Garage door rollers are an integral part of your garage door’s functionality. With malfunctioning rollers, your garage door will struggle to open and cause other issues. However, if you’re not familiar with how your garage door’s mechanics, you may not even know what the rollers are or how to tell if they need to be repaired. For this reason, among several others, it is crucial you find a trusted team of technicians to help you maintain and service your garage. So, what do you need to look for when you are examining your door for regular maintenance.

What To Look For During Routine Maintenance

While you should have a technician come out at least once per year to make sure your door is operating efficiently, there is some routine maintenance you can do on your own. While you’re conducting this maintenance, you need to look for a few different things when it comes to your rollers. Signs that your rollers are not operating how they should include:

The Door Not Opening | If the rollers of your door are damaged or worn out, it will be pretty obvious to you, especially if your door is slow to open or not opening at all. If this is the case, you should check the rollers inside the rail to see if that is indeed the problem. From there, you should contact a technician at Bluff Country Garage Doors.

Uncommon Noises | Your garage door obviously makes noises when it opens and closes, but it should always be a consistent, mechanical noise from the motor. If the noise your garage door usually makes starts to differ and sounds like something is wrong, contact a technician as soon as possible.

Door Misalignment | If the wheels of your door start to slip off the rails, that is a surefire sign that your door is misaligned, and your rollers need to be replaced or repaired. If the door slips off the rails, it can be dangerous for both you and your vehicles, and it can be difficult to get the door back on the rails. If you notice this happening, contact Bluff Country Garage Doors today.

What New Rollers Are Available?

If you or a technician notice your garage door rollers are damaged, you should immediately look into replacing them with new rollers. If you have an older home, the chances are that your rollers have not been replaced recently and are outdated. If this is the case, it’s more important than ever that you get newer products to ensure safety and functionality. New rollers are typically made of nylon and have ball bearings, and they have either an open design or a sealed design. To ensure these new rollers last for their designated lifespan, you need to ensure they are lubricated on a consistent basis. We can do this for you at Bluff Country Garage Doors.

Contact Bluff Country Garage Doors Today

If you are in Southeastern Minnesota, Northeastern Iowa, or Western Wisconsin and looking for a licensed garage door technician to help you give your garage door regular maintenance or repairs, contact Bluff Country Garage Doors today. With regular maintenance from professionals, you can ensure your door lasts for its intended lifespan. To learn more, give us a call at 612-226-4721 or message us on our contact page today.

This post first appeared on http://www.bluffcountrygaragedoor.com

Why We Love Martin Garage Doors

We work with a lot of great companies and vendors for our garage doors, openers, and other replacement parts, but we have a special place in our hearts for Martin Garage Doors here at A Plus Garage Doors.

Like A Plus Garage Doors, Martin Garage Doors is a local Utah company. Their headquarters have been based in Salt Lake City, Utah since 1942, but the company was first started in Santa Ana, California in 1936 by Leno Martin. And now more than ever, we believe it is crucial to the health of our local economy to seek out and support Utah businesses.

Here are some of the reasons why we love Martin garage doors.

Martin Garage Doors: A Local Experience

Companies that have been around for a long time and grown from a small team often turn into something completely different over time. But the folks at Martin Door take the same approach we do, which is to provide personalized customer service for every interaction, including having a live person answering the phone to answer questions instead of an automated system.

If you visit their headquarters in Salt Lake City during regular business hours, Martin Doors will gladly provide a tour of their manufacturing facility as well as a showroom with an array of garage door models and colors, with some unique historical pieces on display.

The Martin Door Showroom

Just to the right of the front-door entrance you’ll find the showroom with many doors on display, from the standard models to more unique samples that you don’t see everyday (including a copper garage door!).

One of my favorites of the bunch, the door pictured below is a replica of the style used when the company first started. Because steel was reserved for national defense purposes during World War II, these hinges were made from old army bunks that were cut and welded together.

In those days, the materials to build the door were transported on site, then the door was framed and constructed in place. Unlike modern panel doors, these swung out as a single unit. They were sometimes referred to as “shin busters” or “chin busters” due to the injuries that could occur within the door’s broad swing radius.

