Benefits of an Automatic Garage Door Opener

You pull up to your garage, stop, and sigh. It’s raining, the dog’s trying to jump out of the car, and you can’t remember if you locked the garage door. If you did, you’re going to get soaked while fumbling with keys. If you didn’t, you hope the thieves didn’t notice and let themselves in. You’ll put extra wear and tear on the engine turning it off and turning it on again. Hopefully, your shoulder holds up while you lift the door.

Enter the automatic garage door opener. Press the button on the remote, let the door open, and pull right in. No keys, no hassle, no rain. But it’s more than just convenient. It provides safety, security, and peace of mind. Read on to discover why an automatic garage door opener is more than just a luxury option.

Keeping You Safe and Secure

There are several ways your garage door opener will keep you and your things safe. First, you don’t have the physical strain of opening and closing it. Second, there’s no danger of it accidentally crashing down on children or pets. Plus, built-in safety features like photoelectric eyes keep the door from closing if there’s something in the way.

Built-in security starts with lighting. Most openers light up when activated – no more fumbling in the dark. They also ensure that without the remote, nobody else can gain access to your garage. The automatic garage door opener can also be set to stay closed if you’re going to be away. If you’re forgetful, some models close on a timer.

Easy on the Wallet

Automatic garage door openers range in price to suit any budget and have a long life, so over the long run, they’re an inexpensive investment. After the initial installation, they use very little energy and can even run on solar power. The small cost can be a big boost if you’re selling. Buyers like to see convenient features that will make their lives easier. Shouldn’t you make your life easier, too?

Improve Your Life with an Automatic Garage Door Opener

Automating a physically demanding task like opening the garage door provides convenience. It’s the same convenience as automating simple tasks like programming a thermostat or setting a delay cycle on your dishwasher. Only with the automatic garage door opener, you’re also taking a significant step in improving the safety of your family and your possessions.

The Garage Door Doctor team will help you pick out the best automatic garage door opener for your needs. Call us today at (281) 855-9300 and let your door opener start doing some of the heavy lifting at your house.

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How it Works: Parts of a Garage Door

When something goes wrong with your garage door, it’s stressful. Whether it is stuck or sounding strange, it’s hard to know what to do.

Without understanding the essential parts of a garage door, you may not be sure if your door poses an immediate danger or simply needs routine service. One failing part could damage another, leading to costly replacements. Here’s a quick list of the essential parts, what they do, and what you should look for.

The Garage Door

For the garage door to fold up along the tracks and into the ceiling, it will be designed with section joints. These are separate panels that seal tightly when the door is closed but fold when the door is opened, allowing for a transition up and down. They should fold smoothly and without sticking or bumping.

The Track System

The parts of the garage door doing the heavy lifting make up the track system. It should be sturdy, straight, and free of twists. Each track consists of these basic elements:

Two bottom brackets at the lower door corners, housing the rollers. These attach to cables, letting the door slide up and down. The brackets should be stable, and the rollers should slide freely.

At the top, you’ll find the cable drum. This winds the cables when the door opens. The cables should never look frayed or split, and everything should move easily.

The cable drum is attached to the torsion spring, which is mounted above the door. If space is tight, you may find extension springs. They’ll be found above the hanger track.

The hanger track secures to the wall and runs back along the ceiling until it reaches the rear hanger track. The hanger track creates a secure way for the rollers to bring the door up and down. It shouldn’t look bowed or bent.

The rear hanger track attaches to the ceiling and stops the door’s motion. This is a strong piece, and once attached, it shouldn’t ever appear loose.

Extra Parts of a Garage Door

One of the most popular extras for convenience and safety, automatic garage door openers replace the need to lift the door. For safety, they have photoelectric sensors, stopping the door if something is near it. Remote controls let you open and close the door without leaving your vehicle. The opener will make noise, but it shouldn’t grind or stall.

If you are inexperienced with garage door repair, any repair job can be a dangerous one. Never try to repair the door yourself, especially springs and cables. If one breaks, don’t try to move the door, and never touch the springs. Garage Door Doctor can fix it quickly, safely, and eliminate your worries. Call today at (281) 855-9300.

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Should You Repair or Replace Your Garage Door?

In many cases, a garage door can be repaired back to perfect working order quite affordably and very quickly. There are times, however, when it’s best to replace your garage door. How do you know when to repair and when to replace? Let’s take a look.

