Garage doors are one of the hardest-working parts of your home. You rely on them day in and day out to open and close on your command. It’s little wonder that these doors need some TLC to continue functioning well all the time.

To keep your garage door properly maintained, you should have it professionally serviced annually. In addition, be sure to conduct your own monthly checks of the door to ensure it is working correctly. Learn more about the most common items a service technician will inspect each year and how to perform your own monthly checkup.

Why Should I Service a Garage Door?

Servicing your garage door helps to extend its life. When you get annual service for your garage door, it’s a lot like going to a physical. There, a physician checks you for signs of potential problems and treats any issues they find. It’s the same for a garage door.

Service ensures a small problem doesn’t turn into a big one. For instance, at your service appointment, a technician may identify a spring that’s about to break and replace it. You won’t be caught off guard by a broken garage spring and have to wait around until someone can come to repair your door. Plus, it can save you money since it won’t require emergency service.

How Professionals Service a Garage Door

A garage door is the largest moving object in your home. It is extremely dangerous to perform some service and repairs, which is why it is best left to a professional technician. Professionals have a checklist of issues to look for when they inspect a garage door. They may start by oiling squeaky tracks and examining the overall health of the system. Then they will perform individual checks, such as:

• Springs: Examine torsion springs to ensure they have the right level of tension.
• Cable: Check the cable for signs of fraying and replace anything that looks worn.
• Roller: Look for signs of bending or breakage.
• Door sections and panels: Search for signs of disrepair, which can impact the garage door opener as well.
• Garage door opener: Use for opening and closing several times to ensure the door is balanced.

How to Maintain Garage Doors by Yourself

In addition to having your garage door professionally inspected annually, you can also look after your system yourself by following these simple maintenance tips:

• Check your garage door alignment: Unhook the opener, then raise and lower the door by hand. If it’s really tough to do, you may have door alignment issues.
• Test the function of the “eye:” The garage door eye tells your opener when it’s OK to open or close the door. Press the garage door opener button to close the door, and place a broom in front of one of the eyes. If the door stops, the eye is fine, but if it doesn’t, you should get assistance immediately as it’s a safety issue.
• Clean out debris: Keep the garage floors and door tracks clean and free of debris.

Trust Custom Door & Gate for Your Garage Door Needs

Do you need a professional to assist you with garage door maintenance? Custom Door & Gate offers annual maintenance plans for residents of Raleigh and surrounding North Carolina communities. Get in touch today to learn more about our services.

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

 

You may be storing items in your garage that are not only taking up space, but should not be stored there in the first place. Let’s help you identify these items and find a better home for them.

No one likes to run out of propane when you are grilling for a picnic, but that spare tank should not be tucked away in your garage. Hot temperatures may cause the tank to expand and start leaking gas. One small spark could lead to a fire. Tanks should be kept in a well-ventilated area outside.

Those blankets & beach towels you are storing for summer vacations are prime real estate for critters to burrow and sleep in over the winter. Bring these items back inside and store them in space saver bags you can vacuum the air out of. The flattened bags can slip under beds, as not to take up extra space in linen closets.

Cherished family photos and other memorabilia deserve a special spot inside the home. If left in the garage, they can become a feast for bugs to nibble on. Placed in air-tight containers, these memories will be enjoyed for years to come.

That older gaming console or other electronics you may be saving should also stay away from your garage. The higher humidity can wreak havoc on the inner workings and wires are a magnet for mice to chew on. Assess these items and ask yourself if they are worth hanging on to considering how quickly electronics are updated.

Having extra canned food for emergencies is a smart idea, but don’t be tempted to stockpile them on shelves in the garage. Canned foods that are exposed to temps over 80 degrees can spoil. Rust can also form on the cans quickly if your garage is prone to high humidity.

Hanging your bicycles up after summer is over is a creative way to free up floor space, but did you know that the rubber tires should be stored inside? The cold temperatures in winter may lead to the rubber cracking. A few hooks in the back of a closet can secure the tires till springtime rolls around again.

Consider storing these items in your garage to free up some space in the home.

