Garage Door Remote Controls

January 27th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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Beyond the type of drive, the other aspect to consider when buying a garage door opener is what type of remote you’ll be using. After all, the main reason you buy a garage door opener is so you can sit in your car and raise and lower the garage door without having to take a single step in the snow, rain or in extreme hot or cold temperatures. 

Long gone are the days of the remote with just one button that opens and closes the door. Now, there are numerous options, including: 

Multiple Button Remotes – Multiple-button remotes are ideal if you have a two or three car garage with multiple doors. This type of remote allows you to open one door and not the other, all with just one remote. 

Wireless Keypads: If you’re the forgetful sort who loses your remote or forgets to replace batteries and you find yourself locked out of the house, a wireless keypad can be a godsend. This is simply a pad that’s installed on the outside of the garage that uses a special security code to open the door. 

LED Lights: Some remotes have special LED lights alerting you to problems like malfunctions or low batteries. 

Rolling Code Technology: A control with rolling code technology is a must if you are concerned about security. In the past, remotes used one programmed code to raise and lower the door. The problem with this, however, was that thieves could intercept the code with a radio signal and potentially break into your home. Rolling code technology prevents that by sending a new code each time the garage door is opened, making it virtually impossible for crooks to crack it.

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A Primer on Garage Door Openers

January 27th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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If you’ve been shopping for a new garage door opener, you’ve no doubt been bombarded with a wide number of options. What you’ll find, however, is that the majority of openers fall into one of three main categories:  chain drive, belt drive and screw drive. Each has its pros and cons for the homeowner. 

Chain Drive: The chain drive garage door opener is probably the most common type of opener. It uses a chain, similar to a bicycle chain, to move a trolley, or carriage, that is connected to a metal arm, called a J-arm, that is connected to the garage door. This is the least expensive type of opener and the most reliable, but also the noisiest. As such, it is not the model to use if your garage is located under a bedroom. If the garage is detached, however, it is ideal. 

Belt Drive: This type of opener works basically in the same way as a chain drive opener except instead of using a chain, it uses a belt made of fiberglass, polyurethane or rubber.  Belt-driven openers are just as reliable as chain driven openers, but they are a lot quieter, making them ideal for built-in garages. The major drawback for belt drives is that they are usually more expensive, up to $100 more than a chain driven unit. 

Screw-Drive: The shaft drive opener uses a threaded metal shaft to connect the motor to the door. Since the shaft does not bend like a belt or chain, the garage door cannot be budged open, resulting in better security for the homeowner. This type of opener is also quicker, opening a door at up to a foot a second, compared to the average 7 inches per second of other types of openers. Cons with screw-dive openers are that they do not respond well to temperature extremes, hot and cold, and are noisier than belt drives. They are also the most expensive of the three types of openers.

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Garage Door Inspection

January 27th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Garage doors are one of the most potentially dangerous parts of your home, yet they are often the most overlooked – until there is a serious problem like the door won’t open or someone gets hurt. Not only does the door have great weight, the door and all its moving parts are under constant enormous tension. If something breaks unexpectedly, it could cause serious injury or even death. 

To avoid potential problems, garage door experts recommend regular inspections and maintenance of your door. Routine garage door service by a professional garage door repair company, it typically costs around $100, a pittance considering it may avoid more costly repairs and buy you some peace of mind. At the bare minimum, a professional inspection should include the following: 

1.  Check all parts – the springs, rollers, hinges and safety devices – to make sure they are fastened correctly and working properly. 

2. Check the balance of the door. This is done by raising the door a few feet and releasing it. If the door moves in any direction more than a few inches, it could mean the springs need to be adjusted or replaced. 

3.  Inspect the cables and pulleys. If they show signs of wear, replace them immediately. 

4.  Tighten all loose screws and brackets. Garage doors can be opened and closed more than a thousand times a year. With all that weight and tension, screws are bound to become loose, creating a potential safety hazard. 

5.  Lubricate springs, rollers, pulleys, bearings and the garage door opener chain and sprockets, if you have a chain driven opener. 

6.  Troubleshoot any issues, including unusual squeaks or stuttering. These are often signs of more serious trouble with springs or hinges and should be resolved with adjustment or replacement right away, due to safety risks.

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Garage Doors: Choices, Choices

January 1st, 2013 Posted in New Garage Doors
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If you’re the typical homeowner, chances are you haven’t shopped for a garage door in awhile, if ever. If maintained properly, garage doors generally last the lifetime of your home and new ones are not typically needed unless you’re building a new home or doing major renovations. 

If you find yourself in the market for a new garage door, however, the options can be mind blowing. 

Styles  

There are three main styles of garage doors on the market: 

Traditional Raised Panel – Considered an American classic, this is the most common style of garage door, featuring a repetitive panel design and sometimes windows at the very top.  

Carriage House – Carriage house garage doors are designed to mimic the carriage house doors of yesterday. This style of garage door sometimes has an arched top or sometimes iron latches, handles and hinges can be added to enhance the antique style. 

