Adding Windows on Garage Doors
Have you ever looked at your home and wondered how to add windows to the garage doors? If you have a standard windowless garage door and are looking to upgrade, it might interest you to know that decorative windows are among the many garage door replacement options that Custom Door & Gate offers with our garage door installations.
Benefits of Garage Door Windows
Windows give life to your garage door. They make your garage door stand out from the rest. They can improve curb appeal and make your entire home feel more inviting.
Windows take your garage door to a new level and can improve the exterior look of your entire home.
Garage Door Window Options
When you choose to add windows as part of your garage door replacement options with Custom Door & Gate, you have a number of choices to choose from, including:
- Location: Many people choose to add windows to the upper section of their garage door. This is an option that allows you to enjoy the benefits of windows in your garage doors in a relatively unobtrusive manner.
When you add windows to the top section of your garage door, you let in plenty of light without allowing people outside to see directly into your garage. If you’re someone who likes to work or exercise in the garage, this is a great option, as you avoid feeling enclosed in a dark space as you would without windows, but you don’t have to worry about passersby peering in and seeing what you’re doing.
Others may want the option to see in and out of the garage. If this is the case, you might want to add windows to the third section of your garage door. With this method, you can peek in anytime and make sure your car is safely in the garage. You’ll know it hasn’t been stolen, or that someone hasn’t taken the car out for a spin who isn’t supposed to, without having to actually go into the garage.
- Type of Glass: You also have some options as to the type of glass you can put in your garage door window. Opaque glass can give you privacy while improving curb appeal. You can choose from different decorative glass options to suit the décor of your home and your personal taste. The right glass can really beautify your garage door.
- Shape of Windows: We also have alternative shapes to choose from. You may prefer a traditional square shape or have your windows featured in an arch display. Again, how you choose the shape of your windows will be based both on your personal sense of style and the style of your home.
Vintage homes will often call out for an arch window design, while contemporary doors often fit well with the standard square design, but this is not necessarily always the case.
Coordinating Your Garage Door With Your Home
When you choose a new garage door installation or replacement with Custom Door & Gate, we strive to help you choose a door that will fit right in with the décor of your home. Garage door window options are a wonderful way to tie all the elements of your home together. You can also choose windows that complement the other windows in your home for even more cohesiveness throughout.
You Can Get a New Garage Door With Windows Right Now
We have a large line of Clopay® doors with gorgeous window options that we’re happy to install for you anytime.
To learn more about new garage door installation with windows, feel free to contact us today!
Power Outage? Here’s How to Open Your Garage Door
We all come to depend on our automatic garage door openers. They deliver wonderful convenience for our busy lives — but we often tend to take them for granted.
When something like a power outage renders your garage door useless, it suddenly becomes a huge inconvenience. How are you supposed to get your car inside the garage — or get it out? Do you need to call a company that offers garage door repairs?
Fortunately, the answer to that question is no. Opening your garage door during a power outage is simple once you know how to do it. Here’s a look at getting into your garage when your garage door opener is rendered unusable due to a power outage.
Start With the Bypass
Your garage door is most likely equipped with a function that turns off the automatic opener and allows you to use the door manually. Have you noticed a rope hanging down from your garage door opener system — probably a rope with a handle connected to the end? That’s your bypass trigger.
When you yank down on this handle, the opener disengages from the automatic system that’s become unusable by the power outage. It’s a good idea to pull down on the handle and activate your bypass only when the garage door is closed. If you choose to do so while the door is open, the weight of the door could cause it to slam shut at a violent speed — which could damage the door or be dangerous to objects, animals or people standing nearby.
Operating Your Door While Power Is Out
Pull the rope back and as close to the garage door opener motor as possible. This will keep the rope out of the way while you operate the door in manual mode. Hopefully your power is out for only a short period of time, and you’ll soon return to automatic operation of your garage door opener.
If not, don’t worry. Homeowners used garage doors manually for years before automatic openers became widely available. It’s more effort and certainly less convenient, but a power outage shouldn’t prevent you from using your garage however you like.
What To Do When Power Returns
When the power comes on, you’ll need to reattach your garage door to the automatic opener. Pull down on the handle at the end of the rope again, just as you did when you first disengaged the opener. Then pull up on the door until you hear or feel it snap back into place once more. Alternatively, you can also push the button on your automatic opener. You’ll see the spring attachment reconnect once the opener reaches a certain point — and you’ll be back in business again.
