Month: December 2020

People are generally more familiar with garage door openers, springs, tracks, and other major components, but garage door seals are important as well. They help protect your garage door, keep it clean, and maintain its function. A type of weatherstripping, these seals come in several different types. Here is an overview of what they do and the kinds available on the market.

What Is a Garage Door Seal?

A garage door seal serves as a barrier against water, rain, snow, ice, and anything else the weather can throw at it. It helps prevent air leakage and keep heat inside while preventing bugs, leaves, dust, and other debris from getting in. The seal is essentially a piece of rubber that runs along the bottom and sides of the door. Every garage door has a bottom seal, so here is where we’ll start.

Garage Door Bottom Seals

Sealing gaps between the door and concrete floors, a garage door bottom seal helps weatherproof the garage. It is also called a gasket and is important in keeping your garage clean. Since concrete floors aren’t completely level, the seal helps close up any gaps. Therefore, a variety of problems can occur if the seal breaks.

Types of bottom seals include:

• Bulb seals: Long tubular seals that are rounded at the bottom with a narrow “T” shape at the top. They push upward to spread out over an uneven surface.

• J-Type seals: Installed on a single channel retainer, these seals form a hook shape, like the letter “J”, on each side of the garage door.

• T-type seals: Similar to the J-type seal, these form an inverted “T” when viewed from the side and are installed with single channel retainers.

• Beaded seals: These are also T-shaped but designed to fit into a circular groove and prevent water from seeping under the seal. Beaded seals are used for double channel retainers.

Threshold Seal

Threshold seals attach to concrete floors. They work in conjunction with the garage door bottom seal, providing a raised entrance that keeps out rainwater and debris. The seal is very strong; it can even hold up under the weight of a car. Different sizes and strengths are available.

Brush Seal

This kind of seal looks like a brush on the bottom of the garage door. It may be installed on the sides as well. Used most often for commercial garage doors, it’s typically preferred for high friction areas and on sheet doors/rolling seal doors that bend and flex during operation. Brush seals aren’t as effective at preventing water entry, but do well at keeping out hard debris.

Reverse Angle Mount Seal

A reverse angle seal is made of a hard rubber plastic material, configured as a track where the side of the garage door fits into. It is typically used only for heavy steel doors in commercial buildings. Providing a snug fit on both sides of the door, it forms a “U” shape and is best suited for garage doors that are too thick and heavy to use screws.

Contact Garage Door Doctor

A leading Indianapolis garage door service company, we offer professional repair and installation of commercial and residential garage doors. Our contractors can provide any type of garage door repair, and if you need garage door seal repair or replacement, you can depend on us as well. We are currently providing no contact service, allowing us to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing, sanitization procedures, and use of masks/PPE are protecting our customers and technicians. Call 317-934-7706 or request service online for a free estimate.

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This post first appeared on https://www.garagedoordoctorllc.com

A garage door cable is strong enough to lift and lower a garage door weighing hundreds of pounds. The cables in your garage door system provide support and balance. Despite how strong they are, they do wear out over time, lose tension, fray, and break. If a garage door cable breaks or snaps, don’t try to fix it yourself; this is not a safe DIY option. Continue reading for more information about how these cables work and what to do about a broken or damaged cable.

How Do Garage Door Cables Work?

Garage door cables are not one size fits all. There are different types, determined by the springs installed. The two main types of garage door cables, made of strands of galvanized wire, are:

• Lift cables: Installed on garage doors with torsion springs, these cables attach to the bottom corner of the door and connect to the torsion springs above it, helping to counterbalance the system.

• Retaining cables: Are used in garage doors with extension springs and run vertically along each side of the door. When garage door springs break, retaining cables prevent them from flying or falling off.

When Cables Break, Avoid Using Your Garage Door

Wear and tear is the most common cause of cable failure. However, water or moisture near the bottom or sides of the door, corrosion, damaged pulley bearings, or improper track alignment can strain or degrade the cables. If you have a snapped or frayed cable, do not use your garage door. Additional damage may occur, leading to expensive repairs.

Depending on where it is, you might not see a broken cable. Signs one has snapped include a garage door lifting unevenly or moving faster than usual. The door may appear crooked when opening or closing, seem unbalanced, or make loud squeaking or other noises. It also may be impossible to lift the door manually.

