Garage Doors for Every Taste
August 30, 2010
Free Whitepaper - How to Buy a Garage Door
Buying a garage door can be overwhelming... What material, what style, How do I know what will work for me... what do I ask... Answers are here... Download your Free Whitepaper from Precision Door - 14 pages of information and questions to ask whether you're buying a door or looking for a professional garage door repair professional!
August 26, 2010
What is the Most Complicated Part of your Garage Door?
The most complicated part of a garage door is the opener and its hardware. That includes the opener (motor), the springs, the tracks and brackets. All these parts combine to make your garage door work smoothly over and over and over again.
One of the most important parts are the actual springs themselves. These powerful springs are under very high tension and that’s what gives them the strength to lift the weight of the door. If you look at your garage door, you’ll most often see a spring running across the top above the door.
The springs mounted to the header, just above the top of the door are called Torsion springs. Torsion springs are a wound spring, which means it winds up into a coil, and they can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. Torsion springs wind up as the door closes, creating a great deal tension. Working on this type of spring is for professionals only. This is not a DIY project.
The remaining hardware of your opening system includes bottom brackets, cable drums, the door tracks with their hangers, plus various hingles plates and rollers. All this hardware is designed to work together to create the smooth operation of your garage door. So make sure you keep it maintained. Just like your car, this system needs at least annual maintenance to insure it works smoothly and lasts longer.
The "opener" is a motor that guides the door up and down. These typically will be one of three types – chain drive, screw drive or belt drive. The most popular today is the belt drive. While these are more expensive, it’s smooth and quiet operation is a big benefit. The most affordable option is the chain drive system, while the screw drive is powerful but slow-moving. When you schedule your annual garage door maintenance, make sure to have the opener serviced as well.
One of the most important parts are the actual springs themselves. These powerful springs are under very high tension and that’s what gives them the strength to lift the weight of the door. If you look at your garage door, you’ll most often see a spring running across the top above the door.
The springs mounted to the header, just above the top of the door are called Torsion springs. Torsion springs are a wound spring, which means it winds up into a coil, and they can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. Torsion springs wind up as the door closes, creating a great deal tension. Working on this type of spring is for professionals only. This is not a DIY project.
The remaining hardware of your opening system includes bottom brackets, cable drums, the door tracks with their hangers, plus various hingles plates and rollers. All this hardware is designed to work together to create the smooth operation of your garage door. So make sure you keep it maintained. Just like your car, this system needs at least annual maintenance to insure it works smoothly and lasts longer.
The "opener" is a motor that guides the door up and down. These typically will be one of three types – chain drive, screw drive or belt drive. The most popular today is the belt drive. While these are more expensive, it’s smooth and quiet operation is a big benefit. The most affordable option is the chain drive system, while the screw drive is powerful but slow-moving. When you schedule your annual garage door maintenance, make sure to have the opener serviced as well.
August 23, 2010
Garage Doors Are the Your Home's Front Door
Your garage door is much more than it's function
For most, the main function of the garage is the shelter for your car and the household items so many of us store there. With that in mind, it's not hard to understand that many people think about their garage doors as strictly functional. Now, more and more people care about how they look. Garage doors make a huge personal statement about one's taste and style. The garage doors have to look good and welcoming due in part to the garage now being considered the most used door of a home. It's your "other" front door and the first thing that we face when we enter a house. Garage doors have become a major design element. It is only fitting that the garages must be as impressive and attractive, as it is durable and secure.
For most, the main function of the garage is the shelter for your car and the household items so many of us store there. With that in mind, it's not hard to understand that many people think about their garage doors as strictly functional. Now, more and more people care about how they look. Garage doors make a huge personal statement about one's taste and style. The garage doors have to look good and welcoming due in part to the garage now being considered the most used door of a home. It's your "other" front door and the first thing that we face when we enter a house. Garage doors have become a major design element. It is only fitting that the garages must be as impressive and attractive, as it is durable and secure.
August 20, 2010
Non Reversing Garage Door Openers: A Hazard
From: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Homeowners with automatic garage door openers that do not automatically reverse should repair or replace them with new openers which do reverse to prevent young children from being trapped and killed under closing garage doors.
