5 Ways To Maintain & Test A Garage Door Opener

For crucial home elements, like residential garage doors, its necessary to perform regular maintenance to increase the door performance and efficiency. Go through the owner’s manual to review the manner and techniques that should be followed while working with overhead doors.

In case, you didn't get any such manual or forgot where you placed it, consult a reputed garage door repair professional to know some easy maintenance tips. One can also search for the model number printed on the back side of the door and then, request a manual from the manufacturer.

Few simple ways to inspect a door are:

Visual Inspection

The foremost step in garage door maintenance is looking at various door parts such as springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, hinges and other hardware for any wear and tear signs. In case you notice any repairs, call in a qualified technician. 

Door Balance

To test the balance of a door:

1. Begin with closing it.

2. If there's a garage door opener, release its mechanism.

3. Make the door capable of operating manually. 

4. After that, lift the door smoothly with little resistance.

5. If it stays opened, everything is fine.

6. If it falls down, it's out of adjustment.

7. Call in an experienced service professional for repairs.

Reversal Test

Test the reversing mechanism, if there is an opener installed. In case a door doesn't reverse up, the opener should be replaced. All overhead door openers are required to have safety features that complies with the latest safety standards.

To test the reversing feature:

1. Test the balance of the door. If its balanced, proceed further.

2. Open it completely and place a piece of wood on the floor at the center of the door.

3. Push the remote or wall button to close the door. As designed, it must reverse up after striking the wooden obstruction.

4. If it doesn't reverse up, get it repaired soon.

Force Setting Test

For safety, test the force setting of garage door by holding the bottom side of a closing door. If it doesn't reverse back, the setting needs to be adjusted. Check the owner’s manual to know how to adjust these force settings.

Garage Door Spring Test 

Springs, bracket, cables and all sort of hardware attached to the torsion springs work under high tension. Any type of spring damage or cracks, if ignored, can cause a major accident or injury. Don't try to attempt these repairs on your own.

Top 7 Reasons to Replace A Garage Door

Garage door is an important factor that can increase the curb appeal of a home. From design to color, an attractive and beautiful door is necessary to increase the value of a property. Installing a new garage door can offer enhanced and pleasing looks. In addition, it also provides more safety and security. For few homeowners, replacement is an option for increasing resale value while for others it's a need.

Reasons that point towards door replacement are:

1. Redecorate

One of the major reason responsible for installing a new door is to redecorate the looks of a home. This can be done by choosing a unique color or style. To offer cheap and effective changes, add windows and repaint the entire garage. 

2. Raising Property Value

A beautifully designed garage door helps a lot in boosting the value of a property. It offers a solid and pleasing impression on its buyers and visitors. This results in a spectacular rise in the resale price of a home.

3. Repair

Another important factor responsible for changing a door is to avoid frequent repair costs. If you owe a sagged and bowed garage door that's difficult to open and close, replacing it is a good option. This will help in avoiding frequent repair costs. 

4. Reduce Energy Bills

An insulated garage door plays a significant role in reducing the cost of energy bills. Insulation helps in maintaining convenient temperature inside the garage, that helps in reducing the need of an air conditioner. 

5. Reduce Maintenance

A newly installed overhead door requires less maintenance compared to an older one. If one needs a maintenance free door, its crucial to replace it every 5-6 years.

6. Raise the Level of Safety

With recent advancements, new garage doors come will pre installed features such as photo eyes. These photoelectric eyes prevent an automatic opener from closing the door, in case, there's any underlying obstruction. This feature provides safety from injuries and protection against the damaged door. 

7. Reinforce Home Security

Today's residential garage doors come with increased security and durability. They are strong enough to prevent a break in. For stress-free nights, save your home from thieves by installing a heavy and strong security shutter.

Though one can easily replace a garage door with little help, calling professionals can really pay off. Richmond Hill Garage Doors is a reputed company that offers highly reliable maintenance, installation, and repair services for both residential and commercial overhead doors at affordable costs. Visit http://www.richmondhillgaragedoors.com

Top Reasons to Buy a New Garage Door

A new garage door installation offers many enhanced features to a garage and home. Along with looks and appeals, it also increases safety and security level. It will be a good choice to go through all the door materials and categories before choosing one to install.

Modern garage doors are more strong and durable compared to older ones, therefore they should be given a try to enjoy high end functionalities.

Advantages of buying new overhead doors:

Insulation

A garage is an integral part of every home that serves variety of purposes such as a workshop, parking lot, gym, office and others. For few homeowners, it's an extra room that stores all the extra stuff or simply acts as a store. Due to its increased use, it's important to insulate a garage that can be easily reached by installing an insulated overhead door. One can hire garage door technicians to insulate an old door, in case it's in a good condition. 