Contemporary – Contemporary garage doors are characterized by their bold geometric style.  Unique combinations of materials are sometimes used, including glass and aluminum or wood and zinc. 

Materials 

The following are the two main types of materials used in garage doors today: 

Wood – Wood is the traditional material used for garage doors. It resists wear and tear pretty well, but requires periodic painting or staining. Modern wood doors generally carry a warrantee of just one year. 

Steel – Steel is the most common material used for garage doors. Steel does have a tendency to dent but you can have the door sealed in fiberglass to make the surface stronger. Warrantees for steel doors can start at 10 years.

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Garage Ventilation for Safety

January 1st, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Installation
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With all the emphasis by garage door makers and even the Environmental Protection Agency on R ratings and insulation, the tendency might be for a homeowner to want to heavily insulate not just the garage door, but the entire garage, especially if the garage is being used for purposes other than storing an automobile, such as a workshop. 

But while insulating can save you a few dollars on your energy bills, over-insulating or insulating your garage without proper ventilation, however, is a disaster waiting to happen. Just read your local newspaper. There are numerous stories every year of explosions caused by storing combustible materials or running generators in the garage without proper ventilation.  In many cases, the damage to property and the injuries could have been avoided had the property owner taken a few simple precautions. 

1. Don’t treat your garage like a room. Garages are meant for storing automobiles. Many people have gotten into trouble by using half their garage for car storage and half for a workshop. 

2. Don’t store combustible materials in your garage and if you ever do work with the chemicals in the garage, do so with the garage door and all doors and windows fully open. Fires have been known to ignite even with garage doors partially open. Also, unless you absolutely need to store hazardous chemicals for use, consider getting rid of them safely through your local authorities. Why keep something around if it’s a danger to your family and property? 

3. Don’t over insulate. Sure, adding an insulated garage door may improve energy efficiency, but does the entire garage need insulation? Consult an expert about this because, depending on your home’s structure and design, you may not need an abundance of insulation in order to benefit from energy savings. 

4. If you do add insulation, make sure that you add ventilation at the same time.  This is most important of all. There are many ways you can add ventilation, including adding vents to the garage door. Talk to a garage door specialist about your options.

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Garage Door Spring Repair

January 1st, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Springs
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If your garage door won’t open or if you suddenly hear a loud noise coming from your garage, chances are one of your garage door springs has broken. This is the most common type of garage door repair.  It is also a repair best left to a professional garage door repairman. 

Garage door springs are what makes the door go up and down. They fall into two major categories: 

Extension Springs – In this style of garage door, the springs run parallel to the tracks. When the door is closed, the springs extend, and when it is open, the springs contract.  Used in many older models of garage doors, extension springs tend to work independently from one another, which causes the garage door and its various parts to wear unevenly over time.  

Torsion Springs – Typically found in newer model garage doors, torsion springs are located above the door. They tend to work as a pair and, wear evenly and operate very  smoothly.   

Regardless of the type of spring your particular garage door has, when it breaks, it really is best to leave garage door spring repairs or replacement up to a professional, no matter how experienced of a do-it-yourselfer you are.  All springs require tension to work properly, and garage doors need a great amount of tension in order for you to be able to lift them up and down. The slightest slip up can be dangerous – with very painful results. 

The other point that should be made, too, is that springs have to be precisely measured, based on the weight of the door. Install the wrong spring, and you might be injured or cause the door to wear or break. It is indeed a delicate balance of engineering. 

Again, if you find yourself with broken garage door springs, do yourself a favor and call a professional garage door repair service.

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Garage Door Security

January 1st, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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Believe it or not, your garage represents one of the highest security risks to your home. A garage door left wide open is an open invitation to a would-be burglar, who can steal lawn mowers and other high-priced items in a matter of minutes. The garage also typically provides access into the home, where the burglar can help himself to other valuables. 

However, it is possible to minimize the chances of a burglary by adhering to some of the following tips: 

1. Never leave the garage door open – Remember an open door, to the burglar, is an invitation. He can see what you have in your garage and how to access not just the garage, but your house as well. 

2. Block windows or replace your windowed garage door with a windowless door – Burglars can easily peek inside if you have windows, and all it takes is seconds to case the situation. 

3. Install lights near the garage – If the garage area is well lit, there is less chance of a break-in occurring at night. A light – or better yet a motion sensor light – will remedy the situation. 

4.  Make sure the remote for your garage door opener has “rolling code” technology – This is very important. Older automatic garage door openers allow burglars access to your garage through their use of an electronic device called a “code grabber,” which allows them to record the radio signal from your remote to the opener, which discloses the code.  A remote with rolling code technology sends a different security code each time you use the opener, thus foiling a would-be robber. 

5.  Be sure to lock everything – Lock all the doors, including the garage door and the door from the garage into your home. Also, have a garage door specialist come in to check the locks and security of your existing garage door, and make recommendations for improvements.

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