Garage Door Maintenance Program

If you’re a homeowner with a garage door, how are you handling the maintenance of your garage door? In most cases people think this is a strange question because they don’t have a maintenance plan in place to address the needs of their garage door. However, at Smyrna Garage Door Repair in Smyrna, GA we encourage you to have a maintenance plan in place so that you’re garage door will continue to function at optimum efficiency. It is also a good idea to allow qualified technicians from Smyrna Garage door Repair to perform an evaluation of your garage door annually to determine if there are any repairs that need to be made in order to continue to safely continue using your garage. Keeping your garage door in good condition will help you avoid the possibility of needing expense repairs made down the line. If you’re in a home with more than one drive, there is usually more wear and tear on your garage door. This means that your garage door will need more than the usual amount of attention. You can’t continue to ignore the possibility that your garage door may require some maintenance from time to time. We know that not every homeowner with a garage thinks about these things and that is why we are writing this article to let you know how beneficial garage door maintenance is to you. If you don’t want to have to call on us to put in a new garage door, why not simply call on us to handle your garage door maintenance.

Most garage door services in Smyrna, Georgia offer a garage door maintenance plan to keep your garage door in good condition. Since you use your garage door so often and it is such a large part of your home, it will need readjusting from time to time. A qualified service technician will make sure every component of your door is put back in place and that every bolt and nut is reapplied where needed. There is a lot that goes into the maintenance of your garage door and you are the one that stands to benefit the most.

Some of the many benefits of having your garage door serviced annually include:

• Your door will always function properly
• No emergency garage door services necessary
• Won’t disrupt your day or inconvenience you because it won’t open
• Your door will last longer
• Keeps your door working at its full capacity

While some homeowners we talk to have their garage door serviced more often than others, it is always suggested that you have your door serviced at least once a year. Those who do this more often are cautious due to the amount of use that their garage door receives. They probably factor in the amount of people living in the house and how often the garage door is opened and closed. Whether it is annually or semi-annually, our expert service technicians are happy to assist you whenever necessary. We would hate to hear of someone being harmed or killed due to a faulty garage door. You can avoid the possibility of this occurring by making sure that receive regular garage door maintenance. In fact, if you want your garage door to continue functioning at all times, make maintenance of your garage door a priority.

You might wonder why you can’t simply take care of this yourself. This is not altogether true. There are some things that you can handle on your own that do not require the services of a garage door service. You can do things, such as change remote control batteries and lubricating rollers, springs, and cables. However, a trained and qualified garage door technician should handle your more in-depth maintenance needs.
Maintenance Performed by a Professional Technician includes:

• Tightening up of door hinges, couplings, drums, and track brackets
• Lubricate rollers, hinges, chain hoists, release mechanisms and shaft bearings
• Evaluate and adjust and align cables, tracks, and rollers
• Evaluate the doors safety features, transmitter, springs and other door operations to ensure they are working properly

If you don’t have the know-how to handle any of these things or even identify when there is a problem, do yourself a favor and leave it to our qualified and trained professionals. Since there are many moving parts and so many pieces associated with your garage door, it is quite easy to misplace or leave something out when performing maintenance. Since our service technicians are familiar with all of these many parts and pieces, it is in your best interest to allow them to handle your garage door maintenance. It only takes one major piece left out for the door to become inoperable. Don’t risk this occurring by attempting to handle this yourself when we are only a phone call away.

Even though we highly recommend our services, there are some things that you can do on your own to make sure that you’re door is being attended to as frequently as it should. This would require you to keep track of scheduled appointments and anything that you want us to pay particular attention to on our next service call. If there is a pattern of a reoccurring problem, this might need to be addressed sooner than later. It could be a problem that is caused by yourself or others in the household. We don’t want you to keep paying for the same problem to be resolved when it might be something you can avoid. Also, listen out for any unusual noises you might hear when using your garage and bring them to the attention of the service technician on their next scheduled maintenance call. Do your part and we’ll be sure to do ours so that your door is functioning when you need it to.

Smyrna Garage Door Repair in Smyrna, GA: How to Troubleshoot Garage Door Openers

Most homeowners take their garage doors for granted; they expect them to work every day, under any circumstances. Few people know that a garage door is a very complex system made up of dozens of parts, rollers, cables, sensors, transmitters, motors, etc. Any of these parts can break over time, or due to mechanical stress or damage. However, it may not be a simple thing to find out which part of the door is malfunctioning. One needs to have adequate experience working with garage doors to find out which part is at fault quickly. The parts that break most often are the sensors, transmitters, springs and openers. In this post, we will focus on the garage door opener. So, let’s see what the opener is, what it does, and how you can troubleshoot problems with it.

The Role of a Garage Door Opener
The garage door opener is responsible for opening and closing your garage door. In other words, this is the part that gets the job done when you press the button on the remote or the wall button. However, keep in mind that the garage door opener does not do the heavy lifting; this is reserved for the torsion or extension springs. Nevertheless, the opener is under enough stress every time you open and close the garage door. An opener lasts on average between 7 and 10 years of moderate use. However, there are openers that break after just 3 or 4 years. It all depends on how often you use the garage door and on the quality of the parts that make up the opener.

The garage door opener has two other important roles. First, it must reverse the heavy garage door as soon as the photo eye sensors detect that there is an object or person underneath the door, or if the door encounters any kind of resistance along the way down. Second, it must make sure that nobody from the outside can open your garage door, and break into your garage and then your home. The opener should not open the door by mistake and should withstand attempts to force the door to open from the outside. This is why a fully functional garage door opener is a must for every homeowner.

Types of Garage Door Openers
There are three major types of garage door openers: chain drive, belt drive, and screw drive. The chain drive option is relatively noisy while operating, but it is also the least expensive of the three types of openers. They are resilient as well. The belt drive opener uses a rubber belt instead of the chain, so it is quiet then the latter. They are, however, a bit more expensive. The screw drive opener uses a motor that rotates a rod. This opener type is very loud, but it is also very simple to maintain and has a long lifespan. The garage door opener you choose for your door depends on your needs and tastes. Any one of the three options is dependable if it is manufactured by a reliable company. However, no matter how well the opener and its parts are manufactured, this system will eventually develop some problems. It is normal due to wear and tear. However, it may be difficult to figure out what part of the door is having problems. If you discover that the opener has a problem, you may be able to troubleshoot it yourself.

