Garage doors are very useful. They keep out the rain, wind, leaves, animals, and most of all....intruders. If your Garage door is down, the chances of something being stolen is greatly reduced. Of course, if they want in bad enough, they will get in. I have seen crooks back into a garage door to gain access to the garage.
What usually happens is a crook will ride by, and see the garage door open, and will come back later. If he is real lucky, the homeowner has left the garage door open, and all he has to do is be quiet an walk off with what he wants. I'm not a big fan of glass in the garage door, mainly for a security reason. If they can see in, they can see what you have in the garage. Another thing they can do, is look to see if someone is at home. I know its not a sure thing, cause sometimes the homeowner doesnt have a car in the gargae when they are at home. But, if they can't see into the garage, they take a bigger risk if they try to break in. Try to make it look like you are at home keep the door closed. Til next time...... Joe :-)
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Friday, December 08, 2006
Look twice before you back out of the garage.
It happens just about every day. We get a call that says, "When can you come out and see what it will take to repair my door?" My wife just drove into it." Most people have a routine. They come out the back door, and reach up and push the wall control to open the door. Then they get into the car, and then fasten their seat belt. Next, they start the engine. All is well, til the cell phone rings as the car is warming up. What happens next, after they hang up..is they will reach up on the sun visor and push the remote control.
When they look back to back up, they see daylight, and assume the door is open, and put the car in reverse. What is happening at this point, is the door is about a foot into the opening and they don't see it in the rear view mirror. And, as they start backing up, they heard the crash of the car hitting the garage door. It is a sickening feeling, because you aren't sure how much damage has been done to the car and the garage door. It makes for a bad day.
I then get the call to see what we can do. Most times the door can be repaired by replacing the damaged garage door panels. Other times, you have to replace the entire door. Usually you have to replace if the door is old, and the panels are hard to locate. Sometimes, it's cheaper to replace the door than to repair it. It sounds crazy but, it's like buying a sandwich, fries, and drink separately, rather than buying a combo meal.
It pays to look back a second time, and to have the drivers window down so you can possibly hear the motor running on the opener. It is cheaper and takes less effort than replacing a garage door, and having to repair a new car. Hope this info helped. If i can help with any questions, or problems please drop me a line.... Thanks Joe :-)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
When they look back to back up, they see daylight, and assume the door is open, and put the car in reverse. What is happening at this point, is the door is about a foot into the opening and they don't see it in the rear view mirror. And, as they start backing up, they heard the crash of the car hitting the garage door. It is a sickening feeling, because you aren't sure how much damage has been done to the car and the garage door. It makes for a bad day.
I then get the call to see what we can do. Most times the door can be repaired by replacing the damaged garage door panels. Other times, you have to replace the entire door. Usually you have to replace if the door is old, and the panels are hard to locate. Sometimes, it's cheaper to replace the door than to repair it. It sounds crazy but, it's like buying a sandwich, fries, and drink separately, rather than buying a combo meal.
It pays to look back a second time, and to have the drivers window down so you can possibly hear the motor running on the opener. It is cheaper and takes less effort than replacing a garage door, and having to repair a new car. Hope this info helped. If i can help with any questions, or problems please drop me a line.... Thanks Joe :-)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
With the cold weather, your garage door opener will sometimes act up. What happens, is the grease will harden due to the cold weather, and create the effect of something in the way on the door. The reversing feature will cause the door to stop and go back up. If you hit the wall button to get it to go back down, it will usually go down a little further. After a few tries, it will finally go all the way down. The way to fix this, is sometimes by lubricating the springs and rollers with a silicone based spray that you can buy at Lowe's or Home Depot.
If just lubricating the garage door doesn't work, you should check the down force sensitivity on the machine. Note: Don't get crazy, turn the down force knob just a little to get the response you want. If the slot is on3 for instance, turn the knob to 3 1/2 to 4..not all the way to 10. What will happen if you turn it to 10 is, the force put on the machine to lower the garage door may be so strong that if it comes in contact with a person, car, or animal, it may not reverse the way it should.
The red emergency handle should be long enough for you to reach it. Special attention should be paid if you own a SUV like an Excursion or Tahoe with luggage racks. Sometimes the long red handle will get tangled around the luggage rack when backing out of the garage, and release the door from the opener, causing you to push the garage door into your yard. It makes for a bad day. Usually, both the garage door and the vehicle sustains damage. Hope this helps..til next time, keep the questions and comments coming. :-) Joe
If just lubricating the garage door doesn't work, you should check the down force sensitivity on the machine. Note: Don't get crazy, turn the down force knob just a little to get the response you want. If the slot is on3 for instance, turn the knob to 3 1/2 to 4..not all the way to 10. What will happen if you turn it to 10 is, the force put on the machine to lower the garage door may be so strong that if it comes in contact with a person, car, or animal, it may not reverse the way it should.
