Monthly Archives: June 2015

Common Problems That Can Cause Garage Door Opener Failure

Posted by Ramirez Custom Overhead Doors On June 30, 2015 at 3:48 pm | Comments Closed
There are many things that can cause a garage door opener to malfunction. Some can be easily fixed; others will require replacing the whole unit. With the exception of the most expensive of garage door openers, the majority are made with plastic parts- which can strip away or break if the door itself isn’t in top working condition. Sometimes though, it is all a matter of knowing a few tricks…
Before becoming a garage door technician, I did not give a second thought to how the garage door works, or what the maintenance procedures were…I just knew it went up and then back down when I pressed the button! With a little bit of knowledge, you can prevent a lot of garage door problems from ever happening.
  1. Safety Eye Misalignment or Malfunction: the safety eyes are the sensors that are located at the bottom of the door on each side (about 6 inches above the floor). They have been mandatory since the early ’90s, but if you have an older opener there is a chance it will not have them- skip to #2. They are responsible for stopping the downward travel of the door if the beam (generated between the eyes) is broken, sending it back up to the top. In case a small child or pet tries to go out while the door coming down.
  2. Symptom of the safety eyes not working or misaligned: the remote will not close the door AND the wall station will not close the door UNLESS you hold down the button until it closes all the way.
  3. First, make sure nothing is blocking the beam (boxes, shovels, etc.) Then, check to see if the small LED lights are lit on each of the safety eye housings (the little boxes). If one is lit, but the other is not- bend the safety eye bracket (which attaches the eye to the wall or track) of the eye that is not lit around until it ‘sees’ the other side, and the LED comes back on. If neither light is on, check the wiring out of the case- sometimes the wires get clipped. NOTE: I recommend NOT storing anything near the safety eyes because they are fragile and easily blocked.
  4. Another common mistake made by homeowners, with some opener brands, is the multifunction wall-station. Some manufacturers include a wall station that has a locking feature, or vacation mode, which will lock-out the remotes and outside keypad. Some will even render the wall station useless as well. The little switch is usually on the top of the wall-button, but the location varies per manufacturer. Check out the owner’s manual or usually you can find them online. If it accidentally gets ‘locked’ it will seem like the opener is dead. A good thing to check before calling a repair technician.
  5. Garage Door disconnected from opener: this happens more often than you would think! If someone has pulled the red-handled emergency release cord and disconnected the door from the opener, the motor will just run the ‘trolley’ back and forth- but the door is not attached. This may cause you to think the opener is malfunctioning and call a technician. So check it first- while the motor is running look for the ‘trolley’, which is the part that is attached to the chain (or belt) and connects to the ‘j-arm’, which connects to the door itself. If the trolley is moving back and forth, simply wait for it to stop running and then manually move the door until it locks back on to the ‘trolley’. Then test the opener and see if it runs the door. If you have a screw-drive, look up from directly under the opener rail and see if the screw is spinning. If so, follow the red cord up to the switch it hangs from and move that switch up until it locks onto the screw, and test opener. If you still cannot figure it out, and if the manual doesn’t help- THEN call a technician!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5809632

Helpful Tips To Know The Ideal Time To Repair Your Garage Door

Posted by Ramirez Custom Overhead Doors On June 27, 2015 at 8:35 pm | Comments Closed
Garage doors are often the most overlooked part of any household. A number of US homeowners, in some of the major cities like Oahu and Pearl City, do not prefer even to spend a minute on checking their carport gates for possible damages. If these heavy structures are checked on a regular basis then it would help avoid any major technical defect in the future. It is also true that timely repairs can increase the life span of these gates.
Garage doors are used frequently. They have to move up and down numerous times in a single day. This would result in wear and tear of these heavy structures, so lack of proper repair may ultimately make these gates unusable. It is always better to hire a company which deals in garage door service to perform all the necessary repair work of your garage door. There are numerous parts of these heavy structures which may require repair. Here are some tips to understand when these parts may need a repair:
* Gate tracks: Since your garage door is frequently used, there are high chances that the tracks of these structures may get damaged. If the gate does not move properly then it may mean there is something wrong with the tracks. In case it is a minor damage then with the help of a hammer you can pound them back in shape. However, if it is a major damage then you may have to get them replaced. Most homeowners, in US cities like Oahu and Makaha, prefer to hire a technician to do the repair work of the tracks in case of any serious damage.
* Springs: If you are checking your garage gate, then ensure to check the springs also. This is important especially if you have a roll up garage. Most of the times these springs need to be readjusted. However, it is important to know that it is always better to let an expert who deals in garage door service do the repair work of the springs, since these are dangerous if dealt with by a person who knows nothing about the technicalities.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5772944

