Problem With A Noisy Garage Door?

August 15th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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We give little thought about the maintenance of our garage doors until something goes wrong with and it fails to function properly.  Worse yet, if your living space is either directly above or adjacent to your garage, is when the arrival or departure of a loved one is announced with much screeching, rattling and banging. Some of us kind tolerate that inharmonious symphony for a while but, eventually, that horrendous noise has to go, in order for peace to return to the house. 

Garage door noises usually sound far worse than the problem it reveals; they can usually be fixed with a little maintenance and part replacement. Depending on the age of your garage door, the wear of continuous use over time can cause cables to be loosened or frayed, chains and pulleys can develop rust, hinges can become frozen, or the track can become dented or misaligned. From inside your garage, with the door shut, visually inspect these items to determine if garage door repairs or replacements are needed. Spray a small amount of lubricant on the hinges, rollers and tracks.

Open and close your garage door manually; it should open easily, smoothly, and remain at the top until you pull it down. If the door does not seem to function properly with this manual test, the tension springs may be out of balance. Also, if you have the older chain-drive type of garage door opener, you may want to consider replacing it with a newer, quieter, screw-drive or belt- drive type opener. 

Above all, please be aware that working on your garage door can be dangerous.  Garage doors are much heavier than most people realize and garage door springs are unde tremedous pressur.  It is always advisable to have your garage door inspected and repaired by a reputable garage door service professional. Safety means peace of mind.

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Spring Repair of Your Garage Door Can Be Dangerous

August 15th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Springs
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While there are certainly many maintenance tasks that the handy homeowner can do themselves when it comes to overhead garage doors, replacing the garage door springs isn’t one of them. Garage door springs are dangerous. Avoid unnecessary risk – garage door spring repairs or replacement is one job you should leave for your local garage door service professional. 

If you are having trouble with your garage door not functioning smoothly and quietly, you can test the door by opening and closing it manually. If it still seems to operate with difficulty, then your springs may possibly be out-of-balance. If the door does not move at all when the garage door opener is activated, yet you hear the motor of the opener trying to move, then your springs  may have broken. 

All garage doors will have one of two different types of springs. Torsion springs can be seen over the top of your closed garage door, whereas extension springs can be found on both sides of the door above the tracks. The springs are the most important part of actually raising and lowering your garage door and, as such, they are tightly wound and under a great deal of tension. Just think of weight they carry as they raise and lower the door. 

Regardless of the type of spring on your garage door, should they snap or break while you are attempting to work on them, they can potentially cause serious injury. Furthermore, the springs of your garage door are attached to brackets at the bottom of the door. Like the springs, these brackets are also under a lot of tension and should only be adjusted by a professional garage door service technician with the experience necessary to do the job safely.

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Consider Replacing Your Garage Door Opener

August 15th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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Garage door openers are typically durable, require relatively little maintenance, and possess great longevity. Really, just consider their reliability, functioning multiple times per day (up/down, up/down), every day, over a period of years, if not decades. Your garage door opener is operating just fine; so, why should you consider replacing it? With the advent of technology, newer models offer features that could mean increased safety and security for your home, as well as convenience. 

All garage door openers sold in the US since 1993 are equipped with a safety mechanism that causes the door to stop when closing and automatically reverse if something is in the path of the closing door. Most older model openers operated with a chain-drive system, which can noisy and disruptive. Newer models operate on quieter screw-drive or belt-drive systems. Newer garage door openers also come with remote controls that utilize a rolling code feature. This means that the code changes whenever it is used, preventing hackers from stealing the code.

Another security enhancement of new models is the option of mounting a keypad outside of the garage, allowing the convenience of entry without a key. There are even models today that do not require the memorization of a code; they operate by fingerprint detection. Also, rather than being stuck at home or outside because of a thunderstorm resulting in a power outage, you can now purchase a new garage door opener with the additional feature of a battery backup system that will automatically activate when power is lost. 

As you can see, newer garage door openers do come with quite a few advancements. It is always a good idea to consult with your local garage door service professional to ensure that your specific needs are met by the system of your choice.

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Typical Garage Door Opener Repairs

August 15th, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Little thought is given to our garage door openers except for pushing the remote button to open or close our garage doors. The extent of our maintenance is limited to the rare occasion of changing a burned out light bulb to illuminate our nighttime entrances. Our garage door openers tend to work so well, for so long a period of time, that when it begins to act up we simple think of replacing it. Well, think again. There are several common problems that can be remedied fairly easily by a good garage door repair service. 

