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What to Do With a Sagging Drive Chain

Posted by & filed under garage door repair .

If your garage door opener uses a chain drive, then it is probably like a lot of other garage doors. This opening system is one of the most popular options, but it can manifest a problem. Over time, the drive chain can loosen and create slack. Overall, this gives the opener less power to open and close the door. You may even see the chain hitting the door itself, creating one of the more annoying garage door noises.

However, if you have a loose chain, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to make a service call. Homeowners may be able to tighten it up themselves. However, if you are uncomfortable doing so, calling a service technician is the best course of action.

To tighten the drive chain, start by closing your garage door, turning off the power, and pulling the emergency release rope. These steps are all done for the sake of safety, and should be considered necessary.

Once done, using your user manual for the opener, locate the adjustment bolt. This bolt will have nuts on either side of it and is tightened by loosening the nut closest to the opener and tightening the nut on the other side. As you do this, the chain should tighten. You want the chain tight, but not so much that it is inflexible.

This is typically where homeowners get a little unsure of themselves. If you tighten a chain too much, you run the risk of it breaking. Typically you will want to tighten the chain just enough so that it is no longer hitting the garage door. If it still sags slightly, this is fine. A little sag is better than being too tight as you definitely don’t want to put the chain at risk of breaking.

If you have a loose drive chain, but aren’t sure you want to risk tightening it yourself, contact us today. We can help get that chain back to normal as well as solve all your other garage door woes.

To Replace or Repair My Garage Door: The Better Option

Posted by & filed under Garage Door Replacement .

When it comes time to perform maintenance on your garage door, such as replacing a storm damaged panel or a door that isn’t closing correctly, you may ask yourself if you should repair the existing doors or invest in a replacement. One of the deciding factors is cost. If the cost to repair the door is more than the cost to replace, then replacement will be necessary. However, there are other factors to consider when determining whether it is best to replace or repair the doors.

Door Functionality

When you open your garage door, is it extremely loud? Does the sound drown out the noise of the television? Is the door stuck open and refuses to close? Does the door close very slowly? After examining the extent of the problem, a decision can be made as to repair or replace. If the torsion springs are the culprit, then a repair may be the better option if the motor, doors and other parts of the system are in good working condition. If there are multiple issues causing problems with the door functionality, then a replacement may be necessary.

Cosmetic Issues

A particularly windy day can cause debris such as tree branches or garbage cans to hit the door and cause cosmetic damage. Garage doors also take a constant beating from the elements, which can cause chipped or faded paint. If the operation of the door is fine, then repairs may be the better option. If there are additional problems such as a dent in the door preventing it from closing, then a replacement is the better option.

Structural Damage

Over time, due to excessive heat or other weather issues, doors can become warped which can cause the system to work improperly. Warped doors do need to be replaced to ensure the system works properly once again. If your garage door is wood, this is a great opportunity to replace it with a galvanized steel door.

Whether you need repairs or are in the market for a replacement door system, Smokey’s Garage Door is here to fulfill all of your needs. Contact us today for an assessment on your current garage door system.

Do Garage Door Windows Affect Insulation?

Posted by & filed under garage door installation .

It doesn’t matter if you live in the middle of a desert or on a snow-capped mountain; garage door insulation is important! Not only does it keep heat in, it retains cool air as well. Your garage door helps to maintain a comfortable temperature for everything in your garage as well as your home. However, as with any insulated space, there is the chance that adding windows can compromise insulation. Many of our clients ask us if the same concern is valid with garage doors.

It is true that if you choose a garage door with windows, there is potential for insulation loss. However, just like with choosing windows for your house, choosing windows on a garage door matters too. The benefit of choosing a garage door with windows is not only that it looks nice on the outside for curb appeal, but they also let a decent amount of natural light into otherwise dim garages. Furthermore, if you choose windows that can open, you can get good amounts of ventilation for projects like painting that require fumes to be released. For most, it’s ideal to be able to complete projects without opening up the garage door so the world can see what you are doing.

If you are shopping for a garage door, keep in mind the type of windows on the garage door as well. Single pane glass provides very poor insulation, and, in general, isn’t as sturdy as you would like. Real glass windows tend to look the best, but there are window options made from non-glass materials, though they can accrue scratches more easily. If you do decide to go with glass, always look for a door with sealed, double pane glass for the best insulation.

If you are looking for a new garage door, or simply want to repair the old one, contact us today. We can furnish you with not only garage doors, but all the information you need to make the best decision.

How a New Garage Door Improves a Home’s Value

Posted by & filed under garage door .

When you’re ready to place your home on the market, you’ll want to be sure that the exterior is looking at its best. Most potential buyers gauge their interest in a house based solely on how it looks outside; with that being said, a big part of that first impression comes from your garage door! Not only will a new garage door make a good impression, it can also increase resale value. Keep reading for even more ways that upgrading your garage door adds value to your home.