Troubleshooting the Garage Door Opener
In case the garage door opener does not react to the remote control or the wall switch, you can try a few troubleshooting methods. First, make sure that you are in range and then replace the batteries in your remote. Second, make sure the motor unit is not unplugged from the wall socket. Third, check the circuit breaker or the fuse and make sure it is not tripped or burned out.

The remote control does not open or close the door. In this case, you may be too far away from the opener and the signal from the remote may not reach it. Also, try to replace the batteries in the remote. Check the antenna on the motor unit and make sure it is hanging downward and is not disconnected or damaged.

In case your garage door does not close all the way, you may need to readjust the close-limit switch. This switch tells the opener when to stop running and must be properly configured. If the door reverses when it reaches the floor, it may be caused by an improperly configured close-limit switch. Alternatively, you can try to use the adjustment screw on the opener to change the closing force parameter. Test the door each time after you adjust the close-limit adjustment screw.
If the garage door starts to close and then reverses before closing completely, you may have a problem with the photo eye sensors. These sensors project an invisible beam between them; if anything interrupts the beam (such as a person, animal or object), the door immediately reverses to prevent injuries or property damage. All you have to do is to make sure nothing is hanging in front of the sensors and to clean them with a piece of damp cloth.

You Can’t Troubleshoot All Problems
Unfortunately, there will be times when you will not be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem by yourself. The motor may burn out or some of the electronic components may get damaged. These things happen from time to time. If something is wrong with your garage door opener and you don’t know how to fix the problem, all you have to do is call a garage door repair expert from Smyrna Garage Door Repair in Smyrna, GA. An expert has all the experience, knowledge and tools to deal with any kind of garage door opener problem. If the opener is damaged beyond repair – which can happen when you least expect it – a professional can replace the entire opener assembly. The good news is that you get to choose the type of opener you want (chain drive, belt drive or screw drive) in case the tech needs to replace the unit.

Hopefully now you better understand how to troubleshoot issues with garage door openers!

Effectively Extending the Life of Your Garage Door

Most people don’t think about their inability to utilize their garage door when they need it. However, in some instances, this is certainly a possibility. When you are unable to utilize your garage door, it can cause a great deal of frustration. Garage doors are built to last but only if they are properly cared for. This may require ongoing maintenance of the parts of your garage door and various other methods to effectively extend the life of your garage door. The average garage door is supposed to last as much as 30 years. There are some, however, that may even last longer with proper maintenance. It has been proven that you’re garage door could last an additional 15 years.

If you don’t think it’s possible, just go on using your garage and ignoring any signs of wear and tear and you’ll find out the hard way. At Smyrna Garage Door Repair we know a thing about garage doors. We install, repair, and handle the maintenance of them. That is why our technicians are in a position to lend you advice about them and even tell you how it is possible for you to extend the life of your garage door. Our technicians work on all types of garage doors and know how they operate. Therefore; they are best suited to discuss these types of things with you. If you are thinking seriously about how long your garage door will last, you should keep reading. If your garage door was not installed properly or they used cheap accessories when installing it, the parts won’t last too long. These are just some of the things to consider when thinking about extending the life of your door.

Garage Door Maintenance

When your objective is to keep your door functioning as long as possible, it is imperative that you have routing garage door maintenance performed. Most people who have a garage can’t imagine life without it. If you used it every day and you begin having problems with it, you likely go into a panic, thinking it won’t work. However, there are some who simply ignore problems since the door eventually begins to work again. You don’t want to wait until the door stops working to contact a service professional, it could be too late by then. You should pay close attention to even the slightest change in the way your garage door is operating. This is its way of telling you that it is in need of some attention. Ignoring any problems you experience certainly won’t help you maintain the life of your garage door. In most cases, it will cause it to deteriorate more rapidly and expenses will be more expensive. It is our best advice that if you are to extend the life of your garage door, you contact a professional garage door repair technician at the first sign of trouble. If you’re receiving routine maintenance, you won’t even have to worry about it because the technician will take care of your garage door issues as they occur.

Keeping Up Appearances

A neighborhood that is well maintained is a benefit to everyone in the neighborhood. If your garage door is well-maintained and attractive, it makes the entire neighborhood look good. It adds curb appeal. If your garage door is looking tired, worn, and dated, it becomes an eye sore to the entire neighborhood. Too many broken down, unattractive garage doors in the neighborhood can contribute to the property value decline. If you’re considering selling your home, you might also consider the condition that your garage door is in and determine if this could be the reason no one placed an offer on your home. If repairs are needed, make them. You’re sure to benefit in the long run.

Just like home appliances require some of your attention, so does a garage door. If you have a HVAC system and you are not caring for the upkeep of it, eventually, it will put you down. You can prolong the life of any of your appliances if you don’t ignore the maintenance that they require. It isn’t even something that you need to take care of every day, week or month. Most maintenance programs offer an annual over haul. When you have maintenance performed on your appliances, the service professional will make sure the appliances are in good working condition and are ok for continued use. Considering your garage door is considered the biggest appliance you will have, you’ll need to give it even more attention than those appliances in your home.

How to Properly Care for Your Garage

There are specific things that homeowners can do to help them extend the life of their garage door. You can do this by keeping your garage door into good working condition. If your garage is used for anything other than storing your car, it would be a good idea to have it insulated. If you live in a part of the U.S. where you experience a lot of rain, chances are that the weather can damage the things you store in the garage if it isn’t insulated properly.

Your garage door springs are also an important part of your garage door. When you and your household are using the garage every day, several times a day, it puts a lot of wear and tear on the springs. If the springs are not being cared for, they will eventually break. When a maintenance program is in place to care for your garage door, this is one thing you will not have to worry about because they will always check to make sure your springs are in good condition for continued use. However, if you are not receiving maintenance, it will be up to you to inspect the condition of your springs for wear and tear.

