FAQ
If you are going to add windows to your garage door, we recommend you only install them on the highest panel possible. It is best to have higher windows than lower styles. Also, consider adding a frosted tint to the windows or put up curtains to keep people from seeing in.
The wooden piece surrounding the garage door on the inside of the garage door.
There are some parts of your garage door that you can easily fix yourself such as re-programming your opener, re-aligning the safety eye sensors, and tightening hardware to name a few. Other repairs are more complicated and should be done by a professional.
While you can find tutorial on how to fix many parts of your garage door, you need to consider that the equipment is heavy. Also, parts like the springs and cables are under tension. If you break that tension, it can cause damage to your property or harm to you.
You should not attempt to make a complicated repair unless you have experience with garage doors.
Yes, you can get a custom door made for your garage. Each manufacturer on the market offers a wide selection of custom features that include size, material, style, color, insulation, windows, and hardware. It can take anywhere from 3-4 weeks for a custom door to be manufactured. Standard doors can ship within a few days.
Yes. You can have windows installed on your garage door either during the manufacturing process or afterwards. A garage door technician can cut the necessary holes in the panels to install the windows you choose.
Yes. You can paint a garage door depending on the material. It is not recommended that you paint vinyl material. If you have wood, steel, or a type of metal, you can paint it with a weather resistant paint.
Before painting your door, you need to clean it with a mild soap. Tape off the doorway to keep overspray from getting on the wood. Prime it with a spray paint primer or use a roller. Allow the door to dry for 24 hours before you put the color on it.
Generally speaking, you should be able to use your old opener if you have a new door installed. The reason you would need to make a change is if your new door is much heavier than your opener can support. If you are having a residential door installed that is comparable to the one you are removing, this should not be a problem.
If your opener is old or wearing out, you may consider installing a new system when you have your door upgraded. A newer unit paired with a new door can provide you with a very quiet operation.
There are 3 main types of openers: chain, screw, and belt drive. Each offer different benefits to you.
Belt Drives- these systems use a rubber belt to lower and raise the door. These openers offer the quietest operation. If you have an attached garage, this is the best choice for you.
Screw Drives- this type of system uses a threaded rod mechanism. As the screw rotates, it moves the trolley up and down the tracks. It requires lubrication two times a year in order to keep it functioning well. These are not the best choice for heavy garage doors, because the weight of the door can wear it out.
Chain Drives- a chain is looped around a rail similar to a bike chain. When the chain moves, it causes the trolley to move up and down the track.
In order for your garage door to function properly, you need the door to be properly balanced. When it is unbalanced, it will cause additional strain on your opener and potentially cause damage to rollers, tracks, and springs.
There are a few ways to know if it is unbalanced. When it is opening or closing, look at the door. You may be able to see that it is not straight. Another thing to consider is how long it is taking to open or close. If it seems to be slowing down, then it could be due to being unbalanced.
An unbalanced door often makes more noise when it is operating. This is due to the weight of the door straining the opener.
There are two limit switches on your garage door opener. One is the up limit switch and the other is the down limit switch. The down limit switch tells the garage door how far to go before it closes. The up limit switch tells the garage door how far to open.
Generally, the limit switches are located either on the side of the opener or under the light cover. Both switches should be clearly marked showing you if they control the up or down position of the garage door.
When you adjust the limit switch, you need to do it a little at a time. Turning even halfway can be the equivalent of a few inches. Turn the switch a small amount and then check the door to see how much further you need to go.
There are three main elements to consider when choosing the right garage door for your home. These elements include style, material, and installation.
Since you can have a door customized for your home, the style options are endless. Generally, there are three categories with hundreds of designs available in each one. There are traditional, carriage, and modern doors that you can select from.
Each design comes in a variety of materials that include wood, composite, metal, aluminum, fiberglass, and vinyl.
Most manufacturers have an online product registration form where you will register your part. When the part malfunctions, you will need to get in touch with the customer service department for the manufacturer for details on how to get it replaced.
If you call out a professional garage door company, they can handle the replacement for you. A professional garage door technician will go over the warranty information and help you understand what is covered.
The best way to clean any garage door is to use a soft cloth and wash by hand. Do not use a pressure washer to clean the surface. Power washers and abrasive scrubbers will damage the surface of your door.
Use a mild soap like dish detergent and a sponge to wipe down your door. You can use a hose to wash off the suds. Be careful to not get water inside your garage. If your door is not sealed all the way, you can spray water directly in your home.
