Frequently Asked Questions
The truth is that there just isn’t one set cookie-cutter price. There are many factors that go into selecting your unique door such as style, size, headroom, thickness, windows, opener type, spring and insulation value to name a few. We work with you to provide recommendations for a practical, custom solution that fits your needs and budget.
HOW DO I GET STARTED SELECTING A GARAGE DOOR?
Our Garage Door Selector is a great place to start! This can help you to narrow down your search to a particular style and components. Then give us a call and we will come out and take all the necessary measurements and bring out specific samples and color chips to help you through the process.
MY GARAGE FLOOR ISN’T LEVEL AND THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR AND THE FLOOR WHERE PESTS AND RAIN ARE GETTING IN. CAN YOU HELP TO MITIGATE THIS?
Most often, yes. If this is a new garage door that we will be installing, our estimator would have (in the measurement process) engineered a specific bottom seal to compensate for the gap. If this is an existing garage door, we often can replace or apply a new bottom seal, or rodent seal as a solution.
ONLY ONE SECTION OF MY GARAGE DOOR IS DAMAGED. DO I HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE DOOR?
In most cases, no. As long as the door style is still being manufactured, we can simply replace the damaged panel sections. We replace panels of most major garage door manufacturers.
HOW OFTEN DO MY DOORS NEED TO BE SERVICED?
For COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL businesses, we recommend that overhead doors be tuned-up, tightened and lubricated twice a year (Spring & Fall) depending on door type and usage.
For RESIDENTIAL garage doors a service schedule of every-other year is sound maintenance for the largest, most frequently used door of your house. (See our 19-point service schedule)
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FOR A NEW GARAGE DOOR RESALE VALUE?
The National Average for a garage door replacement value is 97.5% according to the Hanley Wood Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report.
A garage door replacement even exceeds the recouped value of a kitchen or bath remodel! The data included the cost of removal and disposal of an existing 16 X 7-foot door, the installation of a new four-section door constructed of high tensile strength steel with two-coats of factory applied paint, foam insulated, insulated windows, heavy duty galvanized tracks, and a lifetime warranty. Hardware included galvanized steel hinges and ball-bearing urethane rollers.
I HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE GARAGE AND NOW MY DOOR WON’T OPEN OR IS VERY HEAVY TO MANUALLY OPEN.
Several things could have happened. The most common after hearing a loud bang is likely a broken spring. Take a look to see if your springs are intact. If you have EXTENSION springs (these springs run along the horizontal track sections) check to see that both springs are attached and not dangling. If you have TORSION spring(s) (these springs are directly above the door on a shaft) look to see if there is a break or split in the spring coil. We do NOT recommend operating the door if you have a broken spring to avoid injury and to avoid further damage to the door system. Call us to schedule a repair. We stock a large selection of EXTENSION spring weight ranges in our trucks/shop. We can usually affix a temporary repair on a TORSION spring and follow with a new replacement in a week or less.
Other factors besides broken springs, could be damaged track, broken cables, or pulleys. If you see anything broken, please call us to service your door. Your door has many parts that can be dangerous to work with, especially under tension. Our certified technicians have the training, equipment and tools necessary to safely get your garage door back to working smoothly.
HOW DO I PROGRAM MY GARAGE DOOR REMOTE?
Follow these basic steps to program most garage door remotes. You will need a ladder to access your overhead operator:
- Find the LEARN BUTTON on the overhead operator (most often located on the back under one of the light covers) The LEARN BUTTON will either be a small round yellow button, or on later models, a ½” square button either purple, green or red.
- Once you have located this button, simply press it. Do not hold it in, just press and release.
- After pressing the LEARN BUTTON, press the button on your remote that you want to use to open this specific door.
- After waiting 3-5 seconds, press the remote button again. If the remote made the sync with the operator, your door should start to move.
If this doesn’t work, give us a call and we will try to walk you thru the process or schedule a service call to set this up for you. Depending on the year, make, and model of your opener, these steps may differ.
MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER RUNS BUT ISN’T LIFTING THE DOOR. WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM?
It could be a chain or belt misaligned but most likely, is a worn or stripped gear in the operator. We stock replacement gear kits for most major operators on our service vans / shop.
MY GARAGE DOOR WON’T COME DOWN UNLESS I PRESS AND HOLD THE WALL BUTTON. SOMETIMES IT STARTS TO COME DOWN BUT THEN REVERSES PART WAY. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS?
This could be a few things, but most likely the cause is that something is blocking the safety eyes (one on each side of the door mounted 4-6” at the bottom of the tracks). Check to see that nothing is blocking either of the eyes and that they a clear of dirt or cobwebs. Check to see that both eyes are lit and not blinking. One should be a solid (not blinking) green and the other a solid yellow/orange. If one is blinking, that means that one of the two eye sensors may have been bumped and is now out of alignment. Often a slight adjustment either up/down or in/out to the blinking sensor to get it solid (not blinking) will solve the problem. If not, you may have a broken wire or lack of power to one of the eye sensors.
Another (unfortunately more expensive) cause may be a blown logic board in the opener. In instances where there may have been a power surge, we often see this. We stock logic boards for most Raynor, Chamberlain and Liftmaster model openers.
MY REMOTE ISN’T WORKING. WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE?
First, check the battery in the remote. Typical remote battery life is 3-5 years. If that doesn’t fix the issue, next check your wall button and look for the work “lock”. Try pressing and holding the “lock” button for 20-seconds and then release. Now try using the remote. If that doesn’t work, press the “lock” button again for 20-seconds to change back to the original settings. One more thing you can try is to reprogram your remote. If you have a Raynor, Chamberlain, Liftmaster, or Craftsman opener, follow the steps to “How do I program my garage door remote” or give us a call.
WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR CLEANING MY GARAGE DOORS?
Rinse the surface with a garden hose to remove all residues. Next, apply a liquid car wash and wax product with a good quality car wash mitt or cloth as you would use for your car. Evenly spread a thin layer of wax to avoid wax accumulations in the door textures and be careful to avoid accumulations around window frames. (Follow the instructions on the bottle of the specific car wash & wax manufacturer you are using). Avoid abrasive cleaners or strong liquid soaps. The use of liquid car wax once a year will revitalize your door and help to keep its luster.
The weatherstripping around the top and sides of your door is made of high quality PVC and should be cleaned with an all-purpose vinyl cleaner, as you might use on your patio furniture. Do not use petroleum-based products as this will cause loss of elasticity and decrease the vinyl flexibility.