We would strongly suggest that you allow a qualified garage door service professional to care for your garage door springs so that you can avoid harm.

IF YOUR GARAGE DOOR IS ACTING UP, DON’T WORRY. HERE’S WHAT TO DO!

Whenever you encounter difficulties with your garage door, it’s certainly a lousy predicament. It’s never convenient and it’s always annoying. After opening and shutting thousands of times as the years pass, it’s liable to finally require some attention. There are various causes for your troubles. Some are simple, and some are more complex. Let’s explore the possibilities and solutions.


Simple Issues

Does your garage door opener run several seconds, and then turn off? Is your garage door still not budging, staying shut, while the door motor is attempting but failing to lift the door up? What you have to do is inspect the springs. If they are not broken, look over the track for any grime or tiny obstacles. If none of these is the problem, then your garage door could be the kind with a built-in lock that’s engaging by mistake. This commonly happens on an older garage door.

Examine the cables. First of all, check the garage door springs thoroughly. If they are not broken, then take a good look at the cables. A cable may have gotten loose, or it might be broken. If you notice that the cabling looks different on one side of the garage door or the other, then you’ll likely need cable replacement or repair.


Complex Issues: Garage Door Springs

If one of your garage door springs breaks, it can happen suddenly. Your garage door will slam with a bang. Again, the first thing to do is to check to see if a spring is broken. If so, then the door will not work, and you will also likely see that the spring is severed into pieces. Undeniably, broken springs must be replaced. Springs have to be replaced in sets: If one spring breaks, the second one will be breaking soon. A garage door usually weighs as much as 300 pounds, so it’s nearly impossible ~ and genuinely dangerous ~ to attempt to raise it. A professional garage door repair technician is called for to carry out garage door spring replacement or repair. In-depth skill, safety, and precision are necessary for this sort of work. Bear in mind that in all likelihood, spring repair isn’t going to be possible, and replacement will be required.

There are two standard types of garage door springs:

Extension springs go on each side of the garage door, stretched alongside the garage door’s overhead track. They are less expensive than torsion springs, and they’re often found on older homes. They also require expert attention.

Torsion springs are mounted on the header above the garage door, with a round rod connected to the sides of the garage door. Torsion springs are recommended by most garage door professionals as your absolute best bet. Nevertheless, they are very dangerous. They should be replaced or adjusted only by an exceedingly qualified garage door repair technician, someone you can count on to follow safety precautions properly.


Additional Serious Issues

Does the garage door not go up at all? Then your garage door spring needs expert servicing. Whenever either of your garage door springs is broken, the door is going to stop working altogether soon, so ultimately it will not open at all. It’s time to contact a garage door repair professional.

Your garage door track could be out of alignment. This is a serious problem. The metal track of your garage door must be exactly aligned, or it simply won’t move. Are there any bends in the rails, or gaps between the rails and the rollers? The substantial weight of the garage door will compound these issues as time goes by, so if your garage door starts to show signs of failure, don’t put off getting it serviced, because it could easily become dangerous soon. Call a garage door repair specialist.

DON’T ATTEMPT to adjust the garage door by yourself, unless you’re an engineer! If your garage door isn’t serviced correctly, a garage door spring can cause major injury, and can even be deadly. The garage door bottom brackets, cables, and drums may also require adjustment. Avoid risking any hazardous situations, and stay out of harm’s way! Hire an accomplished professional local garage door repair technician you know you can rely on. If you are located anywhere in Smyrna, Georgia, consider hiring a legitimate company such as Smyrna Garage Door Repair, which is open to assist you 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.


Do It Yourself

Routine garage door maintenance doesn’t really require much effort on your part. The minimal time necessary to keep your garage door in first-rate condition is worth it, because if you ever do end up needing to repair your garage door, it won’t cost an arm and a leg. Moreover, you probably won’t need to get any parts replaced for a good number of years.

Every year, before winter arrives, lubricate your garage door rollers, springs, and hinges. Make sure to use a top name brand, so it won’t dry out. A light coating is all you need. Without lubrication, eventually the springs will rust, and the coils will bind and soon break.

Follow a regular garage door maintenance schedule. If you adopt a habit of always being on the lookout for any signs of wear and tear on your garage door, you’ll extend the life of your garage door. Because your garage door is the largest operating appliance in your household, you ought to keep it in tiptop condition. Especially if your garage doubles as an office or workshop, it’s even more important to maintain it effectively.

Once each month, take a look at the components of your entire garage door system. If you observe any worn parts, replace them. Also, tighten down any loose bolts. If you ever hear any strange noises when your garage door shuts and opens, don’t procrastinate; investigate!

It’s a good idea to schedule an annual inspection with a local reputable garage door repair company. Springs, pulleys, cables, and wires necessitate extra professional attention.

Smyrna Garage Door Repair: Garage door opens and closes on its own

A garage door that seems to have a life of its own is likely to catch people off-guard. You don’t expect it to open and close out of its own volition, with no prompt or reasoning, right? But it can happen on a few rare occasions.

Whether you’ve heard the door running while you’re inside the house, or you were horrified to see it open after returning from vacation, we’re here to bring you full peace of mind over your garage door issues.

On that note, let’s go into more detail about what to expect, and do, in this unfortunate situation.

Reasons why your garage door is opening/closing on its own 

Known in the garage door repairs industry as a “phantom operation”, this can happen because of electrical faults, or due to a problem in your door’s opening mechanisms. Properties with doors installed prior to 1993 will likely have an opener with a code that matches another nearby – so, if someone presses their remote control opener as they’re driving by, they might be able to open your door as well.

Of course, interference problems can go further than that. For your benefit, here are some of the most common issues you need to keep an eye out for:

1)    Radio interference
Not just with matching remote control codes, but also police radios, radio towers, or even military equipment (something to take into account if you live near an army base). Then again, your issues could be as trivial as a remote control in your house getting activated by accident – you’re probably better off checking this first before jumping into any other conclusions.
When radio interference is the culprit, the best solution is to reprogram your opener’s code or frequency. We would also recommend replacing those older openers (from before 1993) with a rolling code mechanism – it will actually make your garage door much safer, as it decreases the chance of someone having a code that matches yours.