If for any reason your garage door fails to engage again with the automatic opener after a power outage, you may need to call a provider of garage door repairs. It’s always possible that the return of power has led to a power surge that’s made the automatic opener inoperable.
Keep Safety First
A power outage can certainly mean a serious inconvenience in your home, but it shouldn’t make your garage door useless or unsafe. Power or no power, garage doors are heavy items that operate under massive amounts of tension. Your garage door and its opener are designed to manage this tension safely, but be sure not to do anything that feels risky or that seems outside of normal operation.
Disengaging and reengaging your automatic garage door opener should be simple and straightforward tasks that allow you to use your door even in the case of a power outage. If they aren’t, however, a few moments or hours of inconvenience aren’t worth damage to your door or a threat to your safety.
When You Need Expert Support
At Custom Door & Gate, we offer garage door repairs, service and installation to homeowners throughout Raleigh, Greenville, Greensboro and Fayetteville, North Carolina. We’ve been in business since 1989, offering customers like you the best in garage doors and openers as well as outstanding customer service that responds with urgency to your needs.
When you need assistance getting your garage door opener going again after a power outage or similar support, we’re just a phone call away. We offer a team of experienced and knowledgeable technicians who can quickly diagnose any issues with your garage door or opener, make recommendations and then execute on the services you choose. Make sure you’re getting the best for your home and its garage door and opener when you choose Custom Door & Gate.
Contact Custom Door & Gate when you need garage door repairs or other assistance for your door or opener.
Benefits of Electric Garage Door Openers vs. Manual Garage Door Openers
Do you have an electric garage door opener? New garage door openers aren’t often on the top of people’s list of home improvement projects, but if you’ve lived with a manual garage door opener for years, you may want to consider some of the benefits electric garage door openers can bring.
If you’ve never thought about electric garage door openers before, here are a few important points to consider.
Photo Eye
One of the most important features you get with electric garage door openers that you don’t get with a manual opener is the photo eye. The photo eye is a pair of sensors on either side of the garage door that is connected with a light beam. If that beam is interrupted, the door will not close. This protects you from having the garage door slam down on something in its way, like your car, or even worse, you or a member of your family. The value of this safety feature alone is worth installing an electric garage door opener system.
Keypad Entry
The ease of remote and keypad entry is another big advantage of electric garage door opener systems. No need to get out of your car, fumble with a key and strain to lift the door all the way up. With an electric system, just press the button on the remote or type in the keycode and you’re done. No keys to lose or share.
If you have a manually locking garage door that is compromised by a break-in, you need to call a locksmith to install a whole new lock. If your keycode is compromised, you can just set a new one. Some systems even allow you to set a temporary keycode so guests can get in once without having unlimited access to your home.
Illuminated Garage
An electronic garage door opener system also will often have a light that automatically goes on when you activate it to open the door. This makes it easier to get into your home at night and may deter potential burglars.
Install Your Electric Garage Door Opener Now
For safety, convenience, and efficiency, nothing beats an electric garage door opener. If you’re in the Greensboro, Greenville, Fayetteville or Raleigh, N.C., area, you’ll want to know about Custom Door & Gate, which sells and installs top-of-the-line electric garage door openers quickly and easily. You can enjoy the benefits of your new electric garage door opener system right away.
We’ve got years of experience installing high-quality gates, garage doors and new garage door openers throughout the Raleigh area, and are ready to outfit you with a brand new, modern electric garage door opener.
How to Ready Your Garage Door for Winter
If you live in a place where winters can see cold weather and snowfall, like North Carolina, you want to make sure your garage door is ready for the winter. The time to make sure your garage door is ready is before winter strikes, not after.
Here are a few key steps to take to make sure your garage door is primed for the season.
1. Ensure the Door Is Sealed Properly
If you’re inside your garage with the light off and you can see light coming through from outside or you notice any detectable gaps, you’ve got a problem. If light can get in, heat can escape. Check your weather stripping around the garage door. Replacement of any damaged or missing seals will be necessary, and it’s also a good idea to clean the weather stripping with a reliable all-purpose cleaner.
