Infrareds: Safety Is Smart

 

 

We’ve all been there. You’re leaving for work and you hit the button to close your garage door. It starts to go down a few inches, then suddenly reverses. The lights flash on the opener like there’s a party you weren’t invited to. You try again—same result. What the heck?

 

 

Here’s the deal—safety is smart, flashing strobe lights and all. Your garage door is the largest moving object in your home and it can do some serious damage to you, your car, your kid, your trash can, or whatever else is underneath it when it closes. To avoid crushing deaths, infrareds became mandatory in 1992 under federal law.

 

 

Infrareds act like the bouncer at the club, watching the door and making sure it’s safe to close. They’re a pair of small boxes mounted a few inches above the floor, making constant eye contact with each other like a couple of co-dependents. If something comes between them or breaks the beam, they tell the opener that it isn’t safe to close the door. That might seem silly until you remember that your door can weigh more than two-hundred pounds. You don’t want that to come down on top of you, right?

 

 

Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on your perspective—the infrareds are a little over-cautious. They can tell the opener that it isn’t safe to close the door for a multitude of reasons. If anything, and I mean anything, obstructs the infrared beam, the door will not close. That could be something as big as a car or as small as a leaf. If you have an antique door from the 1800s, all the rattling during opening and closing can throw the infrareds out of alignment too. If you bump the infrared accidentally with a rake or a trash can, they don’t automatically reset themselves and will remain out of alignment until you step in to straighten them out.

 

 

Once you’ve checked the perimeter and you can’t find anything blocking your infrareds, it might be time to call in the professionals. However, if you’ve just gotten home from work or you need to leave, you can override the safety feature by holding down the inside wall button [not the button on your remote]. This tells the opener that you are physically standing there and that it’s safe to close the door.

I hope I’ve told you something that can help you get to work on time or allowed you to head out for the weekend. Now, go forth with your new knowledge and new bodyguards. Remember, safety is smart and hurting yourself is not.

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

 Industrial equipment. Heavy machinery. 

When I hear those words, it’s a callback to a bygone era—a time when people worked in terrible conditions and safety measures were lax. I also think of contruction—oil rigs, bulldozers, combine harvesters, and steam rollers. I don’t think my day to day life involves heavy machinery or industrial equipment.

I leave for work or school or head out to run some errans just like every other day. I get in my car, push the button to open my garage door, back out, and push the button to close it. It’s at that moment, watching it rumble down and settle against the concrete, that I realize what I use every single day that I leave my home—a steel door weighing on average two-hundred pounts and driven by a 1/2 horsepower motor. 

The garage door is the largest moving object in the home and the average household opens and closes it four times every single day. If you’re anything like me, you didn’t really think about that until just now either. Now, if you oversaw the use of a bulldozer or combine harvester or worked in a place that used industrial equipment to build skyscrapers, you would want every precaution to be taken to ensure no one got hurt, right? However, when was the last time you thought about your garage door? 

Service is smart. 

The garage door is made up of a lot of parts. Heavy springs are used to counter balance the door, hinges hold all the sections together, the track supports the door, the rollers keep the door in the track. Any of those parts can wear out and break down, just like the brakes on a bulldozer. Your garage door should be serviced at least once each year to keep everything in working order and—most of all—to keep it safe. 

Here at A.B.E. Doors and Windows, we offer a discount on service in the form of a 20 Point Service Inspection all year round to keep your garage door in tip top shape. Give us a call and set something up.

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

Although garage doors have only one job to do, their single job is one of the most important, when it comes to garages. After all they’re the doorways of a garage. When they’re working properly, all goes well until they stop working due to any malfunction. If you’re bothering about why is my garage door not closing? There can be a few reasons that may impact the working condition of a garage door opener. Here are a few things that can impact the working of a garage door opener:

• The most common reason behind your garage door not opening is, probably something could be blocking your garage door completely closing.
• If the safety sensor of your garage door opener is not working properly, it can be the reason why your garage door is not closing. Make sure you get them checked by a professional.
• If the sensors of your garage door are not in the perfect alignment, your garage door won’t be closing properly.
• In case of broken springs, which your garage door heavily relies on for the operation, the garage door opener couldn’t close.
• One more reason for your garage door not closing properly is the damaged cables.
• Tracks comprise of one of the most important components of a garage door. Any damage of these tracks can simply make your garage door unable to close completely.