2)    Blockage caused by snow, dirt, and debris
If your door is quite sensitive, physical interference of any kind will trigger its reversing functions. In the winter months, you need to keep a garage door’s threshold clear or snow and grime in order for it to work. All year round, dirt and debris can cause interference with your door’s reversing mechanisms – especially if there’s any build-up around the photo eye sensors. Also make sure that there aren’t any objects lying around, like boxes or gardening tools, as that could affect your door’s opening ability.

3)    Electric circuit damage
This is quite often the aftermath of a severe lighting storm. In fact, a damaged electrical circuit will be the most probable cause of your phantom opening/closing issues. You could be dealing with a short fuse in the opener remote, wall opener button, or even within the garage door’s wiring system. Obviously, it will be far too dangerous to take care of things yourself – if you suspect that your door is having electrical issues, you should contact a locally-based technician so that they can investigate things further.      

Hiring the right repairs professional for the job 

When facing a sporadically opening and closing door, you’re likely to feel compelled to call a technician right away. This is a perfectly reasonable reaction – but if you’ve never had to hire a garage door repairs business before, we would recommend that you take some time to do some research.

A credible professional in your area should be able to give you good value for money (they will seldom set you back several thousands of dollars), and a reliable warranty for all repairs. They will be certified and insured, and will often have the recognition of the manufacturers that they work with. That being said, with all industries there are scammers around – so we want to dedicate this final section to helping you weed out the bad apples from the bunch.

First and foremost, get recommendations from family, friends, and anyone else you know and trust. Write down a few company names you’d like to know more about, and make sure to call each of them to inquire about their services. If you can’t get recommendations, Google a few businesses, verify that their address actually exists (scammers will list dud addresses to fool you into buying their services), read up on online reviews and check if any complaints have been laid against them through the Better Business Bureau.

Most repairs businesses won’t charge you for consultations or price quotes – we recommend visiting the company in person, but talking on the phone is perfectly fine too. Ask the person on the line to provide you with license and insurance details, a list of client references in the area, minimum callout charges (after-hours services might cost extra), and a full cost breakdown of the services you’re seeking. It might also be useful to ask them about how their business has been going and how long they’ve been around – it will give you a good understanding of their experience, reputation, and whether they’ll be able to uphold their warranties if needed.

Partial deposits are legitimate, but never pay full price upfront for repairs. Also be on guard if a business asks for cash payments. If possible, try to be present on the day your chosen technician is coming into your property – some dishonest operators might try to cause more damage to get more money out of you. In short, being careful before and during the hiring process will save you from hassles in the long run.

Smyrna Garage Door Repair is always available to help local customers. Homeowners in Smyrna, GA, can call us about any garage door phantom operation, electrical fault, opener trouble or anything that is causing some concern. All of our operators have the right certifications, and we’re more than happy to provide you with a free consultation to discuss your issues.

No matter where you’re based, we hope this blog post has shed some light unto a problem that could easily baffle all homeowners. If your garage door starts opening and closing on its own, you should be ready to handle it.

Garage Door Openers & Safety Precautions

It is safe to say that garage door openers can be deadly. This is where the motor to your garage door is housed. Since there are many moving parts to your garage door, it can become dangerous without notice. We hardly ever think about our garage door opener in these terms because of how convenient it is. With the hit of a button, the doors simply automatically open up the door. Having a garage door opener also allows you to get in and out quickly without ever coming into contact with bad weather; who doesn’t love this. There are numerous advantages to having an automatic garage door opener. If you are going to buy another opener, you can depend on the services that are offered by Smyrna Garage Door Repair in Smyrna, GA. We are here to help you make the best decision possible. It helps to know what you should look for when choosing an automatic garage door opener.

Consider the following:

The difference between the different types of garage door openers is the amount of noise they make whenever they are being used. You should always be mindful of which rooms will hear the noise from the opener the most. It is pretty safe to say that if it is your bedroom, you’ll need to select a garage door opener that doesn’t make much noise. If you have children, it is likely that you will want an opener that will minimize the potential to be harmed by your opener. This means you’ll have to make sure you know the exact type of safety features offered for the type of opener you’re most interested in.

Types of Garage Door Openers

Screw Drive Opener
This type of opener has less moving parts than other types of openers. This means that not as much maintenance is involved. The tracks are lined with plastic and this is what makes is less noisy. This fact may be more important to you if you have a problem sleeping at night or if you have small children.

Chain Drive Opener
This is the most common type of opener installed because of how economical it is. In addition to it being an economical choice, it is also very efficient. The only downside to the chain drive opener is that it is the loudest of all three types of openers.

Belt Drives Opener
The belt drive opener is the least noisy of all three types of openers. This is why it is likely the most expensive too. Rubber belts are used to lift the door rather than metal on metal. This opener also has fewer parts, making it safer to use.


Ways to Test Your Garage Door Opener
Most garage door openers have built in safety features, however, we advise you to test your features annually to make sure they are still working. Whenever you find that any of these features are no longer working, unplug the opener until a professional service technician has serviced it.
One of the first things you can check is the electronic eye feature, located just off the ground on both sides of the garage door. When the door is open, hit the close button and then place something over the sensor of the eye to break the beam. The door shouldn’t move. If the door should happen to work, even when there is something in front of the beam, unplug the opener. This means that the safety feature is no longer working properly. It should be serviced immediately.

Another safety feature that you should check is that the door is balanced. Your garage door should open even when it is disconnected from the drive system. You can try opening the door from different vantage points and letting go. The door should stay in position. If it doesn’t, this means the door needs is off balance and requires immediate servicing.

Your garage door opener has a reversal system that is activated whenever something is obstructing the door. This is important especially if you have children. If the child should happen to be in the path of the door, it will sense this and retract back up instead of continuing to come down. You should test this feature by putting something in front of the door to see how it responds. The object should immediately break the beam of the sensor causing the door to stop and go back up. If it continues to come down, you’ll need to contact a professional service technician to resolve the matter before anyone is harmed.

