Summer is in full swing, which means your home’s cooling system is working overtime to keep you and your family feeling comfortable indoors as the temps soar outside.

But it’s not just your home that needs cooling, your garage does, too. It can get hot in your garage if it lacks the proper ventilation, and that means your car’s interior gets hotter, too.

Don’t neglect cooling your garage in the summer months. Instead, follow these summer garage cooling tips below.

Get the air moving. Ventilate the garage by simply opening the garage door about a foot from the ground.

Add insulation. You can find garage door insulation kits at your local home improvement store. We recommend insulating the garage door, or the ceiling, to absorb the sun’s rays to help keep the garage cooler (and warmer in the winter).

Park a hot car outside. Keep your car out of the garage while it cools. We recommend waiting until the sun goes down to drive it into the garage. Parking a hot car in the garage adds a few extra degrees to the garage interior.

Be strategic about when you use the garage. We love it when we hear our customers use their garage as another room in their home, but in the summer, without proper cooling or ventilation, the garage can be a dangerous place.

If you work out, relax, or use the garage for hobbies, please do it cautiously between the hours of 3-6 p.m. that’s when your garage is likely to be the warmest.

Invest in a fan. This is one of the least expensive and quickest way to get air moving in your garage (but it won’t lower the temperature much). Simply place an oscillating fan on the floor of the garage to get the air moving. You can also use a box fan, install a ceiling fan, or use a commercial-grade fan.

Consider placing a fan in a garage window and face it outwards to move the hot air to the outside.

Get a lighter color garage door. The lighter the door’s color, the more it will reflect the heat. You could also paint the walls and roof of your garage (if it’s free-standing) a lighter color, too. Talk to someone on the team at All Island about this – we can help you choose the best paint for the job. And find the perfect replacement garage door for your home.

Air condition your garage. This is the most costly tip on this list, but certainly would get the job done. If your budget allows, you could invest in central air for your garage, or install a window unit. You could also use a portable air conditioner. Note: you’ll need to have your garage insulated if you’re going this route. Don’t waste your money!

Need help cooling your garage? We’re here to help. Contact our team today and let us help you enjoy your summer a little more!

Getting your garage ready for the Tempe, AZ summer can make a world of difference in how comfortable your garage remains throughout the summer months and your personal enjoyment of this often forgotten space in your home. These are some things you can do to get your garage ready for the warm summer sun.

Insulate Garage Doors and Walls

Not only can this help your garage remain cooler in the summer, it can also keep it, and the items stored inside your garage, warmer in the winter. It is a great way to extend the life cycle of items kept in your garage and serves to protect your home from hot air that would otherwise stream into your home every time you open a door from your home into your garage.

Deep Clean Your Garage

This isn’t about making sure it is organized and uncluttered. Well, it isn’t ONLY about making sure it is organized and uncluttered. It is also about getting rid of outdated and potentially hazardous items stored in your garage. Between last summer and now, interests and hobbies have changed, supplies and equipment have gone out of date, and other items are no longer needed. This is the perfect excuse to clear out the old, make room for the new, and improve the safety of your garage all around.

Carefully Inspect Your Garage Door

Summer heat can do a real number on the integrity of your garage door. Not only can it become warped or damaged as a result of the heat bearing down, it can also lose lubrication. More importantly, especially if you have children or there are children in your neighborhood, you need to double check the safety features of your garage door to make sure they are operating efficiently.

Make Essential Repairs

Whether it is broken windows, chipped garage floors, pulleys, levers, or whatever, now is the ideal time to make garage door repairs so that it will continue to operate at greater efficiency throughout the year ahead. The extra hours of daylight give you added time to make the repairs, even after a long day at work, and you don’t have to worry about freezing temperatures slowing you down.

Install a Garage Exhaust Fan

Whether you plan to spend a lot of time working in your garage during the months ahead or you’re simply looking for ways to improve energy efficiency for your entire home, a garage exhaust fan can help clear the air in your garage and keep the temperatures more comfortable year round.

Little changes can make a huge difference in the comfort and safety of your garage. Now, as summer swings into focus, is a great time to make these changes for your garage. So, when it comes to repairing your garage door, you want to make sure you work with a licensed garage door service company. Always seek the advice of a Tempe garage door repair expert if you have a garage door question or problem.

Your garage door is an extremely important feature of your home. A properly working one keeps your valuables protected, provides entry and exit and can even help keep your home cool in that hot Arizona weather. If your garage door isn’t working as it should, however, things can become frustrating very quickly. You may start wondering if you need to replace the door entirely. Nevertheless, sometimes all it needs is a simple repair.

Here are three times to repair and three times to replace your garage door.

Three times to repair your garage door

1. The door breaks down suddenly – It can be extremely frustrating when your garage door just suddenly stops working one day, but the good news is that this usually means you are in for a fairly simple fix. Sometimes it is something as simple as the batteries being replaced, and other times it is usually just an isolated problem that can be easily identified by a professional and fixed the same day.