Coolers and water jugs don’t have to clutter up a closet, line them on a shelf in the garage for easy access. Same with serving dishes or plates you may use a few times a year for entertaining purposes. You can use the freed-up space for that new pressure cooker you’ve been eyeing up.

Christmas decorations or any other holiday décor, will be safe nestled in a few plastic totes. Lights, glass and ceramic items will all do well, while more fragile items or anything paper should still be kept inside.

Your luggage can find a new home in your garage too. Nestle as many pieces inside each other and store on a higher shelf.

“A place for everything, and everything in its place.” ~~Benjamin Franklin

 

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

When you invest in a new garage door or replacement parts or features for your current garage door, you want to look into safety features to keep you and your family safe. Though you may not think they are necessary for all garage doors, it is better to invest in safety features than risk the wellbeing of your loved ones. Many garage doors now come with built-in safety features, but you can add additional features with the help of a certified garage door technician. Here, our professional team at Bluff Country Garage Doors will discuss different safety features and how they can benefit you.

Backup/Spare Battery | When it comes to the functionality of your garage door, it is critical that you have a backup plan in the case of a power outage or something that happens to the wiring that causes the door to malfunction. With how garage doors are now designed, you can still use the automated aspect of your garage door as long as you have a backup battery in place. With the backup or spare battery, power will continuously flow through your garage door opener, which allows you to get in and out of the garage if you need to. If your spare battery has sustained damage or given out due to old age, we can replace it with a new battery for you.

Manual Controls | Like backup and spare batteries, having manual controls is a crucial safety feature that will prove itself useful in the case of an emergency. It is important to have a backup feature if the power at your home or business goes out, the building is damaged by a storm that ruins the automatic features of your garage door. These manual backup features can override the automated system to allow you to get in and out of the garage door if you need to. To learn more about this safety feature, contact our technicians today.

Auto-Reverse Mechanism | Another important safety feature that garage doors are equipped with basic auto-reverse mechanisms. With these tools, there is a basic motion sensor attached to the track of your door that will reverse the door’s motion to prevent damage to any object or person in its way. The auto-reverse mechanism is designed to detect larger objects, not necessarily smaller objects.

Enhanced Motion Detectors | These motion detectors are also called child motion detectors for their ability to detect movements of smaller objects closer to the ground. If you want these motion detectors, we will install them on each side of your track to detect any movements close to the ground, such as children or pets. To learn more about these enhanced motion detectors for the safety of your loved ones and possessions, contact us today.

Contact Bluff Country Garage Doors Today

If you are in the Tri-State area of Southeastern Minnesota, Northeastern Iowa, or Western Wisconsin and looking for garage door repair and installation, contact Bluff Country Garage Door today. Our licensed technicians can repair or install virtually any part or full door. To learn more or request 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

Most people assume that a garage can only be used for a few purposes, like storing cars, providing extra space for basement overflow, creating a man cave, or using it as a band stage for your children. However, as one of the leading overhead garage door repair services in Jordan, the Affordable Garage Door Repair team has seen creative ways of using the space that can be applied to anyone’s garage.

Here are some ways you can use your garage:

To Entertain Your Kids

While this covers the prospect of allowing your children to form a band, there are other ways your garage can be used to entertain your children.

For younger children, your garage offers a great place to allow them to use chalk to draw and play games. If your kids want to be artistic, they can even expand their creativity to include paints and graffiti your garage as a way of expressing the individuality of the home.

Alternatively, you can use it as a space where you can play games with your children without worrying about the impact on your house. Holding a haunted house around Halloween is a good option for this. It allows you to utilize the space fully, deck it out in spiders, cotton cobwebs, and use a fog machine without worrying about the clean up after.

To Entertain Company

In addition to entertaining your kids, you can use the garage as a great space to entertain company. By installing a mini-split heating and cooling system, you can use the garage as a great place to host parties where your house might not have space. Plus, if you open up the garage door, you can transform an indoor party into an indoor-outdoor event.

To Work

With a little bit of insulation, soundproofing, and a mini-split system, it’s possible to make your garage a home office space where you can work remotely or make strides to the next Great American Novel. With more and more people working remotely – both pre-COVID and during the pandemic – it’s essential to have space where you can work on tasks where you won’t be interrupted by family members running around the house.