These safety features were put in place for a reason. It has been proven that they save lives. Like anything else, the features can stop working without notice. It is up to each individual to make sure that these features are working in order to prevent and incident from occurring. Without these safety features, some people have been reported to have lost their lives due to a faulty garage door. Manufacturers have addressed many of the problems by incorporating specific safety features. As a result, there have been fewer incidents, especially involving children. While Smyrna Garage Door Repair is always here for you when you need us, ultimately, the responsibility of keeping you and your loved ones safe falls on you. Make sure you take your time to understand how the automatic garage door opens and avoid doing anything that can jeopardize your safety. This would be something as simple as forgetting to have your door serviced when you come to the understanding that any of the safety features is no longer working. This is what we often find that occurs. The motorist will discover that there is a problem with a security feature and will simply ignore it until an incident has occurred. You don’t have to wait until an incident occurs if you remain vigilant in your attempts to keep your garage door as safe and secure as possible. Not doing so can cost you in the end.

These safety features save lives. Children and pets are particularly at risk because of their size. Keep your automatic garage door opener working safely to protect yourself and others.

GARAGE DOOR WON’T WORK; THINGS TO CHECK BEFORECALLING A PROFESSIONAL

Oh no! The garage door stopped working! It must be time to call a local Smyrna, GA garage door repair shop; right? Well, maybe not. Our Smyrna Garage Door Repair crew offers these helpful tips on what you should do first BEFORE you call a local garage door professional. Read on – you might just save yourself a service call and a little money!

You need your garage door to work right!

There’s no doubt about it. Your garage door is a vital part of your home or commercial building. It guards one of the largest rooms at your location. We use our garages for storage, car parking and access to our homes. A poorly or non-working garage door leaves your home vulnerable to uninvited intruders, vagrants, squatters, potential burglars or home invaders. It also allows your neighbors or anyone else driving down your street to potentially see what is inside your garage space or that part of your building is in disrepair.

Imagine putting in a hard day at work. You’ve dealt with cranky customers, oppressive bosses, and traffic headaches all day. Now, you just want to come home and relax for a bit so that you can recharge. One problem; your garage door is not working right. While your first inclination might be to call a local Smyrna, GA garage door professional, give these quick tips a try and see if these help.

Safety sensors

These are also known as photo electric safety eyes and they play a vital role in your garage door’s performance. If your safety sensors are not aligned properly your garage door remote won’t work and neither will your outside keypad control. These sensors are designed with your safety in mind. That’s why they won’t allow your garage door to operate if the beam does not connect. Let’s say you attempt to close your garage door but your toddler or puppy runs underneath it at the last moment. The last thing you want is for your several hundred pound garage door to hit anyone or anything underneath. Thanks to your safety sensors, it won’t. When the beam is interrupted, the door reverses course and goes back up.

If however, the beams are not aligned, this has the same effect. You can push the remote button all you like and to your sensors, it is the same as having the beam interrupted, but on a continued basis. What can you do about it? Your sensors are easily aligned by moving them in their brackets gently so that the beam connects from one sensor to the other. While you are at it, check for spider webs, yard leaves and other debris that may have blown in that can block your sensor lenses. Keep bicycles, trash cans, garden tools and other items away from your sensors. These can lean against them or fall on them and cause them to become misaligned. While you are inspecting your safety sensors, also look out for cut, frayed or chewed wires that will certainly interfere with your garage door’s performance.

Remote battery

Batteries lose their charge with time and use. This is true for the battery in your remote, too. We recommend testing your battery to see if it is still good. Do you have a battery tester at home? If so, use it to see the condition of your remote battery. If not, simply take your battery to any local Smyrna, GA retail store that sells them and they should test it for you at no charge. Some of the national chains that do this complimentary testing include Best Buy, Target, Sears, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Lowes. Also, your battery may be good but the terminal that holds it in place may be loose. Be sure to check to see if it still holds. These are easy to adjust by simply squeezing them together.

Manual lock

Sometimes garage door failure can be traced back to one simple thing; the manual lock. These locks are easy to purchase and to apply. They are also easy to forget so if you or someone in your household attaches one to the inside track of your garage door, remember to remove it when not needed or at least tell the other family members or roommates about it. Plenty of opener motors have become burned out as well as garage door damage by trying to open a manually locked garage door.

Path blockage

Did your garage door start to go down and then suddenly go back up? Did you try to close your door again and this action was repeated? You might be left wondering just how you are going to retire for the night or leave for work in the morning if your garage door won’t close. This problem is related to and very similar to the above paragraph about the safety sensors. In this case, the beam is not misaligned, there is simply something blocking its path. At first glance it may not seem that way. It could be something as small as a child’s toy or other small object. As long as the beam is interrupted, your garage door will not close and will start to go back up. Always be sure to keep the area around your safety sensors free of debris, tools, boxes or any other item that can block the path of your photo electric safety eye beam.

When to call in the troops!

Any and all of the above tips can save you both time and money. It only takes a moment to run through any or all of them. Why not save yourself some money and fix your own garage door problem? Now, if none of the above tips help, then by all means, call in a Smyrna, GA garage door repair pro. Even if you do, you’ll be able to tell your repair technicians what the problem is NOT. How do you know? Well, because your read our post and checked for yourself!

Article source here: GARAGE DOOR WON’T WORK; THINGS TO CHECK BEFORECALLING A PROFESSIONAL

CAN’T GET YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPEN OR SHUT? HERE’S WHAT TO DO!

If your garage door is out of whack, there are numerous causes. Some are clear-cut, and some are complicated. Let’s take a look:

 

 

Problems and Solutions

 

Garage door won’t open? If you have a garage door that won’t stay open, the springs are probably acting up, not staying contracted as they should. Adjustment may be possible, by shortening the spring cables, which will add more tension on the springs using a bracket on the cables. If your garage door has one or two torsion springs, one or both could be broken. Don’t ever attempt to adjust your garage door, unless you’re an engineer! If operated improperly, a garage door spring can cause injury, and even death. The drums, cables, and bottom brackets may need to be adjusted. Or, it’s possible that the springs must be replaced. In any case, it’s wise to hire a trusty professional. If you live in Smyrna, Georgia, consider choosing a dependable local garage door company such as Smyrna Garage Door Repair.