2. Have Your Garage Door Inspected
Your garage door needs an annual inspection, and right before the approach of winter is the perfect time to do it. Have professionals inspect the door and identify any problems that might lead to a garage door or garage door opener malfunction. If you need residential garage door repair, you’ll want to take care of it now, not when it’s 15 below zero in a snowstorm and your garage door refuses to close.
3. Get an Insulated Garage Door
If you don’t have an insulated garage door and have been suffering season after season, or the insulated garage door you have is starting to break down, the impending onset of winter is the ideal time for garage door replacement. There are some great new insulated garage doors on the market today that can do a fantastic job of keeping the heat in, allowing you to stay warm and saving you on energy costs during the winter months.
In North Carolina, a quality, efficient garage door replacement company like Custom Door & Gate can have your top-of-the-line insulated garage door installed in one day, giving you the peace of mind of knowing your garage will be safe and warm throughout the winter months.
4. Lubricate All Moving Parts
This is something you should do every season anyway. Making sure all the moving parts of your garage door are properly lubricated will help ensure proper functioning and can extend the life of your garage door system.
5. Make Sure Your Winter Products Are Accessible
This is more a general garage rule, but it’s important. Make sure any machines you have to deal with inclement weather, such as snow blowers, shovels and rock salt, are stored where you have easy access. You probably buried them somewhere in the back of the garage to store then until needed. Now is the time to clear a space for them and bring them out. This way you can access them quickly if you need them, including in situations where your garage door is blocked by snow and you need something to clear it away.
If your inspection shows it’s time for garage door replacement or repair in North Carolina, Custom Door & Gate can help. Custom Door & Gate has been efficiently handling residential garage door repair and garage door replacement for more than 25 years, with offices in Raleigh, Greensboro, Greenville and Fayetteville. Get in touch now to discuss garage door replacement or schedule a repair before winter strikes.
Why You Should Call Professionals to Repair Your Garage Door
If you get your garage door installed right the first time, you shouldn’t have problems with it for a long while. However, sometimes a faulty part slips through, your garage door sustains some unexpected damage, or it’s been a long time and part of your door has passed its normal lifespan. Whatever the reason, you’re in need of residential garage door repair.
If you have an automatic garage door, repair may seem even more urgent. You may be tempted to try these repairs yourself, but you should never attempt to repair your own garage door for several reasons.
Safety
A garage door has a lot of moving parts. It’s a heavy piece of equipment, and fooling around with it when you’re not a professional can be dangerous. Sure, you can go on YouTube and find some instructional garage door repair videos, which may make it look easy. Do you think they’re going to pay your hospital bill when your hand gets mangled in a garage door mechanism or the door falls on you and breaks your leg? You can be sure they won’t. Letting a professional provide your residential garage door service means you don’t risk injury.
Prevent Additional Damage
You may be pretty handy around the house, but when it comes to automatic garage door repair, you just don’t have the experience the professionals do. There are people who are trained to avoid the mistakes that could make the problem worse. If you’ve never set about fixing something and accidentally created a worse problem, you’re a rare breed. If you make a mistake fixing your garage door, it could be an extremely costly one.
Missed Opportunity
If your garage door has broken down, it may actually be time to get it replaced. A brand-new garage door can be much more attractive and even more functional than the one you already own. If you go about fixing your old door, you may miss an opportunity to upgrade. That old garage door will need to be replaced sooner or later. This could be the perfect situation to move on to a new one.
For these reasons and more, garage door repair service is better left to the experts – such as the professionals at Custom Door & Gate, who have been repairing and replacing garage doors for more than 25 years. Our professional team knows exactly what is required to do the job right and have your garage door functioning properly again in no time. We also provide advice when it’s time for a new door and which new garage doors would be a perfect fit for your home.
If you’ve got a garage door that needs repairing or replacing, put away the tool box and contact Custom Door & Gate to schedule a repair or find out what your options are for new garage door installation. If your garage door fails unexpectedly and needs to be fixed immediately, call for Custom Door & Gate’s 24/7 emergency repair service.
How to Avoid a Garage Door Repair Scam
Are you considering a keyless garage door opener for your home garage? It can be a great idea to replace your current garage door system with a keyless entry system for several reasons. For one, they are incredibly convenient. You don’t ever have to worry about losing or misplacing your keys, because there are no keys. Just input your code into the garage door opener keypad and you’re in. For another, there’s no lock to pick, and no complicated changing of locks if someone gains access. All you have to do is change the code on your garage door keypad, which takes a few seconds, and you’ve got yourself a brand new lock.