Having a garage can sometimes be a headache, but with a little effort, it can be a great way to add to your home in meaningful ways. For more ways to use your garage or hire an overhead garage door repair service in Salt Lake County, call Affordable Garage Door Repair today!

 

 

The post How Can I Use My Garage? appeared first on Affordable Garage Door Repair | affordablegaragedoorfix.com.

You’ve probably gotten accustomed to the noise your garage door makes as it rattles open and closed to let you park or set up a garage sale. However, there are some noises that you should pay attention to because they can be the early warning signs that you’ll need to find an overhead garage door repair service for your Jordan-area home.

Here’s a quick primer on what the noises your garage door makes might mean:

The Kinds of Noises that Can Occur

Whenever you have a mechanical system lifting a heavy weight – like a garage door – there’s bound to be noise. However, it’s a mistake for homeowners to assume that their garage is noisy for this reason alone. Some signs that your door might need a bit of maintenance are noises like:

• Grating
• Scraping
• Rattling
• Squeaking
• Banging

While this list isn’t exhaustive, they can be seen as illustrative of how to think about your garage door’s noise: pay attention for the slightest deviation from the norm, and then start to look for potential issues.

Which are the most serious?

In some cases, you’ll have to do very little to rectify the problem. Your garage door could be in perfect working order, which means that you should probably invest in a bit more insulation around your garage to help dampen the noise before it gets into your home. Alternatively, you might just need to find where some bolts or panels have come loose and tighten them to stop the mechanism from rattling as much.

However, there are some signs that you need to pay special attention to when it comes to maintaining your home’s garage door. If it sounds like your garage door opener is straining to lift the door, for example, then you might need a brand-new door opener. Putting off a repair like this can lead to further damage to your garage door and potentially injure your family.

When should I call a professional?

Fixing loose bolts or oiling the tracks are pretty easy to do on your own. However, there are some issues that you should not attempt to fix without the help of a professional because it can require specialized tools and training to repair safely. An example of this would be when your garage door is rumbling, you probably have a problem with some of the springs and pulley system in your garage door’s system. Attempting to fix these issues can result in serious injury because you’re trying to manage a lot of force without the tools and training necessary to do so effectively.

If you’d like to schedule a garage door inspection, or are looking for an overhead garage door repair professional in Salt Lake County, call Affordable Garage Door repair today!

 

The post Why is My Garage Door So Noisy? appeared first on Affordable Garage Door Repair | affordablegaragedoorfix.com.

Are you in the market for commercial garage door installation? Learn what to consider when selecting a commercial garage door from the experts at Door Power.

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

Looking to save on annual heating and cooling costs? Learn how an insulated garage door can decrease your yearly energy expenditures from the pros at Door Power.

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

Having a garage door remote in your car is one of life’s purest conveniences. Press the button, and your garage door opens and closes, just like magic. But on the flip side, there are few things as frustrating as not being able to use the remote due to some unknown issue.

Having served the Salt Lake City area with garage door repair since 2005, we see all kinds of issues that can cause a garage door remote to not work properly.

If you are dealing with a non-functional garage door remote, here are some of the most common causes of the problem and what you can do about them:

1. Garage Door Remote Has Dead Batteries

It’s very common for garage door remotes to have a dead battery, especially when they are used every day. This can be easier to check if your remote has an indicator light, which will either look dimmer than usual or not blink at all when pressed.

To resolve this problem, change out the battery (or batteries) in the garage door remote. Easy!

2. Opener Has LED Light Bulb(s)

Although LED light bulbs are a good choice due to low power consumption and high brightness, they are also known to cause interference issues with garage door remotes. We get calls frequently from homeowners who are unable to get a remote to work after replacing batteries and even reprogramming the remote, all because an LED light bulb disrupts the signal to the opener. Sometimes the garage door remote will still work up close, but not farther away.

The fix here is simple: try using a CFL or incandescent bulb instead. If you don’t have any other bulbs, pull out the LED bulb to test and see if that clears up the problem. Note that openers with built-in LED light strips are not affected by this issue.