The best option in these scenarios is to call a garage door repair professional. You could be seriously injured by attempting a DIY fix on your garage door; this happens to many people every year. Fortunately, an injury can be avoided by calling a technician.

How Can You Prevent Breaking Your Garage Door Cable?

Preventative maintenance can reduce the risk of having a broken garage door cable. You can prevent such a situation by:

• Inspecting cables for frays, kinks, and buildup of debris or grime.
• Regularly lubricate/oil your garage door cables and springs.
• Removing debris that can stop a cable from working properly.

It also helps to replace older garage door parts. Doing so allows an automatic garage door opener to run more smoothly, putting less strain on the cables. This has many other long-term benefits regarding the operation, efficiency, and longevity of your garage door.

Contact Garage Door Doctor

The safest and most practical thing to do when a garage door cable breaks is to call a professional. At Garage Door Doctor, we perform garage door cable repair when you need it, as our team is available 24/7 to deal with emergencies. Garage door cable replacement will resolve your problem, protect other components, and enable your garage door system to run reliably for a long time. We remain open during the coronavirus pandemic. All guidelines for social distancing, sanitation, and use of masks/PPE are being followed and we’re providing no contact service to protect our customers and staff.

Feel free to request Indianapolis garage door service online or call 317-934-7706 to speak with us directly about your garage door concerns.

The post What to Do When Your Garage Door Cable Breaks appeared first on Garage Door Doctor.

This post first appeared on https://www.garagedoordoctorllc.com

When you’re facing a complex garage door problem, it’s best to have a professional with training and expertise deal with it. Such is the case if the garage door opener, track, or springs need to be repaired or replaced. Otherwise, there’s just too great a risk of causing more damage or worse, getting hurt. Here are some of the most important reasons to hire a professional garage door service company in Indianapolis to address any issues and necessary repairs.

Save Time and Money

A professional company helps save you time and money. While it may seem like trying to fix the issue yourself will result in savings, a professional knows what to look for. They’ll inspect your garage door and quickly fix any problems they find. Minor issues tend to build up gradually but immediate fixes can prevent more frustrating situations.

Professional service avoids having to shop for parts on your own, which can take time. Parts and tools are a concern as well. Repair technicians know what parts you need and the tools to use. By relying on the service company, you won’t buy the wrong parts or have to wait for parts to be delivered. Another factor in cost savings—fixing small issues can avoid major repairs or garage door replacement in the near future.

Reduce the Risk of Injury

Garage door repair is not something you can master by looking up videos online. If you are not trained, mistakes can happen. The risk of injury is also high if you don’t have the right tools and skills. Other than some basic maintenance tasks, you should always leave service to the professionals. For example, a broken garage door spring can snap off with great force. Garage doors can also weigh several hundred pounds. Attempting a DIY fix can therefore put you, your family, and property in harm’s way.

Professional Expertise

Expertise is one of the greatest benefits of professional garage door repair. Service professionals have years of training and thorough knowledge of the techniques, equipment, and products involved in successful repair projects. They also make sure each repair is done correctly. Garage door repair technicians carry specialized tools that the average homeowner doesn’t have access to or the experience to use properly. In addition, a garage door service company’s licensing and insurance provides peace of mind and protects you if anything goes wrong under its watch.

Warranty/Guarantee

As is the case with most garage door service companies, a warranty or guarantee is provided for the parts and services used. Warranties typically offer coverage for an extended period of time. If issues occur within the warranty or guarantee period, the company will deal with them and not charge you additional costs. This arrangement provides general assurance that the business and its technicians are confident in their services and the peace of mind knowing your garage door is in good shape and in good hands.

Contact Garage Door Doctor

Garage Door Doctor is trusted for high quality garage door installation, repair, and replacement. Family owned and operated, we provide reliable service to residential and commercial customers and are available 24/7 to deal with any garage door related emergency. No contact Indianapolis garage door service is being provided during the coronavirus pandemic; we remain open while adhering to recommended social distancing practices, sanitization procedures, and use of masks and PPE. To hire us for any garage door repair or service need, call 317-934-7706 right away!

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This post first appeared on https://www.garagedoordoctorllc.com