Another added bonus of keyless garage doors is that you can assign a temporary code, so friends or family members can gain access one time without you having to distribute multiple keys or giving multiple people access to your garage and your home.
How do you know if the garage door company you get to install your keyless entry garage door is legit?
Beware of Garage Door Repair Scams
Whether you need work on your door because the lock broke and you need a new keyless garage door opener system, there’s something faulty in the mechanism preventing the door from closing and opening properly, or you’ve sustained physical damage to the door, you want a garage door repair and installation company you can trust. The problem is, you probably don’t have your garage door replaced or repaired too often and your neighbors may not have either, so you’re probably not trained to look out for the warning signs of a garage door repair scam.
We don’t want you to fall victim to unscrupulous garage door scammers, so here’s what to look for.
- No Identifying Marks: If your potential garage door repair person shows up in an unmarked van, without a uniform or any other indicators of the company he works for, this should be a big red flag. Most reputable garage door repair people are affiliated with a company that is proud to display their logo and other identifying information so you know who you’re dealing with.
- Excessively Low or High Prices: Shop around online and see what the typical prices are for the repair or installation service you’re looking for. If a price seems exorbitantly high, call the company on it, and don’t be afraid to look elsewhere. Perhaps as importantly, an extremely low price for a service can be one of the big warning signs of a garage door repair scam. If they offer you a price that’s way lower than the price others quote you elsewhere, you can bet the installation or repair is going to fail before long.
- Lifetime Guarantees: A lifetime guarantee sounds great, but it can also be one of the warning signs of a garage door repair scam. The trick here is to install a part that will fail, and then when honoring the lifetime guarantee, replace the faulty part for free but slap on a hefty service charge for the reinstallation.
Now you know what to look for in a potential garage door scam, but what about how to avoid garage door repair scams entirely? Your best bet here is to seek out a garage door company with a reputation for reliability, honesty and quality service.
Garage door repair scams are actually a lot more prevalent than you might think. If you are a victim of such a scam, it cannot only cost you money, but can also be dangerous, as a faulty garage door installation or repair can become a serious safety issue. Avoid scams by only working with reputable garage door companies for your garage door installation or repair and by staying informed, as an informed consumer is the scammer’s worst enemy.
Custom Door & Gate has more than 25 years of experience in the garage door business. Our friendly, professional staff proudly serves residential and commercial garage door needs of customers throughout North Carolina. Learn more about our available garage door products, from keyless garage door opener systems to a variety of residential and commercial doors. You can also schedule a repair of your garage door and get an estimate of the cost.
3 Reasons You Need Keyless Entry for Your Garage
One of the great joys of owning a home has to be having a garage. No hunting around the neighborhood looking for a parking space, no worries about the elements damaging your car, no concerns about criminal elements robbing, stealing or vandalizing your car as it sits on the street overnight. And the extra storage space or work space can be a great bonus.
But all of those advantages go away if your garage is not secure. Your garage provides access to your car, your storage items and even your house. If your garage is secured by a simple key and lock system, you might not be confident in your garage’s safety, and with good reason. A garage door lock makes a great target for thieves. It can be picked or broken, or a lost key could fall into the wrong hands.
A great solution is a keyless garage door opener that uses a keypad. If you haven’t considered using a garage door keypad or keyless garage door opener before, here are three reasons you need keyless entry for your garage.
1. Easy Changing of Locks
If you do lose your key or suspect someone has unauthorized access, you have to go through a long and costly process of changing the lock and getting new keys for everyone who needs one, only to go through it all over again if you lose the keys again.
If you’ve got a garage door opener keypad, you can change the “locks” in seconds. Access is provided thorough a keypad code, so if you’re afraid someone unauthorized has gotten access to your code, all you have to do is change the code. If someone gets the new code, a few seconds of reprogramming and you’re secure once more.
2. No Keys or Remotes to Lose
Without a keyless garage door opener system, you need to know where all the keys or remote garage door openers are at all times. You are probably already well aware of how easy these things are to misplace. You’ve already got your house keys, possibly multiple car keys, maybe an office key.
