4 Tips to Tuneup Your Garage Door this Spring – Part 1

4 Tips to Tuneup Your Garage Door this Spring – Part 1

You do it for your car, so why not for your garage door and garage door opener? Every spring, you start thinking about taking the car in for a tuneup, rotate the tires, oil and lube, check the brakes, and anything else needed to keep it running safely and smoothly.

What most people don’t realize is that their garage door can benefit from some of the same TLC. And you don’t even have to drive it to your mechanic’s shop. A spring tuneup for your garage door and opener helps to keep it running smoothly for longer, helps you avoid costly repairs, and most importantly, helps keep the largest and heaviest moving object in your home working safely.

How to Do a Garage Door & Door Opener Tuneup

Here are a few of the things you can do to make sure your garage door and door opener are all working well for the summer.

1.Inspect the Door and Opener

Check that all the moving parts of your door and opener work properly.

2.The Door

After disconnecting the door from the opener, opening and closing it by hand should be a relatively easy, smooth operation.

3.Door Hinges

Inspect the hinges between the door panels for signs of corrosion and/or damage.

4.Door Rollers

The rollers on the side of the door should run smoothly and evenly along the entire roller track.

5.Springs & Cables

Check the cables and springs that help balance your door for signs of rust, fraying and over-extension.

6.Inspect the Gear on the Garage Door Opener

If you see signs that the gear is slowly being stripped of its teeth, it might be worth having it replaced before you are caught at the worst time with a garage door that can’t open or close.

In Part 2 of 4 Tips to Tuneup Your Garage Door this Spring, we’ll talk about how to make sure the door’s safety systems and seals are in good shape and also how to lubricate the garage door.

Until then, if you spot anything that doesn’t seem right, or you need any other help or garage door services, call us at 905-665-8668.

What Will a New Garage Door Mean to You?

So when’s the last time you got a new garage door? Have you ever had a new garage door installed? Considering you’ve found your way to the blog of a garage door repair and installation service guessing, if you have ever had a door installed, it was a very, very, very long time ago. (to get an idea of time, each ‘very’ can easily represent 10 years!).

On one hand, that’s great news, because it means your new door will probably last a long time. But on the other hand, having potentially never shopped for and has a new door installed, you may not know what to look for and/or what to expect.

You’re not alone. In fact, the rarity of getting a new door mans that many people simply stick with what is really an updated version of their old door. Sure, it might be made of stronger, longer-lasting materials, but if it was red before, there’s a good chance it’ll be red again.

“The new door has been life changing”

We offer the quote above to give you an idea of the potential effect of a new garage door. It’s a real quote and it’s from a homeowner who installed a new garage door made by Clopay, one of the great garage door manufacturers we represent here at Markham Garage Doors.

It was yet another homeowner who approached a Clopay representative looking for a door with a similar colour and style as the door he was replacing, except he wanted the door to be insulated.

The Clopay dealer managed to get the homeowner to consider what could be done with the new door, and it worked. He ended up with a carriage-style, insulated steel door, in black to contrast with the home’s exterior colour.

“It really makes a nice difference.”

If there’s anything that’s changed for sure since the last time you needed a new garage door, it is that virtually anything’s possible. With newer materials, finishes and styles, you can have almost any look, style and colour of door you can imagine. Call us at 905-665-8668 to find out more.

What a Difference a Door Makes on the Appearance of your Home

We’re always talking about the fact that a garage door can account for a third of the overall appearance of your home. It’s something that can be difficult to understand or appreciate when you see the door every day, lift it, lower it, walk under it. In other words, like anything else that’s a big part of your life, it’s difficult to have an objective view of your garage door and how it affects the appearance of your home.

So we thought we’d take a look at a few garage door ‘before and after’ shots to give you an idea of what’s possible.

Garage Door #1

Before:

After:

For our first before and after, we thought we’d take a look at how a garage door can almost completely change the style of the home. In the ‘before’ image, the clean, white door matches the soffit of the home for a pleasant straightforward suburban look.

