing your homework will ensure that you pick a quality company for your next garage door repair.

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Choosing A Garage Door Repair Company

May 30th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Contractors, Garage Door Repairs
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As simple as this sounds I think it’s very difficult in today’s economy to choose a reputable garage door repair company that will perform quality overhead door repairs without taking you to the cleaners so here’s a few things to look out for.

Just because a company does a lot of advertising doesn’t make them reputable in fact this type of garage door repair company is most likely to rip you off. Advertising today is costlier than ever and remember when you contract a garage door repair company YOU the CUSTOMER is footing the bill.

Online reviews are important so look for a garage door company with at least 100 favorable reviews, if they’ve been in business for more than a year or so this is a reasonable number of reviews. Take a moment and read the details of the reviews and see if some of them fit the kind of garage door repair you’re in need of.

DON’T BE FOOLED by the word Free, all companies are in business to make money and free doesn’t pay your bills so it certainly won’t pay theirs.

Look on a potential garage door repair companies website and see if they operate in multiple cities across the country if they do stay away, these repair companies are notorious for ripping people off.

Most garage door repairs can be diagnosed and quoted right over the phone, this saves you time and saves you from being held hostage by a scheming company who will only quote you in person.

When you contact a garage door repair company by phone ask them if their office is located in Georgia and where it’s located. If they say it’s out of state or that they are a “mobile company” and don’t have a physical office stay away.

Operating expenses, material costs and labor costs are similar for virtually anyone see if there’s a huge difference in prices investigate, garage door repair companies that charge too little will go out of business along with your warranty etc. The companies that are really expensive or will drop their price if you don’t bite at the first price will usually take you and the your wallet to the cleaners.

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Replacement Garage Door Extension Springs

May 28th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Spring Replacement, Garage Door Springs, Garage Door Torsion Springs
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Garage door springs like most repairs are a combination of common sense, a bit of knowhow and most importantly the proper tools for the job.  If you’re handy and mechanically inclined it might be feasible for you to replace your own garage door springs, if not then leave your replacement garage door springs to the professionals.

Here are a few basics just to give you an idea of how it works. Extension garage door springs which are mainly found on residential garage doors and usually on 10’ wide doors or less are always replaced in pairs. When it’s time to replace extension springs or adjust extension springs the garage door is always put in the open position. The garage door opener should be unplugged and the overhead door secured in the open position. When the garage door is in the open position the minimum load is on the extension springs which allows disconnection and the installation of replacement garage door springs or adjustment.

Today’s extension springs usually have double end loops and should always be installed with safety cables which will usually be an additional charge by any reputable garage door repair company. The safety cable in event of spring or cable failure will prevent a fully loaded spring from flying through the air and damaging property or seriously injuring someone.

A professional garage door repair company will always inspect the related moving parts for wear and recommend replacement cables, safety cables, sheave wheels or pulleys and garage door rollers. Replacing some of the failing components but not all will only cause a future service problem and create a potential safety hazard.

Garage door springs when adjusted properly will allow your overhead garage door to work smooth and quiet and will also prolong the life of your garage door and automatic garage door opener.

Proper lubrication is also a must and will allow the related components to your garage door springs to work free without binding and again promotes a safe, smooth and quiet garage door.

This blog post was provided by Duluth GA Garage Doors

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Garage Door Springs, Garage Door Torsion Springs

May 28th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Spring Replacement, Garage Door Springs, Garage Door Torsion Springs
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If you’re trying to operate your overhead garage door with the garage door opener and it won’t open or seems to struggle chances are you have a broken garage door spring.

All overhead garage doors regardless of size or style have some type of garage door springs for a counterbalance to the weight of the garage door. Today’s garage doors can weigh as little as 50 pounds all the way up to 700 pounds. The garage door springs make it possible for you to lift your overhead door by hand and also make it possible for the automatic garage door opener to lift the door. When a door is in the closed position the garage door springs are at full load, when the overhead door is in the open position the springs have very little load on them, just enough to hold the door open and without the assistance of the garage door springs your door would be almost impossible to lift.

Your overhead garage door will have one of the following types of springs: extension springs, these are usually found on 8-9’ wide garage doors only, torsion springs, these can be found on any size of garage door and Torquemaster torsion springs which are a proprietary product found only on Wayne-Dalton brand garage doors.

Doors equipped with garage door extension springs will have 1 spring on each side of the garage door and they usually mount at the back of the track and when the garage door is closed the springs will stretch to their fully extended position. These springs are the most dangerous and should be treated with caution.

Overhead doors equipped with garage door torsion springs will be found on a torsion bar which is usually mounted about 12” above the garage door on the front wall. Your overhead door depending on size and weight may have 1, 2 or more garage door springs mounted on this bar. Garage door torsion springs are wound with winding bars and then locked onto the torsion bar with set screws. Garage door torsion springs are fully loaded in the closed position.