The Production Floor

Before you go for the full tour, be advised that you should have some comfortable shoes on, as there’s a lot to explore in the 250,000 sq ft production floor. But there is also plenty to see and learn about the process to produce Martin’s garage doors.

Premium Safety Hardware

Martin garage doors have developed several proprietary safety features that go above and beyond what some manufacturers provide in the garage door industry. Some estimates indicate that around 30,000 garage door injuries occur annually, so safe installation and operation is always a concern of ours.

FingerShield

One of the prominent innovations to come out of Martin garage doors is its unique safety joint system called FingerShield, which prevents injuries to fingers and other accidents by minimizing the space between panels while a door is moving up and down. The image below shows how this works when the door is in motion.

Low-Profile Hinges

Standard door hinges tend to be bulky, which has two side effects: (1) they stick out from the door and pose a risk of accidental collision to hands, the head, etc., and (2) they increase the possibility of pinching during operation.

Martin’s premium hinges, on the other hand, are made to minimize these risks by being smaller and more than strong enough to tackle the same job.

Specialized Tracks

Martin includes track systems with its doors that prevent accidental injury and property damage by reducing the holes on the sides of a track.

While the odds of this happening may seem small, you definitely don’t want to risk having your fingers or a rake handle in the track when the door is moving. We’ve had several emergency calls where a door comes off track due to unexpected obstructions and can vouch for the importance of small but important details like these.

Side-Mounted Springs

Most garage door systems use springs mounted in the center of the torsion tube, the bar that the springs are attached to. While this works fine for many installations, if the hardware is mounted improperly or the structure that the center bracket attaches to is compromised, the mechanism can fail or cause serious injury. Here’s a video of what that can look like (WARNING: contains graphic images):

Side-mounted springs instead apply the force of the springs to the hardware on each side of the hardware above the garage door, which is mounted all along the height of the track system and can prevent system failure and injury.

Style Options

A big reason we love Martin garage doors is that our customers love them. Specifically, the looks and structural benefits they provide.

Reverse Angle Shield

Most garage doors rest directly on the jamb of the framed structure when closed. This can pose some problems when installed in a climate that varies between seasons, as temperature extremes and exposure to moisture can cause wood and other materials to contract and expand, sometimes leading to issues where the door is closer or farther away from the wall compared to when it was installed. In extreme cases, this can lead to the door being obstructed from closing properly.

Steel-Framed Windows

While many manufacturers install windows exclusively by cutting part of the panel away to allow the window and frame to be inserted into the panel (called “window inserts”), Martin garage doors offer the option of windows that are manufactured as part of the door. While there is nothing inherently wrong with window inserts, steel-framed windows allow for a slimmer, full-strength install. The frames around the windows take up less space, which means more light can come in through the windows while not compromising the panel structure. Windows are available in both glass and acrylic, with many tint and privacy options.

Finishes

The other major style benefit Martin garage doors provides is the array of finishes. They carry finishes for steel, powder coat, and anodized aluminum, but we consider their wood grain look for metal panels to be the among the best in the industry. See the color options here.

Here are some examples of Martin garage doors we have installed for our customers:

Get a Free Estimate on a Martin Garage Door

As an authorized dealer of Martin garage doors, we can attest to the quality of their products and customer service. We enjoy working with the company and are happy to provide a free estimate for a new garage door or repairs.

Book Online

Call Us Now

This post first appeared on https://utahgaragedoors.net

Did you know garage door replacement is the highest ROI home improvement? Learn how a new garage door adds considerable value to your home from the experts at Door Power.

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

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The last thing you need this summer is your garage door to stop working, leaving your car stuck in the heat outdoors. How can you tell if your garage door is malfunctioning or even beyond repair? Today, we’re breaking down some of the main tell-tale signs of a broken garage door.