Boost Curb Appeal


An attached garage can take up as much as one-third of your home’s façade. A new garage door gives your home a beautiful new appearance for a significantly lower cost than remodeling. With a variety of styles and colors to choose from, you’re sure to find a garage door that will complement your home perfectly!

Improve Safety and Security


A new garage door can make your home safer, especially if your existing door is older. Modern garage doors are equipped with important safety features; and, on top of that, you can even add smart systems that allow you to monitor the garage door while you’re away.

Energy Efficient


An insulated garage door can help lower your utility costs in your entire home. Insulation keeps the cold air outside and helps to maintain the temperature in the garage. For the best insulation, choose a door with a high R-value; the potential energy savings make it a worthwhile investment!

High Return on Investment


If you want to increase your home’s resale value, a new garage door is one of the best investments you can make. Garage doors offer the highest return compared to other home improvement projects, with an ROI of over 98%.

With all of this being said, curb appeal is critical when you’re selling your home. When you’re ready to upgrade your garage door, please feel free to contact us or visit our showroom. When it comes to garage doors, we’re here to help keep your homes exterior looking at its best!

Different Garage Door Cable Malfunctions

Posted by & filed under garage door repair .

So many homeowners focus on the ‘what if’ situation of the garage door spring breaking. While this should be a worry because it can be so dangerous, it is not the only worry. In fact, when it comes to the cabling that makes your garage door work, it can manifest into many more problems that will need to be solved.

Garage Door Cable Issues… There are a number of problems that can happen with the cabling, some more problematic than others. However, if you suspect a cable issue with your garage door, consider the following:

  • Incorrect Winding Around the Drum – When the cable is not correctly winding around the drum, it can end up jamming the garage door. Typically this will manifest in a garage door that droops down to one side.
  • Worn Cables – When a garage door’s cables begin to wear down, they become frayed and weak. Unfortunately for most homeowners, when they realize a cable is worn comes only after the cable has broken. However, a regular inspection can catch this before it happens.
  • Unwound Cables – Unfortunately if a cable has come unwound for any reason, they will need to be replaced. This is particularly true if you don’t know why it came unwound in the first place.
  • Worn Pulleys – Like worn cables, most people only realize a pulley is worn after something goes wrong. However, the pulley needs to be replaced as soon as it is spotted in order to prevent larger issues that come from the pulley breaking down.

With that all being said, garage door cable problems are often something that goes unnoticed until something serious happens. So, if you notice fraying or any signs of wear, contact us today. In order to prevent bigger problems that come from cable damage, those cables will need to be addressed as soon as possible. Let us help you keep your garage door working at its very best.

Things to Teach your Children about Garage Door Safety

Posted by & filed under garage door, garage door safety .

Garage doors are common causes of accidents and injuries that occur with children. Keeping kids safe around garage doors requires educating them about how to act properly around a garage door and what they should never do near one. Here are some important things to teach your kids:

Don’t Open the Garage Door Yourself

Teach your younger kids never to open a garage door by themselves. It’s important that they know to ask an adult instead of giving in to their curiosity.

Don’t Touch the Garage Door Remote

Small children may like to play with garage doors by constantly opening and closing them, which can lead to injuries; to prevent this, be sure to keep the remote away from them at all times. Similarly, make sure that the button to open your garage door is installed high enough so that it is out of reach of small children. The same goes for the passcode to open the door from the outside; make sure that only kids who are old enough know the code. If you are worried about your kids not being able to get into your home, install a combination lock on your front door.

Keep your Fingers Out of Garage Door Parts

Make sure your kids understand that they should never put their fingers inside any parts of the garage door or any of its mechanisms. This is especially important when the garage door is opening and closing. Educate them about how doing so can cause injuries.

The Garage Door is Not a Toy

Young, curious kids may try to climb up your garage door or the tracks, or even ride on a garage door that is in motion. Kids may try to ride up a door for fun. Sometimes, they will try to jump up and hang from a door, leading to injuries caused by falls or by the garage door being pulled down. Warn your children that the garage door is not a toy and that it can cause injury if used improperly.

We hope that you’ve found this information to be helpful as you and your family’s safety is important to us. Please contact us if you have any questions, or if you’d like to get your garage door and sensors checked.

 

Safety Features That Can Come With a New Garage Door Installation

Posted by & filed under garage door installation .

If your garage door is constantly breaking down, it may be more cost effective to get a new garage door installed instead of keeping the old one on life support. However, while installing a new garage door will come with a fair bit of cost, it might be better to think of it as a new opportunity. When getting a new garage door installed, not only does it provide you with an opportunity to choose a new style, but there are a lot of great additions that come with more modern garage doors to increase safety and functionality.

