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How to Choose the Right Garage Door

 

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For a beautiful and fully functional home, you can’t miss choosing the right garage door. Before you see catalogs and read about all the options available to you, you should make a checklist of everything you need to think about before you make a decision. There is no doubt that a variety of garage doors are available to you in the market today. But variety can also cause confusion. Since garage doors are a long-term investment, you should look through all aspects of garage doors before you make a decision. If you are in the market for a door for your garage, this is the guide for you. We will cover everything you need to know to make the right decision. Let’s begin!

Select the Right Style

In today’s day and age of design consciousness, garage door styles are far from functional If the exterior of your home is exquisite, do not forget the exquisiteness of your garage door. A garage door that does not match the exterior of your home may make the whole structure lose its appeal. When it comes to choosing the garage door, just choosing the right mechanism is not enough. If your house is going for an elegant minimalistic look, go for classic ivory garage doors. You can also go for an elaborate door to beautifully contrast the exterior of your home. If you want to make your house stand out, you can go for a custom-built door for your garage.

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Don’t Forget About Insulations

In most urban and sub-urban areas, garages are connected to the rest of the home. Often, they open to common areas like the kitchen or the hallway. They are also sometimes open to a bedroom. This is why insulation becomes an important part of garage door installation. Insulating the garage will ensure the overall comfort of your home. While planning the insulation of your garage doors, you will also come across the R-value and the U-factor of the garage doors. Both of these measurements are important. While the U-factor measures the flow of heat through the material, the R-value suggests the ability of the material to resist the flow of heat. Ideal insulation should have a high R-value and low U-factor.

Many old homes do not have insulation for their garage. However, it is always advised to insulate your house due to the following reasons:

  • It makes your garage door more energy efficient
  • It offers soundproofing qualities
  • It keeps your house feeling more comfortable
  • It also adds to the overall durability of your garage door
  • Reduces the loss of heat during cold months

You can go for polystyrene or polyurethane insulation. They are the most common types of insulation available in the market. Polystyrene insulation offers a relatively quieter operation but is not the popular choice due to the lack of energy efficiency. Polyurethane, on the other hand, is an energy-efficient material that is also quieter and best suited with homes situated in extreme climates. You should always go for an expert opinion while choosing the insulation for your garage.

Choose a Practical Door Type

It is easy to get carried away by the look and style of the door and compromise on functionality. If your house is an old structure, use a lighter garage door material so the structure of your house does not collapse with the weight. Weather and lifestyle play a major role in determining if the garage door suits your needs. It is advised to take professional help while finalizing and installing the door.

Don’t Ignore Care Requirements

Just installing a door is not enough, you must also make time to offer care. While choosing the right door will reduce the number of care requirements, there are some steps you can take to ensure that that your garage door keeps functioning properly:

  • Oil the garage door parts from time to time
  • Gently clean the surface to avoid dust from stealing away the sheen
  • Fix dents immediately before they solidify into the structure
  • Tighten up the hardware
  • Inspect and replace the rollers when needed
  • Check the cables regularly
  • Test auto-reverse features
  • Clean the tracks
  • Replace the rubber weather seal strip in case it is cracked or kinked

Ensure It Fits Your Budget

With so many modern garage doors available, it is easy to get carried away and lose track of your budget. The right installation company will guide you correctly and help you steer clear from overspending. Make a budget keeping in mind your expectation from your garage door and pay for only the features that you actually need for your home.

Ensure that The Material Chosen Caters to Your Needs

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There are a variety of garage door materials available to you today. Gone are the days when metal was the only option. In today’s time, you are offered many choices. Every material has its own merits and demerits.
While steel is a popular choice for being robust and budget-friendly, it is not that energy-efficient and does not offer any insulation by itself. Aluminium doors are also budget-friendly and comparatively more energy-efficient. However, they are not robust and may dent easily. While many homeowners still prefer wood for its elegant finish and comparatively higher insulation, it is often rejected for being too high maintenance. Wood composite is a smart choice for homeowners looking for the strength of steel and the style of wood in their garage doors. Wood composite can be repainted and turned into a brand new door which is why it is a popular choice. However, it is comparatively expensive. Fibreglass is another popular choice among homeowners today. However, it doesn’t offer all-weather protection which makes it suitable just for certain types of climates (mostly coastal due to its resistance to salt-water corrosion).

Evaluate Maintenance Efforts

Your choice of garage door material will also determine your maintenance efforts. However, it is important to know that if not the garage door, then at least the garage door springs and other parts require maintenance efforts. It is always good to choose a company that offers a warranty and quick repair in case of ill-performing garage doors.

