Sacramento Garage Door Repair & Service | Opener Installation, Service & Repair » Automatic Garage Door Opener

Why Upgrade Your Home’s Garage Door?

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:00:02 +0000

This is a great article for Sacramento homeowners researching the benefits of replacing their home’s garage door. Abel Garage Door has over 28 years experience repairing, servicing and installing garage doors in Sacramento.

This article was provided graciously by Cathy Wempe

When considering your home’s overall value and potential improvements – don’t forget your garage door. Industry research shows that a garage door replacement or upgrade is a smart investment. An automatic garage door, a custom garage door, and today’s “green” garage doors are excellent ways to boost curb appeal while also increasing home safety and energy efficiency.

Garage Door Upgrades Impact Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is a critical factor of every home. Often, an attached garage takes up nearly fifty percent of a home’s façade, and as such, greatly affects the overall visual impact of the home. Whether you’re considering a move, a refinance, or simply want the nicest looking house on the block, exterior upgrades such as a custom garage door and/or a new automatic garage door have been shown to increase curb appeal and a home’s overall market value. Whether your home is traditional, modern or transitional, there is a garage door available to suit your style and budget. And, by adding custom windows and other garage door accessories, you can personalize your garage door to suit not only your home, but your own personal style.

Increasing Home Safety with an Automatic Garage Door

“Tech-up the garage” is one of REALTOR.com’s top ten “Low Cost High Impact” home improvements for 2009, indicating that upgrading your garage door is a sure hit in the cost vs. value equation. Not only does upgrading to an automatic door with an automatic garage door opener or wireless keypad system assure you a return on your investment, it increases the safety profile of your home for you and your family. Unlike traditional, non-automatic garage doors, all residential automatic garage doors sold in the United States since 1993 are required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to be outfitted with an external entrapment protection system. This system can be an electric eye, a door edge sensor or any other device that provides protection from any individual or object being trapped beneath a closing garage door, as the door automatically reverses. Along with these numerous safety design features, the wireless keypad systems now available on most doors help to keep your family safe by allowing access to the home even when a family member loses or forgets their keys.

“Green” Garage Door Installation for Increased Energy Efficiency

As the largest moving part on a home, your garage door plays an important role in maintaining its energy efficiency – a critical factor in “green building” and sustainable architectural design. Seasonally, your garage door either helps you keep the heat in or keep the cool in, which means having the right garage door can determine your heating and cooling budget. By upgrading to an energy-efficient, insulated garage door with a life expectancy of nearly twenty years, you are lowering your household’s carbon footprint substantially. If your garage is attached to your home, you will also find that upgrading to an insulated garage door will have such a significant impact that the Internal Revenue Service has declared certain models eligible for an energy savings tax credit under the Energy Tax Incentives Act.

So, as a homeowner, if you are considering making any improvements this year, remember that for increased curb appeal, safety, and adding some “green” to your home and your pocketbook, don’t forget your garage door!

Cathy Wempe of AE Door, a Cincinnati-based residential and commercial garage door retailer. For 30 years, AE Door has been an industry leader in entry and storm doors, commercial garage doors openers and windows.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Why-Upgrade-Your-Home’s-Garage-Door?/1391338

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Sectional Garage Door and Opener Checklist for Home Inspectors and Homeowners

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:39:49 +0000

Introduction

The garage door systems industry recognizes the important safety role played by home inspectors. This checklist intends to help home inspectors maximize the value of their service to homeowners and home buyers.

This checklist covers the most important parts of a basic inspection of a residential sectional garage door connected to an automatic garage door opener. This checklist does not apply to tilt-up one-piece doors.

WARNING

The garage door is typically the largest moving object in the house, and many of its components are under high tension. Improper installation or maintenance of a garage door can create a hazardous condition that can cause serious injury or even death.

Because of potential dangers involved, all repairs and adjustments must be performed by a trained door systems technician using proper tools and instructions.

A moving door can cause serious injury or death. Keep people clear of the opening while the door is moving.