Do you really need one more key to worry about? With a keyless garage door opener, you can never lose your key, because there is no key. As long as you know your code, you can always get into your garage without a problem.
3. Temporary Codes
There’s another great feature of some keyless garage door opener systems that you may not be aware of. Let’s say you have a package coming and you’re not going to be home when it arrives. You have four options:
- Stay home
- Have a family member stay home
- Arrange to pick it up somewhere, like at an out-of-the-way facility
- Let them leave it on your doorstep and hope no one comes by and helps themselves before you come home
Or how about this scenario. You’ve got a friend coming in from out of town but their flight lands in the middle of the afternoon. Now you have to either take the day off from work to let them into your house or somehow arrange to get them a key, both rather inconvenient options.
The right keyless garage door opener system can present the solution. On this system, you can actually set a temporary code on your garage door keypad. This is a code that will work for the amount of time you set, and only for that time.
Got a package delivery? Give the delivery service the temporary code and they can leave the package right inside your garage. By the time you get home, your home is totally secure, with no worry that someone else may get access to that other code. By the same principle, you can give the code to your out-of-town guest so they can get in without having to worry about whether or not it will fall into the wrong hands.
Make the Convenient Choice
As you can see, a keyless garage door opener system is extremely convenient, and the right system can be much simpler and less expensive to install than you might imagine. If you’re still working with a traditional key entry system for your garage door, it’s time to move into the modern era. Provide an added level of safety and convenience for you and your family by ordering a keyless garage door opener system with garage door keypad today.
4 Tips For Garage Door Safety Month
You may not think of an automatic overhead garage door as something that could be hazardous, but anything mechanical has the potential to be dangerous under the right circumstances. You should be especially careful of any mechanical elements in your home — especially those that are on the exterior of your house and have the potential to affect more than just your family.
Garage door safety is incredibly important, which is why we here are Custom Door & Gate work diligently to bring you safe and reliable garage doors that are also visually appealing. Once your custom garage doors are installed, it’s always best to perform a garage door safety test to make sure everything is running smoothly and working exactly as it should. Make sure that, if you have young children in your home, you conduct these safety tests on a regular basis to decrease the chances of any accidental injuries being caused by your automatic garage door.
In addition to regular garage door safety tests, it’s important to make sure everyone in your family understands the dangers that come along with owning an automatic garage door. This will minimize the risk of injuries within your household. Remember that your garage door is not a toy — it’s a heavily mechanized convenience option that should be treated with care and respect.
With that in mind, here are the top four tips to teach your family about garage safety.
Don’t Race the Door
It may seem like common sense, but you should never push the button to close your garage door and then proceed to try and run underneath it before the door has a chance to close. This is extremely dangerous and could result in serious physical harm or even death. While most sober adults would never admit to attempting to race the garage door, many have actually tried this. Unfortunately, it’s much more common for children to try to beat the door, and they often do it as part of a game.
Garage door safety sensors have significantly reduced the number of injuries sustained due to people pushing the button on the garage door opener and then attempting to run under it before it has a chance to close. The safety sensors should not be relied on except in emergency situations, so it’s important to have a discussion with your children and anyone else in or around your home that may try to race the door about how unsafe and dangerous it is.
Hire a Professional for Repairs
No matter how much of a handyman or handywoman you think you are, there are some things in life that you should always hire a professional to repair. Your overhead garage door is one of these things. Although it may seem like your custom overhead door is a simple setup consisting of a door on a rail with a few electronics thrown in, it’s actually far more complicated than that. There are quite a few heavy, moving parts and electrical components involved in your garage door, which is why you should hire a professional for even the most seemingly minor repairs.
Fixing your own garage door when it’s out-of-order is a safety hazard, as the heavy door could fall onto you, or the electrical system could shock you. An amateur fix is likely to be a fairly unreliable fix, as the chances of you fixing your own broken door without proper training is slim to none. Not to mention the fact that you will have a harder time finding the proper materials to use in the repair than a professional would. Using the wrong materials could lead to permanent damage that even the most qualified professional may not be able to fix.
