Should I choose an insulated door if my garage is not insulated?

Good question....

With today's high energy costs, insulation in a garage door is just as valuable as anywhere else in your home. A garage door opening is very large and Insulated doors will help to reduce the transfer of heat or cold air into your garage and your home, plus it will reduce noise.

An insulated door will help keep temperatures in the garage fairly stable to reduce the temperature fluctuation in any rooms above the garage.

 

How Long Should My Garage Door Springs Last?

How long a garage door spring will last depends on how often the door is used and the cycle rating of the springs. In todays' modern garage doors Torsion springs provide over 90% of the lift needed to raise a garage door so they are critical to your doors' operation and broken springs are one of the most common garage door repairs needed.

Most garage doors open and close 3-5 times a day, 300+ days a year. Multiply that by by 10 years. The reason they use 10 years is because that’s the average life of a garage door, though many last much longer. The standard non-coated springs are rated at 10,000 cycles meaning they should last between 7 and 10 years.

Precision Garage Door Springs are heavy-duty, powder-coated to resist rust, and rated at a minimum 33,000 cycles to ensure a longer life expectancy for the entire garage door system. That means they will last three to four times as long before you'll need to worry about them.

Safety Tips for the largest moving object in your home/

By: Jonathan Zalkin/Krull & Associates

The garage door’s role in the home has changed dramatically over the last 30 years and most people don’t realize it. Consider this: garage door openers have been installed in 35 million homes across the United States, making them one of the most widely used appliances. In fact, more than 70 percent of today’s homeowners use their attached garage as their main entrance to their home. Making it "Your other Front Door".

While the garage door is one of the most convenient aspects of your home, it is also the largest, heaviest moving object in your home. This means homeowners need to ensure it is working safely. Industry professionals estimate that one out of 15 garage door openers lack the latest safety features.

Here are some safety tips you can follow to make sure your garage door is safe.

• Safety checks. In 1993, Congress passed legislation that required all new garage door openers sold in the U.S. to come with a set of photo-eyes. These sensors, located near the floor along the sides of the garage door opening, alert the system if anything crosses their path and stops the door from descending further. It’s easy to determine if your system is operating properly with a quick 3-Step Safety Check.

1. First, make sure the photo-eyes have been installed no higher than 6 inches above the garage floor.
2. Second, block one of the eyes with an object over 6 inches tall and try to close the door. The garage door should not close.
3. Third, lay an object at least 1.5 inches in height across the door’s path and press the button to close the door. The door should reverse upon sensing the object.

If your garage door opener fails these safety tests, it may be an ideal time to reach out to a Garage door professional.

• Keep your garage door in tip-top shape. Garage doors, much like cars and other machines, require maintenance in order to run their best. You can keep your garage door running safely and smoothly by making sure all the moving parts are clean and lubricated especially hinges and rollers.

• Find the right balance. Ensuring your garage door is properly balanced will lead to safer use. To check the balance, close the door and pull the opener release mechanism, allowing you to maneuver the door by hand. A properly balanced door should lift with minimal effort and stay open 3 to 4 feet above the floor.

Garage Door Not Closing??

We hear this question/comment a lot: "Our garage door opener was working fine, but all of a sudden we have to hold the wall button down to get the door to close. How do we get the door opener to start working again?


This is often a photo eye issue. The photo- eye safety beams may be blocked, misaligned, or malfunctioning.

Start by moving any objects that may be interfering with the signal and verify that the photo-cell LED lights are illuminated as per the manufacturer's instructions. If one or both lights are on but blinking, try realigning them till the blinking stops.  Note: photo-cells can not be permanently removed from garage door openers that were built after 1973. If the infrared beams are not blocked and the photo-cells are aligned, it's time to call a pro. Contact your local garage door opener repairman to diagnose and repair the problem.

You will not be able to close the door with the remote control transmitter until the photo-cells are in proper working order.

Garage Door Opener not working Properly??

When you garage door opener is not functioning properly, start by checking the basics. First, check to be sure the wall console is not locked or in vacation mode. Then, check that the photo eyes/sensors are in place and working properly. If the red lights are flashing, they are either out of alignment or damaged and need adjustment or replacement. Finally, take time to double check the garage door for a possible broken spring. If the spring is broken and the door is in open position; call a garage door professional immediately. Do not attempt to close the door and do not walk under it.