In the after shot, with just a new door and a tree trimming, the house now seems to have a more modern architectural style.

Garage Door #2

Before:

After:

Who would think you could improve on the great looks of the door in this ‘before’ picture. But we chose this one to show you how a door can be made to blend in with the style and colour of the rest of the home.

Matching the look of the door to the rest of the house takes the emphasis off its large white area of the home and makes the home seem more ‘whole’, and bigger overall.

Garage Door #3

Before:

After:

There’s no profound shift in architectural style here. No making the home look larger. But we wanted to include this one to highlight how, with just the addition of windows, a garage door can add so much more character to a home’s appearance.

If you’d like to find out more about how a new garage door could improve the curb appeal of your home, call us here at Whitby Garage Door.

How an Insulated Garage Door Helps You Around the House

That’s a bit of an odd title for a blog post, eh? What could having an insulated garage door possibly have to do with ‘helping you around the house’? It’s not like it’ll do the vacuuming for you.

But, when you look at what an insulated garage door does for you, versus an uninsulated door, you’ll see how it actually helps you get things done or avoid doing things you might consider a regular chore.

1. Keeps Your Home Cleaner

It’s been yet another cold winter here in Whitby. As you huddle inside to stay warm, you might decide to take on a home renovation project, even a small one.

Your project might involve cutting things like wood or tile. It’ll probably mean dirty tools. And you’ll likely need a place to store the stuff you’re getting rid of.

You’d be happy to do all your cutting and storing in the garage, but it’s way to cold to spend any time there if your door isn’t insulated. Instead, you’ll do everything in your nice warm home. And have to clean it all up later.

2. Have the Stuff You Need When You Need it

Colder temperatures can ruin many of the things you keep in your garage that can save you time. For example, that leftover wall paint will be ruined when you need it for a touch up.

And the wooden chest of drawers you’ve been keeping might be damaged by fluctuating temperatures. So, instead of having it ready to go when you want it, you’ll have to get a new one.

3. Less Work in the Spring

An insulated door keeps your garage drier. So when your gas lawn mower gives you a tough time to start in the spring, or your garden shears need sharpening, you can blame the damp conditions that result from having an uninsulated door.

There are many other reasons to install an insulated garage door. Call us at 905-665-8668 to learn more.

What to Do If You Crash Your Car Into Your Garage Door

It can happen in the middle of winter when you hit a patch of ice as you approach pull into the driveway. It can happen in the middle of summer when your car lurches as your garage door opens.

It can happen.

The important thing is what to do after you hit your garage door with your car. Even if it seems like there’s not much damage to your door, it can be worse than it looks. And if your car has somehow connected to the door, moving it can cause more damage to the door and your car.

Steps to Take After Hitting Garage Door With Car

You can use the following steps as quick guidelines for what to do if you ever drive into your door. Of course, you should always check to make sure you and any passengers are OK before doing anything else.

1. Assess the Damage on the Inside and Outside of the Door

Whether you run into the door from inside or outside the garage, damage can happen on both sides.

Whether outside or inside, check for damage to the door panels and look for spaces between each panel and between the door and the door frame along the top, bottom and both sides of the door.

Because more of the working parts of the door are inside, that’s where you might find more damage.

You should check the rollers and tracks along which the door runs when opening and closing, the extension springs, cables and pulleys that help balance the door, and the door hinges that connect the panels together.

2. Check Your Car & Where it is in Contact with The Door

Especially for a collision on the inside of the door, check to make sure the car isn’t hooked to a cable of hinge that can make the damage worse if you move the car. Whether the crash happened inside or out, and if the car isn’t somehow hooked to the door, move it away from the door very slowly at first to make sure you’re not damaging the door by doing so.

3. Try to Operate the Door

If by all appearances things look okay with the door, test it to see if it still works. Stand well away from the door and operate the opener with the remote control. If you hear or see anything unusual, stop the test.

