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Blog Archive: September 2011

Breaking the Code

A key point of entry into your home for thieves is the garage, and if you own an older type garage door opener, your home could be vulnerable.

The weakness of these units is the frequencies that operate them, using something called “fixed codes”. Fixed codes were initially developed years ago to combat a shared frequency problem. If a homeowner wanted to change the frequency, all he or she had to do was preset a digital code by switching eight to 12 “Dip Switches” on the receiver and transmitter. Whatever number sequence selected for the receiver (garage door motor) had to be the same for the transmitter (remote).

Multi-Code System

With this multi-code system, garages were secure again. Or were they?

Now a new problem developed. Burglars were scanning these frequencies with something called a “code grabber”. Criminals were able to defeat the multi-code system by grabbing codes from homeowners who were leaving their homes. There were basically two types of scanners. The first type scooped up the code when the homeowner pushed the garage door to either open or close it.

Once displayed on a screen, the criminal could immediately re-transmit the signal to open the door. The second type of scanner would [more]

Garage Door Keypad

A garage door keypad is used on the exterior part of the doors.

It allows you to use a code to unclose the door automatically. It is a safe and convenient way of ensuring that the things you keep in your garage remain safe. When you are choosing a garage door keypad, you can select a wireless or wired one.

To use it, you need to get a suitable location to fix it on the exterior part of your garage. The installation process varies if you are using the wireless keyless entry. Once you have installed it, it needs to be programmed. To do this, you need to refer to the manual to find out the buttons that you are required to press. When you are programming the keypad, you have three options that you can work with. You can program it using its remote, motor or keypad. When you are programming the keypad, check if it requires a 4-digit code or whether you need to enter six digits.

There are some common problems that are associated with wireless keyless entry keypads. In most cases, the door refuses to open. The problem can be the keypad or the garage door itself can be [more]

Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

The better you maintain and clean your garage door, the longer it will last. The best way to get the most out of your garage door is to maintain it regularly and when you notice a problem, to address it immediately before further damage can occur.

You can easily perform garage door system safety and maintenance tasks yourself. For starters, perform a monthly visual inspection. Stand inside the garage with the garage door closed and look over the door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, such as hinges, for signs of wear or damage. Look for cable wear or fraying. Is the mounting hardware becoming loose? If something doesn’t look quite right or doesn’t sound quite right it could be the symptom of a more serious issue. Have the garage door system inspected by a trained service technician.

Then go outside and visually inspect the surface of your garage door. Is it dirty? Are there chips in the paint? Protecting your garage door surface, whether it is a metal or wooden door, helps to ensure your door’s longevity. Begin by cleaning your garage doors with a mild detergent and a soft car brush. Some people remember to clean their doors whenever [more]

When You Need A Good Garage Door Repair Company

You need to make sure that you use a good garage door repair company whenever there is something wrong with your garage doors. You should look for garage doors repair company that can make repairs as well as replacements, if necessary. In the building trades, the garage door is a specialized part of the business. There are businesses that only deal with installing garage doors and these same companies that do the installation of garage doors can also repair the doors.

You may only need to get garage door repair instead of a full replacement on the door if there is something wrong with it. Many people think that because something goes wrong with their garage door, they have to replace the entire thing. This is not true. Residential garage door installation provides to protect our cars

In many cases the door can be fixed. This is true whenever you are talking about mechanical problems with the door such as failure to open properly as well as close all the way. In most cases, there is nothing really wrong with the door itself. It just needs to have the springs replaced or even the track which it is on adjusted.

Even if you [more]

Garage Door Friday Funny

Garage Door Shopping

Most homeowners, if any, experience shopping for a new garage door. When we do, we often get a bit overwhelmed with all of the choices we need to make.

Signs of a garage door in need of replacement include sagging, peeling paint or dented steel, light coming through the bottom, worn or rusted hardware, or simply inconsistent operation.

If you are renovating your house and think it would look better with a new door, by all means take the plunge. New doors are not particularly expensive. It is really hard to make a bigger improvement to the look of your home’s exterior in just a few hours than by having a new garage door installed.