High spring tension can cause serious injury or death. Do not try to remove, repair or adjust springs or anything to which door spring parts are fastened, such as, wood blocks, steel brackets, cables or other like items.

These inspection steps assume that the door is operable. If the door appears inoperable, a trained door systems technician should be contacted.

This checklist covers the safest procedures that are supported by DASMA. If a home inspector encounters a problematic situation, we urge you to follow our recommendations. In some cases, you may need to use your best judgment on how to proceed safely.

Items Needed

This 10-point inspection can be performed in a few minutes. To conduct the inspection, you should have (1) a tape measure, (2) a flashlight, (3) a 2×4 piece of wood at least six inches long, and if available, (4) a garage door remote control. Depending on the height of the door, (5) a ladder or step stool may also be helpful.

Sectional Garage Door and Electric Operator
Checklist for Home Inspectors and Consumers

Item	Description	Yes	No
1. Manual Release Handle	Begin inside the garage, with the door fully closed. Check for a manual release handle, i.e., a means of manually detaching the door from the door opener. UL 325 requires that the handle (or gripping surface) be colored red and be easily distinguishable from the rest of the opener system. The handle should be easily accessible and no more than six feet above the garage floor. Does the door have a means of manually detaching the door operator?
2. Door Panels	From inside the garage, with the door fully closed, check the condition of the door panels. Are they free of any signs of fatigue, cracking or separation of materials? NOTE: If the answer is no, the door could present a hazardous condition that should be inspected by a trained door systems technician before proceeding with this inspection.
3. Warning Labels	From inside the garage, with the door fully closed, make sure the door system contains the following warning labels: (1) A spring warning label attached to the spring assembly, (2) A general warning label attached to the back of a door panel, (3) A warning label attached to the wall in the vicinity of the wall control button and (4) Two warning labels attached to the door in the vicinity of the bottom corner brackets. [NOTE: Some newer doors have tamper-resistant bottom corner brackets that will not require these warning labels.] Are all these warning labels present?
4. Spring and Hardware Inspection	With the door still in the closed position, visually inspect the springs for damage. WARNING If a spring is broken, operating the door can cause serious injury or death. Do not operate the door until the spring is replaced by a trained door systems technician. Visually check the doors hinges, brackets and fasteners. If the door has an opener, the door must have an opener reinforcement bracket that is securely attached to the doors top section. The header bracket of the opener rail must be securely attached to the wall or header, using lag bolts or concrete anchors. Are all these hardware parts securely and appropriately attached?
5. Door Operation	Make sure that the door is in the closed position. If the door has an opener, pull the manual release to disconnect the door from the opener. Without straining yourself, manually lift and operate the door by grasping the door in a safe place where your fingers cannot be pinched or injured. If the door is hard to lift, then it is clearly out of balance. This can be an unsafe condition, and maintenance is required. Raise the door to the fully open position, then close the door. The door should move freely, not open or close more quickly than the force applied, and it should open and close without difficulty. If the door is difficult to open or close, the door should be inspected by a trained door systems technician before proceeding with the inspection. As the door operates, make sure that the rollers stay in the track. If any rollers fall out of the track, the door system should be repaired by a trained door systems technician before you proceed with the inspection. Does the door move freely, without difficulty, and not open more quickly than force applied? Do the rollers stay in the track during operation? After conducting this check, reconnect the door to the opener, if present. This is generally done by activating the opener until is reconnects itself to the door.
6. Spring Containment	The counterbalance system is usually comprised of torsion springs, mounted above the door header, or extension springs, which are usually found next to the horizontal track. When springs break, containment helps to prevent broken parts from flying dangerously in the garage. Torsion springs are already mounted on a shaft, which inherently provides containment. If the door has extension springs, verify that spring containment is present. Extension springs should be contained by a secure cable that runs through the center of t he springs. Are counterbalance springs and their attachment components restrained by a cable or shaft?
7. Wall-Station Push-Button	Locate the wall-station push -button and measure the vertical distance between the button and the adjacent standing surface. The button should be at least five feet above the standing surface and high enough to be out of reach of small children. Press the push button to see if it successfully operates the door. Does the garage door have at least one working wall-mounted push-button, and are all push-buttons mounted in clear view of the door, safely away from all moving parts and at least five feet above the standing surface?
8. Photoelectric Eyes Location	[Federal law states that residential garage door openers manufactured after 1992 must be equipped with photoelectric eyes or some other safety-reverse feature that meets UL 325 standards.] This check is for doors with openers. Check to see if photoelectric eyes are present. They will typically be found near the floor, mounted to the left and right sides of the bottom door panel. If photoelectric eyes are present, measure the vertical distance between the photo-eye beam and the floor. Is the beam no higher than six inches above the floor, or can it be verified by the door manuf acturer that photoelectric eyes are not necessary?
9. Non-Contact Reversal Test	This check applies to door systems that are equipped with photoelectric eyes. Standing inside the garage, but safely away from the path of the door, use the remote control or wall button to close the door. As the door is closing, wave an object in the path of the photoelectric eye beam. Does the door immediately reverse and return to the fully open position?
10. Contact Reversal Test	[UL 325 requires this test, but in some rare cases, this test has damaged the door system when the openers force-setting has been improperly set or when the opener reinforcement bracket is not securely or appropriately attached to the top section. If you have any concerns that this test may cause damage, a trained door systems technician should check the entire system and conduct the test.] This check applies to doors with openers. Begin this test with the door fully open. Under the center of the door, place a 2×4 piece of wood flat on the floor, in the path of the door. Standing inside the garage, but safely away from the path of the door, use the remote control or wall button to close the door. When the door contacts the wood, does the door automatically reverse direction and return to the fully open position?