Above are only a few aspects that can make a garage door not to close properly. If your garage door is not closing, it’s better to contact a professional and repair it. Triple B Garage Doors is one such professional company with right amounts of expertise and experience.

This post first appeared on https://triplebgaragedoors.com/

When your garage door looks worse than it actually is, it can destroy the total aesthetics of your house. A fresh batch of paint needs to be used in order to bring the garage door, and by extension, your house, to its former glory. However, there are numerous caveats and precautions that you need to take in order to ensure that the painting job goes smoothly, without any hiccups. So, this is a comprehensive list of steps which need to be taken when you are painting your garage door.

Any metal surface needs to be cleaned first
Residue or any other sort of mold or bacteria can really harm the metal surface of the garage door. It can also cause serious problems to the main metal frame of the garage door. So, you would need to scrub the entirety of the metal surfaces so that there does not remain any sort of impediment. After the scrubbing, the application of soap, with sugar content is recommended.

Preparation is key
When you are painting a metal door, which has been previously painted on, you must use sandpaper to remove the old paint and the flakes. Right after the de-greasing process has been completed, the metal door and its frame are exposed. After this, you need to apply a primer on the door to prepare it for a fresh batch of paint.

Priming the metal door for the paint
Priming is one of the most important parts of the painting process. This is because of the fact that primers allow the paint to settle on the door properly, and leaves a fresh and proper look at the door. When you use the primer, make sure to follow the instructions which are provided by the manufacturer. The instructions should be a part of the primer container. Once the primer has dried (this process can take up to eight hours), paint the door as per your requirements.

This post first appeared on https://triplebgaragedoors.com/

Curb appeal is your home’s opportunity to make a first impression on potential buyers. Don’t you want it to be a good one? You probably thought to mow the lawn, wash the windows, and put away the toys on the patio, but did you consider the garage door? 

If your open house isn’t gaining the attention you’re seeking, take a step back and look at your home-from the outside. The garage door is the largest moving object in your home and it’s how most people are going to come and go on a regular basis. The door you have on your home is the one that’s been there for fifty years and not all "antiques" are desirable. 

You painted the inside of your home a nice neutral color because it helps boost resale value, right? However, Remodeling Magazine and the NAR (National Association of Realtors) state that replacing an outdated garage door has the highest return on investment. Garage doors add more curb appeal to your home which can increase it’s value drastically.

Beyond the aesthetic appearance of a brand new door, you are also adding a layer of insulation between the outside world and the interior of your garage. If your garage is attached to your home, this can be quite a factor in heating your home. Replacing your existing door with better insulation and a great design might seem like a costly expense, but when you compare it to improving the curb appeal of your home, it’s a no brainer.

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

This post first appeared on https://triplebgaragedoors.com/

It’s that time of year again!  The urge to purge takes over and we find ourselves looking over our homes to decide what needs organizing and revamping. As we sweep through each room, often times we look at the accumulated stuff and wonder…where am I going to put this now? Then the a-ha moment comes and the answer is “stick it in the garage.” While your garage is a great spot to store certain items, changes in temperature, exposure to the elements and a nosy critter can make it unsuitable for some belongings. Let’s go over some of those items and offer a better storing solution.

                 Paint

Changes in temperature can lead to discoloration as well as clumping and possible separation. Plus, the moisture of a cement floor can encourage cans to rust. A better solution would be to transfer a portion of paint-for touch up purposes- into a tight sealed container with the color mix noted in case a full can is needed in the future. Store in a closet that maintains an even temp all year round. 

 

Canned Food

 

Again, varying temps in your garage can lead to a shorter shelf life and alter the taste of some foods.  In Winter, you risk the chance that a frozen can could explode.  Reexamine your pantry for areas where storage could be gained. Employ new shelving or an over the door rack that can accommodate cans. 