 

Garage door won’t close? Your garage door has a photo sensor eye on either side. Between them is an invisible beam, which, when broken, keeps the door from shutting. See if they’ve become misaligned or grimy. Depending on which brand and style of sensor you have, if the light’s blinking, there’s something wrong. Or, if you have sensors with red and green lights, the red one normally means it’s not functioning correctly.

 

Another sensor issue can be the wiring. Investigate the connections from the sensors making sure the wires aren’t coming loose or hindered by corrosion. Another possibility is that there’s a short in the wiring, which can come from a staple used during installation; vibrations over time can eventually cause a disconnect. Also, wires can become stretched, resulting in a disconnection.

 

Does the garage door opener run, but the garage door won’t move? In case of a power outage, your garage door opener comes with a disconnect switch, allowing you to manually shut or open the garage door. The switch, usually attached to a knob or rope, can unintentionally come unhooked. What to do:

 

1  Open or shut the garage door all the way.

2  Reattach the hook securely.

3  Now, with the transmitter, try opening or shutting the door again, and this time it should work.

 

The transmitter batteries might be low. Perhaps all you need to do is replace them to open your door.

 

Is your garage door opener running for a few seconds, then turning off? This can occur when the door’s shut, while the motor tries but fails to lift the garage door.

 

1  Inspect the track for any obstacles.

2  Examine the springs.

3   Check to see if your garage door has a built-in lock engaging by mistake. This is common for older garage doors.

 

What if your door goes down all the way, but opens again? Probably the open-and-close limit settings of the garage door opener are failing. The settings instruct the garage door opener on how far the door should move before it’s shut all the way. If set too high, the door will hit the ground before the opener estimates that it should, assuming the door is touching an object in its path. If so, it will reverse so as not to crush it. Read your operator’s manual for steps for setting the open-and-close limits.

 

Is the garage door opening and closing at random? If your garage door opens or shuts by itself, even when you’re gone, it’s certainly a nuisance as well as a security risk, but don’t be upset. Try this:

 

1  Inspect the transmitters. Make sure they’re not wedged under an object that’s accidently pushing down on the control mechanism. For instance, the transmitters may be under some items you forgot in your vehicle, or somewhere else in the vicinity.

2  Test the transmitters’ frequency. It’s possible a neighbor of yours has your same frequency.

 

Does the garage door shut part way, then open again? A garage door has a reversing mechanism so it won’t crush objects in its path. The reversing instruction is triggered by any objects on the ground blocking the garage door’s path ~ a box, bicycle, or trash can. There could be debris on the door tracks ~ tiny objects, grime, or gum ~ stopping the rollers from moving forward. This will likely require professional attention.

 

The garage door track might be out of alignment. The metal track of your garage door must be correctly aligned, or it won’t budge. Look for any bends in the rails, or gaps between rail and the rollers. As years pass, the garage door’s weight can compound these problems, so don’t put off hiring a garage door expert, because the door can become increasingly dangerous to operate.

 

What if your garage door slams down with a bang? You may have a broken tension spring, which normally counters the door’s weight. The cables connected to the tension spring are broken. Either problem can be dangerous, so call a garage door professional.

 

 

Prevent Future Problems

 

Maintaining your garage door is relatively effortless. The little time needed to keep your garage door in tiptop shape means you won’t have to replace it for many years to come.

 

Follow a routine maintenance schedule to extend the life of your garage door. If you use your garage as a workshop, office, or game room, it’s important to keep your garage door springs, rollers, and hinges lubricated ~ at least once a year, before winter comes. (Some professionals advise you should lubricate every 3 months.) Otherwise, the springs will rust, and the coils will eventually bind. Use a top brand, and it won’t dry out. All that’s needed is a light coating.

 

Once a month, check your garage door system’s components.

 

1  Tighten loose bolts.

2  Replace worn parts.

3  Investigate if you notice any odd noises when your garage door opens and shuts.

Schedule an annual inspection with your local garage door repair service. Cables, springs, pulleys, and wires require professional attention.

 

At least every other year, clean the garage door.

 

1  Wash both sides with a sponge using mild dish soap and water. Rinse well.

2  Wash the sensor eyes with a dry, clean cloth.

3  Keep the area surrounding the sensors free of grime and cobwebs.

4  If your garage door is wood, if there’s any peeling and chipping, give it a fresh coat of paint.

5  If your garage door is steel, apply car wax for cold-weather protection.

Article source here: CAN’T GET YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPEN OR SHUT? HERE’S WHAT TO DO!

Smyrna Garage Door Repair: Common Garage Door Issues in Cold Weather

Weather conditions can have an impact your garage door’s performance. This is less than ideal in the coldest seasons, when homeowners want to be able to keep everything closed-up to warm up the house. Unfortunately, garage door issues are very common during cold weather – but preparing for these will enable you to quickly resolve your troubles. Read through our list of commonly-found glitches to ensure your garage door is well-maintained as the temperature drops.

Here is a handy breakdown of some of the problems that Smyrna Garage Door Repair in Smyrna, GA, along with other garage door repair professionals, constantly need to attend to in the coldest months.

1) Creaky or noisy doors

This is probably one of the most common complaints garage door technicians receive during the winter season. As the door is opened or closed, it may become noisier than you are used to – grumbling, complaining, creaking and screeching. While noisy doors can be a sign of damage, in the winter months that’s usually just a sign that it needs a bit more lubrication. You will need to buy some lube and apply it to the necessary parts, including the joints and hinges. If that doesn’t work, then something is amiss: and that will be when you may need to call a garage door repair technician to inspect things further.

2) Problems opening and/or closing the door

Whether that means your door is not opening completely or not closing all the way, the cold weather can cause a few issues that may make it more difficult for your door to operate smoothly. Once again, it could be as simple as oiling up the right parts – but opening and closing issues could actually mean your door has become misaligned. Check if the door is out of balance, and see if the issue can be amended by tapping each side of the door back into position. Be careful, though: if your door is too far out of track, fixing it will be very dangerous. If in doubt, get in touch with an expert.