Wood surfaces, in general, require you so use a mild soap. You will not want to use a harsh abrasive cleaner or scrub pad. Mix a few gallons of water with dish soap and use a soft cloth to wipe down your door. You can also use a sponge to get into the corners of your panels.
Make sure you wipe off the soap using a hose or a clean cloth. Allow the surface of the wood to dry naturally.
Some amount of noise is expected when your garage door is operation. However, if it is very noisy, there are things you can do to reduce the sound.
Tighten the bolts on every panel to keep them from clanking together when it is opening or closing. Be sure that you don’t over-tighten the bolts, because it can cause you to strip the heads.
Look at the rollers to determine if they are worn out. If you have metal rollers, consider changing to nylon, because they are quieter. Nylon rollers don’t need the same care as metal rollers.
Spray the hinges with a grease based lubricant to allow them to move more freely. You should also consider spraying the rollers and tracks. This is part of general maintenance that can be done on a yearly basis.
Install a quieter garage door opener. Belt drive openers offer a quieter function over chain or screw drive. If you have a belt drive, then you may want to add an anti-vibration pad to keep it from moving around during operation. The pad can be placed between the ceiling and the mounting bracket of the opener.
The width is measured in the middle of the door from one side or another. Measure on the inside of the garage so you can get the true width. To measure the height, put your tape measure on the floor and go to the top of the door. Find a level spot on the floor to measure from.
You will need to know how much room there is between the garage door tracks and the garage wall. A standard garage door needs 3.75 inches on both sides of the vertical tracks to operate.
The last measurement you need is to determine how much headroom you need. Measure from the top of the garage door to the first obstruction that the garage door must clear. A standard door needs 11-12 inches of headroom for clearance.
When your power goes out, your garage door will not work if you do not have a battery backup. If you do have a battery backup system, it will open and close as usual. However, if you do not have a battery backup system, you will need to open your door manually.
To manually open your garage door, you must disconnect the door from the opener. In order to do that, pull the emergency release cord. There is usually a red handle or ball that hangs from a string that is connected to the trolley. When you pull the cord, it release the trolley from the door.
After the door is disconnected from the opener, you can manually lift the door. It is important to note that your door is a heavy piece of equipment. You may not have the strength to open your door without the automatic opener. We recommend that you have an opener with a battery backup installed.
To program your remote, you will need to find the “learn” or “smart” button on the opener itself. Sometimes it is located under the light cover. Other times it is on the back of the opener. It is usually red, yellow, or purple.
Hold the learn button down for 30 seconds or until the indicator light stays on. Once the light stays on, push the button on your remote. Hold the button down until the indicator light starts to blink.
To program a keypad, you will press the learn button and hold it until the indicator light stays lit for 30 seconds. Then you need to enter the 4 digit code into the keypad. Once you have inputted your code, hit the enter button and hold it. Release the button as soon as the light on the opener starts to blink.
In general, a garage door torsion spring will last between 7-9 years. This average is based off of how many cycles the door uses in a day. A cycle is when the door opens and then closes. A garage door that has 4 cycles a day will generally last that long.
If you have a higher use door, it will decrease the time the springs are able to last. A door that goes through 20,000 cycles a year may last between 4-6 years.
It is not usual for a torsion spring to break in less than a year. It can happen, but is not the norm.
In general, garage door openers last anywhere from 10-15 years. One of the key factors in how long your opener lasts depends on the amount of maintenance you provide it. You must lubricate the moving parts in order to increase its lifespan.
Other things that will help your opener last longer is to make sure the door is properly balanced. When the door gets off balance, it can cause additional strain on the opener. The same is true if your rollers wear out and pull on side.
There is a large price range for new garage doors. Depending on the materials you use and design you choose, you can pay anywhere from $700-$2,500 for your new door. This price also includes the labor and delivery fee for the door.
It is recommended that you have a professional company install the new door. Putting one together requires skill. If you do not install it the right way, you can cause excessive pull on your opener and damage to the tracks.
When a professional company installs a new garage door, they will balance it. Balancing the equipment is important. When it is not balanced, it can wear out the rollers and cause the tracks to become bent. A poor installation will mean more repairs down the road.
We recommend that you have a professional garage door technician come out and service your garage door once a year. If you own a business and have a high use door, you will need service more often than that. The technician will help you determine how often you need service based off of your use.
