Ultra Garage Door Service

Fall is the ideal time to do an inspection of your house to be sure that it will be ready to meet the rigors of winter; the maintenance of your garage door is a main part. Fear not, this task requires a minimal investment of money and time and it will spare you a lot of worries.

 

The door

To clean your door, use a gentle soap (e.g. dishwashing soap) and rinse thoroughly. For those tough stains, use an all-purpose detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners or other strong liquids. To stop the bad effects of acid rain and the ultraviolet rays of the sun, once a year, apply a liquid wax to protect its luster and give back its brightness.

 

The weather-stripping

Clean your weather-stripping with an all-purpose detergent and then, thoroughly rinse. Lubricate the weather-stripping every two months (more often depending on usage) with a weather-strip lubricant. Do not use lubricant with a petroleum base; the petroleum attacks rubber, which must remain flexible.

 

The tracks, rollers and springs

To keep your door running, it’s important to check all the moving parts. Hardware made of galvanized steel, doesn’t rust, however, it needs some minimal maintenance steps to offer better performance.

 

The track doesn’t need to be lubricated. Lubricating the rollers (the inside) and the hinges with a metal lubricant however, is suggested. Do not use any lubricant with an oil base because, aside from lubricating, it acts as a degreaser.

 

To prolong your spring’s useful life, apply metal lubricant and wipe off the excess oil with a cloth. The safety cable also needs to be checked to avoid problems. For your own safety, never attempt to adjust the springs, the bottom brackets, or the hoisting cables yourself because of, among other things, the inherent risk associated with the great deal of tension in the springs. Call a certified installer to handle the work for you.

 

The garage door opener

Weather conditions may cause some minor changes in door operation requiring some re-adjustment so it is important to do a check up once a month.

 

Work the door manually. It must be well balanced. If the door is not balanced, contact a qualified garage door installer. Check if your door opens and closes completely. If necessary, adjust limits and/or force. Most garage doors openers come with two knobs for these adjustments. Consult your owner’s manual.

 

Check the safety-reversing sensor. The door must reverse on contact if an object or a person is under it. Also, check if your photo sensors are correctly plugged in and aligned. The door should reverse if any object passes through the beam.

 

The opener does not require additional lubrication. Do not permit children to play with the opener. Keep the remote control in an inaccessible location.

 

Finally…

Consider your garage door as an important part of your home. Perform the suggested maintenance and it will provide you with carefree convenience for many years to come. It’s recommended that a qualified installer inspect the door at least once a year.

 

 

There are a variety of reasons why garage door insulation is important but the main reason for installing one is the heat that can be lost through it. Garage doors are big and this can lead to uncontrollable temperature leakage.

At least one third of the garage’s energy loss is caused by the garage door. An insulated garage door can stop this energy seepage and thus increases energy efficiency by 33%. What’s good about this is that the cost of insulation is minimal. Think of the saving you’ll have in the long run with garage door insulation.

Having garage door insulation is important especially with attached garages. The garage shares one wall with the rest of the house and having your garage door insulated will not only help the garage but the rest of the house as well.

Even when the garage is unattached from the main house, garage door insulation is still an essential factor. For those who spend a lot of time in their garage, the place will be more comfortable with insulation. Those who have workshops in the garage will be shield from the harsh coldness or hotness of the weather.

There are various types of garage door insulation available in the market today. You can choose one that is suitable for your needs. You can opt for polystyrene or polyurethane solutions. Polystyrene are hard boards that are inserted in the middle of the doors. The more effective type is the polyurethane type. To install it, you just need to spray the foam in the cavity and wait for it to solidify.

As you can see, garage door insulation is important. You can save money by eliminating the energy loss caused by the garage doors. Plus the garage will be a more pleasant area in your house once it is installed.

The friendly technicians at Ultra Garage Door can help you determine if the insulation in your garage door is sufficient. Call today for prompt, friendly service!

Is your garage door as safe as it should be? Maybe you've never thought about that question, but it's one every homeowner with a garage door should ask. Whether it's operated manually or with a garage door opener, the largest moving object on your home needs to be safe for you, your kids or grandkids, your pets, and even your cars. If your garage door is not equipped with the most up-to-date safety features, it might be time to think about whether a safer garage door would benefit you and your family.

How can you make sure that your garage door is the safest door available?

The first step to your safer garage environment is to ensure you have a garage door system with properly working safety features. The garage door is composed of three main areas:

 One The first is the garage door sections themselves, which should be designed so fingers are pushed out of harm's way as the sections come together during closing.  

Two The second is the counterbalance spring system that provides the power to lift the door. It should be properly balanced to lift the door with minimal effort and be safely enclosed in a protective metal casing.  

Three The third is the garage door opener, which should reverse automatically if a person or object goes underneath the door as it is closing.



A recent article in PEDIATRICS magazine also lists other safety suggestions for homeowners:

• Activation buttons should be placed where children cannot access them, at least six feet above the floor, or kept in locked cars.
• Adults and children should never walk beneath a closing door.
• After activating an opener, one should not drive away until the door is completely closed.
• Parents should consider retrofitting their openers with keypad switches, which discourage use by younger children.
• The force adjustment of the opener should be set to take the least amount of force necessary to trigger the reversal mechanism.

Do This Once Every Year

To test your door's counterbalance, first disconnect the opener from the door. Open the door slowly. It should move upward with minimal effort on your part. Now let the door come down to about four feet off the ground. Make sure nothing is in the door's path, then let go of the door. If it drops or sinks to the ground, it is not counterbalanced properly. A properly counterbalanced door should move very little from this position, if at all. You should never attempt to adjust the counterbalance springs yourself. 

There is a saying about curb appeal; if a potential home buyer doesn’t like what they see from the curb, they may never make it through the front door. Garage doors are an exceptionally important focal point on your home. Doors should be clean, in good repair, and fit in with the overall look of your home, after all you don’t want your garage door to appear as an afterthought. Be sure that the color of your door matches to the rest of your home and that your garage door opener is in good working order. Garage doors come in many varieties including, aluminum, fiberglass, steel, and wood all of these options have great benefits. Garage doors also come in various styles, including but not limited to; traditional, carriage, raised panel, and contemporary. Not only can a new garage door offer secure and easy access to your home, it can also breathe new life into your property. Your garage door can account for up to 40% of your home’s curb appeal. Are you making the most of that 40%? Have you even considered your garage door as being such an important part of your home?