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