Note: Techincal Data Sheets are information tools only and should not be used as substitutes for instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific recommendations for their products and check the applicable local regulations.
This Technical Data Sheet was prepared by members of DASMA’s Commercial & Residential Garage Door Division Technical Committee. DASMA is a trade association comprising manufacturers of rolling doors, fire doors, grilles, counter shutters, sheet doors, and related products; upward-acting residential and commercial garage doors; operating devices for garage doors and gates, sensing devices, and electronic remote controls for garage doors and gate operators; as well as companies that manufacture or supply either raw materials or significant components used in the manufacture and installation of the Active Members’ products.

This sheet is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Visit www.dasma.com for the latest version.

DASMA – Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International
1300 Sumner Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2851
Phone: 216-241-7333 – Fax: 216-241-0105
E-mail: dasma@dasma.com

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Automatic Garage Door Opener and Garage Door Safety & Maintenance Guide

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:54:30 +0000

Garage Door System Safety – An Automatic Decision
A garage door is the largest moving object in the home. They are often operated by electric door openers. Proper installation, operation, and maintenance and testing are necessary to provide safe, trouble-free operation. An improperly adjusted garage door or automatic opener can exert deadly force when the door closes. This could lead to serious injury or death from being hit by a closing garage door or from being trapped under the door.
Safety is Everyone’s Business
A few simple precautions can protect your family and friends from potential harm. Please take a few minutes to read the following safety and maintenance information. Refer to your garage door and opener’s manual for details specific to the model you own. Then check the operation of your garage door and automatic opener.

Garage Door Openers are not Toys
Do Not stand or walk under a moving door! Do not let children or adults play “beat the door”. It is dangerous and can result in serious injury or death. Adults should set a good example. Know how to use the emergency release, in case someone is pinned by the door.

Do Not let children play with or use the transmitters or remote controls. Always place and store them out of the reach of children.

The pushbutton wall control should be out of the reach of children (at least 5 feet from the floor) and away from all moving parts. Mount and use the button where you can clearly see the moving garage door.

Teach Your Children About Garage Door and Opener Safety
Garage door openers are not toys. Careless operation and allowing children to play with or use garage door opener controls can lead to tragic results. Discuss garage door safety with your children. Explain the danger of being trapped under the door.