Ensure that The Size Is Right

The garage door size also determines its operating efficiency. A smaller garage door will leave gaps causing loss of energy and discomfort. A bigger door on the other hand will hinder operation and eventually cause cracks and weakening of the structure.

 

When you choose the right company for your garage door installation, you don’t have to worry about anything. Always call a professional to help guide you correctly!

Liftmaster Garage Door Opener Troubleshooting

The invention of automatic door openers meant that the days of heavy, manual garage opening were behind us. While it’s wonderful most of the time, there are still going to be instances where your garage door malfunctions and you’re left without the easy, effortless access we’ve become so accustomed to. In these situations, it’s important to have the ability to troubleshoot the problem at hand and get the garage door opener back in working condition as soon as possible.

In this article, we’re going to discuss errors and relevant LiftMaster garage door opener troubleshooting tactics – LiftMaster being an industry leading manufacturer of openers and parts.

Problems with the LiftMaster Safety Sensors

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If you’re experiencing LiftMaster garage door opener problems in which your garage door won’t close, or it travels part-way down and then reverses course, the first thing you should check is your safety sensor. The safety sensors are on either side of each garage door, and they are light-transmission divides designed to ensure that nothing is under the garage door at the time of closing. Although an incredibly helpful safety feature, objects can often obstruct the light transmission and prevent the doors from closing correctly.

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If you happen to see that a light is flashing on one of the sensors, that’s an indication that the light sensors are not aligned. You can fix this by loosening one sensor and adjusting it until the light stops flashing. If this doesn’t help, you can also try tightening the garage door track to ensure they are aligned as well.

LiftMaster Close and Open Limits

Most of the motor functions your garage door opener offers can be accessed using either the remote control or the limit dials in the motor housing. If you’re experiencing an issue in which the garage door won’t open or close all the way, you’ll want to either adjust the open and close limits using the remote, or manually turn the limit dials. When taking the manual route, turn the close limit dial counter-clockwise to lengthen the close limit, and turn the open limit dial clockwise to lengthen it.

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LiftMaster Remote Won’t Work

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Until you’ve programmed a new door opener to function with the remote, don’t expect much to happen. You can program it following opener installation by following the instruction manual provided. If you’re still experiencing issues following successful remote programming, the first thing you should do is check whether or not the batteries are still in working order – as most times, changing them will be the fix required.

If you have a wall-mounted garage door opener model, be sure to check the lock switch. If it happens to be on, the remote won’t work correctly, and so you’ll need to turn that off.

 

LiftMaster Error Codes

For every LiftMaster garage door opener not working problem, there are a series of diagnostic indicators and error codes that should help you accurately assess the issue at hand and work towards a solution. The table below illustrates some of the most common:

UP DOWN SYMPTOM CAUSE RESOLUTION
1 flash 1 flash The garage door opener will not close and the light(s) will flash The safety sensors are not installed, connected, or the wires may be cut Inspect the sensor wires for a disconnected or cut wire(s). If the sending sensor with the amber LED remains unlit, check the wire and connections for that sensor. If the sending sensor LED is lit, check the wire connections leading to the receiving sensor (green LED). Reattach or replace the wire (22-gauge wire) as needed. If pre-wired home, check the splices. Close the garage door using the remote control or the door control to test.
1 flash 2 flashes The garage door opener will not close and the light(s) will flash The safety sensor wires have shorted or reversed Inspect sensor wire for incorrect wiring or a pinch. If the sending sensor (amber LED) is not lit, check the wire leading to and from that sensor. Check staple points. If the sending sensor LED is lit, check the wire leading to the receiving sensor (green LED). Reattach wire or replace wire (22-gauge wire) as needed. If pre-wired home, check the splices. Close the garage door using the remote control or the door control.
1 flash 3 flashes Wall-mounted door control will not function The wires for the door control have shorted or the door control is faulty Inspect door control wires for a short (staple in wire), replace wire (22-gauge wire) as needed. After installing new door control wires, if door control still does not operate the garage door opener, replace the door control.
1 flash 4 flashes The garage door opener will not close the door and the light(s) flash Misaligned or obstructed safety sensors Realign the receiving sensor (green LED) by ensuring the LED is steady and not flickering. A flicker of the safety sensor LED indicates a misalignment. Make sure nothing is hanging or mounted on the door interrupting the sensor’s path while closing. Close the garage door using the remote control or the door control.
1 flash 5 flashes The garage door opener clicks but no movement There is a bad logic board Replace the logic board.

As a top-rated garage door repair and installation service with years of experience servicing clients across Toronto and the GTA, First Responders Inc. should be your go-to provider for LiftMaster garage door opener problems. Same-day service, 24/7 support, and affordable prices are just a few of the ways we work to ensure that you receive the best service possible. Contact our team today to learn more.