During the service call, the technician will look over all of your equipment. They tighten up the screws and bolts that come loose during regular use. Also, they use lubrication on the mechanical parts of the system to keep the door running smoothly.
When you call a professional garage door technician to service your door, they will lubricate it at that point. However, you should consider applying lubrication every 6 months. If you notice the door making loud noises during operation or struggling to roll along the tracks, you need to add lubricant.
Insulation helps to regulate the temperature inside of your garage. This is important for two main reasons. For one, if you store things in your garage, regulated temperatures are needed. The other reason is to reduce energy costs inside your home. If you have an attached garage, greater insulation can make a difference for your electric bill.
Garage door insulation is usually given an R-value. This value determines how much the insulation resists heat. Some manufacturers assign a U-value. This value takes into account other factors to give you a more accurate depiction of how much insulation your door can provide you.
In order to determine how insulated you need your garage to be, you will want to answer these questions:
1. Do you have heat or cooling in your garage? – if you have heat and air in running in your garage, then you’ll want to add as much insulation as possible. Otherwise, your heating and cooling methods will not be as effective.
2. Does your area experience extreme temperatures? – for those that live in an area with extremely hot summers or freezing winters, you will want to go with a higher R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation.
3. Do you work in your garage? – if you work in your garage often, you’ll want to have a higher insulation.
4. Do you have a bonus room above the garage? – another thing insulation does is reduce the noise of the garage door when it is opening or closing. This is something to consider if you need a quieter operation.
Yes! It is actually very dangerous to change your own torsion springs. We do not recommend that you make this repair. The torsion spring holds tension that counterbalances the weight of your door. When that tension breaks, it can cause serious damage or fatal harm to you or those standing nearby. Even experienced technicians have been injured when replacing this part.
If your spring is broken, do not open or close your door. By trying to operate the door, you can damage the opener or door itself. Also, it puts you at risk of injury.
Yes. You should perform periodic maintenance on your garage door opener to get it to work properly. Some of the maintenance that you will need to do includes:
* Replace lights when they burn out
* Replace batteries in the battery backup compartment
While this wouldn’t be considered maintenance directly to your opener, you need to add lubrication to the working parts of your door. Otherwise, the parts will pull on the opener and wear it out faster.
Yes. You should have a way to lock your garage door while you are out of town. Smart openers allow you to put your garage door on lockdown while you are gone. Also, you can consider putting a padlock on your door to keep people from opening it.
Impact windows are best for those that live in high storm areas. These are designed to withstand hurricanes and strong storms. A layer of polyvinyl butyral is inserted between two different layers of glass. This keeps the glass strong and resistant to high wines.
Metal garage doors can offer you great value for your money. The material provides safety from potential break-ins. If your house should happen to catch on fire, a steel door will not be affected and can be a safe way to get out. Also, this material holds up well in strong storms and gives your garage protection.
Steel doors are insulated and give your home energy efficiency. In general, you can get a multi-layered insulation or a sandwich type where the insulation is sprayed into the door and iit expands to fill the space.
This material comes in a variety of designs and colors. Homeowners can match the style to their home without a concern.
Since metal garage doors are relatively lightweight, they do not require as much maintenance. The lighter the door, the less strain on the opener and therefore, not as many repairs.
Many homeowners like wooden garage doors because of the style and design. But there are other benefits to this type of material. Wood provides a greater sound barrier than other materials. If you live on a busy street or in a loud neighborhood, it can reduce the noise you hear outside.
Long life is another reason that people choose wooden doors. They are usually able to last for many years and stand up to harsh weather. The wood doors of today are coated with oils that will keep them from bending or warping. This used to be a big concern for homeowners, but there are treatments against that type of damage.
There are many different openers on the market that you can choose from. They have a variety of features and functions that you should consider before purchasing a new one. The best openers on the market are:
1. Chamberlain C410 Durable Chain Drive
2. Chamberlain B970 Smart Garage Door Opener
3. Chamberlain B550 Smart Opener
4. Genie ChainMax 1000 Chain Drive Opener
5. Skylink AT-1622BK Opener
6. Liftmaster 1355 Contractor Series Wi-fi Ready
7. Sommer Direct Drive Opener
There are endless garage door styles on the market, but all of them fall into one of three main categories. You can choose from traditional, carriage, or contemporary doors.
