Garage Doors for Every Taste

February 25, 2010

Prepare Your Home and Family for Power Outages

A recent study conducted by Zoomerang found that 93 percent of homeowners reported having experienced a power outage this year alone, with some outages lasting hours or even days. Every family should prepare an emergency kit for storms and power outages and keep it in a central location. The kit should include:
• Flashlights, extra batteries, matches and candles
• A battery-operated weather radio
• A fully charged cell phone battery
• First aid supplies
• Bottled water and nonperishable packaged or canned foods and snacks
• Blankets, towels and pillows

Don’t Forget the Garage
Today, more than half of homeowners (55 percent) use the garage door as the primary entrance to their home, relying on an automatic garage door opener to gain access. However, during a power outage, homeowners are faced with having to manually lift the garage door, creating security, safety and convenience concerns. Make sure you have backup options when the power goes out.
• Know how to manually open and close your garage door during a power failure. Test your ability to ensure you can physically lift your garage door, your home’s heaviest and largest moving object.
• To avoid being blocked from entering and exiting your garage during an outage, check out a garage door opener with a battery backup system that continues to supply power to open and close your garage door for up to two days when the power has failed. These are available on selected Chamberlain and professionally installed LiftMaster garage door openers.

Precision Garage Door Service can provide you professional guidance for all your Garage Door needs.

February 22, 2010

A Good Garage Door Needs A Good Opener

Nowadays, most people think of their garage door and opener as a single item. In reality, they are two separate pieces of equipment integrated into a smooth running door system. Most garage door companies not only sell new garage doors but provide openers as well. For example, Precision Garage Door is one of these companies- providing a complete slate of services to home owners.

Many people are careful when purchasing a garage door but fail to pay attention to the importance of the door opener. Remember, the garage door is now the most used entry door to most homes and must work smoothly and safely.

There are, fundamentally three categories of openers. The first one is the conventional chain drive opener – these are reliable and affordable – the second is reliable and much quieter Belt drive opener. Finally is the screw-drive opener – while more expensive, these require less maintenance. All automatic openers can be equipped with remote control access and locking. Now that you know the basic types of openers that are available you need to finalize the one you wish to buy for your garage door system. What are you looking for: affordability - quiet operations or low maintenance?

Precision Garage Door Service specializes in garage door repair, service, sales and installation of garage doors and openers in Western Washington.

February 17, 2010

Factors to consider when selecting a new garage door

Here are some things to consider when selecting a new garage door:
• Budget. Like everything, budget dictates options. Garage doors range in price from a few hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the size, materials and design you choose. Even if you have a small budget you can still get a great looking door that is going to enhance the look of the house.

• Design. Think of the garage as an extension of the home's theme, not an afterthought. Let the home's architectural style, the shape and size of the windows and entry doors, and exterior design details influence the design of the garage door.
It's a good idea to review Web sites to get a sense of the options available. Many companies offer on-line door design software, which can make the selection process easier.

• Insulation. Doors can be insulated or non-insulated. If the garage is attached to the house you'll want an insulated door. This will help reduce utility bills - a popular selling point with prospective buyers. If you live in a mild climate or have a detached garage that will only be used to park the car, you can opt for a less expensive, non-insulated door.

• Upkeep. Maintenance is another consideration. Steel doors are very durable and virtually maintenance-free, but some people prefer the warmth and character of wood and the limitless design options. Depending on the climate and exposure, wood doors will need to be painted or stained every few years.

February 16, 2010

Choosing The Right Garage Doors

When you are choosing garage doors for your home remember that they are not just functional; you want them to blend in with the rest of your property and to look nice. After all, they are something that is an important addition to your home and are going to be very noticeable.

Like most things that you buy, there are different garage doors to suit every budget and taste. You can start off from a basic selection all the way up to custom made solutions. There is, in fact, a far larger range than you would ever have imagined. There are models to fit all kinds of different properties and any professional garage door company will be able to help you narrow your choices to those most suitable for you. The garage doors that you decide on having will need to be practical for the type of property that you own. For example, if your home only has a short driveway then a good choice would be a sectional door. These are very well designed because they make such good use of space. Because they open vertically you will also have the maximum amount of room to get your vehicle in and out of the garage.

If you are looking for something that will highlight your home, you should consider wood doors. They are stunning to look at and are incredibly sturdy as well. You will find that they are available in a wide variety of styles and woods.

When it comes to finding a professional garage door supplier, the best place for you to look is on the internet. There are many companies to choose from and they should all be able to offer you a great selection of designs. Many of these firms will have had many years of experience with these products and if you feel that you could use some advice on which design is the best for your property, then they will be more than happy to help you.

February 15, 2010

Garage Doors and Energy Consumption

Having a garage door with proper insulation will definitively cut down on your total household energy usage as long as the garage is actually attached to the house itself with a shared wall or roof, or if the garage is used as a living or working space.

In fact, garage doors have such an impact on energy consumption in such homes that the IRS has officially labeled certain models as being subject to an ‘energy savings’ tax credit. Because of the energy tax incentives act of 2006, anyone planning to install a garage door that meets the criteria is eligible to receive up to $1500 from the federal government.
Homeowners wishing to take advantage of this benefit should get in touch with their garage door installation dealer in order to get certification from the manufacturer that the door meets the government criteria.

The best, most reliably efficient insulated garage doors feature three layers- one of CFC-free, environmentally-safe polystyrene, which is bonded to the two outer layers of sturdy, rust-resistant steel. This is not, however, the only type of door that will be eligible for the tax credit.

The three-layer model also cuts down on the noise a garage door opener will produce in opening it, and will be more highly resistant to the nicks and dings of daily life. These doors also have an exceptional lifespan.

Do not just jump at the lowest priced service company. Spend a little time finding one that is the best mix of quality, value, price and also has a good reputation. You can find a garage door repair company that is both reputable and will not empty your wallet.

Garage Door Repair Will Keep Your Doors Working

Most of us have garage doors. But we usually do not think about them much until they need repairing. That is the time that you normally start looking for a garage door repair professional.

The truth is, you will be a lot better off if you do not wait until the doors stop working to call a service company. There is regular maintenance that the company can do to help keep your doors from breaking down. At these appointments, the service person will inspect the doors thoroughly and look for any possible problems.

Garage doors are pretty simple devices. They operate through the use of springs and a low power motor to guide the open and closing of the door. Simple as they seem, it is still best to call in a professional when they are not working.

Garage door springs hold a lot of tension. For this reason, it is best and safer to have a professional do the replacement. These are the parts that most frequently wear out. If you are noticing that your doors are beginning to open and close more slowly, chances are the springs will need to be replaced soon.

If you cannot get the door open at all, it is possible that the remote control is the problem. If you cannot see any other problems, try replacing the remote batteries before you call in professional help.

Another potential problem is misalignment of the doors on their tracks. During regular maintenance appointments, your service person will inspect the tracks, as well as ensuring they are properly lubricated. He will look for any loose screws as well as areas that seem like they could cause trouble. An example of this is an area of the track that is becoming misshapen due to constant scraping while vehicles are backed out.

Go ahead and schedule an appointment for maintenance before the door actually breaks down. You can check via the Better Business Bureau or services like Service Magic if you do not have any personal referrals. By finding a company to perform regular maintenance and inspection, you will have someone you know to call when there is an actual problem.

Precision Garage Door Service specializes in garage door repair, service, sales and installation of garage doors and openers.
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