But there are a couple of things to keep in mind before you start shopping for a new door. First, most garage doors can be painted. If your biggest gripe is simply that the existing door color isn’t right, or the coating is dirty or peeling, consider opting for a paint job instead of replacement.

Second, if you just have a problem with a single panel, you may be able to find a replacement for the panel without having to replace the entire door. Look for a serial number [more]

Garnish Your Garage Door with Decorative Hardware

One of the most basic tenants of home design and decor is to have all the hardware match, throughout rooms, and throughout the entire house if possible. This goes for the exterior of the home as well. The more windows and doors can be made to match, coordinate, and complement each other, the more curb appeal a structure has. Most everybody values coming home to a space that is pleasing and pleasant. Yet, structural items like garage doors can become dull over time. Renewing them with proper cleaning and a good garage door protectant will restore luster and beauty to the doors. But updating existing door hardware to match other exterior hardware is an easy and inexpensive way to add curb appeal without having to replace the entire door.

Many garage door service companies sell decorative hardware kits that are made to fit and compliment the doors that they sell and install. When shopping for replacement garage doors, check on the type, style, and color of the hardware that comes standard on the doors. Upgrading at the time of purchase makes upgrading the look of new doors simple. For existing vehicle entry doors, check with the original service provider or manufacturer if [more]

Creative Reuse of a Garage Door

Frame a Compost Pile or Garden

Garage doors can provide the perfect frame for a raised garden or a compost pile. Separate the door into the individual panels to form the walls, and cut one in half to form the back.  Use metal cutting shears if your door is made of aluminum or steel, or a circular saw if the door is wood. Next, dig a small trench to partially bury the panels, then place them standing up to create your frame.

Leave one side open if you are making a compost pile so you can easily roll a wheel barrow in. If you are making a raise garden close off all sides then fill with dirt.

Some garage doors are painted, so be sure to scrape down and sand to remove the paint to keep your garden or compost pile clean.

Create a Green House

Turn your old garage door into a mini green house. There are some limitations to this idea, as a steel or vinyl garage door just is not going to help protect against the cold. But if you have a wood or wood composite garage door this really works great.

If you are somewhat handy you can easily do this with [more]

Your garage door louder than a baby’s cry?

If your garage door is a little too loud for your liking, there may be an issue amongst the cables, gears and pulleys which serve to operate the electronic opener. There are many reasons any of these parts could be making noise. Some of these issues merely require a little tender loving care, while others may be too complicated for the common homeowner to fix himself.

So how do you tell the difference between the problems that are easily fixed and those that require a phone call to the garage door repair team? You will first need to determine which type of garage door opener you are using in your home. There are generally three types: belt drive, screw drive or chain drive.

If your home features a chain drive, there is no way you will ever be able to escape the noise; these kinds of openers are noisy by nature. That said, chain drives are not all bad. For one thing, they are affordable and they go a long way even in the worst winters. But these long lasting garage door openers will never be completely silent. If they seem to be making more noise than usual, on the other hand, they [more]

Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

The better you maintain and clean your garage door, the longer it will last. The best way to get the most out of your garage door is to maintain it regularly and when you notice a problem, to address it immediately before further damage can occur.

You can easily perform garage door system safety and maintenance tasks yourself. For starters, perform a monthly visual inspection. Stand inside the garage with the garage door closed and look over the door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, such as hinges, for signs of wear or damage. Look for cable wear or fraying. Is the mounting hardware becoming loose? If something doesn’t look quite right or doesn’t sound quite right it could be the symptom of a more serious issue. Have the garage door system inspected by a trained service technician.

Then go outside and visually inspect the surface of your garage door. Is it dirty? Are there chips in the paint? Protecting your garage door surface, whether it is a metal or wooden door, helps to ensure your door’s longevity. Begin by cleaning your garage doors with a mild detergent and a soft car brush. Some people remember to clean their doors whenever [more]