Traditional doors usually have short or long raised panels. Carriage style doors resemble barn doors. Depending on the style you choose, some swing out, and others are designed to look like barn doors but open like a traditional door. Contemporary doors can be made of glass or flat panels to give a sleek design.
All garage door styles can have windows installed. There are a variety of styles to choose from that will complement the design you choose. It is recommended that you have windows installed at the very top of the door or in line with the second row of panels. Any lower than that is not advised.
If you do not have enough space to accommodate your door, you can look into low headroom kits. For extension and torsion springs, you can reduce the amount of headroom you need by 4 ½”. These kits are available for both commercial and residential doors.
If you lose power to your garage door opener, you can troubleshoot the cause of the problem by checking a few things. Look at the breaker box to see if you have tripped any breakers. Make sure that the opener is plugged into the ceiling. Check the ceiling outlet to see if it is working.
If you still can’t determine why your opener isn’t working, contact a professional garage door company. It could be something wrong with the opener itself such as the motor. In the meantime, if you need to get your car out of the garage, you will need to release the trolley from the door. To do that, pull the emergency release cord that hangs from the door.
After you pull it, you should be able to move the door freely. Take note that this is a heavy piece of equipment that you may have a hard time moving.
A battery backup system allows your opener to work even if the power is out. This is an important feature that can potentially save your life in the midst of a crisis. Even if you know how to manually open your door, it doesn’t mean you have the strength to do that.
Also, in the midst of a crisis situation, many people do not think like they should. Because of that, it is hard to process the information you need to open your door. Installing a backup system can save your life if you need to evacuate the area and can’t get your car out of the garage.
Smart garage door openers allows you to use an app on your phone to control the door. You will need to install the right type of opener to make this happen. Some of the top rated smart openers include:
* Chamberlain MYQ-G0301
* Aladdin Connect
* Asante Garage with Video camera
* Garadget
* Garage Door Buddy
These are a few of the smart openers on the market. When you are looking for a new model, make sure that your phone supports the app that you must install. Also, look at the other features the opener offers to determine if it has everything you need it to do.
Backroom is the distance that is measured from the back wall of the garage to the door. You will need to have enough clearance for the door to open completely without hitting the wall. A standard door requires the height of the door plus 18″. For commercial doors, you will need to add an additional 23” to the height of the door for a 2″ track. If you have a 3″ track, you need to add 25″.
Headroom is the distance between the top of the door and the lowest point of the ceiling of your garage or other objects such as rails or pipes.
There are a few factors that will determine how much headroom you need for your door. Here are the factors you should consider.
Residential- For a residential door with extension springs, you need 10” for the door to operate. Torsion springs require 12”. For more information about the requirements, check your garage door opener guide.
Commercial- Commercial doors must factor the type of springs as well as tracks to determine the headroom needed for the door to operate. For example, a standard door with torsion springs that have a 2” thick track, you will need 16”. If you install a jackshaft opener or a trolley, you will need to factor in additional space overhead or on the side of the door to accommodate the equipment.
Rolling code technology is used on keyless entry systems for your garage door opener to keep someone from hacking the system and getting in. The technology uses an algorithm that constantly changes the remotes code. There are more than a billion possibilities. Each time you use the remote, it changes the code.
Depending on the type of opener you have, you will need a certain amount of sideroom. Sideroom is the measurement between the door and the wall on either side. For a standard extension, you will need 3 ¾” of sideroom. For a torsion spring system, you will need 5 ½”.
There are two main types of insulation that you can install on your garage door. You’ll either have polyurethane or polystyrene. There is a difference between these two insulators. Polystyrene is thicker, but it has a lower R-Value. The R-Value determines the amount of insulation a material offers.
The other type of insulation is polyurethane. It is thinner, but is actually a better insulator than polystyrene. Garage doors that are well insulated have polyurethane inserted in between the panel. It expands to fill up the inside of the panel and then bond to the material of the door.
There are many different safety features that newer openers have. These features include:
* Programmable keypads- a keypad allows you to change your code easily. You can lock the pad so that no one enters your garage when you do not want them to, even if they have the code.
* Battery backup- the battery backup is helpful in the event of natural disaster or power outage. If you lose power, you can use the backup to open your door.
* Light- a light is a general feature on openers. When you open your door, it will cut the light on for you. This allows you to park in the garage safely at night.
