Garage door cables are an extremely important part of your garage door system. Without them, your torsion and extension springs in your door system can wear out and become damaged. When a spring breaks it can be extremely dangerous as people are killed each year by garage door spring accidents.
The door cable acts as a safety net between your door tracks and the springs. The cables help the springs to lift and close the door to help put less tension on the springs. This helps your garage system to last longer. Repairing broken cables is quite easy. You can buy replacement parts for your door at warehouse stores like The Local Garage Door Repair. These cables usually run anywhere from $25-$50 dollars. Once you have the repair parts, simply replace the existing cables with the new ones. Make sure to have the garage closed when making repairs. Once the cables have been replaced, stand at least 15 feet away and open the garage door. Staying far enough away is important in case you installed the cables wrong and a spring breaks. If the door opens and closes, make sure the check the repair work you have accomplished every six months. Cables stretch and cause slack which can continue to put too much stress on the overhead motor and the springs. If the cables become loose, simply cut the end of the cable and shorten it to bring up any slack. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2764682
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Timely garage door repair is absolutely essential because an open or unlocked garage door is a terrible security risk. Getting the door repaired often can be quite an expensive proposition. In fact, you should be able to deal with most minor issues on your own, thereby reducing the need for professional help. The following tips will help you save quite a bit of money on garage door repair costs:
1. Keep the area clean and free of obstacles: The tracks on which the door moves might become clogged with dirt and debris over time and should therefore be cleaned often. The rollers and hinges should also be kept lubricated using a high quality lubricant. Keep in mind that the track, chain and the chain rail should never be lubricated because this will result in the accumulation of more dirt. 2. Realign the sensors: The sensors can easily go out of alignment on account of frequent use and this will result in a blinking light. Alignment can be done manually. Problems can also be caused when the sensors are obstructed due to any reason. Dirt and moisture are common reasons for sensors not working. 3. Tighten any loose components: Any loose nuts and bolts can result in a great deal of noise when the door opener is in operation. Be sure to disconnect the power supply to the unit before you open it to make any repairs or else you might get injured. 4. Make adjustments for springs that have become loose: Springs become loose over time and as a result the door does not close or open fully. Adjusting the limit switch does help, but you could also have the springs changed entirely. It is best to get rid of very old springs or else there will be too much pressure on the motor. The problems mentioned above are very common but you can see that they are fairly easy to deal with. You need to go over your garage door and its opening mechanism every four to six months in order to ensure that it is in great working condition. This will help you save quite a bit on garage door repair costs since you can avoid most major problems that require professional help. Even so, you should call in a reliable repair technician in case there is a problem that you are unable to handle so that your AE Garage Door Repair, Carpentersville is in good working condition. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8052590 Garages can act as many different things to families. Garages can be used as a storage area, a home gym, a workshop or even as a playroom. The versatility of a garage seems almost endless, and one family's choice is not always the choice of their neighbor. Regardless of the use of the garage, there are benefits to every option in garage door repair missouri city.com. A garage as a storage area is perhaps the most common and the most useful all around. Not only can a garage store a vehicle or two, but the garage can also become home to the family's overflow. Organization is key in a storage area, and marking boxes clearly and storing them appropriately is a must. No family wants to keep fancy heirloom china in a garage only to have it accidentally broken because of poor storage. Home gyms inside a garage are becoming increasingly popular. The garage is perfect for keeping bulky free weights and oversized exercise equipment out of the home and the spaciousness of the garage allows the family room to exercise together. Workshops in the garage are another great option. Noisy and dusty power tools will be kept away from the family, and the worker can have room to complete many projects. Storage space for wood and metal to work with is another benefit of the workshop garage. Some families even opt to use the garage as a playroom. Padded flooring is installed, and children and families can access bicycles and toys easily. Regardless of the use of the garage, the door is a major consideration. The garage door needs to be sturdy and stylish as well as fit the needs of the garage. A garage used for a workout room or workshop should have thick sturdy panels to help keep noise to a minimum. Families using a garage for a playroom may want to choose a garage door with window panels to allow for extra lighting. Garage doors also need to reflect the style of the home to maintain continuity. Hiring a professional to work with the family to determine the best garage door choice is a must do. Garage doors should last for years, and no family wants to make a uniformed decision. By finding a qualified garage door professional, the family can rest easy knowing the work will be exactly what their family deserves. