5 Things to Look at When Your Garage Door Won’t Go Down

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When garage doors go up but they don’t come back down again, there is usually a reason. Today, I am going to share with you the five things to consider looking at when this issue happens with your garage door.

Major Safety Sensors Not Lining Up

On most garage doors there are safety sensors designed to detect any obstruction between each on both sides of the garage door and automatically prevent the door from closing. When there is something in between each of these sensors, or if there is a problem with the way they are operating, your door may not close. Check to see if the red light is solid or whether it is a flashing light. Flashing lights indicate the sensors on either side do not line up.

LIftmaster Safety Sensors Misaligned

The second type of safety sensor that is in place with most garage doors is a LIftmaster sensor. Similar to the major safety sensors, they need to line up. When you examine each of these units, make sure the green light is lit properly.

Faulty Wiring in Sensors

A common concern that arises in safety sensors is wiring that has lost its integrity or connection over time. This can happen during installation if a staple might have pierced the wire partially, or if the connection points have suffered corrosion and need to be cleaned, serviced and redone.

Motor Head Wiring Overstretched

After time, the wires on your garage door opener’s motor head can become stretched out and even removed from terminals. Depending on the style of garage door opener you have, you will need to remove the cover to check the wire connections. If something is loose or corroded, you will need to call for service.

Garage Door Sensor Brackets Not Mounted Correctly

Sometimes garage door brackets are mounted on wood while other times they are mounted directly onto steel. Depending on they type of door you have, you will either see brackets mounted to wood or snapped and fit onto the steel rail. If the sensors are not mounted correctly you can experience issues with garage door operation.

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As always, we are here for you and look forward to serving all your needs to make sure your garage door stays in safe and operating condition! Call us today at 855 295 3667.

How to Lubricate Your Garage Door and Screw Drive Motor

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It only makes sense to make the most of what we have and try to keep it as well maintained as possible. This holds especially true with a major component of your home. That’s why one of the things we do at the Garage Door Place is to help our clients know and understand how to keep up their doors so that they run into little or no problems in the future.

There are four components to be concerned with when lubricating your garage door and they are as follows:

Motor Rail

The best type of grease to use in these areas is the thicker variety. Using a thinner lubricant like WD40 is counterproductive for motor rails as they end up making the rails even louder. The best way to handle this portion of your garage door is to lubricate the rails while the motor is running. Feeding grease in the track will significantly reduce the chatter in the garage door’s screw driven motor rail.

Door Springs

The thinner variety of lubricant works well on door springs – so we prefer using something like WD40 or a silicone. Just spray a little bit of the grease in the moving parts for optimum results. (This is demonstrated in the video).

Door Hinges

Thin lubricants work well for door hinges too. The thing to be concerned with here is not to overdo the lubrication. Too much can leave a film on hinges, leading to more noise than in the first place. The ideal method with which to apply WD40 or silicone is when the door is up and also when down. When the door is up, there is a small gap between the header and garage door that can be lubricated by getting in between and lightly spraying grease. This is a useful area to work on since the coil is twisted and tends to have a build-up of dirt over time.

Bearings

Keep in mind that the ideal goal is to lubricate any areas where there is metal on metal and moving parts. Going right up behind the garage door lid when the entire door is raised you will have access to the bearings which also need lubrication. You will also notice plastic bushings in some cases that run along the door track on each side.

To avoid racket noises in garage doors, you can lubricate the garage door roller that fits in the shaft with some heavy duty grease to keep the rattle down to a minimum. The rattle occurs when the rollers don’t fit exactly right.  The ideal type of lubricant to use is mechanics grease if you can get it in a clear color. This is typically available in blue or red so try to use it sparingly. It is important to lubricate all rollers since they these are a source of a lot of noise.

A very important thing is not to grease the track along each side of the garage door. A dirty track will only hinder the rollers from properly functioning, could possibly lead to them coming off the track or at least making lots of noise. Lightly spray some brake parts cleaner or WD40 and then wipe off with a clean cloth.

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As always, we are the professionals right here to help you through this or any other of your garage door needs. We invite you to visit our website at www.gdoorgle.com or email us at garagedoorplace@gmail.com.