3) Weather Stripping Failure

If you live somewhere that experiences heavy snow, you will likely encounter this problem. When water freezes near a closed garage door, the weather stripping may get stuck to the ground. In this scenario, the weather stripping will likely tear off as soon as the door is raised – leaving your home with poor insulation and a hefty energy bill. The best way to prevent this? Check that the area in front of your garage door is clear of puddles and snow. Simple as that!

4) Excess grease building up on tracks and rollers

Now, this is something that can easily occur at any given time of the year. In the winter months, though, it can lead to some of the problems we’ve already covered (misaligned rollers being a key example). Actually, finding the right balance between lubrication levels along the tracks and rollers is a bit of a trial and error, but is an important part of your garage door maintenance. Oil up your tracks if needed, but try not to overdo it – apply it in small amounts to reach the right consistency.

5) Breakage because of contracting metal

A very common issue in the colder months. The drop in temperature will cause the door’s metal components, including the springs and screws, to shrink and contract. You can’t prevent this from happening, but you can prevent it from causing any kind of breakage or damage by ensuring all metal parts are well-lubricated. Just remember to keep the oil away from the tracks to avoid the issue we mentioned in the previous point.

And if you do end up with a broken spring – do not try to fix things yourself! Torsion springs especially are quite dangerous to work with without adequate training. Stay on the safe side and call a repairs professional right away.

6) Thickened or hardened grease on your door

The majority of lubricating greases are created to operate under extremely hot temperatures – it’s actually the reason why they work so well with motor engines. Unfortunately, that means the grease doesn’t perform as well when exposed to cold weather conditions. As the temperatures drop, it’s very likely that your garage door’s grease will thicken up and harden. To prevent this from causing any hassles, keep a close eye on your door’s hinges and tracks and make sure to remove any build-up along the way. Old, hardened grease can be removed from your garage door using an applicable solvent. Once you’ve cleaned up the build-up, replace it with a silicone-based oil – this will last you through the winter months much better than your standard oils.

Throughout this list we have identified certain times when you may need to call on a repairs professional. If you need to find one in your area, make sure to ask people you trust for recommendations and keep 2-3 business names handy. Call these and inquire about their services, including minimum callout charges and product warranties. Never hire a company that has no verifiable address, and don’t pay full price upfront for any repairs job (partial deposits are legitimate, though). If you have time to do a bit of background checking on your selected business, that’s even better – otherwise, just stick to word-of-mouth recommendations.

Those of you who live in Smyrna, Georgia, are more than welcome to contact us if you experience any of the cold weather issues we mentioned in this post. Smyrna Garage Door Repair is a locally owned and operated business, with all the certifications, training and tools needed to conduct safe and reliable repairs. Call us to consult with our experts, and we will provide you with a full price quote for any requests you may have for our team. In emergencies, our phone lines are operating 24/7.

Whether you live in Smyrna, GA, or elsewhere, we hope that this blog post has clarified some of the issues you may experience with your garage door during the winter months. Remember to stay on top of maintenance to ensure that everything keeps running smoothly all year round.

Article source here: Smyrna Garage Door Repair: Common Garage Door Issues in Cold Weather

Common Garage Door Closure

A door closer helps to latch a door in a controlled manner, keeping it from slamming and making a lot of noise or loud sound. This is what happens when a door is closing.  The equipment used for door closers have been around for years. In fact, some of these same parts are still being sold and installed in newer doors today, such as, hinges, weights and springs. A door closer can come in various applications, sizes, shapes and configurations. They can be installed inside the header above the door, mounted underneath the floor under the door or surface mounted on the face of the door. Each way has its own benefits and disadvantages. Consulting with a reputable and reliable garage door service, such as, Smyrna Garage Door Repair will enable you to find out more about the advantage and disadvantages. Note that many architects install concealed door closers for aesthetic purposes.

 

Types of Door Closures

 

There are at least three common problems that cause door closure issues, stack pressure, regulations and temporary door distortion. Stack pressure is the movement of air contained inside a hermetically sealed property. The pressure develops inside the building when the air moves through the HVAC ducts and intakes. The pressure can be experienced when someone is attempting to open an exterior door. This is because of the stack pressure that the door will not close. If the buildings HVAC system is not on, this problem will not exist.

 

Since every area has different regulations, ordinances and codes, they may experience different types of problems with door closures. Trying to find a resolution that will be cost effective can be challenging. To avoid the costly expense of a power door operator manufacturers have designed unique door closers. One of the uniquely designed closures is a cam closure. The action of a cam closer is felt when the door is closing shut. In most regular surface mount door closers, the greatest amount of force is generally felt at the opening of the door. With the cam door closer, the user if given more power, which enables the door to latch and close the door more efficiently.

 

The temporary door distortion happens to a hollow exterior door that is typically located on the side of buildings where the sun hits it. When the sun hits the building it heats up the door. This means that the door can become distorted or warped out of shape. This will create a problem with the door closing normally.

 

What’s Most Important

 

When considering the right type of door closer, you should know that the closer itself isn’t the most important part. Your closer will not work properly if the hinges or the door are not correctly lubricated. If everything is lubricated and tight, it will certainly make it possible for the door closer to close smoothly and latch correctly.

Types of Closers

The most common closers are surface-mounted closers, concealed closers and floor closures. Surface-Mounted  closerscome with adjustable size surface-mounted door closers with spring force that can be adjusted to various sizes. This eliminates the need to have different sized closers. The adjustable closers are different depending on the manufacturer. A surface-mounted door closer can be installed on either side of the door opening on a swing door or out swing door.

 

Surface-Mounted Closer Installation:

 

• Parallel Arm Mounting

The closer is placed on the face of the door and the shoe is mounted into the jamb. This places the arm parallel to the door opening. This is how a surface-mounted closer is installed on a swing door. There is less damage that occurs with it being installed parallel to the door face than if it were perpendicular to the arm.