Garage Door Repair Dealing With Dents

Posted by Ramirez Custom Overhead Doors On June 24, 2015 at 9:48 pm | Comments Closed
Aluminum and steel garage doors are made to be light and lift easily. Unfortunately, this means that they are also easy to dent. In addition to being unsightly, these dents will weaken the door and should be fixed. Thankfully, many dents can be easily repaired on your own or may only require a single panel replacement.
Why does my door dent so easily?
Insulated garage doors, though more expensive than other types, are comprised of a metal skin surrounding a core, which serves to improve energy efficiency as well as a protection against being bent out of shape. Wooden and fiberglass garage doors involve quite a bit of upkeep, so the majority of homeowners have doors made of aluminum or steel. Though sturdy, a door made from 24- to 28-gauge steel, for example, will be very susceptible to front bumper taps, kids’ ball games, and other accidents.
Does it need to be replaced?
Depending on the extent of damage and the garage door repairs necessary, replacement is not your only option. You may, however, need to replace the entire panel if the dent is that large, rather than trying to bend it back into place. When dealing with larger problem areas, use caution to avoid making the problem worse, such as bending a section so out of shape that it affects the opening and closing process. Still, many garage doors are paneled, and a single panel can be replaced if needed at a fraction of the cost of a new door.
Do-it-yourself garage door dent repairs
If you are hesitant to make garage door repairs yourself, call a specialist; otherwise, you may enjoy a do-it-yourself project. There are several methods for repairing dents, depending on the type, location, and the extent of damage.
Some dents can be filled in, using a specialty filler, and then sanded until flush with the surface. This type of repair may mean having your garage door repainted in order to hide the patchwork.
Using brute or physical force is one of the most common methods of dent removal. Working behind the dent, place a block of wood over it to protect the door. Tap the wood over the affected area with a hammer or rubber mallet. Use great care as you work to find the necessary amount of force until the dent begins to even out. Continue working around and over the dent until it is gone.
One additional method of dent removal is through rapidly heating and cooling the problem area. With a hair dryer, warm the dent for about two minutes. Be sure to hold the hair dryer back far enough to avoid overheating the area, which can cause cracking or paint damage. Once the whole of the damaged area has been warmed, spray it with a can of compressed air for several seconds. This blast of cool air should cause the metal to contract quickly, popping the dent out on its own.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8487672

4 Hot Tips for Replacing a Garage Door

Posted by Ramirez Custom Overhead Doors On June 21, 2015 at 8:48 pm | Comments Closed
What Kind of Garage Door should I buy?
When looking for a garage door, you notice that there are two major designs: tilt-up doors and sectional roll-up doors. Sectional roll-up doors are more expensive than tilt-up doors, but the extra cost is well worth it.
Tilt-up doors consist of a single panel of material. To open the door, you have to pull it out and pivot it up to slide it along the roof of your garage. Sectional roll-up doors, on the other hand, are made of a number of horizontal sections. Each section is hinged to the next section, allowing the door a certain degree of flexibility. Because the door is mounted on rollers, to open a sectional roll-up door you just have to lift the door and it will roll into place along the roof of your garage.
Sectional roll-up doors are superior to tilt-up doors. From a purely practical point they take up less room. Because you don’t have to pull the door out, there will be more room in front of your garage door for things like your car. The door will also take up less room in the garage, since it can be placed higher up than a tilt-up door.
What should my Garage Door be made of?
Garage doors, both tilt-ups and sectional roll-ups, are primarily made from wood or steel. Of these two materials, wood is the cheaper and – arguably – more attraction option. If you decided to get a wooden door please keep in mind that just like your deck, a wooden garage door will be more easily damaged by the weather than a steel door. If you live in a particularly hot or cold climate, you may find your self with a warped or damaged garage door.
Steel garage doors are more expensive, but you will not face the same problems that you would encounter with a wood door. If you decide to get a steel door the main thing to check is that it has been properly prepared to prevent rust.
Garage doors are also occasionally made with aluminium or fibreglass. While both of these materials are less expensive than steel doors, you should be careful when using them. Neither material is as strong as steel so they will not hold up to the usual wear and tear of a garage door. And once again depending on your climate, they will not be as energy efficient as a steel door if that is a concern to you.
How do I look after my Garage Door?
Just like any other exterior surface on your house, your garage door will need periodic maintenance to keep it working smoothly and looking as good as the rest of your house. You’d be surprised how the look of your garage door not only affects the overall look of your house, but the perceived value of your house too.
No matter what material your garage door is made of, it should be washed regularly. If you have a wood door, you should repaint the door every other year to ensure that the wood stays protected. If you have a steel door, you can give it a yearly shine with car wax
To prolong the life of the mechanical parts, you should lubricate all moving parts with motor oil whenever the door starts to feel sluggish.
Safety Concerns with Garage Doors
Every year, children are seriously injured from accidents involving garage doors. To avoid these preventable accidents, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you should only use automatic garage door openers if they have an automatic reverse function. This will reverse the closing of the garage door if an obstacle is encountered.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/306537

An Introduction To Garage Doors

Posted by Ramirez Custom Overhead Doors On June 18, 2015 at 3:47 pm | Comments Closed
As a general rule, the choice of garage door and garage door material is largely determined by the type of house you have, your space, and of course, your budget.
There are four different styles of garage doors: the sectional door, the roller door, side-hung door and up-and-over door. They come in three different materials you can choose from: wood, steel and glass reinforced plastic.
Garage doors for small garages. If your house has a short drive and is generally restricted space-wise, then a roller garage door might just be what you are looking for. A roller door rolls straight up a drum found above the opening, so there are no outswings or overhangs. A sectional garage door, on the other hand, differs in the manner by which the door is stored once opened. Like the roller door, there is no outswing so you can park your car flush to the garage door.
Garage doors for bigger garages. Up-and-over garage doors are one piece doors that swing out and then up, lying parallel to the ceiling. They can be made from steel or wood, but glass reinforced plastic is the most common material used to make them. You need a large space before the garage door (from the ground up and from the top down) to allow the door to freely swing in its horizontal position. If you have a big garage, you should also consider the most traditional (and simplest) style of garage door – the side hung door. They hang from the side, and are basically double doors that lock in the middle.
Choosing materials. Garage doors made from wood provide the best aesthetic look, although they will probably require high maintenance and tend to be more expensive. If looks are more important to you than budget, then you may opt for this type of door.
Steel is the most secure material for garage doors. But although it is strong, it alone does not secure your property. The garage doorframe and other entrances should be secured, too.
The most popular material used is the glass reinforced plastic that can be used in most doors except the side hung doors. It provides the best value for the money and can be finished in glass wood or modern glossy style.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/220367