Keep Your Hands Away From Joints and Tracks
There are many moving parts that make up your overhead garage door, and your hands should be nowhere near them if you want to keep all of your fingers and avoid any other types of injuries. Every year, over 7,000 causes of people pinching or crushing their hands and fingers in the joints and tracks of their overhead garage doors are reported. It’s one of the most common injuries associated with automatic garage doors. Yet, the avoidance of this injury is beyond simple. All you have to do is keep your hands away from the joints and tracks.
If you think that something is wrong with the joints or tracks of your garage door, it’s always better to call in a professional for their opinion or repair help. As noted above, if you try to repair your garage door yourself, you could end up with more damage than just a pinched or crushed finger or two. Your best bet with automatic garage doors is to only touch them when they’re closed, and only then to clean them. Otherwise, there really is no other legitimate reason for putting yourself in harm’s way.
Fix Any Broken Glass Around Windows on the Garage Door
You wouldn’t let a broken window in your home go without fixing it, so why let your garage windows sit broken any longer than absolutely necessary? Not only is this unsightly, but it’s also hazardous to anyone who walks near your garage door. Even if the glass is only cracked and not broken on the ground, it may still prove to be a safety hazard. Once a window is cracked, it’s more likely to break through and leave trails of glass all over your driveway and/or the interior of your garage. This possibility increases each and every time you open and close your garage door with broken glass.
Broken glass is dangerous to you and your family, since it introduces a risk of cutting your feet if you happen to step on it. It’s also hazardous to your automobiles, and can become lodged in a car tire, causing a slow leak that may leave you stranded somewhere, a huge blowout that could cause a dangerous accident or even just a flat tire that derails your plans for the day and costs you additional money for new tires, along with a new garage door window.
We hope you’ve learned something from this brief tutorial on basic garage door safety. As you can see, it takes just a few small changes to safeguard yourself and the people you love.
Operate Your Garage From Anywhere
Mobile apps are geared at making your life easier and more efficient. They’re not just useful for shopping or work either, but in most areas of your life. New smarthome apps allow you to monitor and control various electronics no matter whether you’re in the boardroom or your own bathroom, and it’s no surprise that one of the latest go-to mobile products is a cell phone garage door opener. Think of the convenience — and the added security — you get from being able to check on, open or close your garage door from no matter where you are located!
Getting to Know LiftMaster MyQ®
LiftMaster represents a trusted name in garage doors and gate operators. It makes sense then that the company would be among the first to create mobile apps capable of controlling their products from anywhere in the world. Your garage door is an important gateway to your home, and LiftMaster knows you want and deserve — total control of its operation.
The LiftMaster MyQ® mobile app provides more than just a way to open and close your garage doors. You can monitor the status of your garage door, as well as receive alerts whenever the status changes. You can log on and see how long the door has been opened or closed. You can even send an alarm to whomever may be in your garage that it will be closing.
Whether you’re expecting a delivery or have a child who lost their keys, the garage opener app provides heightened security and convenience to homeowners everywhere. It’s also extremely easy to use and gives you a spare garage door opener in the event yours gets lost or broken.
Compatible Garage Door Models
The LiftMaster MyQ® works with several brands of openers made after 1998, including LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Craftsman and Raynor & AccessMaster. Your Custom Door & Gate specialist will help you determine whether your current model is capable of remote control and monitoring. If not, you’re sure to find a reliable, well-functioning model among the LiftMaster units we carry for your garage, home or yard security.
Ask about the latest features available and which units will best serve your home. From multiple door garage configurations to automated drive or property gates, we only sell models you can depend on to keep you and your belongings safe! You won’t get more secure than pairing an upgraded unit with LiftMaster MyQ® technology. And setting up your new smartphone garage door opener couldn’t be easier.
Plug in to Today’s Home Technology
If you have an internet connection in your home, you’re all set to take advantage of a garage door remote app. It all starts with the MyQ® 828LM Internet Gateway device. Simply connect the sleek black unit to your internet router using the included Ethernet cable. Registration takes just a few minutes.
Once complete, you’ll be able to download the MyQ® app to your Apple, Android or Blackberry mobile device. Alternatively, you can log on to the online portal from any computer. From there, you can add your garage door — and other home electronics — and control them from any location.