Common Garage Door Repairs

Garage doors usually need repairs every so often as they are mechanical and it’s natural that mechanical, moving parts wear out or become damaged. Common repairs include:

• Replacing torsion/extension springs, hinges, brackets, rollers, or cables
• Repairing a bent or damaged track
• Correcting doors that are off track or crooked
• Repairing or replacing garage door openers
• Replacing weather strips or seals
• Regular tune-ups or maintenance

Reasons to Replace Your Garage Door

If the repairs are more intensive or costly then it may be time to replace your garage door. You should consider the following factors when deciding whether it’s time to repair or replace.

Severe Damage

Garage doors can be damaged by the weather, vehicle accidents, rust, and a whole list of other things. If the damage is severe, it may be impossible to repair.

Repaired Often

It may be time to replace your garage door if it needs to be repaired frequently. This could be the same repair, such as fixing the track or rollers, or perhaps there’s just always something new that needs to be fixed. By replacing it with a new door, you can prevent the need for numerous, costly repairs.

No Safety Features

New safety features are an excellent reason to replace your garage door, especially if you have young children in the home. Using motion detection, the door can stop or even reverse motion if something is below or passes in front of the door as it’s closing. This can prevent unnecessary injuries.

Not Energy Efficient

New garage doors and garage door openers are much more energy-efficient than ones even just a few years old. If your system is older and facing repairs anyway, it could be time for an upgrade.

The Age of the Door

As a garage door ages, it will naturally need more repairs. If it is getting older and has needed repairs lately, you can replace your garage door and avoid the need for future repairs due to mechanical failure.

More Cost-Effective

If the cost of the necessary repairs is higher than replacing the door, it makes more sense to choose a new one. Even if the repairs aren’t more than a new door, but are still quite high, the benefits of replacing it could outweigh paying for the repairs.

Call the Garage Door Doctor at (281) 855-9300 or (281) 578-7659 for fast garage door repair service. We can let you know the repair costs as well as the costs of replacing the door so you can make the most informed choice.

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Types of Garage Door Openers: Choosing the Right One

Many homeowners don’t realize that there are a few different types of garage door openers. Depending on the size and weight of the door, the space available in the garage, and your budget, you have several to choose from. Keep reading to learn more about each type and its benefits.

Chain Drive

A chain drive is one of the most common types of garage door openers. It is also the most affordable and very dependable which makes it a popular choice among homeowners. The metal chain and gear are reliable even for heavy doors but they can be noisy.

Belt Drive

Belt drive openers have a similar mechanical function to chain drives which makes them just as reliable but a belt drive is much quieter. These openers are a bit more expensive but with the added benefit of less noise, they can be less disruptive if the door is opened at night when the family might be sleeping.

Screw Drive

Screw drive garage door openers are quiet and fast but best for lightweight or single-car garage doors. The screw and gears can wear down quickly with heavier doors and constant use. You’ll also need to make sure you lubricate the gears and screw regularly to prevent premature wear. These are also recommended for homes that have separate one-car sized garage doors for a larger garage space.

Wall Mount

Wall-mounted garage door openers are also called jackshaft or direct drive openers. These are ideal when there is little space for a traditional, overhead garage door opener. They use a system of pulleys and cables to effectively raise and lower the door. Wall-mounted openers are dependable and some of the quietest openers available. Depending on your needs, they may be similar in price to a belt drive option so if you’re upgrading, be sure to consider a wall mount as well.

Smart Garage Door Openers

These days, technology is everywhere, and it’s even reached your garage door. New smart systems can alert you if your garage door has been left open, let you open and close it from your smartphone, and even connect it to the rest of your smart home upgrades via your hub. Smart garage door openers sometimes come with optional add-ons like carbon-monoxide sensors or a parking-assist feature.

If you are replacing your garage door opener, thinking of upgrading it, or installing one for the first time, you should consider all your options. Call or text the Garage Door Doctor today at (281) 855-9300 or (281) 578-7659 to schedule an appointment.

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Why Should You Call In A Garage Door Repair Specialist?

In today’s world, it’s quite common that you can do a lot of home renovation work yourself. But when it comes to technical jobs such as repairing a garage door; we recommend you call in the experts at this work.

Here are some reasons why you should call in professionals to repair your garage door.

Safety Is Primary

If you look at a wooden garage door, you will see it is quite heavy in size depending on the year it was manufactures and the type of wood used in it. On the other hand, if you see a double garage door, it would be heavier. And the chances are that it may weigh more if you have not regularly maintained it. Did you know that your garage door is one of the heaviest single-piece components of your home? There are hundreds of people reported to have been severely injured when trying to repair their garage doors independently.

But when a garage door repair specialist arrives for a consultation, they are experienced enough to determine the garage door’s condition and dangers associated with its repairs.