  

Paper Goods/Fabric

Storage of these items may encourage a family of mice to make your garage their home. Moths and other bugs love to nibble on certain types of fabrics. If you must keep these items in the garage, make sure they are placed in quality, air-tight containers. Keep them off the ground on a higher shelf if possible.

 

Propane Tank

No one wants to run out of propane during a back-yard barbecue. Keeping a spare in the garage is hazardous.  Tanks need to be kept in a well-ventilated area free from fumes or materials that could ignite it. Best to keep this item stored outside away from any structure.

 

A Refrigerator

 

 

 

 

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

The world of outdoor design doesn’t move quite as fast as interior design. However, it’s still best to be on the edge of the trends if you’re making new changes to your home, in order to keep them relevant to the marketplace and raise the resale value of your home.

Here are a few design trends that we predict for the year 2018:

• Texture: A few different elements are combining to feature texture as a way to add visual interest over other things (like bright color.) This means that houses are more likely to feature stonework, brick, shiplap, or stucco as opposed to generic acrylic siding. Texture is contrasted in different exterior surfaces to create layers and dimension.
• Neutral Color: It may seem easy to state neutrals as a trend in home exteriors. After all, aren’t neutrals always “in”? That’s why you picked something bland! But 2018 is going to see a lot more thoughtful and specific gradients in the way neutrals are treated. Anticipate high contrast in how neutrals are handled on a home’s exterior, with subtle gradients of grey used in the majority of cases. These neutral colors help to accentuate the texture use in revived home materials.
• Featured Extras: There are a lot of things that go into the design of your home’s exterior that you might not think about while you’re first considering the color of your house’s walls and trim. For example, soft and hardscaping garden elements that surround the house, fencing, garages, and even the front door. Instead of downplaying these elements and simply planning them to match with the home’s featured design, we’ll see a lot of these extra home elements being showcased. For example, there will be a lot more featured garages, statement landscaping pieces, and elaborate designs on fences.
• Strong Accent Colors: A favorite from 2017 that will continue is a strong accent color in the design. This might mean a spanish orange door, an accent wall in the garden, or a bold color for the shutters.
• Natural Elements: Another factor that supports the influx of texture is the re-incorporation of natural elements. Rather than using sleek plastic acrylics, people are craving raw natural wood and stone. Even red brick is seeing a dramatic comeback.
• Eclectic, Mixed Styles: More and more people are deciding to throw out the rulebook for their chosen style. That means that you’ll see divergent philosophies like Mid-Century Modern and Cottage Style coming together. For example, you might find a rustic bench placed in a geometric yard. People are gathering together their favorite parts of different eras and creating new fusions.

There are also some trends that we’ll continue to see progress from last year, namely an emphasis on durability, ease of maintenance, and eco-friendly materials and techniques.

A Plus Garage Doors offers a variety of materials, styles, and colors so that you can adopt the best of the new trends whether you’re putting in a new garage door or updating an old one. Browse our gallery of new garage doors here.

The post Blog first appeared on A Plus Garage Doors. This post first appeared on https://utahgaragedoors.net

This post first appeared on https://triplebgaragedoors.com/

The hustle and bustle of getting ready for the holiday season is upon us—the endless lists of things to do and limited amount of time to complete them.  Many of us seek the internet to solve our problems by saving time and money, but what you aren’t purchasing is an individualized touch.   

Throughout my experiences as the office manager, I have seen too many times a customer walk through our door needing assistance with a garage door or operator part.  They had purchased the part online that was listed on Amazon or Ebay to name a few common sites.  This seemed to be their “jackpot.”  Pay for the part online and have it shipped directly to them within 24 hours.  SOLD!    Only to receive the part and deal with the disappointment and frustration that it does not work.  Now what?  It’s not like you can call the internet and talk to a person to help you.

 

This is where we have an advantage over an online store.  The office staff can help you diagnose the problem and supply you with the correct part.  Garage door operator technology has changed so much in the past twenty years.  Manufacturers discontinue parts or replace them with universal models that accommodate many products.  The next time that you need help with a part, instead of reaching out to Google, call me directly at 610-398-2430, extension 115 or stop by the showroom location.  The staff is always available to offer you the “Gift of Giving.”

 

Happy Holidays, 

 

Shannon Seng

Office Manager 

 

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