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3099913 When you are a busy homeowner, maintaining your home to keep it in prime condition is part of the process. With many projects calling your name, it's easy to adopt the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. Your garage door, which was designed to give you years of trouble-free service, may fall into this category unless you have a problem with the door itself or the opening system. However, ignoring your garage door until it stops working is a big mistake. Safety issues can arise if the door is out of alignment, or it may be hiding a developing problem with the springs or drive mechanism. If you're not regularly checking it - and knowing what to look for - these issues can get overlooked and lead to accidents or costly repairs down the road. To make sure that your door is always safe and operating efficiently, the best approach is to obtain a maintenance agreement or yearly service contract on the door. Some garage door companies offer a lifetime maintenance agreement on new doors, but most have affordable yearly service contracts on existing doors available in garage door repair venice.com. What A Maintenance Agreement Contract Often Covers A maintenance agreement covers testing the door for safety and function. Typically, this might include: Even if you, as a homeowner, can do visual inspections, basic safety tests, and periodic lubrication, you are not trained to correctly and safely analyze and repair springs, panels, and cables. Garage doors weigh hundreds of pounds and have spring tension equal to that; if springs or cables snap and fail to support the door, you are no match for a falling door. Garage doors are much safer than they were in the past, but every year hospital emergency rooms see thousands of cases of homeowners who were crushed, suffered fractures, or lost limbs from failed attempts to repair their own garage door according to the Consumer Products Safety Council. Service technicians from a professional garage door company have the necessary training to handle repairs that can be dangerous for the average homeowner. Helpful Discounts Increase Savings As a yearly maintenance subscriber, you may have to pay for parts if it's time to replace springs, cables, panels, etc. but labor is often included in your contract. Many providers even offer discounts on parts to repair your existing door. Even if you need cosmetic repairs as a result of damage from vehicles, weather, or misguided basketballs, the technician can usually make them while he's onsite, which saves you both time and money. When it's time for a new door or a new opening system, you may see savings there as well, and since you already have a relationship with your garage door company, you can buy with confidence. 24/7, 365 Protection Having an annual service contract on your door also means that you have 24 hour emergency service at your fingertips. If your door malfunctions, leaving you unable to get into your garage or house, most companies will dispatch help, regardless of the time of day. Often the cost of an annual contract runs less than what one emergency visit costs. When you balance the small cost of an annual maintenance contract with the cost savings, time savings, and peace of mind you realize from keeping your door in good condition, it's easy to see why an annual contract makes good sense. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8341725 Back in the old days, garage doors had to be manually opened and closed each and every time the car leaves and parks. This can be a very tiring task and can time consuming. But with the invention of garage door openers, people can now enjoy better convenience and ease of use. Basically, door openers are devices that automatically open garage doors. They are usually operated by a motorized power unit that pulls the doors up and down. And although the function remains relatively the same, there are several designs of it currently present in the market. First, there is the classical window-type design that opens by moving up in an outward direction. And although this design has been widely used, it poses some problems particularly on windy locations wherein strong winds can cause the door to slam back down. To address this, manufacturers have come up with another design that is not only more safe, but also saves a lot of space. This design is called sectional garage doors repair piedmont. It is made of several horizontal sections attached by joints. This allows sectional doors to bend accordingly while being pulled upwards into the ceiling of the garage. So basically, its design is almost similar to that of a roll up shutter door. But whichever of the two designs you choose both have been equipped by manufacturers with a security mechanism. These include sensors that will pull back the door if hits something solid. This prevents people from getting stuck or your car from getting damaged. Another safety mechanism installed by manufacturers on most of their designs is the anti-drop system that prevents the door from slamming down in case of malfunction. More advanced security functions include a laser system that detects any disturbance on the laser beams installed on the door. When the beam is cut by any object this will signal the door to either stop closing or pull back up gain. Another security feature that keeps thieves out of