3. Issues With Safety Sensors (Eye Sensors)

Your safety sensors (also known as eye sensors, or photo eye sensors) are the small boxes about six inches from the floor on either side of the garage door that will prevent the door from closing if anything blocks the line of sight between them using infrared signals. Some old openers may not have them, but they have been required for new systems since 1993 for safety reasons (read about UL 325).

Most openers will have safety sensors with LED light indicators that show whether the system is functioning. LiftMaster sensors will have one transmitter sensor (orange light) and a receiver sensor (green light), and most manufacturers have a similar setup. Both of these sensors must stay lit during operation in order for the door to close properly. If there is any interruption in the signal, the door will either back up part way while closing, or not close at all. If the LEDs are blinking or flickering at any point during operation, that is a clear sign that your garage door’s safety sensors are not working.

Here are some common causes for safety sensor issues:

• Obstructions. Anything from a vehicle to a yard tool to cobwebs can interrupt the signal between sensors. Even a bit of dirt on the sensor lens could cause it. Clear away anything getting between the sensors, and make sure the sensors themselves are clean.
• Misalignment. If the safety sensors are ever bumped out of place or removed from their mounts, this will also interrupt the line of sight between them. Repositioning the sensors back so the LEDs stay lit and tightening them by hand (usually done with a wingnut) should do the trick.
• Unsecure installation. If the sensor mount or the hardware that it is attached to moves during operation, it can compromise the signal. Tracks that are not installed properly can lead to this behavior. Even a split second is enough to cause the door to reverse course. Tightening the bolts or screws holding everything in place may help.
• Sunlight. UV light interferes with the infrared signals used by the safety sensors, which can cause the system to behave as though there is a blockage. This can be solved by swapping the transmitting and receiving sensors (LiftMaster instructions), purchasing or making a sun shield (LiftMaster part), or ordering a new sensor set.
• Bad wiring. A severed wire will cause the sensor to not function at all, look for any cut, mangled, or chewed wires. A poor connection, on the other hand, can lead to intermittent behavior. As systems age, or if connections are not protected from the elements, they can fail over time or only work occasionally.

Note: Most openers will allow you to override the garage door safety sensors by holding the button on the wall panel for several seconds and allow the door to close. Please do this with extreme caution, as if there is anything blocking normal operation of the door, it could cause serious property damage or injury.

4. Check for Obstructions

If the door starts to close then stops and goes back, there is something blocking the door’s normal operation.

Garage door openers have an adjustable force setting, which tells the system to reverse the door if something is blocking the door while closing. Like safety sensors, this is a feature intended to avoid property damage and personal injury. However, unlike safety sensor issues, the opener doesn’t blink several times when the operation is interrupted. If you have a wall panel with a display, it will notify you of the issue:

Most obstructions will be obvious, most of us have accidentally left a rake or bike tire in the way of the garage door, causing it to stop and go back up. But in some cases, there could be something much more subtle leading to the same problem.

Be sure to check the tracks for debris or anything that could be blocking the rollers or cables, especially near the track hardware. We’ve seen all kinds of things from broom handles to stray ropes and children’s toys get in the way of the door.

5. Broken or Misadjusted Parts

If the door goes up just a foot or two when opening and then goes back down, you could be looking at a broken spring or cable, or some other issue that needs to be resolved before the door can operate properly.

The springs, torsion rod, drums, and cables in your system all work together to support the weight of the garage door, so if any part of that is compromised it can cause the opener to lift more weight than they may be designed to handle (some doors weigh hundreds of pounds). Consequently, the door is raised slightly and goes back down.

6. Reprogramming Needed

If none of the above issues apply, reprogramming the remote may help with the issue. Each unit can be different, but if you have a LiftMaster remote, we have a step-by-step article that will help walk you through the process of programming it to your opener.

7. Advanced Issues

If all else fails, it’s possible that the remote itself is broken, or the logic board in the opener no longer functions properly. In these cases, replacing the faulty equipment is the only route to getting things back up and running.

Garage Door Remote Still Not Working? Let Us Help!

If you’re stuck with a non-functioning garage door remote, A Plus garage Doors can help. We serve northern Utah with garage door repair and installation services, including Salt Lake City, Ogden, Park City, Provo, and surrounding areas.

Book Online

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

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.

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