Garage Door Doesn’t Open All The Way

A broken garage door can cause a major delay, especially if you’re already running a few minutes behind. A broken garage door should not be ignored as it is not only an inconvenience but also a safety issue. It makes your house easy to break into. If your garage door won’t open all the way, you must always tackle it immediately.

There are common reasons as to why your garage door doesn’t open all the way up. But before you run a diagnosis, ensure your safety first.

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Safety tip: Garage doors are massive structures that can often cause serious injuries if repairs are attempted unprofessionally or with a lack of know how. Keep the garage door instruction manual handy before attempting any diagnosis or repair and follow the instructions properly. It is also advised that only a professional should attempt to repair your garage door.

If you are wondering “why won’t my garage door open all the way?”, don’t worry, in this article, we will cover the reasons behind this problem and the possible solution (note that the repair should be done by a professional technician only)

This problem is common with old garage doors or with garage doors that have not been installed properly. By ensuring regular cleaning and greasing of garage doors, springs and hinges, this problem can be avoided. 

Problem with The Garage Door Balance

The overall garage door balance is one of the most common reasons why your garage door is facing opening problems. If the lack of balance is not tackled immediately, it can jam the garage door which will require you to replace the whole door and the mechanism. This can be fixed by disconnecting the garage door from the automatic opener and then checking the door balance. The door should be able to be pulled up or down easily by hand. Pull the garage door down half way and check and check if it is hanging in balance with the springs. If the garage door falls down, it means that the problem is with the balance which is why the garage door won’t go up. This requires rebalancing or replacement of the springs. Call a professional to tackle this problem effectively.

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Problem with The Travel and Force Limits

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Once you’ve checked the balance and that looks okay, if the garage door won’t open fully again, the problem may be with the travel and force limits. This is one of the safety features of automatic garage doors and if this malfunctions, the garage door may have problems in opening or closing. The travel and force limits are safety features indicate your garage door to travel the expected distance then force it to open and close. These limits are usually set at the time of installation and if they fall out or get unaligned over time, they can cause opening and closing problems with your garage door. The garage door instruction manual has all that you should know about this feature. You must call a technician to safely realign these settings.

Garage Door Stuck Open / Jammed

When your garage door keeps getting stuck going up or down, it can add a lot of frustration to your day. There are several reasons why this happens. When troubleshooting your overhead door, always keep safety in mind. Garage doors weigh between 150 to over 400 pounds. Trying to fix a garage door that gets stuck going up or down can result in serious injury. Before troubleshooting the problem, disconnect the power to the garage opener first. It is recommended to work with a partner, practise all safety procedures, and call a professional who has the equipment and knowledge to repair your overhead door jam.

Dirt on Tracks

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It is easy for dirt and debris to get on the tracks and block the overhead door from moving up or down. Perhaps a twig, leaves, or other external debris is clogging the tracks. A shovel, broom, or other tool could have fallen on the tracks causing a blockage so the garage door gets stuck when you try to move it. Cleaning the tracks and removing all obstacles could solve your problem.

Warped or Uneven Tracks

With the amount of weight that runs up and down the frame daily, it is not uncommon for the tracks to warp or get uneven. Once the tracks warp or become uneven, the garage door won’t go up or down fully. If the tracks are the issue, contact a professional overhead door installer to straighten the tracks.
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Rollers Need Lubricating

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Rollers run along the tracks as the door moves up and down. To keep them moving smoothly so the garage door won’t get stuck, they need ample lubrication. Dust, dirt, and regular wear can clog the oil so the rollers cannot move smoothly along the tracks. To stop the garage door from getting jammed, lubricate the rollers so they will glide evenly without sticking.

Cables are Loose or Broken

If the cables supporting your overhead door while it moves up and down the tracks become loose or break completely, your garage door will get stuck going up. Contact a service professional to tighten or replace the faulty cables.

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Torsion Spring is Broken

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The torsion spring supports the weight of the door. It is a thick, metal coil that uses a lot of tension when the overhead door goes up and down. If the spring breaks, your garage door won’t go up or down. It is not advisable to fix the spring yourself because the highly tense, metal coil can cause serious injury. If your torsion spring breaks, contact First Responders to replace the spring.

A garage door getting jammed can be a real inconvenience but it does not have to completely disrupt your day. At First Responders, we can fix your door issues quickly so you can be on your way. We have years of experience in overhead door installation and repair. We offer same day service at competitive prices. Contact us today for all your garage door maintenance are repair needs.