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Is your garage door ready for the winter? The wintertime can have a negative impact on garage doors. Snow, cold air, winter rain and strong winds enter the garage door and do damage. All around, the elements in the winter can cause your garage door to not operate properly or to break down. A winterization tune-up can help your garage door manage the elements of winter.

How the Winter Damages Garage Doors

There are basically two insidious ways the winter can damage a garage door: temperature drop and temperature change. Typically, the temperature drops during the night time in the winter. If the nighttime temp drops to 35 degrees or less, the lubricating oil in the garage door’s motor can thicken. This lubricating oil is what keeps the garage door moving up and down in a smooth manner. If the oil thickens, the door may operate in a jerky manner or even get stuck.

In addition, if the garage door spring is old, a change in temperature can cause the spring to break. Without a doubt, a garage door tune-up can give you the heads up about a worn spring. An annual garage tune-up is the key to keeping a garage door operating properly during the wintertime.

What’s Done During a Garage Door Tune-Up

There is a long checklist of tasks that are performed by a technician during a garage door tune-up.

• A safety inspection and maintenance check
• Lubrication of the whole drive mechanism, including the pulleys and rollers
• Adjustment of electric door openers
• Setting of limit switches
• Tightening of chains
• Full inspection of the weather stripping, bottom seal, keypad and transmitter batteries
• Tightening or replacement of faulty nuts and bolts

Plus, the technician will discuss with you any visible repair or replacement issues before the tune-up.

Common Garage Door Problems During the Winter

There are a few common garage door problems that often occur in the winter. Contracting metal is one of them. That’s why it’s important to keep the metal parts lubricated during the winter months. Even if the garage door isn’t made of metal, there are metal screws, rails and springs. If these components aren’t lubricated, the garage door may get jammed.

Weather stripping damage also may occur during the winter. The rubber weather strip on the bottom of the door is what keeps the cold air out. Water can freeze around the weather stripping and strip off or crack. The weather stripping of the garage door should be inspected regularly to ensure that it’s not too worn. This way, you can keep both the garage and home warmer.

Ice between the garage door panels can trap moisture. This causes the garage door to have difficulty opening. The door may even lock up.

Broken springs are another common garage door issue during the winter. It’s essential that the springs keep the garage door weight well balanced. A worn or faulty spring can be detected during a garage door tune-up inspection. Lastly, the remote sensors can crack during low temperatures in the winter. It may have to be repaired or replaced.

Phoenix Garage Door Repair

Without the right expertise, fixing a garage door can be both difficult and dangerous. Turn to a quality Phoenix Garage Door Repair team for repairs and garage door tune-ups. All of our technicians are trained and experienced.

Having children means protecting them from risks in the world and around the home. There are so many risks parents have to watch out for, such as small objects children can put in their mouths, cleaning chemicals, long flights of stairs, the list goes on and on. When you child-proof your home, however, one space you can’t forget is the garage. Read on to learn more about making the garage a safe space for your kids.

Is Your Garage Safe?

Garages are full of things that can cause harm to children. These include concrete floors, outdoor supplies, vehicles, tools, chemicals, and more. Keeping your child away from these dangers is vitally important. Before you start child-proofing your garage, answer these questions.

• When your cars are in the garage, are they locked?
• How easily can your kids get in and out of the garage?
• Do you regularly maintain your garage door?
• Can your children reach tools and chemicals stored in your garage?
• Is your garage full of clutter or is it clutter-free?
• Can you think of any less obvious risks in your garage, such as pet food, garbage, and gardening materials?

After thoughtfully answering these questions you should have a good idea of what steps you need to take to make your garage a safe place for children. Consider the following strategies:

• Remove clutter from your garage. Get rid of anything you don’t need and carefully store away all dangerous objects as high up as possible. Children are clever and will use stools or find other creative ways to reach these items. You could also store them in a locked cabinet and carefully hide the key.
• Add a Dutch door to your garage exit.  A Dutch door keeps the bottom half of the door closed while the top half is open to allow fresh air inside the garage and to easily unload and transfer items.
• Store chemicals and other dangerous substances far out of reach of children.

Automatic Garage Doors and Safety

It’s important to take care when it comes to automatic garage door openers because these heavy doors can cause serious injury to a child. For many children, opening and closing the garage door is like playing with a toy. However, when they do this, they can easily get caught in the door or its moving parts. The garage door should sense when an object, including a child, is in the way, but it’s up to you to make sure this feature is functioning properly. One way to test your automatic garage door sensitivity is to put small objects in the way. If the door senses the object, it will not close.

To make sure your garage door is perfectly safe for your children, contact Lincoln Electric Garage Door Company. Our experienced and friendly technicians can assist with a garage door repair, a new garage door, and garage door openers. Our company is family owned and operated and has been in business since 1967. We understand the dangers of garages and garage doors when it comes to children. Contact us today to have all your questions and concerns answered.

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.