You May Not Have The Appropriate Experience

The chances are that you might not have complete knowledge of how a garage door operates. How do all the hardware components interact with one another and function together? And how can you move the door if required to move? If you do not know, then why would you take the risk and put yourself under stress. Instead, put back your toolbox into your garage store, pick up your phone and call Garage Door Doctor to ensure the work is fine correctly.

A garage door expert has become an expert in this field by doing hundreds of installations in the last several years. They know the tricks and secrets to ensure they are able to complete all the installation and repair work no matter the difficult conditions and locations.

To begin with, here are the first two reasons for this month. We will be sharing more reasons in our next blog.

So What Are You Wating For?

If your garage door needs repair and you don’t have any garage door repair experience, we suggest calling Garage Door Doctor. Our team of experts has enough experience to determine the condition and work required on your garage door. Call us now at 281-855-9300.

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Is Your Garage Door Opener Beeping?

If you have a premium garage door opener installed in your garage; it’ll have a battery backup and the capability to connect with Wi-Fi. The purpose of this is to alert you by making a beeping sound. The beep is to inform you that a step you are performing is complete or an issue with the device. The number of beeps depends on the type of task you perform on the garage door and the type of garage you have installed.

The garage door opener is beeping every 2 seconds.

• If you hear a beep every two minutes, this indicates that the unit has lost power and has shifted to backup battery power. The battery LED will display a solid orange color.
• You need to ensure the power at home is quickly restored. Once the power is back up, and if the orange light is still lit, then test the electrical outlet where the unit is connected. You can plug in another device in the same outlet to check if there is power coming into the outlet. If there is something wrong with the outlet, you will have to call in an electrician to see it.

The garage door opener is beeping every 30 seconds.

• If there is an orange light flashing, this is an indicator that the battery is low.
• Check the electrical outlet by plugging in a different device. If the power is up, and the LED has not changed from orange to green, you will have to replace the batteries.
• But if the LED displays a solid red color, this indicates that the battery is entirely out of power and you cannot recharge it. Hence you will have to replace the batter.

Keep a note that you can stop the beeping until you have replaced the battery. You can unplug the unit from the electrical outlet and remove the battery. Once the battery is out, you can plug the unit back into the electrical outlet, and you will notice that the beeping will stop. If this sounds like a difficult task, you can always call us, Garage Door Doctor. Our experts will visit your location and do the needful. Call us now at 281-855-9300 or 281-578-7659.

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Did You Know How To Clean Your Garage Door?

You need to make sure you regularly clean your garage door because it faces continuous exposure to is continuously exposed to the sunlight and weather. A well maintained doesn’t only look good, but it also increased your property’s value as it’s one of the significant parts of the exterior of your home.

Just in case if you didn’t know, every garage door comes with a warranty, but the warranty can be voided if your garage door is not maintained and cleaned regularly. Due to the build-up of oil and dirt particles, your garage door can have some sorts of mechanical breakdowns that may not be covered under warranty.

When Should You Clean Your Garage Door?

You should clean your garage door at least twice a year, ideally in spring and then in autumn. But if you live in a coastal region where your home faces exposure to more extreme conditions, you should have it cleaned more often. If there a build-up of pollen, oil, or any visible dust or dirt on your door, make sure you clean it as soon as you can.

What Tools Would You Require While Cleaning Your Garage Door?

• Bucket of water
• A water hose
• A soft piece of cloth
• Some soap

Make sure you wear your gloves to keep your hands safe from dirt and debris and wear clothes that can be easily washed.

What Are Some Ways To Clean Your Garage Door?

• Start with mixing soap with water.
• Then wet the surface of the door with the water hose.
• Begin scrubbing the door with soapy water but keep your hands gentle. You do not want to damage the garage door.
• Once you have soaped the door, use the hose to rinse off the soap.
• Finally, wipe off all the water with another piece of cloth.

You can use diluted bleach and water to remove Oil stains. But ensure to wear gloves as mixing bleach with household cleaners is dangerous adn can damage your hands.

What If Your Garage Door Has Windows?

You can clean the garage door windows the same way you clean your home windows. Just spray a window cleaner and wipe it with a cloth. Just make sure you do not remove and seals or weather stripping.

What Should You Not Do When Clean Your Garage Door?

Here are some things you should avoid as it can damage your garage door:

• Never use a pressure washer.
• Do not mix the cleaner with bleach.
• Avoid using scouring products as it can damage the finish of your garage door.

Is It Time For A Repair?

It would be best if you regularly clean your garage door to keep it in perfect working condition. But it would be best if you always have professionals check it to make sure you can use it for a long time. If you want to have your used garage door inspected, call the Garage Door Doctor, and our team of experts will visit you for a detailed inspection. Call us at 281-855-9300.

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