Abnormal Noises

Garage doors shouldn’t be making abnormally loud noises or squeaking incessantly when being used. Some noise is to be expected, but if your garage door is making unusual sounds that it didn’t before, the chances are that something has gone awry. Each different sound, from grating to ticking to squealing, has a different mechanical cause. Therefore, it’s essential to contact a professional to inspect the door further.

Open/Close Issues

The entire purpose of a garage door is to open and close so you can secure your storage space, but still gain access to your belongings when you need them. If your door doesn’t open and close the way it is meant to, it is critical to seek professional assistance as soon as possible, so that you can reclaim your garage as a functional space. If the garage door refuses to budge even after being investigated for potential repairs, getting a garage door replacement in Salt Lake County from our team at Affordable Garage Door Repair may be your best option.

Automated Failure

Many households utilize automatic garage doors for convenience, but malfunctions within these systems can disrupt your daily life. If your opening system is no longer working as it should, something has probably gone wrong. Call in a professional to check out the system as soon as possible, and rely on opening the garage manually in the meantime. If the system is beyond repair, in the long run, your best option is to reach out to our team for an automatic garage door installation service in Murray, UT, and the surrounding areas to get a replacement as soon as possible.

Why it Matters

Taking notice of these problems now, rather than letting them fester and become much more significant issues that force replacement, will save you both time and money. By hiring a professional to come to check out your faulty garage door, you ensure that whatever is wrong will be appropriately diagnosed and that we can find a functional solution. 

If you require our garage door replacement or repair services, do not hesitate to contact us today.

The post 3 Signs That You Might Need Garage Door Repair This Summer appeared first on Affordable Garage Door Repair | affordablegaragedoorfix.com.

Learn about some of the most common garage door problems and how you can troubleshoot them at home from the garage door experts at Door Power.

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

Anyone who has invested in a set of overhead garage doors for their Salt Lake County home knows that proper maintenance is the key to the door’s long life and safe usage. A veteran garage owner likely has their routine down to a science, but if you’re the new owner of a garage, it might be more than a little unclear how best to maintain your overhead garage door.

Luckily, the most critical aspects of the routine can be done quickly and can add years onto your door. Here are some of the steps you should take:

Do a Systems Check

It’s hard to fix a problem, no matter how large or small, if you don’t find it, and that holds true for your garage door.

To find out where issues are arising, observe your door opening a few times and note any problems you see, including the following:

• Odd Movements: Any jerkiness is a sign of trouble.
• Strange Sounds: A well-maintained door is pretty quiet, so any sound could be a problem in the making.
• Loose Hardware: Any rattling can be an indication that you have to tighten a few bolts.

You should also look for signs of damage to your door. In particular, you should pay attention to the rollers on your door, the track they run in, and the weather stripping at the bottom edge of your door.

Finally, you should also pay attention to the way the door operates with regard to its balance and auto-reversal feature. If your door can’t stay halfway down on its own, that could indicate a problem with the spring tension. A lack of spring tension, or if the door fails to reverse automatically when something’s underneath it, could create serious problems down the line and should be corrected as soon as possible.

Repair, Paint, and Lubricate

Once you’ve done a close examination of all the different pieces of your garage door and identified areas for maintenance, you should take the time to fix what you can. Issues like damaged rollers or creaking chains are pretty easy to correct, either by installing a fresh set of door rollers or spraying a little lubricant on the chain. Weatherstripping is another thing you should be able to replace with a quick trip to your hardware store.

Make Notes of Bigger Issues

Although there are issues you can fix on your garage door, there are others that are best left to professionals.

The biggest issue you are likely to see that requires a professional’s help to correct is imbalances in the system’s spring tension. The spring mechanism can be dangerous if tinkered with, and therefore requires an expert hand to make sure it operates safely and correctly.

However, there might be other garage door damage that requires the help of a quality garage door repair company operating in the Murray area. It’s essential to keep a list of these so you can be sure that you can find a contractor with the right experience to suit your needs.

If you’re new to garage maintenance and want to learn more about what steps to take, give Affordable Garage Door Repair a call today!

The post Tips for Maintaining Your Garage Door appeared first on Affordable Garage Door Repair | affordablegaragedoorfix.com.