2. The panels are damaged – Do you see panels that are visibly damaged? In most cases, these panels can just be removed and replaced or even directly repaired. There is no need to replace the whole door in the process.

3. One side appears to sag – Is one side lower than the other? Just like the tires on your car, your garage door needs to be regularly checked for alignment and balance. This is a fairly simple procedure that the pros at Tempe Garage Door Repair can easily handle.

Three times to replace your garage door

1. It never seems to work right – If the problems are ongoing, there is likely something fundamentally wrong with your garage door either in its installation or design. Other times this is just an indicator of it being really old and needing a full replacement. Either way, you are looking at a new garage door.

2. The door is generally unsafe – All modern garage doors should have an automatic stop feature that prevents them from closing on a car or a person. Likewise, the door should be be able to be opened without a code or key from the outside. Any door that is lacking in these safety areas should be swiftly replace to prevent future problems.

3. There is extensive, catastrophic damage – You’ll usually know this kind of damage when you see it. If a garage door is irreversibly damaged as the result of a car driving into it or some other highly damaging event (like a bad storm), you should have the door removed and replaced as soon as possible. Leaving it untouched can open up an unsafe environment for anyone nearby, especially children. You should also have the door removed and replaced quickly to evaluate whether or not there has been further damage caused to your home.

Have further questions or are just unsure if you’re looking at a “repair” or “replace” issue? Let the experts at Tempe Garage Door Repair be your guide! Contact us today or visit our Tempe location to learn more about our repair services and how we can help you get the garage door of your dreams.

Have you been having issues with your garage door opener? Has your door not been opening properly? Do you happen to have LED lights installed in your garage? Although not all LED lights are a problem, they can become a problem when not properly shielded. It is important to stick to popular brands so ensure quality performance.

Q: I would like to thank your reader who told you about the garage door opener that did not work properly. I was facing the same problem. I did everything he did to get the door to work, new remotes, change the batteries, etc. Your reader said that he had installed LED lightbulbs in the garage as I had done and wondered if they were interfering with the remotes trying to open the doors. Well I replaced all my LED lightbulbs with regular bulbs and for two weeks now no problems with opening or closing my garage door, thanks to your column.

— R.L., Chicago

A: It warms our cold little heart to hear that our advice has helped more than only one reader. Just to clarify, not all LED lights are the problem. Only those that are not properly shielded. Stick to popular name brands and your garage door should behave normally when you press the remote.

Q: My Honda CR-V runs fine except for a nervous idle at stops when the A/C is on. If I just press the accelerator slightly, increasing the rpm by maybe 100, the idle is smooth. Two mechanics have diagnosed it as bad motor mounts, but they don’t guarantee this is the problem. If the idle speed could be increased, I would be happy. Can I tweak the cable at the idle air valve to make this happen?

— E.K., Dolton, Ill.

A: Nope. The idle is controlled by the engine control module, which activates the idle air control valve. No amount of mechanical tinkering can adjust the idle speed.

Q: I am a retired senior and I own a 2004 Subaru Outback Sport. Since retirement, I only put about 800 miles per year on my vehicle. The car is garage kept. How often should there be an oil change?

— M.K., Chicago

A: Subaru suggests changing the oil and filter every 7,500 miles or 7.5 months. But since your annual mileage is so low, we would recommend you change the oil yearly. For turbocharged engines, cut that schedule in half.

Q: I recently brought my 2016 Prius V into the dealership for its 30,000-mile maintenance. The service rep said it should have its fuel injectors cleaned, among other things. I agreed as I’m trying to be better than I have been at meeting the scheduled requirements. While trying to make sense of my owner’s manual/maintenance guide I haven’t really been able to see this service on the list of required maintenance and wonder if I’ve wasted money.

— R.H., Westchester, Ill.

A: We would not say that you wasted your money. Fuel injectors can become clogged, or at least somewhat restricted, over time. Regular cleaning can prevent this. But we think that cleaning them at such low mileage may be unnecessary, especially if you use good gasoline. If you are in doubt which brands are good, look for a sign that they are Top Tier fuels. You can also find a list at www.toptiergas.com.

Send questions along with name and town to Motormouth, Rides, Chicago Tribune; 160 N. Stetson Ave., Third Floor; Chicago, IL 60601 or motormouth.tribune@gmail.com.

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/sc-auto-motormouth-1011-story.html

With burglars and home invaders taking to garage doors to enter a home, it is important that you make sure the door to your garage is locked! It is vital that you are double checking that your car doors are locked as well. This makes for an easy entrance through any garage if you keep your opener stored in your vehicle. Visit our website for more information on the newest garage door technology. We want to help keep you safe!

Police search for burglar who used garage door opener to break into home  10TV Full coverage

Source: https://www.10tv.com/article/police-search-burglar-who-used-garage-door-opener-break-home