What You May Need to Know About Your Home's Garage Door

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Your home's garage door provides security for everything inside the garage, and for the home itself; if the garage is attached to the home, it might be used as an easy entryway for intruders. Thieves can also use ladders and other heavy items in the garage to break home windows and gain access to your house. A quality garage door will also help insulate the interior space so that your car, lawn care equipment, and tools won't hold moisture and humidity and develop early rust. Note a few questions you might have about a home's garage door and its operation, and discuss any concerns about the door with a repair tech as necessary.

Can the safety beam be disconnected?

An automatic residential garage door will have a safety beam, which stops the movement of the door if that beam should sense anything in its path. If your garage door seems to always stop and reverse itself because the safety beam is malfunctioning, note that it's usually illegal to just disconnect the beam. A better choice is to ensure the eye of the beam is not in direct sunlight, as this can sometimes engage the beam, and also ensure the garage door tracks are properly aligned; if the two eyes of the beam cannot meet, the beam may assume this is due to an obstruction. There may also be something in the garage door tracks that are causing the beams to malfunction, and a good cleaning may allow it to work properly again.

What does it mean when the garage door bangs and then refuses to work?

A loud banging sound usually means the chain or spring that controls the door has broken or lost tension; this is why the door now refuses to work. Never try to fix or replace these parts yourself, as the tension of the spring can cause it to snap, resulting in very serious injury.

How do you maintain a residential garage door?

Your garage door installer can note the best way to maintain your door, based on its material. However, it's good to regularly check the track along the doorframe as well as the chains, springs, and other metal pieces of the door opener for developing rust. Give these all a slight spray with a lubricant when needed, to ensure they always move freely. Regularly check the garage ceiling for water leaks, as water might collect around the housing of the opener and potentially cause damage.

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22 May 2017

Open Chat: Making A Statement With Garage Doors

Welcome all. I am a builder by trade and I specialise in home renovations. The garage seems to be one of the most popular rooms for renovation as people seek to incorporate new uses such as a billiards room or party area. I reorganise storage space and brighten the walls and floors. Of course, all this costs thousands of dollars, yet many clients insist on keeping their old garage door. I find this very frustrating because the right door can change the whole appearance of a home and provide so much more functionality for the garage space. After speaking to clients, I realise that many people just don't know the options available. Whether you are renovating or building a new home, my blog may be able to help you choose a garage door that makes a statement and suits your needs. I hope you like browsing these pages. Thank you.