If you find anything wrong with your door after a crash, it’s best to get a professional garage door repair person to take a look. Fixing a garage door can be a dangerous job. If you need any repairs or maintenance for your garage door, whether its from an accident or it’s just time to do it, give us a call at 905-665-8668. We’ll have your door back to normal as quickly as possible.

How Keeping Your Old Garage Door Might Cost You More Than Installing a New One

First, season’s greetings and best wishes for a happy 2018 from all of us here at Whitby Garage Doors!

If you haven’t replaced your old garage door for a long time, you might not be aware of two important facts. First, new doors are surprisingly more affordable than most people think. Second, if you haven’t researched them recently, there are probably more benefits to them than you think.

Why are those two points so important? Because they can add up to mean that it might cost you more money to keep your old door instead of installing a new one.

Here’s just a few examples of how this can happen

Added Cost to Heat and Cool Your Home

If your garage is attached to your home, the door can have a measurable effect on the cost of heating and air conditioning. Newer, insulated garage doors significantly reduce the heat transfer out of the door in winter and in through the door in summer, making it less expensive to heat and cool your home.

And you save even more money when you don’t have to repair and/or replace your HVAC equipment as often because they have less work to do.

Lower Curb Appeal

As the single largest part of the look of your home, your garage door greatly influences the overall look of the house. Even if you’re not selling, and don’t care so much about curb appeal, you will not get full value from investments in landscaping and exterior renovations when your old, rickety garage door is their backdrop.

Safety Issues

The safety of everything in your garage is compromised by having an older, weaker door. And considering that the garage is one of the most popular ways for burglars to enter your home, that old door compromises the safety of your home, all your belongings and your family too.

Going back to the beginning, installing a new garage door is probably not as costly as you think, and you get more benefits compared to your old door. So maybe it’s time to call us here at Whitby Garage Door and let us show you how you can save money by buying a new garage door.

Why It’s a Good Idea to Keep Your Garage Door Closed

In a way, there’s only two times when you would keep your garage door open: when the engine’s on in the car and when you’re working in and around the garage. Otherwise, it’s best to keep your garage door closed.

Of course, it’s your home and you could leave your garage door open for as long as you like. But the more you do the more risk you face.

Even idling vehicles left unattended to warm up in an open garage are a temptation that a car thief can’t resist.

But having your car stolen, whether it’s idling or not is just one of the risks of not keeping your garage door closed. Here are a few more:

Home Invasion

One of the most common points of entry into a home for burglars is through the garage. Interestingly, many homeowners don’t lock the entry door that leads from the garage to their home. If the garage door is open, that means there is nothing stopping anyone from walking in. Even if you’re home, an open garage door gives thieves an idea of the layout of the garage and where the door to your home is located.

Wild Life

Racoons, squirrels and any other outdoor critter loves to find a nice cozy place to call home. An open garage door is an invitation for them to move in.

Messy Garage

Anything blowing around outside, like leaves and debris, ends up blowing into your garage when the door is open. If you think your garage is messy already, just leave the door open when there are lots of leaves outside.

The Security of Everything in the Garage

Garages tend to be one of those places that you put things for convenience or you have no other place in your home for them. Things like your golf clubs, power tools and recreational equipment. Expensive things that you wouldn’t want to lose.

Your garage doors are like a first layer of security for your home. If that first layer is wide open, all the other layers are easier to get through.

4 Benefits of Installing a Steel Garage Door

If you’re considering a new steel garage door, you have lots of decisions to make. In addition to style, colour and options, like windows, one of the basic decisions you’ll have is about the material used in the construction of the door.

Generally, you can choose doors made with vinyl, wood, aluminum or steel. They all have their benefits, including the unmistakeable richness of wood, the economical durability of vinyl and the stylish appeal of aluminum.

If you’re thinking about a steel garage door, here are some of the many benefits to consider:

1. Strength

If there is one thing that sets steel doors apart from the rest, it is their strength. Steel is the strongest material used in garage door construction.