Security

An old door is often too easy to break through due to poor locks. The doors which were manufactured many years ago, lacked the modernized features of a locking system. More often, the door material tend to degrade with time which makes it easy for burglars to tear inside. Almost all new garage doors come with guaranteed security, which ultimately leads to peace of mind. Out of all available varieties, sectional doors offer the highest level of security, especially if they are double skinned.

Height and Width

New overhead doors are designed and manufactured in such a way, that reduces the space and area previously needed for opening and closing mechanisms. Another reason for replacing the old doors is the need of a more longer and wider opening. Most possibly, a new roller shutter or sectional garage door can serve the purpose in a better way. These doors don't swing through the opening, thereby, offers the most effective drive in through dimensions.

Ease of Use

All old doors wear out with time and have a tired operating mechanism, that is quite difficult to operate and risks safety of a vehicle and its owner. The only solution is to install an automatic or electric garage door that doesn’t require manual force to operate. The convenience offered by these doors is incomparable.

Improved Looks

A major factor responsible for replacing this giant opener is improving the curb appeal of a home. A new shutter door can make a dramatic impact as garage doors are the largest part and one of the first thing that people view while they visit your home. Timber and coloured steel over doors are the most common one to create a long time impression. 

These were the few outlines that new garage doors offer in comparison to the older ones. We at www.richmondhillgaragedoors.com are a premier garage door repair company that offers a full range of high quality overhead doors maintenance, installation, sales and repair services at affordable prices.

3 Tests to Check Working of a Garage Door System

An automatic garage door system needs to operate properly at every moment to ensure effective functioning and safety. A door that opens and closes perfectly can provide its owner with better accessibility and comfort. Therefore, an automated door is regarded more convenient to use as compared to manually opening doors. If this system broke down or doesn't operate correctly, then there is a need to contact an emergency garage door professional immediately to get it repaired. Few basic tests can help a homeowner to find whether a garage door is operating as desired or not.

In order to make sure if the automatic opening system is running smoothly, some tests needs to be performed that include:

Visual Test

As the name suggests, it's an inspection test in which every element of a door, whether small or large is inspected. Carefully examine the springs, cables, bolts and rollers from the inner side of a closed garage to avoid any failures before beginning the motion test. The actual things you need to find are damaged or cracked cables and loose mountings. If everything is found to be fine, then open and close it for few times, just to watch and listen the moving parts. If an unfamiliar sound or a shaking element is noticed, there is need to schedule an inspection again to find the actual culprit for the nuisance.

Balance Test

If the overhead door is able to pass the above test, then move towards the second test that involves testing its overall balance. In order to perform this test, release a door from its automatic opening system to operate it manually. It should offer little resistance while opening and should not close until it is allowed to. If a door isn't operating in this manner, then it is doubted to be unbalanced and requires professional repair.

Photo Eye Test

In this testing mechanism, an invisible beam is shot across the path of a garage door, usually at some distance off the ground, to detect if there are any foreign objects in its closing path. If a disturbance is detected, it will alert the system and the door will reverse its direction to open up. Test the automatic system by closing the door and then wave an object into the path of the photo eye light. If an overhead door reverses its direction, then it indicates that the photo eye is working well. If this doesn't happen, then its sure there is a defect with the system and it needs to be examined by a door repair expert.

Though an overhead door professional is a best option to get a door inspected and repaired efficiently, but these simple tests can offer an idea related to well functioning of a system. Contact Richmond Hill Garage Door for professional garage door repair services.

Which Type of Garage Door Material is Best for You?

As you know shopping for a garage door is a very daunting task if you are not familiar with the different types of material of the garage door. Installing a new garage door or replacing your old one is the greatest way to enhance the curb appeal of your house. There are four types of doors available in the market, including swing out, swing up, slide to slide and roll up.

Maybe you have already decided that which type of door you want, but choosing the material and the design of the door is a very difficult. Garage doors are available in different materials and the designs. Each material has benefits and drawbacks. With the material and design of the door, ensure you pay attention to the other parts of the door such as the opener, spring, cable, hinges and many more.

Before start shopping for garage door, take a look at different garage door materials.

1. Steel: Steel is one of the most popular materials for doors. Steel garage doors are available in a numerous range of design, insulation and price options. You can paint your steel door with your favorite color or match to your home.

The main drawback of steel door is it’s a poor insulator. If you want to save energy and want a less noisy door, steel is not a perfect choice for you.

2. Wood: If you want to provide a traditional look to your house, wood garage door is the right option. Not all the doors are manufactured alike. Wood garage door is different from others. It offers a huge range of design options. Wood overhead doors will not dent and better than other materials.

Wood doors require more repair and maintenance as compared to other doors. If you have your house near to beach or in rainy areas, you cannot install wood door in your house.