If suddenly your opener does not work with either the wall switch or remote, chances are good that the power source has been interrupted; check your fuses or circuit breaker. If the wall switch is working but the remote is not, make sure that you are within its range and the motor’s antenna is hanging down from the unit. Try replacing the battery in the remote or reprogramming it. 

Problems associated with how the door and motor function when operating can usually be remedied by adjusting various control switches on the opener unit. The “close limit switch” determines how far the door closes and whether it reverses immediately upon closing. The “limit switch” should be adjusted if the door does not open completely or it the motor continues running after the door is open. If the garage door reverses before hitting the floor, then the “close force” switch need adjusting. All garage door openers should come with an owner’s manual that can help you locate these switches as well as thorough explain their function. 

It’s always a good idea to have a reputable garage door service professional inspect your entire system and recommend a periodic maintenance schedule.

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Garage Door Repairs

August 1st, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Sometimes homeowners will run into a variety of repair issues of their garage door or garage door openers.  As a result, often homeowners are not aware there are contractors available that can make the necessary garage door repairs.  Often the doors are left in disrepair, resulting in the garage being unusable over time, as the condition of the door continues to deteriorate.  Many people are not aware that professional garage door contractors not only install new garage doors and openers, but they also service them as well.  Many contractors have a dedicated service department to handle these types of repairs! 

Common door repairs include damaged panels, broken cables, damaged or missing weather stripping, worn out springs and inoperable garage door openers.  Left unrepaired, these items can leave a garage door not only unusable, but also dangerous.  Many homeowners do not realize that worn out springs, broken cables and the inability of a garage door to reverse itself when a garage door opener closes the door can be life threatening issues if on addressed in a timely manner. 

In addition, every garage door requires periodic maintenance to keep it operating properly.  Door tracks need to be kept lubricated, chains oiled and door springs replaced after a certain number of opening and closing cycles.  A professional garage door contractor will be able conduct a survey of the existing condition of the garage door and garage door opener and make the necessary repairs in a safe and cost effective manner. 

It is important to keep in mind that many of the repairs will involve specialized tools and expertise to perform correctly and more importantly safely.  A professional garage door contractor will be able to make these repairs quickly, safely and economically!

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Garage Door Panel Replacement

August 1st, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Repairs
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Damaged garage door panels are a real eyesore and are often very frustrating to the homeowner, as they are not sure if they can be repaired or if the entire door needs to be replaced.  One of the more common forms of damage is dings and dents in metal doors where children use the door as a backstop when playing ball.  Also common is cars either running into the door while the owner either enters or backs out of the garage with their car. Replacement of the damaged panel is a very cost effective means to correct the problem, restoring the appearance of the home. 

Professional garage door contractors have access to replacement panels from all of the major manufacturers and these garage door repairs can be done much cheaper than replacing the entire door.  The first step in resolving the problem is to set up an inspection with a garage door installed.  They will verify the extent of the damage and upon approval by the owner, order the replacement panel or panels, provided that they do not already have them in stock. 

Once the replacement panels are available, the technician can usually change out the panel in less than an hour.  The door will be checked for proper operation once the work is complete.  All that will remain to be done is for the homeowner to repaint the new door panel.  Often it is beneficial to repaint the entire door, so that the paint matches. 

Panel replacement is a viable and cost effective option to garage door replacement.  A professional garage door service contractor has the expertise and tools to properly complete the work safely and to the highest standards.

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Types of Garage Door Openers

August 1st, 2013 Posted in Garage Door Openers
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Consumers have a choice of several types of garage door openers available in the marketplace, with the differences between the openers centering upon the type of drive mechanism that the opener uses to mechanically lift the door.  The options available include chain, belt and screw driven openers, all of which are mounted on the ceiling of the garage.  A qualified garage door contractor can provide professional guidance on which opener will meet the individual needs of each property owner. 

The most popular type of garage door opener is the chain driven opener, which utilizes a chain to raise and lower the door.  While they are very economical and reliable, they tend to be noisy, which is their main disadvantage.  As with all chain driven mechanical devices, the chain does require periodic lubrication to keep the links in the chain operating freely. 

Belt driven garage door openers use a non-metallic synthetic belt to raise and lower the door.  They are also economical, very quiet and reliable as well.  As with any other mechanical item, the belt may need to be replaced periodically. 

Openers using a screw drive mechanism to raise and lower the garage door are a great option as well.  While generally a bit more expensive than chain or belt driven openers, they are especially quiet and a perform very well in cold weather as the components of the screw drive is more tolerant of extreme cold than the chain and belt driven openers. 

All three types of openers are excellent choices and a qualified garage door contractor will be happy to recommend the best option for the individual needs of each homeowner!

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