5 Basic Measurements You’ll Need to Get an Accurate Estimate for a New Garage Door

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Are you in the market for a new garage door? If you’re like most homeowners, chances are you hardly have the time to stop and go into the store to get basic information about buying a new garage door, let alone take the measurements for one! That’s why to make it easy for you, today I have shared the five basic measurements you will need on hand when you call us to get an estimate.

Keep in mind that just like anything else that requires specific measurements, it is important to be as accurate as possible. In fact, to ensure total accuracy we encourage you to provide measurements in both feet and inches.

Floor to Ceiling Height

Many people think that the only measurement that matters when installing a new garage door is the size of the door itself. The truth is that since we need to install additional hardware and motor assemblies, we need the height of the opening space from floor to ceiling. Typically we see 7-foot doors and for those we need at least 8 feet of space in order to successfully install a new garage door.

Garage Front to Back

The next area we need measured to determine the type of door and costs at hand is the length of your garage from front to back. Though the typical consumer may think the only measurement needed is the amount of space required to house the garage door as it is opened and harnessed above in the tracking hardware – we actually need much more space than that. When you factor in the motor and additional hardware, we need at least 11 feet of space from front to back of the garage.

Side Room Space

The third measurement we will need is the space that is between the very edge of the door opening to the side where the next wall meets at the corner. As long as you have at least 4 inches of space between the opening and the edge of the wall, a garage door can safely be installed. Keep in mind that we need the additional space to be able to install tracking for the new door.

Door Panel Size

Probably the most commonly known measurement needed for a new garage door assembly is the door itself. You will need to accurately measure the width of the door. Keep in mind that this is a good measurement to take in both feet and inches for the most accuracy.

Opening Height and Width

Finally, the last measurement you will need to provide us to get an accurate estimate over the phone (or in person) is the height and width of the garage door opening. This measurement must be taken from the outside of the garage.

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For more information about our services, types of garage doors we offer, helpful tips, information and more – please visit our website at www.gdoorgle.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Tips for Buying a Garage Door

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Garage doors don’t have a short lifespan. That’s why when you buy one you want to be absolutely certain you have picked the right one. Most people never even have to buy one; they last so long. So if you are in the market for a new garage door – what aspects should you consider? And how do you know which features are important? Here are my tips on how to choose a door to suit your needs and things you need to know before you set out to get a new one.

Budget

Like virtually everything else in the home improvement marketplace, there are varying levels of quality, construction and features in garage doors and that translate to varying price ranges. It is important to know ahead of time what your budget will be since they can cost anywhere from $500 to $1500 or more, depending on the quality and features chosen. Some aspects that impact price include materials used in construction, whether or not there are windows, the type of door opener, level of quietness and the door type.

Insulation

Before you determine what type of insulation you want in your new garage door, it is a good idea to check your garage’s insulation level. Is the garage already insulated? Do you have an attached garage or a detached garage? If you do, by installing an insulated garage door it will help keep your home cool in the summers and warm in the winters. You can do this by using a Styrofoam insulation, which is soft and has a vinyl backing to it. Another option is to purchase a door with insulation that has a steel-backed side to it. Not only does this keep in airflow but it also gives a lot of extra strength to the door.

Windows

Windows in a garage add character to a home and also increase the amount of light in a garage. If you do choose to get a door with windows in it, it’s a good idea to think about the added cost versus the amount of use you will get out of the enhanced garage door design. If your garage is in the back alleyway you may not want to install windows however if the home is facing the front of a street you may want to install a garage door with windows in it to improve the overall look of your home.

Security

There are multiple options in terms of security for garage doors, including the choice of several locks such as an inside lock or one that functions on the outside. Many people find the outside lock is the least security-conscious approach so they opt for the third and most common type of security mechanism – a garage door opener. One tip is to avoid a lock that is operated from a motor located outside the home since they can be hacked into causing security concerns. A solution is to install a wireless keypad using a pin to operate the door.

Size

Many homeowners neglect to realize that doors for garages come in several sizes, shapes and functions. A typical clearance is about 8 feet from the ground up and of course when you request an estimate the company will measure everything. One thing to consider is the type of door needed because sizing will change accordingly. For instance, the standard sectional doors are usually standard across the board however flip-up styles may vary and would need precise measurements.

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If you would like further tips on this or any other garage door related concerns – please contact us today for a customized consultation on how we can serve your needs and help to achieve them!