 

• Top Jamb Mounting

The closer is mounted onto the jam and the shoe is mounted on the door face. This places the arm in a perpendicular position toward the opening. This process is applied to swing doors with closer on the inside of the door.

 

• Regular Arm Mounting

This is when the closer is located on the face of the door and the shoe is mounted onto the jamb. In this case, the opening of the door is perpendicular to the arm. Again this application applied to swing doors with interior closer.

 

• Track Arm Mounting

In this process the closer is mounted on the face of your door and the track arm is placed onto the jamb. This can be performed on both swing doors and out swing doors with the closer mounted on the interior side of the door.

 

Concealed Closers

 

This type of closer has various benefits to a surface-mounted closer since it functions as part of the attached swinging mechanisms, which are on the top or bottom of the door. The door has a point of rotation that will safely and effectively, carry the weight of the doors header or pivot it. With a surface-mounted door closer it requires an added component that controls the way the door opens and closes. In this case, the door hinges carry the weight. The concealed door closer needs more energy to operate than the surface-mounted door.

Floor Closers

Floor closers can accommodate doors that weigh more than 1000 pounds. On the other hand a shallow body closer can only accommodate a maximum of 250 pounds. On the heavier doors, intermediate load bearing pivots are applied. Lighter doors have non load-bearing intermediate pivots.

Why You Care

 

Most people don’t care about the door closers that are installed. If you are having a building built for your business, you might want to know what some of the various components of your buildings doors might consist of. In any case, while you may not fully be aware off what these various factors are and how they affect your doors, it is a good idea to know a little something about them simply for the purpose of making a well-informed decision. Your local garage door service can assist you in further understanding the types of closers used and why.

Article source here: Common Garage Door Closure

How to find a good garage door service

Garage doors are like any other working appliance; they break down now and then. It’s not just old ones either; new garage doors can experience problems, too. When this happens it’s best to know what to do to make things right again. You always have the option of do-it-yourself repair, but for those that want the job done by professionals (highly recommended) finding the right garage door service can be a real godsend.

Timing

You’ve heard the term “timing is everything?” It holds true with garage door repair. If you are like most, you use your garage door frequently. It is actually the largest door to one of the largest rooms in your home or building. Coming and going through our garage doors has become a way of life; we do it so often we hardly give it a second thought…until something goes wrong and repair, maintenance or new installation is needed!

Many things can affect your garage door appearance and performance including wear, maintenance, weather and usage. Here in Smyrna, GA we have cold winters and very humid summers so it’s best to accommodate for those factors. If you live elsewhere you might be dealing with dry summer heat or wet, rainy seasons that can also affect your garage door.

Smyrna Garage Door Repair recommends that you find a garage door service company EARLY and most likely before you actually need one. We love our conveniences and luxuries and a well working, good looking garage door is one of them. Should yours need service, it’s always smart to have a professional service that you trust and can rely on ready to step in and render assistance.

What to look for

As you can imagine, not all garage door services are the same. It helps to know what to look for in one that you would like to work with in the future (or now!). But, where do you start looking? Every decent sized town has a number of services to choose from and that holds true for Smyrna, GA and the whole Atlanta metro area, as well.

Ask around

People LOVE to give advice so now may be a good time to ask for it. Inquire with your co-workers, circle of friends, family members or customers if you are a business owner. Get people’s opinions both bad and good about garage door services they’ve used in the recent past. You’d be surprised what you can learn from doing this. Drop a few names here and there; businesses love to hear that their service was recommended by a customer and you might just get your referring friend and discount on their next service job!

Check the BBB

The Better Business Bureau is NOT a government agency or regulatory body. They have no enforcement authority but they do have good thing going for them; people love to complain to them when something goes wrong. Give the Atlanta, GA BBB a call or go online and do a search on their site. Smyrna area businesses are included in this office. If you are reading this and live elsewhere, do the same for your area. Note that the business does not have to be a member to be reputable so don’t worry about that but look instead for unresolved complaints from customers. Also, a few resolved ones is nothing to worry about as most local businesses get them from time to time. It’s the ones that were left UN resolved that should raise a red flag.

Expect quality

Don’t view your garage door service company as mere handymen or as a “Mr. fix-all” neighbor who tinkers in his garage all day. Expect more and you will get more. Selecting a good garage door service company should be treated the same as choosing any other home improvement contractor. They should answer the phone professionally. They should be licensed, bonded and insured. Do they offer free estimates and price quotes? Here’s a big one; do they offer round the clock emergency service in case that you need it? Ask for references and see how they react to that. Did they willingly and cheerfully give them to you or did they hesitate to answer?

Don’t be fooled by ads!

Are you impressed with ads, at times? If you see a huge yellow page ad or a website with lots of flashing lights and big banners does that wow you? Well, don’t be too impressed! Big flashy ads or gaudy websites really just mean that the company spent more to advertise – it’s not an indication of quality or trustworthiness at all.

Ask questions

Never be afraid to ask questions and don’t assume anything! You can ask potential garage door service companies about service fees, warranty coverage, names of references, product or service guarantees, advertised specials, licensing, labor charges, weekend availability, current specials, insurance coverage, emergency fees and anything else that might come to mind.

Add to smart phones

Have you chosen a garage door service company to work with yet? Maybe you’ve narrowed the list down to two or three. Be sure to add one or two of them to your smart phone address book for easy access when you DO wind up needing them. Having fast access to pre-qualified garage door service can be a real godsend when one of your springs snaps, or your garage door opener stops working.

If you need service now

Do you need garage door service at the present? Make sure you get two or three estimates from different companies and don’t forget to ask about warranties for any products or hardware they may be using. While you are at it; be sure to inquire about total charges and not just service fees. Are there product fees, travel charges, or extra labor costs involved? Each company or shop varies so be sure to ask.

Be sure not to authorize a repair or other service work before the technician explains the exact problem and the cost of the solution.

Most of these tips are just common sense; follow them and you’ll get the most out of your Smyrna, GA garage door repair and service work!

 

Article source here: How to find a good garage door service