Depending on the condition of your door, it may be better to replace it rather than repair it. If there is significant damage to the panels, you will want to replace it right away. Other reasons you might consider replacing your door includes:
Improve heating and cooling costs by installing a door that has a minimum R-Value of 12. The greater the R-Value, the greater the insulation. If the manufacturer lists a U-Value instead of an R-Value, the lower the number, the great the insulation. In that case, you will want a U-Value of 1.5-2.
If you want to increase your home’s value, installing a new garage door offers an 80% return on investment. It is a simple home improvement that will take no more than a day. You can change the way your home looks with an updated style.
General garage door parts like rollers, drums, openers, remotes and other items can be purchased on the manufacturer’s website. Also, you can purchase the parts on distributor’s websites like hardware stores and Amazon. Some parts are carried in your local hardware store.
Before you purchase a part for your door, consult your owners manual for the part number. If you are missing the manual, look on your door for the model number. Generally a sticker is placed in either the lower right hand or left hand corner of the door with the number.
If you need to replace a part on your opener, you will look at the opener for a model number. Sometimes it can be found under the light cover. Other times it can be located on the side of the opener.
After you get the serial number and manufacturer, you can look for parts that are compatible with that model.
It is important that you apply a grease based product or lithium based. You will need to spray it on the rollers, tracks, springs, hinges, bearing plate, rail, and lock. Before spraying the lubricant, make sure you clean the tracks from all debris.
Another thing that must be done before putting down the grease is cutting off the power source to your opener. You can shut it off at the breaker box and unplug the opener from the ceiling.
Generally, if your door is opening on its own, it is due to a short in the transmitter. When there is a short in this the transmitter, it causes a signal to be sent continually. Even though you watch the door close completely, it will open back up because it hits the header bracket and reverses.
To combat this issue, start by taking the batteries out of the remote and just use the wall button. If that doesn’t stop the problem, then you need to replace the wires on the button. It’s usually one of these two things that will cause the garage door to open on its own after it fully closed.
There are several reasons that your remote can stop working the garage door opener. When this happens, the first thing you should do is to check the batteries. Replace with a new set. Make sure you clean the connectors first in case there is corrosion.
Take a cloth and clean the eye on the IR unit. This is what allows the signal to get to the remote. Also, clean the remote eye to remove any dirt or smudging.
If both of these options fail, reset the system. In order to do that, remove the batteries from the remote and unplug the opener. Make sure both lose power for at least 30 seconds. Once you put the batteries back in and plug in the opener, try the remote again. You may need to re-program the remote in order to get it to work.
If your door will only go down when you hold the button on the wall, it could be something blocking the sensors. Often times, the safety eye sensors will get caked with dirt or grime. When that happens, you need to wipe it off completely.
Another issue could be that there is a faulty wire on the sensor. If you have cleaned it and still need to push the button down to shut the door, you may need to have the wire changed. Check to see if it is lose or if there is any damage to it.
When you close your garage door and it opens back up or refuses to close all the way, there are a few things you can try.
Start by looking at the safety eye sensors that are located on either side of the garage door. The sensors are designed to keep the door from closing all the way if something interrupts the current. Clean the lenses and move everything out of the way. Also, make sure the sensors are lined up.
Adjust the limit switch on your garage door opener. Locate the limit switch on the outside of your opener. It will either look like a screw or knob depending on your model type. The limit switch tells the opener how far to go before it stops. If it is set to far back, there will be a gap when you shut your door. Adjust the limit switch a turn at a time until it is closes the door fully.
Look at the weather stripping on your garage door. If it is coming off the door, it could be getting in the way of the door’s operation. Replace the seal if you see that it is worn out or damaged.
Consider that it may have nothing to do with the door itself. The floor could be the issue. Use a level to determine if your garage floor is sinking.
When you can’t use the button on the wall to open your garage door, you should start by checking the power. Make sure you haven’t tripped a breaker. If you have power to the house, then there is likely something wrong with the button itself.
Make sure the the wire is not lose. You may need to tighten the screws on the terminals or push the connectors back in. If you tighten everything and it still doesn’t work, then you may have a bad wire or button itself. Start by replacing the wire to see if that changes things. If all else fails, replace the button with a new one.
Generally speaking, newer metal doors will not rust. Most manufacturers cover the material with a polyester coating that keeps it from rusting. If you have an old door or one that was cheaply made, it can be more susceptible to rusting.
If you see rust on your door, you will need to clean it off and prime over it. The rust will weaken your door.
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