While at Custom Door & Gate, we’re most concerned with the garage and gate-controlling features of LiftMasters MyQ® technology, homeowners can use the application to control many things. You can:
- Turn on your home’s outdoor lighting
- Set your gate to close on a timer
- Adjust the lighting inside your home
You can control up to 16 devices at once using your MyQ® app per Internet Gateway. Need more power or privacy? Add a second unit secured with its own password! You can also use the technology in combination with other leading smarthome hubs, including Comcast Xfinity, the Wink Home Monitoring System and Nest, the predictive thermostat capable of controlling smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, security cameras and other common home appliances.
Save Time and Stay Secure With MyQ®Benefits
For more than 25 years, Custom Door & Gate has been providing home and business owners throughout North Carolina with affordable, simple solutions to life’s common problems. Get control over your home’s security features with the latest technology available from one of the industry’s leading manufacturers. Combining garage, gate and light controls with mobile convenience helps your home stay as secure as possible while still allowing easy access to those who need it the most.
Contact our dedicated customer service team to discuss adding a garage door opener app to your smarthome tools. Call Custom Door & Gate at 919-457-9489 today.
Garage Door Prep for Summer
A garage door is one of the most used features in your home. In fact, most homeowners use the garage door as their front door — it’s the place where they leave and enter the home. This heavy use and importance are the reasons why you should provide regular maintenance services for your garage door. These services don’t have to be expensive, and they don’t have to take a significant amount of time, but they should be seasonally appropriate.
With the hottest months of the year approaching, take this time to prep your garage for summer. Extreme heat and extreme cold can really affect a garage door’s shape and performance, so here’s a rundown of how to ready your garage door for extreme heat and how to prepare your garage door for summer.
Cleaning
Think about how filthy items that are stored in your garage can become. All that opening and lowering of the door allows dust and debris to sneak in a created layer of dirtiness. Take this opportunity to clean your garage door inside and out to get rid of that layer of dirt.
Gentle soap and water will do the trick for light cleaning, but feel free to use some car wax for the dirtiest of jobs. As you clean, inspect your garage door for any warning signs, and some might be specific to your garage door material. For example, look for signs of rotting in a wood door, and search for rust in a steel door. Consider a rust-resistant paint or water sealer as part of your garage door prep for summer and to help protect your garage door into the future.
Lubricating
You want your garage door to run as smoothly as possible, and good lubricant will help. While many people are likely to reach for the WD-40, that’s not the product you want to use. Instead, find a lithium grease or silicone-based lubricant to cover the hinges, tracks and rollers of your garage door. There’s a balance to application, though. You want just enough lubrication that your garage door runs smoothly, but you don’t want so much lubrication that dirt and grime will cling to and build up on top of it. Any dirt and grime that gets in the way will counteract the lubrication and prevent your garage door from running as smoothly as it should.
Inspecting
You’ll want to search through your garage door and garage door opener’s many moving parts to check for signs of wear and warning. Start by checking the garage door hinges and cables. Do you see any signs of stress? Check the track bolts for tightness as well, then take a look at your garage door springs. Are they free of rust?
Each of these parts will break down eventually, but catching any issues early can help reduce the cost of repair and replacement. And always be sure to contact a professional if you see any warning signs during your inspection. A garage door’s parts are often under a massive amount of tension. This tension is what allows your door to work properly, but it can also pose a danger for novices who attempt to repair or replace parts on their own.
Sealing
If you’re like most homeowners, you want your garage door to be as energy-efficient as possible — and to remain cool during the summer. That means a focus on insulation and weather-stripping is necessary when you’re preparing your garage for summer.
Check along the edges of your garage door for any weather stripping that looks like it’s fraying or otherwise coming apart. Your insulation will be more difficult to examine as it’s often enclosed in a sandwich of panels, but look along these panels for anything that concerns you. As with any of these areas, an inspection from a professional can also help determine how your insulation is holding up.
At Custom Door & Gate, we can help you get your garage ready for summer. Since 1989, we’ve been working with home and business owners in Raleigh, Greenville, Greensboro, Fayetteville and surrounding communities, delivering the quality products and exceptional services they want and need.
Our approach is simple: We do what we say we’re going to do, and we do it at the price quoted. This allows us to provide helpful, responsive service that’s designed to meet your needs. Whether you’re trying to get a garage door ready for summer or you’re searching the market for a new garage door at your home, you can count on the team at Custom Door & Gate.
Contact us today about garage door maintenance and your other garage door needs.