2. Versatile Style & Appearance

While they are made of steel, they can look like just about any other construction material or style of door. If you’re looking for the quaint look of carriage doors without the cost and maintenance of wood, steel is the answer. And if you ever choose to change things up, steel doors are easily painted.

3. Safety & Security

Steel doors will withstand an intruder’s attack, or everyday dings, as well as any garage door material. And, in the unfortunate event of a fire in your home, your steel door will withstand the heat and flames much longer than the other doors in your home.

4. Choose Your Energy Efficiency

Lastly, the way steel doors are constructed means it’s easier for you to choose different types of insulation, including high R-value insulation.

The benefits of steel garage doors may or may not be for you. But the more you know about the different garage door construction materials, the more informed you’ll be when it comes time to actually invest. To learn more about all types of garage doors, and their installation and maintenance, give us a call at 905-665-8668.

3 Ways to Avoid Garage Door Problems this Winter

Is it just us, or does everything seem to work fine until it’s the worst possible time for it to break? For garage door problems, the worst possible time will be when you arrive home during a crazy ice storm on a freezing winter’s night.

Even if you’re one of those people who loves winter, it’s definitely not the time of year when you want to get out of your car and wrestle with the garage door to get it open.

Here are a few things you can do right now to help you avoid those chilling garage door problems:

1. Lubricate the Door

Yes, your garage door would benefit from an annual lubrication and now’s the best time to do it. In addition to helping the moving parts of your door operate smoothly, the lubricant gives them some protection from winter’s harsh conditions.

You’ll need a petroleum-based lubricant for metal moving parts and a silicone-based lubricant for weather-stripping and seals.

2. Check the Roller Tracks

If the roller tracks that support either side of the door aren’t parallel to each other, it could jam the door open or closed. Disconnect your garage door opener and check that the door works easily and smoothly by opening and closing it manually.

3. Always Check the Base of the Door

You can do this now and throughout the winter. During the fall and winter, the chances are higher that some debris, ice or snow can affect your door’s safety systems. If ice and/or snow build up at the base of your door, or leaves block the door’s safety eyes, it might not close properly.

Winter’s on its way. But by doing some maintenance on your door right now, you won’t have to worry so much about its arrival.

Why Won’t My Garage Door Close Completely on One Side?

You have enough on your plate on a daily basis. The last thing you want to deal with is a garage door not closing evenly or having a gap on the side that makes it difficult to close. 

But what comes to mind when you think about your garage door? Maybe its design appeals to you, or you think about the security it provides. Or, you might think about the garage door opener and how cool it is that the door opens ‘magically’ as you drive up. ‘

Either way, you need your garage door to perform its function without any issues. Sometimes, you will experience them regardless, so you should be prepared to identify any potential problems to help you deal with them efficiently. 

Broken Cables

The main reason your garage door has a gap on one side is likely because one or both cables are broken or have snapped. The cables endure most of the strain during operation since their role is to lift and support an extremely heavy garage door. Coupled with years of use and exposure to contrasting weather elements inside and outside the garage, the strain can take its toll. The cables are also more susceptible to snap if they are old. 

When one cable snaps, the tension places immense strain on the other cable. It ends up hanging lopsided, causing the garage door to close unevenly. Upon close inspection, you may see the steel cable strands frayed as a result of constant friction as it turns on the drum. This could be an indication that the cable has snapped or is about to. The cables serve the same purpose for both spring types, although they work slightly differently:

• Torsion springs: In torsion springs, the cables are wrapped around drums at either end of the spring. The spring is located inside, above the garage door in the center. When the door rolls down, it unwinds on the drum and rolls up when the door closes.
• Extension springs: Extension springs are located on both sides of the interior part of the garage door, with cables pulling the springs on a wheel attached to an S-hook that pulls and releases tension as the door opens and closes.