When using the pushbutton or transmitter, keep the door in sight until it completely stops moving. Teach children never to play under or near an open garage door.

Teach children to keep their hands and fingers clear of section joints, hinges, tracks, springs and other door parts. Contact with a moving door or its hardware could cause serious injury. These injuries can also happen with garage doors that don’t have automatic openers.

Routine Maintenance Can Prevent Tragedies
Take a few minutes to inspect and test your complete garage door system. Make monthly inspection and testing a part of your regular routine. Safety is everyone’s business. Make garage door and garage door opener safety automatic in your home.

Monthly Maintenance Checklist

Garage Door Opener

Reversal Test
Force Setting Test
Additional Safety Devices

Garage Door

Visual Inspection – Springs, Rollers, Pulleys, Cables, and Track
Lubrication
Door Balance

Consult owner’s manual for additional recommended maintenance for your models of door and opener.

Testing and Maintaining the Garage Door Opener
There are routine safety and maintenance steps that you should follow once a month. Review your owner’s manual for the door opener. If you do not have an owners manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power unit and request a manual from the manufacturer.

Reversal Test
Make sure your opener has a reversing feature. If a reversing feature is not present, it should be replaced. Garage door openers manufactured after January 1, 1993 are required by federal law to have advanced safety features which comply with the latest U.L. 325 standards: Contact your manufacturer or installer for additional information.

Test the reversing feature every month.

First, test the balance of the door (see “Testing and Maintaining The Garage Door.”). If the door is properly balanced, then proceed.
With the door fully open, place a 1-1/2″ thich piece of wood (a 2″x4″ laid flat) on the floor in the center of the door.
Push the transmitter or wall button to close the door. The door must reverse when it strikes the wood. (Note that the bottom part of “one piece doors” must be rigid so that the door will not close without reversing.)
If the door does not reverse, have it repaired or replaced. Have a qualified individual adjust, repair or replace the opener or door.

Force Setting Test
Test the force setting of your garage door opener by holding the bottom of the door as it closes. If the door does not reverse readily, the force may be excessive and need adjusting. See your owners manual for details on how to make the adjustment. Test the revesring feature after any adjustment.

Additional Safety Devices
Many garage door openers can be equipped with additional safety devices. Consider adding a photo eye or edge sensor as an extra measure of safety to prevent against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety devices will not make an old opener meet current U.L. standards.

Make sure the additional safety devices, such as photoeyes or edge sensors, are properly installed and adjusted (see owner’s manual).

Testing and Maintaining the Garage Door
Perform routine maintenance steps once a month. Review your owner’s manual for the garage door. If you don’t have a manual, look for the model number on the back of the door, or check the lock handle, hinges, or other hardware for the manufacturer’s name and request a manual from the manufacturer.

Visual Inspection
Look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other door hardware for signs of wear. If you suspect problems, have a qualified person make repairs.

Warning – Springs are under high tension. Only qualified persons should adjust them
Garage door springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware attached to the springs, are under very high tension and, if handled improperly, can cause serious injury. Only a qualified professional or a mechanically experienced person carefully following the manufacturer’s instructions should adjust them. The torsion springs (the springs above the door) should only be adjusted by a professional. Do not attempt to repair or adjust the torsion springs yourself.

A restraining cable or other device should be installed on the extension spring (the spring along the side of the door) to help contain the spring if it breaks.

Never remove, adjust or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets of the door. These brackets are connected to the spring by the lift cable and are under extreme tension.

Lubrication
Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the door. However, do not lubricate plastic parts such as plastic rollers and plastic idler bearings. Consult the door owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Door Balance
Periodically test the balance of your door.

Start with the door closed
If you have a garage door opener, use the release mechanism so you can operate the door by hand when doing this test
You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little resistance. It should stay open around three or four feet above the floor. If it does not, it is out of adjustment. Have it adjusted by a qualified service person.