New Features That Can Come With a New Garage Door

  • Automatic Reversal Systems – Garage doors are dangerous, particularly very old ones that don’t have the same safety features. An automatic reverse system allows a garage door to detect when someone is underneath it so that it can reverse instead of continuing to close and potentially hurting someone.
  • Security Lights– Dark garages are a menace. However, newer garage doors come with security lights that come on when the door is opened or otherwise when movement is detected.
  • App Access – Garage door opener tech has stayed pretty standard, but now your new garage door can open remotely from an app on your smartphone. This can be useful particularly if you need to grant someone access when you are not home.
  • Keyless Entry– If garage door opening apps aren’t your style, you can still have access granted via a keyless entry on the exterior of the garage. Simply enter a code and access is granted.
  • Backup Battery– If the power goes off, for most garage doors, they can only be opened manually. However, with a battery backup system, they will still open even when everything else doesn’t.

Are you ready to get a new garage door installed to replace your old, outdated, or deteriorating garage door? Contact us today to see what we can do for you.

4 Garage Door Safety Tips to Prevent Injuries

Posted by & filed under garage door .

Every year, thousands of Americans are injured by garage doors, whether that is from a falling door or by getting their fingers stuck in the wrong places at the wrong time. Here are some things to check for to make sure your garage doors are safe.

Test Sensors and Auto Reverse

Make sure that the sensors, which are located on the floor on both sides of your door, are working properly. When they sense an object in the way of a closing door, the door should automatically reverse itself and stop closing. Test the sensors by placing an object under the door and try to close it. If the sensors are not working, clean them with a gentle cloth and try again. If it still does not reverse, call a professional to help you out.

Smooth Motion

Your garage doors should have a smooth motion when opening and closing. There should not be any tension, friction, or blockages to overcome when opening or closing the door. If it continues struggling to open and close, it may eventually break.

High-Quality Door

It’s so important to purchase a high-quality door with a good warranty. Doing so will ensure that you have a door that functions properly and won’t break down on you suddenly.

Regular Maintenance

Besides getting a good door from the start, it’s important to get your door checked regularly by a professional. Regular maintenance will enable you to spot and repair any problems before they cause your door to malfunction. You should make sure your door is working smoothly and that all safety features are in place. If a part is getting old or not working smoothly anymore, consider getting it replaced. Our professionals are trained to spot problems and fix them immediately. Contact us today for more information.

Why Older Garage Door Openers Need to Be Replaced

Posted by & filed under garage door .

There are many reasons to replace a garage door opener; primary among said reasons is that it no longer works. However, if you have an older garage door opener, one that was manufactured before 1993, you should probably replace it even if it hasn’t broken down.

If you have a garage door opener from pre-1993 and it is still working as intended, then it has been a real champ. Yet, the truth is that good maintenance can help a garage door opener live to such an advanced age; however, all good things must come to an end at some point. Furthermore, garage door openers manufactured before 1993 often lack the crucial safety standards that were mandatory additions after that period. In 1992, the Consumer Products Safety Commission ordered that all garage door openers come with safety sensors.

These sensors are what make the doors reverse if they make contact or detect any obstruction in the door’s path. Even if you don’t have young children or a family dog running around your house that need protecting by these sensors, you want to have them for your own safety as well as the safety of that garage door investment you’ve made.

Replacing the garage door opener is even more crucial if you intend on selling your house in the near future. Home inspectors now check for these safety sensors, and if you don’t have a garage door opener with them, you will either have to replace it anyway, or pay the buyers some money so they can have it installed themselves.

If you have older models of garage door openers, it is recommended to replace them. Your safety is priceless; but if you’re still worried about the cost, please keep in mind that there’s a number of more affordable options out there for garage door openers these days. If you have an aging garage door opener and want to see it replaced, or have questions about the process, contact us today!

Knowing when to Replace Garage Door Springs, Before They Break…

Posted by & filed under Broken Garage Door Springs .

While it is not something homeowners in Phoenix, Arizona typically think about very often, a broken garage door spring should be one of your biggest worries. This not only means your garage door will no longer work, but springs can break with such a force that it can cause serious injury to people and damage to vehicles, or anything in your garage really. Having that said, there are ways to tell if your garage door spring is going bad and you can plan to replace it before a break does happen.

While garage door springs are separated into torsion and extension spring types, testing to see if the garage door spring is going bad is basically the same. There are two methods of doing so.

First you will want to disconnect your automatic garage door opener and raise your garage door manually. Once it has reached the top, your garage door should stay put without you having to hold it up. If it falls (even just a little bit!), it is a sign your springs are reaching the end of their lifespan.

The second method is to raise the door halfway after disconnecting the automatic opener. The door should stay put and be reasonable to lift. If the door is too light, your springs may be improperly sized for your door. If the door is too heavy, your springs are likely going out. Similarly, if the door falls, your springs are going bad.

When it comes to extension springs, there are extra signs your spring is going bad. For example, if you see gaps in the spring coil, your spring is probably very close to going out. Furthermore, if your door sags to one side, your spring might not be functioning properly, but this can be caused by other issues as well.

If you have done the tests and find that your garage door springs are going bad, contact us today! Replacing garage door springs is not a “Do-It-Yourself” job, and attempting it without professional knowledge could result in serious injury. The team here at Smokey’s Garage Door is here to help keep you safe.