The answer is a big NO! Here’s why:

Just like most other things that need maintenence, your garage door will likely cost more to repair if it is ignored. Case in point: We recently went out on a call for a broken spring, something we do a lot. The homewoner stated that one of the springs had been broken for six months, but the door continued to work. So they kept using it. By the time we got there, not only did we replace the springs, but the top section of his door and the gears inside the opener, almost tripling the cost of the spring job. And this happens all the time.

Don’t postpone getting your door fixed!

Your garage door is the largest moving object on your house. A properly maintained  garage door will be safer, last longer, and will serve your family for years to come.

Like most things, when a garage door is neglected, it will cause more problems, work unsatisfactorily, won’t last as long, and may become a hazard to your family.

We go to homes all the time that a spring has been broken for a while, but because the garage door opener continues to operate the door, the homeowner either unknowingly or sometimes on purpose, and continue to use the door. So, instead of us just replacing the springs, we now have to make a repair on the garage door opener as well.

In some instances, a cracked section caught early can be reinforced very reasonably. But left alone, the one crack turns into several until the door wont even close! Then we have to replace several sections, inflating repair costs.

Don’t neglect your door, and put off necessary repairs. We promise it will be a smaller pill to swallow than waiting until it gets worse.

When it’s monsoon season, garage doors become susceptible to damage. Strong winds can blow garage door doors inward and permanently damage them. What can be done? Hope for the best, for the most part. However, if you have determined that your home is situated in an area of your neighborhood that gets more wind than some of your neighbors, we can add parts to your door that make it withstand the forces of nature. If you get water under your door, we can install a threshold that creates a dam. Give us a call and we’ll discuss your needs and options.

Springs on garage doors never seem to break at a good time. And they never last long enough. We hear that every day. Most springs are engineered for 10, 000 cycles. That means if you open and close your door 5 times a day, they should last around 5 years. Lots of people use the garage door as the front door. Not surprisingly, a family can easily open and close a garage door 10 times a day, thus reaching their 10,000 cycle limit in just 2 1/2 years.

What can be done to prolong a springs life? Honestly, not much. You could open your door and leave it open forever. They would last 100 years! That’s not practical though. You could use the door less….not practical either.

Why not have us install high cycle springs? Instead of 10,000 cycle springs we can install 30,000-50,000 cycle springs. They cost more typically around $30-50 dollars more, but last 3-5 years longer.

So next time your spring breaks, give us a call and tell us you want high cycle springs!

We make many repairs to garage doors. One of the more common repairs is replacing damaged sections. If a garage door is hit by the bumper of a car, damage can be slight, only causing cosmetic damage and in some cases just a small repair is in order. If it is hit harder, the entire door may have to be replaced. And then there is everything in between. If the damage only involves a section or two, they can be removed, straightened, stiffened with what is called a strut, and reinstalled. If the section is still manufactured, we can replace just the damaged piece, avoiding the cost of a new door.

Lots of times it’s not a car hitting the door; it’s the other way around. The door closes on the bumper of a car, the tongue of a boat trailer, or any number of objects that get in the path of the garage door. If the garage door and opener aren’t adjusted properly, the garage door opener will exert so much force, it will damage the garage door before it attempts to reverse. This is a hazardous and dangerous condition. And it happens a lot!

Accidents happen. But they can be avoided by making sure that there are no objects in the path of your closing door. Don’t rely on the sensors to save your property from damage. Have your door and opener properly serviced and adjusted. If it is working properly, the garage door opener simply reverses the door to a fully open position.

Suppose your door has been damaged. If left alone, the damage will worsen and spread. But if caught early, repairs can be made saving you money in the long run.

When it’s 100 degrees out, inside your car, it can get up to 120 or 130 degrees! Don’t leave it in the driveway, get it in the garage where it’s (relatively speaking) cooler. Don’t let a broken garage door or opener prevent you from parking in your garage. Usually it’s alot cheaper than you expect to get your door or garage door opener repaired. Give us a call and describe the problem. We can give you an idea of what it would cost over the phone. Don’t fall victim to competitors that say “we have no idea what it will cost until we come out” only to fall prey to an unscrupulous service technician that gets paid a commission on the repairs he does at your house. Experience counts when it comes to the repair and maintenance of your garage door system!

Don’t the let the heat get you down, remember it’s the rest of the year that keeps us here. Keep the car in the garage while you are at home. It will be safer, stay cleaner and cooler!

Is it better to repair or replace my opener? I get that question all the time. My answer is always the same: it depends. There are a lot of factors in determining whether to repair or replace. Age, quality of the machine, cost of the repair, type of door, and even household members are all factors.

I had a customer that wanted his Stanley garage door opener in poor condition repaired regardless of cost. Why? Because his beloved cat was named Stanley as well. We kept that thing running for years!

In some cases, due to the age of the machine, the condition it’s in, and the amount of parts necessary to make it operate properly in a safe manner exceeds its value. But many times garage door openers that are even 15 years old just need one part replaced and with proper know how, your opener will continue to run for many more years.

New garage door openers have never been safer and have more features than ever before. Some sense you walk into the garage and turn the lights on for you. Some still work when there’s no power with a battery backup system. Others allow you to control them from a computer or smart phone and tell you how long your door has been shut. Some are so quiet that you can’t hear them open or close inside your house.

So, if you are faced in making a decision to repair or replace your garage door opener, we can provide you with an unbiased opinion that will help you decide which is better in your situation.

A friend told me that garage doors are being broken into at an alarming rate. Though I have yet to respond to any service calls lately regarding this, I thought it prudent to address.

Here is a video posted on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMz1tXBVT1s

There are products made to defeat this as well as lots of home remedies. Give us a call if you would like us to come out to your home and service your door and opener, and make all necessary adjustments to help make your garage door opening system as safe as possible.