Another reason one or both cables could be broken is due to rust that has accumulated on them, making them weak and prone to breakage. You may even mistake the cable for being broken when it’s actually the fixture at the bottom that’s unhinged, leaving the cable hanging loosely.

Where cables are concerned, you want to avoid injury or damage by asking a professional garage door company contractor to assist with replacing them. 

Faulty Springs

Your garage door springs are an important part of your door. They are needed to balance the weight of the door and make it easier to open and close. So, without the springs, you might not even be able to open your garage door.

But the springs that are part of your overall garage door system balance the door in two ways. Balancing the weight of the door is the job of the garage door spring or springs, which are mounted along the top edge of the door. The cables and springs work together and should be inspected as one unit if either is faulty or broken.

If your garage door has a gap on one side or the other when it’s closed, one of the extension springs could be damaged or broken. 

There are a few signs to look out for that could indicate a faulty or damaged torsion spring or even snapped cables:

• The garage door makes a strained sound when it opens and closes.
• The garage door feels heavier and opens slower than usual.
• There’s no resistance when you pull the door down or push it up.
• A popping sound can be heard when the cable is at full tension and the spring breaks.
• Springs are visibly rusty or weak due to the cold and wear and tear.
• The garage door won’t close or open at all.

If you notice any of these, inspect the springs immediately to determine the damage and extent, if any. You want to be safe rather than sorry to avoid the costs involved in repairing the springs. Avoid attempting to fix it yourself, as it’s dangerous and could injure anyone who uses the garage door. It is best to get professional help when replacing the garage door springs.

Damaged Tracks And Rollers

Doors also need to stay evenly balanced in the tracks they roll along. If one side of the door is not in line with the other, the door won’t run smoothly in its tracks. When closed, one side of the door won’t close completely, leaving an open gap. 

Side-mounted extension springs are installed above the horizontal roller tracks on both sides of the door. The extension springs are evenly matched and installed to keep the garage door properly aligned so it runs smoothly along the entire length of the track and closes evenly.

Like with torsion springs, you should look out for signs that your tracks are misaligned or damaged:

• Upon inspection, you will see the tracks are bent or curved out of place when they should be straight and flat.
• A visible gap could cause your rollers to become disconnected from the track.
• Your garage door closes unevenly.

You could try lubricating the tracks if they are not bent or warped to help them operate smoothly. Clean them first to ensure there is no dirt or grime that could jam them. Then apply a small amount of silicone-based lubricant or lithium-based grease inside the tracks. 

Regularly inspecting and greasing all moving parts of your garage door is useful in maintaining it and increasing its longevity. This includes the hinges, chain and belt, springs, and rollers. 

Dirty, Loose, Or Defective Sensor

Although not physically responsible for operating the garage door, the sensor plays a pivotal role in ensuring the opener does its job. If the opener can’t do what it needs to, it affects the rest of the mechanisms needed to operate the door. If you noticed the garage door not closing evenly, it could be linked to the sensor.

Dirty Sensor

The sensors are exposed to more external elements than other parts since they are located close to the ground. Wind and rain blow dirt into your garage, which accumulates and settles on the sensor’s lens. Fortunately, they are easy to clean. Just wipe them with a cloth to remove the dirt obstructing their connection to the remote.

Loose Sensor Or Loose Sensor Wiring

Sometimes the sensor or sensor wiring can get loose, causing the connection to fail. This is also a quick fix — check that they are secured in place correctly and tie any visible wires that are loose.

Defective Sensor

If you have cleaned the sensor and tied any loose wires, but it’s still not working, it could be faulty or defective. This could have happened during installation or someone could have knocked the sensor in passing or when entering or exiting the garage. You might have to get a reliable garage door company contractor to check it out and replace it if necessary. 

Contact Whitby Garage Doors For Garage Door Repair

Repairing your garage door springs can be a dangerous job due to the weight of the door. If you suspect you need to adjust one or both of the extension springs on your door, or one or both of the springs are broken, give us a call at 905-665-8668. We’ll have your door running smoothly soon.