3. Aluminum: Aluminum doors are very lightweight. These doors are rust proof and durable. It is one of the best choices to modernize your house. It’s lightweight, making it easier to install. If you are not able to hire a professional to install it, you can install it on your own.

The main drawback of aluminum door is that there is a high risk of the dent. Once you get a dent on your garage door, it is very difficult to repair it.

4. Vinyl: Like a steel material, vinyl is also a first choice of homeowners. Because it is more durable and requires very less hose down. It comes in limited colors and designs at very fair price.

As you know a vinyl garage door is available in different colors, so you cannot paint it with your favorite color like a wooden door.

Most of the garage doors are come with energy saving and insulated features. If you use your garage as an extra room or guest room in your house, only insulated door is good for you.

Want to know more about garage doors, feel free to visit www.richmondhillgaragedoors.com

The Most Useful Accessories For Your Garage Door Opener

Accessories for your garage door opener is as important as other parts of the door. This accessory is very helpful to you when you come back late from your work, you feel so tired and not able to get out from your car to open garage door manually. Fortunately you live in modern technology era and in such situation, there is only the door opener accessory help you to open the garage door. Sometimes you forget your garage keys in your office while you come back late and you may be get in trouble. But if you have automatic garage door, it may save you from any worst situation. Here are some garage door opener accessories to simplify your life.

1. Remote control: It is kind of automatic device that you use to open and close your door when you sit in your car. When you press the button, it sends radio frequency signals to the door opener. On the basis of these signals the opener operate the door.

2. Keypad: It is an essential tool and it also protect your house or garage from thieves. It provides a key less entry system means you don't need to carry extra garage keys with you. But you need to remember your access code. If you forget the pin code once, you can't open the door without the help of professional. In such cases, you can share your pin code with another trust-able person. Some keypad come with biometric security system that uses only finger prints to open the garage door.

3. Laser parking system: It is specially designed to park your vehicle at the correct spot or pre selected parking area. The installation of laser parking system is very easy and it will automatically operate when your car enters the garage. It helps to prevent any accident or damage to your car due to any faulty parking.

4. Battery backup system: In case of power outage, this accessory is very helpful. You can easily open the garage door, if the power goes out. If you don't include a battery backup system into your opener, may be you stuck you self in any problem or worst situation while power lines go down.

5. Wireless control panel: It is one of the easiest and secure way to control your garage door through your smartphone. You can operate your garage door from any where while you are inside or outside of your house without replace your existing opener.

These given accessories are very useful for you. You can install these accessories to your opener. If you have any question or query about garage door opener, feel free to contact Richmond Hill garage door professionals. You will get definitely informative information from our executives.

Wooden Garage Door vs Steel Garage Door - Which One is Better

Garage is vital for you and your house. Garage doors are the largest moving part of your house. An unattractive garage door can make your house well worn and cheapish, particularly if you use your garage door as entry point of your house. You need to get a well made, attractive and durable garage door. Different types of garage doors are available in the market. If you are confused with wooden garage door and steel garage door, in this article we shows you difference between wooden garage door and steel garage door. After read this article you are aware from the difference of both garage doors and choose any one of them according to your choice.

Steel Garage Door

Steel garage doors are strong, durable and secure and popular material of garage door and the main benefit of these garage doors, it requires little maintenance. High quality garage doors are come with long lasting warranty, minimum ten years or more. These garage doors are the best and great choice for those homeowners, who store heavy and large machinery in their garage. These type of doors are attractive and you have choice to get any steel garage door with different color choice design, panels and windows. Price of steel garage door is very affordable and reasonable. If you do not want lot of repair and maintenance, steel is the best choice for you. But except these advantages, steel garage door also has some disadvantages like steel garage doors are poor insulator. To save energy, insulated doors are good choice. Second, there are more chances of dent on steel garage door. If you have kids in your house, steel garage door in not smart choice for you. Because if they are playing with ball in front of your garage, you might be face any dent or other problem with your door.

Wooden Garage Door

If you look around you, definitely you will find wooden garage doors mostly because these type of garage doors are so attractive and it help to increase your home's value and gives classical and traditional look to your house. It is very easy to paint wooden garage door with your favorite color and you can do this at your own and you can repaint it any time. Wooden garage doors are come with an excellent insulator. The main deficiency of wooden garage door, it needs regular maintenance and refinished. The price range of wooden garage door is very high and it comes with very short warranty period, probably only one year. These type of garage doors are heavy to carry and they need expensive and powerful garage door opener.

Hope so after read this article you aware from the difference of steel garage door and wooden garage door and know which one is better for you. If you are interested to know more or want to improve your house appearance, then Contact Richmond Hill Garage Door.