According to reports received by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 60 children between the ages of 2 and 14 have been trapped and killed under automatic garage doors since March 1982. This is approximately 4 such deaths per year. Other children have suffered brain damage or serious injuries when the closing door contacted them, and failed to stop and reverse its direction.
CPSC urges consumers to check the condition and operation of their garage door and the opener. A properly operating garage door will be "balanced." This means that the door will stay in place when stopped in any partially opened position. A severely unbalanced garage door could unexpectedly crash to the floor possibly striking someone under the open door.
To check the garage door, the garage door opener must be detached from the door while in the closed position.On most openers manufactured since 1982, a "quick-release" mechanism is provided which permits the opener to be detached from the door.
To avoid amputation or crushing injuries, homeowners should be careful when manually operating the door not to place hands or fin-gers between door sections or near pulleys, hinges, or springs. The door should not stick or bind when opened or closed. If doors are not "balanced," or if they bind or stick, they should be serviced by a professional.
Once the garage door is operating properly, homeowners should check to see that the garage door opener's force and limit settings are adjusted according to manufacturer's instructions. Check the garage door operator owners manual for any instructions on testing the safety features. One quick test is to place a 2x4 on the floor of the garage in the door's path. If the door does not properly reverse on striking the 2x4 then the garage door opener should be disengaged until the unit is either adjusted according to the instructions in the owners manual, repaired, or replaced with a new garage door opener. A professional garage door service should be contacted if the homeowner is not comfortable with performing these tests, repairs and adjustments.
All homeowners should disconnect all garage door openers that have not been certified as meeting the requirements of the voluntary ANSI/UL standard 325-1982.The standard calls for a number of safety features not found on earlier openers, and also subjects new openers to more stringent safety tests.
CPSC cautions consumers that not all devices that open and close the garage door are necessarily safe. Some old openers are equipped with a mechanism that only stops the closing door when it strikes an object, not reversing the door in the process. Other pre-1982 openers have a device intended to reverse the closing door when it strikes an object, but for reasons related to age, installation and maintenance, these products may not be safe enough to pre-vent entrapment of a child. These openers cannot be adjusted or repaired to provide the automatic reversing feature found on later devices.
The CPSC requires that all garage door operators manufactured or imported after January 1, 1993, for sale in the United States be outfitted with an external entrapment protection system.This system can be an electric eye, a door edge sensor, or any other device that provides equivalent protection. If an electric eye is used, it should be installed at a height of 4 to 6 inches above the floor.
Consumers should inspect garage doors and operation of the door opener every 30 days to verify that the system is functioning properly. Hardware and fittings should be checked to keep the door on track at all times. Should a hazard exist, homeowners should disconnect the automatic opener from the door as specified in the owner's manual, and manually open and close the garage door until needed repair/ replacement is completed.
Lastly, homeowners should relocate the wall switch in the garage as high as practical above the floor in an effort to restrict children's use of the automatic garage door. Remote control door operating devices should be kept locked in the car and away from children. Parents should also tell their children about the potential hazard. Article by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov)
Homeowners with automatic garage door openers that do not automatically reverse should repair or replace them with new openers which do reverse to prevent young children from being trapped and killed under closing garage doors.
According to reports received by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approximately 60 children between the ages of 2 and 14 have been trapped and killed under automatic garage doors since March 1982. This is approximately 4 such deaths per year. Other children have suffered brain damage or serious injuries when the closing door contacted them, and failed to stop and reverse its direction.
CPSC urges consumers to check the condition and operation of their garage door and the opener. A properly operating garage door will be "balanced." This means that the door will stay in place when stopped in any partially opened position. A severely unbalanced garage door could unexpectedly crash to the floor possibly striking someone under the open door.
To check the garage door, the garage door opener must be detached from the door while in the closed position.On most openers manufactured since 1982, a "quick-release" mechanism is provided which permits the opener to be detached from the door.