Garage Door Opener Safety – An Automatic Decision
This important information is provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Safety Counsel and the Industry Coalition for Automatic Garage Door Opener Safety.

Here’s an interesting tip on safety when it comes to children

be a public citizen – let’s keep with a safety theme. while keeping our kids safe is a top priority, it’s also important that we safeguard our rights. one way to do that is to become aware of the things that are happening in various aspects of our lives. …

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WHAT’S NEW IN GARAGE DOOR OPENERS ?

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:13:06 +0000

Garage Door Opener Installation and Service

Your automatic garage door opener works just fine, you say. It’s opened and closed your door reliably for years. All you’ve needed to do is change the light bulb or the battery in the remote control once in a while.

Replace it? What more could you want? What could be new in garage door openers?

Plenty.

Safety First

If your opener was installed prior to 1993, you may be missing out on a great safety feature that is now required on all U.S. and Canadian openers manufactured since that time – photoelectric eyes or some other device that provides equivalent protection against entrapment.

Photoelectric eyes – mounted about six inches above the floor – cast an invisible beam across the door opening. If a door is closing and, for example, a child or pet were running underneath the door, they would “break” the beam, causing the door to automatically reverse.

Because your garage door is the heaviest and largest moving part of your home, a new opener with entrapment protection makes a great deal of sense, particularly if you have small children. (Note – It’s important, too, to teach children that the garage door system is not a plaything.)

Our professional door technician can help you choose the system that makes sense for your needs – and he or she is also fully trained to install and test the system for optimum performance and safe operation.

Key to the Castle

Many folks don’t carry a house key anymore. Why? Many find it easier to enter their homes through the garage door, using a remote control or an external keypad. These devices have become the new “house keys” for many homeowners. These keypads are especially popular with “latchkey kids” – kids who come home to an empty house. Millions of children come home every day and enter their homes using an exterior garage door keypad. In fact, one survey shows that 33 percent of parents whose homes have external keypads say that the keypad is the number one way for children to enter the homes.

“Latchkey kids are now keypad kids,” said Chris Long, editor of Door & Operator Industry, an industry magazine.

“Keypad use has more than doubled in the past 10 years,” said Tom Wadsworth, editor of Door & Access Systems, another magazine for the garage door industry. “Convenience is the driving factor behind this trend – no more worries about lost or stolen keys.”

The new fingerprint-activated keyless entry pads have created a whole new level of convenience. Now, you don’t even need to memorize an entry code. Convenience is literally at your fingertip.

You’ve Always Got the Power

Entrapment protection and keypads are great, you may say – but how do we open and close the garage door when a storm rolls through and knocks out the power?

Today’s openers won’t keep you waiting outside in the rain, or force you to manually disengage the opener and lift the door by hand. A popular accessory sold with new openers is a battery back-up system that allows you to use your garage door opener 24/7, regardless of any loss of power to your home.

Speaking of power, chances are you have a surge protector in your home to safeguard your computer from voltage spikes. Surge protectors are also available to shield your garage door opener as well, keeping your door operating system running and protecting your investment.

If You Can Dream It …

It’s probably available. Garage door opener accessories abound. Would you like your garage door opener to switch on lights in your home as you’re pulling up the driveway? Or alert you if you left the garage door open? It’s all now possible with new garage door accessories. You can even make a fashion statement with your garage door remote by customizing it to match your car’s interior.

Where can you learn more about and find these accessories? Check the DASMA members who manufacture garage door operating systems and accessories:

Manufacturers of garage door
openers and accessorieswebsite

AllstarAllStarCorp.com

The Chamberlain Groupwww.Chamberlain.com

Frabawww.fraba.com

Hörmannwww.hormann.us/us/en/

Linearwww.linearcorp.com

Marantec America www.marantecamerica.com

Martec Access Products
www.martecaccess.com

Miller Edge www.milleredge.com

Napoleon/Lynx www.lynx-nsw.com

Genie www.geniecompany.com