The red emergency handle should be long enough for you to reach it. Special attention should be paid if you own a SUV like an Excursion or Tahoe with luggage racks. Sometimes the long red handle will get tangled around the luggage rack when backing out of the garage, and release the door from the opener, causing you to push the garage door into your yard. It makes for a bad day. Usually, both the garage door and the vehicle sustains damage. Hope this helps..til next time, keep the questions and comments coming. :-) Joe
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Cold Weather affects Garage Door Openers
OK, with the cold weather coming on, and you have already lubricated your garage door, its now time to take care of the garage door opener. The garage door opener can give you a fit in the colder weather. What it will do is, usually go up without any problems, but, when you push the button to let it down, it will only go down a few inches, or maybe even a foot, and then go right back up. You try this several times and, finally it goes to the floor. Now you are running late for work...and are ready to drive through the garage door.
Usually, it is the sensitivity (force adjustment) that needs to be turned up a little. Now, that being said...don't turn the sucker up all the way!!. If the down force dial is on number five, just turn it to maybe five and a half, or maybe six. The down force tells the garage opener how much force to use to close or open the door. If turned up to far, it can possibly crush whatever is under the door. Also, the photo eyes, or sensor eyes, attached to the track that the rollers run on, should be no higher than six inches off of the floor. It is that way to prevent the door from coming down on a child or and animal. Note: The photo eyes, and reversing system should be checked monthly!!) The few minutes you spend checking this will certainly be worth it. This applies to all makes of garage door openers.
A problem that is usually associated with screw drive openers, is the grease that is in the rail that the screw turns in, gets stiff in the cold weather. You have to spray a silicone lubricant on the screw and run the garage door up and down a few times to loosen it up. Normally its the coldest day of the year, and when you are in the biggest rush, that the garage door will act up. :-)
Hope all this helps, and, if you have any questions or problems, i will be glad to try to answer them. Til next time.. Joe :-)
Usually, it is the sensitivity (force adjustment) that needs to be turned up a little. Now, that being said...don't turn the sucker up all the way!!. If the down force dial is on number five, just turn it to maybe five and a half, or maybe six. The down force tells the garage opener how much force to use to close or open the door. If turned up to far, it can possibly crush whatever is under the door. Also, the photo eyes, or sensor eyes, attached to the track that the rollers run on, should be no higher than six inches off of the floor. It is that way to prevent the door from coming down on a child or and animal. Note: The photo eyes, and reversing system should be checked monthly!!) The few minutes you spend checking this will certainly be worth it. This applies to all makes of garage door openers.
A problem that is usually associated with screw drive openers, is the grease that is in the rail that the screw turns in, gets stiff in the cold weather. You have to spray a silicone lubricant on the screw and run the garage door up and down a few times to loosen it up. Normally its the coldest day of the year, and when you are in the biggest rush, that the garage door will act up. :-)
Hope all this helps, and, if you have any questions or problems, i will be glad to try to answer them. Til next time.. Joe :-)
Monday, October 23, 2006
Garage Door Lubrication
Now is the time to lubricate your Garage door. It is the largest moving part in your home and yet it usually gets the least amount of attention. With the winter months coming on and the rain that usually comes with the winter months, the garage door rollers and springs will start to rust.
The best lubrication to use on your garage door is a silicone based spray, or a white lithium spray. White lithium spray usually stays on the rollers and springs longer than silicone based sprays. Don't use axle-type grease!! It holds dirt and acts like sandpaper on the springs! Don't touch the springs with your hands!! Also, don't attempt to adjust the springs. Serious injury or death can occur.!!
Most people aren't aware that they are supposed to lubricate the springs located above the garage door. When i tell them, they say, "Oh, i didn't know that; I just spray the little rollers in the track." The "little rollers" only cost a few dollars (not counting labor) but the springs can cost several hundred dollars. Til next time...Feel free to ask me questions or leave comments..... Joe
The best lubrication to use on your garage door is a silicone based spray, or a white lithium spray. White lithium spray usually stays on the rollers and springs longer than silicone based sprays. Don't use axle-type grease!! It holds dirt and acts like sandpaper on the springs! Don't touch the springs with your hands!! Also, don't attempt to adjust the springs. Serious injury or death can occur.!!
Most people aren't aware that they are supposed to lubricate the springs located above the garage door. When i tell them, they say, "Oh, i didn't know that; I just spray the little rollers in the track." The "little rollers" only cost a few dollars (not counting labor) but the springs can cost several hundred dollars. Til next time...Feel free to ask me questions or leave comments..... Joe
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