Wayne-Dalton garage doors equipped with the Torquemaster system are unique to that brand only and like the conventional torsion springs they mount about 12” directly above the overhead door. The unique difference is the springs are very small in diameter and are actually hidden inside the torsion pipe assembly.

This blog post was provided by Roswell garage door repair company

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Developments in Garage Door Openers

May 21st, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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Garage door openers have changed a lot in the past few decades.  If your garage door opener is more than ten or 15 years old, you will be surprised at the many features found on garage door openers these days.  These features add to the safety and convenience of modern garage door openers.

One of the most popular features is the battery backup.  When the power is out, a garage door opener will not operate.  The irony is that the most common reason for a power outage is severe weather which is exactly when you need the opener to operate the most.  Battery backup takes care of this issue with a standby battery that will operate the opener when there is a power outage allowing you and your family to access your garage from the safety and comfort of your car.

Another new feature of garage door openers is an automatic closing mechanism that automatically closes the door after a preset period of time such as five minutes.  This is a great feature for those people who get halfway to work and cannot remember if they closed the garage door.

A feature designed to address the same issue allows you to operate your garage door from a computer or smart phone.  You can check on the door from wherever you are and close it if needed.  You can also open the door from a remote location to allow family or friends to access the garage.

Another useful feature for forgetful homeowners is a light inside your home that signals that the door is open. This feature helps to prevent leaving the garage door open all night.  Call your garage door service to have a new, modern garage door opener installed at your home and you can take advantage of these and many other great features.

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Developments in Garage Doors

May 21st, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Most homeowners don’t give much thought their garage doors unless it needs a garage door repair, but garage doors have changed a lot in the past ten to fifteen years so if your old garage door is on its last legs, it may be a good time to buy a new garage door rather than spend money on garage door repairs.

One of the biggest changes has been the emergence of steel doors as the dominant type of garage door.  In the past, most garage doors were wood, but strong, lightweight steel doors are now the go-to garage doors for most applications.  Steel garage doors come with high tech factory coatings that look great for years with little if any maintenance necessary.

Steel garage doors are available with insulation panels that make the doors a little quieter and keep the temperature in the garage more comfortable.

The wooden garage doors still on the market are usually high end custom made garage doors.  These look fantastic and are custom made to fit any opening. There are also some high end fiberglass and vinyl doors on the market although they can be hard to find.

Finally, most manufacturers are now making doors with pinch-resistant panels.  In the past, the gaps between the door panels have been a source of pinched or crushed fingers, especially for children who have gotten their fingers smashed between panels of a garage door as it closes.  There are different designs for pinch resistant doors, but they all result in safer garage door.

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Garage Door Opener Range

May 21st, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Do you have to drive all the way up to your garage door before the remote control will operate the door?  Wouldn’t it be better if the opener worked further away and the door was open when you pulled up to it?  A typical garage door opener range is at least three to five car lengths.  If your opener is not working at this distance there are a few things you can try to get better performance.

The first thing to check are the batteries in the garage door opener.  Weak batteries will put out a weak signal that will not operate the door until the opener is very closs.  Putting in a fresh set of batteries will solve the problem in most cases and give you back the range you want.

If the batteries were not the problem, try reprogramming the remote control.  On older openers, you can manually switch to a different channel for the opener and the remote. If you have more than one remote control, don’t forget to reprogram all of the remote control units.  With newer remote controls, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for reprogramming the remote.

If you are still not getting the performance you desire, try repositioning the antenna on the opener.  If it is coiled or bent, see if straightening the antenna improves the reception.  Some manufacturers also offer external antenna kits that mount outside the garage to avoid the interference sometimes caused by steel doors.

If all else fails, talk to your garage door repair service.  There may be a problem with the transmitter or receiver.

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Adjusting Garage Door Photoelectric Safety Eyes

May 15th, 2012 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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Modern garage doors with automatic garage door openers are equipped with photoelectric safety eyes that stop the door from closing when an obstruction is detected in the path of the door.  These safety devices were designed to prevent injuries due mostly to garage doors closing on children, but adults and pets have also been injured by entrapment under a closing garage door.

One of the most common problems encountered with garage doors is a door that will not close because of a problem with these safety sensors.  The photoelectric safety eyes are mounted on either side of the garage door near the floor.  The sending eye sends an infrared beam across the bottom of the door opening to the receiving eye.

If anything blocks the infrared beam or if the photo eyes are misaligned, the garage door will stop closing, reverse direction, and move to the fully open position.  If the garage door is open, it will not close until the obstruction is removed or the sensor eyes are re-aligned.

If you have problems with your garage door safety sensors, first check the LED lights on the sensors.  Most sensors have a green and a red LED light.  If the green light is illuminated, that means that the sensors are getting power.  Next, see if the red lights are illuminated.  If not, it indicates that the sensors are out of alignment or that there is a blockage between the sensors.

Remove anything that might be blocking the sensors and clean the lenses to remove spider webs, dirt and debris.  If the red LED lights still do not illuminate adjust the sensors to align them so that they point directly at each other.  If the garage door still does not operate properly, call your garage door repair service.

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