To avoid amputation or crushing injuries, homeowners should be careful when manually operating the door not to place hands or fin-gers between door sections or near pulleys, hinges, or springs. The door should not stick or bind when opened or closed. If doors are not "balanced," or if they bind or stick, they should be serviced by a professional.
Once the garage door is operating properly, homeowners should check to see that the garage door opener's force and limit settings are adjusted according to manufacturer's instructions. Check the garage door operator owners manual for any instructions on testing the safety features. One quick test is to place a 2x4 on the floor of the garage in the door's path. If the door does not properly reverse on striking the 2x4 then the garage door opener should be disengaged until the unit is either adjusted according to the instructions in the owners manual, repaired, or replaced with a new garage door opener. A professional garage door service should be contacted if the homeowner is not comfortable with performing these tests, repairs and adjustments.
All homeowners should disconnect all garage door openers that have not been certified as meeting the requirements of the voluntary ANSI/UL standard 325-1982.The standard calls for a number of safety features not found on earlier openers, and also subjects new openers to more stringent safety tests.
CPSC cautions consumers that not all devices that open and close the garage door are necessarily safe. Some old openers are equipped with a mechanism that only stops the closing door when it strikes an object, not reversing the door in the process. Other pre-1982 openers have a device intended to reverse the closing door when it strikes an object, but for reasons related to age, installation and maintenance, these products may not be safe enough to pre-vent entrapment of a child. These openers cannot be adjusted or repaired to provide the automatic reversing feature found on later devices.
The CPSC requires that all garage door operators manufactured or imported after January 1, 1993, for sale in the United States be outfitted with an external entrapment protection system.This system can be an electric eye, a door edge sensor, or any other device that provides equivalent protection. If an electric eye is used, it should be installed at a height of 4 to 6 inches above the floor.
Consumers should inspect garage doors and operation of the door opener every 30 days to verify that the system is functioning properly. Hardware and fittings should be checked to keep the door on track at all times. Should a hazard exist, homeowners should disconnect the automatic opener from the door as specified in the owner's manual, and manually open and close the garage door until needed repair/ replacement is completed.
Lastly, homeowners should relocate the wall switch in the garage as high as practical above the floor in an effort to restrict children's use of the automatic garage door. Remote control door operating devices should be kept locked in the car and away from children. Parents should also tell their children about the potential hazard. Article by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov)
August 18, 2010
Avoid a Home Break In
Attention!! All across the country there are increased reports of burglars using garage doors to enter homes. Some are simply left standing open... many more are not locked!!
Want to avoid a possible break in? Close and Lock your garage door - especially when going on vacation!
Want to avoid a possible break in? Close and Lock your garage door - especially when going on vacation!
August 11, 2010
Why Replace Old Springs?
We hear this all the time... Your garage door springs are easily the most important and most dangerous part of your door. The springs are what open your door.. the opener is simply the guide. Springs do wear out over time and when they break, injury can result. If you have an older garage door, have your springs inspected by a trained and certified technician and replaced if needed. If your door has two springs, have both replaced even if one is not broken. Why? Remember that the second spring has been operating the same length of time as the broken one. Replacing both springs will not only prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring, but also keep your door working efficiently. Ask your door professional for high cycle, commercial quality springs (30,000 cycles or more). They'll last much longer and have a much longer warranty. Have additional questions? Get answers.
August 3, 2010
Federal Energy Tax Credit Available
Saving Energy is good for everyone. and you can get a Federal Energy Tax Credit – receiving a 30% Tax Credit (up to $1500) when you install an approved, insulated garage door.
The key is "approved" door. This can be verified through the door manufacturer as meeting the federal requirements for this credit.
The key is "approved" door. This can be verified through the door manufacturer as meeting the federal requirements for this credit.
Is Your Door Eligible? To be eligible for the tax credit, the purchased garage door must meet all of the following criteria:
- The door must be an insulated residential garage door.
- It must be installed on an insulated garage.
- The door must have a U-factor equal to or less than 0.30, even if the door contains glazing.
- The door perimeter must have a means to control air infiltration.
- The door must be expected to remain in service for at least five years.
- The garage must be part of the taxpayer’s principal U.S. residence.
Check out additional information via Energy Star
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