If you’ve never had to replace your garage door, it may feel overwhelming to plan a garage door replacement for your Salt Lake County residence. Like everything else that can go wrong with your house, it’s not one of the things that are covered in the homeowner’s manual, and you might be wondering, “where do I even start?”

The good news is there are many different resources you can consult to help plan the best way to replace your garage door. Before you even get to the point of picking a company to help you buy and install the door, you should think over a few critical aspects of your installation.

Curb Appeal

It’s probably not a surprise that a garage door will contribute to your home’s overall presentation. This effect on curb appeal means that you should give careful consideration to what kind of material and design you want for your door.

Each material comes with a tradeoff. For example, while wood may provide the best curb appeal, it needs the most maintenance to continue looking good, so it’s essential to think through what kinds of tradeoffs you’re willing to make.

Be sure to check out manufacturers’ websites, since they often provide tools to help visualize what a particular door will look like once it’s installed on your garage.

The Opener

If you’re already thinking about replacing your door, it may be worth thinking about your opener, as well. 

While it may not be causing problems right now, it’s not unusual for both the opener and the door to be packaged together at the time of replacement. While there are undoubtedly monetary benefits to this, it’s worth thinking about from a convenience standpoint. After all, if your old opener is working on a new door, you may have to schedule another visit from your contractor to replace the opener somewhere down the line.

Insulation

If you’re looking to heat your garage, or if it’s attached to your house, it might be worth investing in an upgrade to the insulation on the door. Some doors are designed with insulation to help make your space more efficient and less of a drain on your utilities.

If you’re looking for a garage door replacement company serving the Layton area and are wondering what other things you should consider, give the Affordable Garage Door Repair team a call today!

The post Things to Consider When Replacing Your Garage Door appeared first on Affordable Garage Door Repair | affordablegaragedoorfix.com.

Are you getting ready to shop for a new garage door? The experts at Door Power discuss frequently asked garage door questions that can make the selection process easier.

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

Properly maintaining your garage door ensures it will work as it is supposed to for years to come and will last for its designated lifespan. Though you may not think about it often, your garage door is an integral part of how your household functions, especially if your garage is connected to your house. When your garage door is functioning properly, you won’t have to think about it or worry about it failing to work. However, if there is an issue with your door, it will prevent you from getting your cars out and going about your day as usual. Here, our certified technicians at Bluff Country Garage Doors will discuss the signs of a well-built and maintained garage door, so you know what to look for.

Solid Construction

The integrity of your garage and garage door starts with how it was built and the materials that were used to build it. If you didn’t build your house and bought it after the fact, you need to look into how the structure was built so you can determine what kind of work needs to go into it. Additionally, if you are building your house right now, you should invest in the highest quality products that fit within your budget to ensure your door lasts. We recommend using materials like copper, vinyl, glass, wood, steel, and aluminum for your garage door. These materials are proven to last when properly maintained and installed and are difficult to damage in the case of a burglary or weather event.

Well-Known Brands

Another sign of a well-maintained and built door is the brands you or the previous owner used to build your garage and the door. At Bluff Country Garage Doors, we only use the most reputable brands to ensure our customers’ doors last for years. To learn more about the brands we frequently use and recommend, contact our technicians today.

Operates Quietly

If your garage door is making loud, uncommon noises when you open and close it, the chances are that something is wrong with your door. While the motor and gears of your garage door will make noise when you open and close them, it shouldn’t be a loud, grinding noise or another mechanical noise that doesn’t sound normal. To learn more about how your garage door should sound, contact us today.

Contact Bluff Country Garage Doors Today

If you are in Southeastern Minnesota, Northeastern Iowa, or Western Wisconsin and looking for a team of licensed and experienced technicians to help you maintain your garage door so it works for its expected lifespan, contact Bluff Country Garage Doors today. We offer both routine maintenance and emergency maintenance if you need it. To learn more or get a free estimate, give us a call at 612-226-4721 or message us on our contact page today.

This post first appeared on http://www.bluffcountrygaragedoor.com