the garage is a remote lockout system. This prevents the door opener from being controlled remotely by turning off its radio sensor. This is especially useful when the people in the house are out for vacation. But it is not always just about safety measures. As time passes by, doors are starting to feature more and more convenience functions. For example, some designs now operate via a remote control. This lets you operate the door opener from inside the car. Another feature lately gaining popularity is a courtesy lighting system. When the garage door opens it will trigger a motion sensor device to turn on the lights. This will save you the trouble of doing things yourself, thus effectively saving time. And there is no need to turn them off as well. The lights will automatically go off after a preset time delay. These are just some of the advantages that modern door designs offer. A combination of a good garage door opener and high quality sectional garage doors will prove to be an effective duo that will provide both convenience and security. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4429120 When you are a busy homeowner, maintaining your home to keep it in prime condition is part of the process. With many projects calling your name, it's easy to adopt the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. Your garage door, which was designed to give you years of trouble-free service, may fall into this category unless you have a problem with the door itself or the opening system. However, ignoring your garage door repair services until it stops working is a big mistake. Safety issues can arise if the door is out of alignment, or it may be hiding a developing problem with the springs or drive mechanism. If you're not regularly checking it - and knowing what to look for - these issues can get overlooked and lead to accidents or costly repairs down the road. To make sure that your door is always safe and operating efficiently, the best approach is to obtain a maintenance agreement or yearly service contract on the door. Some garage door companies offer a lifetime maintenance agreement on new doors, but most have affordable yearly service contracts on existing doors available. Garage doors are much safer than they were in the past, but every year hospital emergency rooms see thousands of cases of homeowners who were crushed, suffered fractures, or lost limbs from failed attempts to repair their own garage door according to the Consumer Products Safety Council. Service technicians from a professional garage door company have the necessary training to handle repairs that can be dangerous for the average homeowner. Helpful Discounts Increase Savings As a yearly maintenance subscriber, you may have to pay for parts if it's time to replace springs, cables, panels, etc. but labor is often included in your contract. Many providers even offer discounts on parts to repair your existing door. Even if you need cosmetic repairs as a result of damage from vehicles, weather, or misguided basketballs, the technician can usually make them while he's onsite, which saves you both time and money. When it's time for a new door or a new opening system, you may see savings there as well, and since you already have a relationship with your garage door company, you can buy with confidence. 24/7, 365 Protection Having an annual service contract on your door also means that you have 24 hour emergency service at your fingertips. If your door malfunctions, leaving you unable to get into your garage or house, most companies will dispatch help, regardless of the time of day. Often the cost of an annual contract runs less than what one emergency visit costs. When you balance the small cost of an annual maintenance contract with the cost savings, time savings, and peace of mind you realize from keeping your door in good condition, it's easy to see why an annual contract makes good sense. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8341725 Can you remember back in the day when you had to get out of your car and manually lift of your garage yourself? If not it might be because the first electronic door opener was invented in the late 1920's in Indiana by a guy named C.G. Johnson. This is not to say everyone had a garage door opener at the time however. The first simple remote control opener was very similar to the technology used to detonate bombs back in the Second World War. One problem the transmitter had was it would open other people's garages as well as their own. This was later fixed by using different codes and frequencies. Garage openers made it easy for people to access their garages, saved people time and energy and also made it possible to have an "unlock" feature for a door where before people had to manually lock and unlock a door if they wanted to protect something in their garage from strangers. Contrary to people's beliefs, the electronic motor is not what is responsible for the doors opening and closing. It is actually the springs of the door the counterbalance the weight of the door. When the tension builds up on the springs it allows the door to open and close with little effort. The electronic motor then moves the door up and down on the track by a chain. Obviously the door, when open, hangs above the car stall directly below the garage motor. There was a short period of time when the doors would fall off the tracks and wreck people's cars. Stronger tracks, more secure chains and pulleys helped solve this problem. Today there are more than ten large garage door opener manufacturers. It has turned into a large industry and is used in nearly every home across the US. Now days, you have many choices to your garage openers. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4194569 A garage door works perfectly only when all the components, mechanical and electrical, operate harmoniously. But years of regular use, local weather conditions and friction among moving parts decreases performance. Regular maintenance is necessary to keep it working in a pristine condition. So, homeowners should have some basic understanding of the door working mechanism. This way they can undertake successful 'Do-it-Yourself' garage projects. How to undertake Garage Door Maintenance A garage door is unlike any other door in your home. It's the largest electrically operated entrance to your home. Since it has both electrical and mechanical components, you should start by thoroughly reading the door's Instructions manual. It will help you get acquainted with all the basic components and their respective working mechanism. Afterwards, you can proceed to undertake some general door maintenance. Here are 6 Maintenance tips for homeowners: 1. Inspection: Take a close look at all the components of the door - big or small. Check the door opener, metal tracks, chain-belt or drive belt, dents in panels, electrical connections, rollers and bearings etc. Look for any signs of rust on metal parts or general wear and tear. If the metal tracks are not in proper alignment, use a carpenter's scale to align them in a straight line. 2. Lubricating Moving Parts: Door components need a friction-free surface for smooth operation. Use the ideal oil grade as recommended by the door manufacturer. Do not use WD-40 grade oil for lubrication. It attracts dirt/dust and causes damage to the components. Oil or grease the metal tracks in the rolling shutter doors. Other parts that need lubrication include chain, rollers, pulleys, hinges, screws etc. 3. Garage Door Opener Settings: Modern doors work via electronic openers that can be programmed by the user. A professional technician sets the default settings as considered suitable for the daily use. Do not temper with these settings unless you understand the operating instructions as detailed in the opener manual. 4. Minor dents in the Panels: Regular use causes dents to appear on flimsy panels. For example, light-weight aluminium door panels are known to get damages quickly. Homeowners can repair them quickly. Take a small hammer and large piece of cotton cloth. With the help of another person, place folded cloth on the dent surface and a hard-board on the other side. The board acts as a support for the panel. Remove the dent using subtle hammer movements. 5. Garage door Ventilation: Garages can get quiet hot in the summers and cold in the winters. Install a suitable ventilation fan to lower the humidity. Another option is to install a freestanding exhaust fan near a window. Insulated doors help in saving electrical energy and lower heating/cooling costs. 6. Door Insulation: Polystyrene panels are known to resist variations in temperature. Homeowners can add polystyrene foam in the hollow aluminium door panels. Also, the gap between the bottom of the door and garage floor should be plugged using a rubber or fiber strip. 7. Bonus Tip - Rust Prevention: Dirt and dust accumulation can lead to rusting. Initially, rust can be removed by simply washing the aluminum and steel doors with a mild household detergent. Use sandpaper to remove extreme rust. Sand the area thoroughly and apply zinc-rich primer. Now, apply a premium 100% latex paint on the affected area. Garage door maintenance by the homeowner can save hundreds of dollars in repairs. It is recommended that people maintain their doors to avoid costly replacement. However, serious repairs like opener replacement and garage door spring should be undertaken only by the professionals. These experts have years of experience in handling all types of doors and models. Call in a reputed garage door repair company for professional installation, repair or parts replacement. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7958919 With the present slump in the housing market and foreign holidays becoming more expensive many people are investing money in their own homes. Whether it's for home repairs or larger scale home improvements people will benefit from enjoying a more polished home whilst also increasing its value. There has also been an increase in people making use of their gardens to grow vegetables or to use their roofs to install solar panels which again means that your home not only has added value, but over time is actually creating value! Home improvements can offset the cost of any home repairs which, unfortunately, need to be carried out on a regular basis. So if you feel you're up to the challenge, have recently acquired a great DIY book and have a back-up handyman as a friend (purely for back up!) then read below to see what steps you should take: Snag List - With all Home Repairs it pays to plan ahead so the first thing you need to do is to make a full "snag list" for the entire home and garden. Maybe it's touching up the paintwork in the hall, replacing an old skirting board, fixing a faulty socket, fixing a leaky tap or mending a broken fence. Some jobs can be quite big and others quite small, but don't worry about that just make a full list of everything. Once you have a full list you can then begin to decide what's most important. Prioritise - Prioritising your jobs is the next most important step, so once you have the full snag list in your hand think about what's most critical. For example if it's nearing Christmas it would definitely make more sense to fix a leaking tap rather than mend a broken fence at the end of the garden - which will more than likely be covered in snow - by the time Christmas arrives! So think about what needs to be done, talk to family members, look at your budget and then put a corresponding number beside each job! Materials - OK so now you have your full job list, and you know what jobs you want to do next, but what about the materials? Many jobs around the house like doing a paint touch up, may already have the existing supplies in the garage or attic. So take an inventory of what you have, there's no point in buying things you already own! After that you may need to buy something, for example if you're replacing an old floorboard or door handle you may need to go to your local hardware to buy the necessary materials. Advice - As mentioned above its always great to have a recommended DIY book to hand but there are always some questions that only someone with experience can answer. You may have a neighbour who is quite handy, or you may have a handyman friend who you can phone but at the very least your local hardware store should always be able to give advice on a whole range of things. In fact the local hardware store is always more willing and able to offer advice than the larger depot stores, and for that reason alone we would always recommend them. Reward - Lastly one of the great things about doing DIY and performing Home Repair jobs is the gratification you and your family will receive when finished. But also try to get other family members involved as the old saying goes "many hands make light work!" has never been more true. And it's also a great way for children to learn about the importance of maintaining a great home whilst having some fun! Your garage, is it a glorified storage room? Is it packed full with boxes or unlabeled and overflowing bins from old garage sales, Christmas decorations, beach toys, and Halloween decor? Is it almost impossible to find a rake or shovel or edger if you need it? Your tools are they scattered everywhere? Do you have to push aside piles of screens torn and bent to get your lawn mower or bicycle or stroller? Is your garage so full you have no room to park your car in it? If you answered yes to any of these questions, don't you think it's time to get your garage organized. If you can get your garage door organized and cleaned, you should be able to put your car inside. Imagine! Having a place where your car is protected against the elements, a place where you can enter and exit your car and stay dry and warm, depending on the weather. These are the reasons why garages were made. Garages were not made only as a storage place; but a place where you can park your car, to keep it out of the elements. Here are some ways to help get your garage cleaned and get that space back that you so richly deserve make the most of it again. First, determine the primary purpose or purposes of parking in the garage and why you need the space. For example, is the purpose of the garage to only store your vehicle or vehicles and nothing else? Is your home garage used as a workshop or training area? Does it need to serve as storage area for tools, lawn and garden, bicycles, strollers, scooters, toy vehicles, sports equipment or maybe garden decorations off-season home decor? It is important to list all the things you want to do in your garage and all the things you want to store. Then, using this information, identify the part of the garage to be used for each function and what types of things you want stored in various places in the garage. List of tools or additional materials, you may need to succeed at this. For example, do you need to purchase shelving, storage bins, bike racks, tool organizers, pegboard, hooks, etc. And then what tools you will require to accomplish this task. Set aside a time when you will start. Without doing this you will probably keep putting it off. Use containers or areas in your driveway to help you sort and organize. The key is to empty your garage and sorting articles with similar elements. This will give you the opportunity to really look at how many things you have and help you identify items that are broken or no longer wanted and throw those things away. Make sure you dispose of any old paint cans and batteries or other hazardous solvents properly. Give your garage a good sweeping or vacuum cleaning too. You want a nice clean surface to work with. Now, in organizing your garage, you should also take note of the amount of space available. If storage is a problem, remember to make use of vertical space. The walls and ceiling are a great way to increase the storage available. There are several types of shelving to choose from, such as standing and free floating, organization, cabinet systems, suspension systems and bin hanging rack available to help maximize your storage area. After sorting the elements in their respective categories, be sure to place each category of items back in the garage keeping in mind how it is used. For example, children's toys should be stored in bins and in a way that makes it easy for them to access and store toys. It is also useful to place small objects in drawers system or if you have more time, you can also create tool boxes with labels buckets or pots for your strips, routers, switches, screws, nails, or anything you use on a regular basis. By following the above steps, you not only have a place to store your vehicle again, you will be able to know exactly what you have and enjoy the ability to find what you want, whenever you want. Imagine your sense of accomplishment and pride whenever you walk into your garage, clean and organized and know you've done it all by yourself. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6135841 |
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