Common Issues

We have a lot of the same questions every day here at GDU and so I thought we should do a post on some of the common issues with garage doors. Luck should have it Amarr has a great list that I will repost here.

Hope these help answer some of questions out there! If you have any questions or would like to find out more information about our garage door service feel free to give us a call at 858-751-2580 or visit us at www.gdugaragedoors.com and click on the contact us page.

Common Issues

• My door squeaks when it opens and closes. Springs, rollers and hinges can squeak and be noisy. This is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. Before calling a professional service technician, use a spray-on lubricant (recommended specifically for garage doors). If the noise persists, call a professional garage door installer for service.
 
• The Cable is frayed.  Contact a professional garage door dealer/installer. Do not attempt to remove, repair or adjust springs or cable. HIGH SPRING TENSION CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

• Garage door does not open smoothly, but in a jerky motion or with loud noises.  This may be due to the lack of maintenance of the garage door or garage door opener.  Consult a garage door dealer for a service check-up.  

• When I push the button on my garage door remote, the garage door doesn’t open.   This could be due to several issues.  The most common is that your garage door remote may need the batteries replaced.  The safety photo eyes on your garage door opener may be out of alignment or your spring(s) may be broken.  Please consult your local garage door dealer for help. 

• My garage door does not close all the way, but goes back up into the open position.  An object may be blocking the path of the photo eye sensors of a garage door opener or the photo eye sensors of the opener may be misaligned.
 
• I have a black residue on the exterior of the garage door.  These marks are caused by the oil-coating that is on torsion springs.  Care for your garage door with an annual washing of the door to remove these marks.
 
• The bottom of my garage door has rust spots.  These rust spots may be caused by salt used during the winter to melt ice and snow or chemical splatter from a driveway cleaner.  Make sure to clean your garage door with water and soap to remove any debris that may remain on your garage door exterior.

Cheers,

Shawn Black
Garage Doors Unlimited
858-751-2580 | http://www.gdugaragedoors.com/

Do I need a lock on my garage door?

I have been seeing a lot of post and stories about garage door break ins, and because we have this on our FAQ I felt it was important to address this issue. So, the question is do I need a lock on my garage door?

A. If an electric garage door opener has been installed on your door, it may not be necessary to have a lock. Newer electric openers function as the lock, making it improbable that an intruder would be able to lift your door from the outside. 

If you have an older opener, check to see if your door can be lifted from the outside. DASMA, the trade association for the garage door industry, discourages homeowners from attaching a lock when an opener has been installed, because too frequently, a child or other family member will accidentally lock the door. If someone then tries to open the door using the electric opener, the opener will pull against the lock causing the door to be damaged.

If no opener is installed on your garage door, a lock is highly recommended!! 

In addition to a lock I would recommend a garage door monitor if you are in the habit of leaving the door open.  Most of the break-ins regarding garage doors are simply doors left open.

If any of you have any questions about garage door security please contact me at 858-751-2580 or at our website www.gdugaragedoors.com for further assistance.

Cheers,

Shawn M. Black

Garage Doors Unlimited

www.gdugaragedoors.com

info@gdusandiego.com

How Do I Know If My Door Is Properly Balanced?

Another post from our FAQ list, this has come up recently so I felt I should post it!

 There are several tests you can perform to tell if your door is balanced. Before testing your door, disengage you electronic opener.

      1) Raise your door in 1' increments, and the door should stay in place.

      2) When you lower the door, the door lowers in a controlled manner and doesn't slam down.

      3) When you raise the door, the door rises at a controlled pace.

      4) When the door is fully-raised in the open position, the bottom of the door should be aligned with the bottom of the header of the door opening.

You can find more information by visiting our website at www.gdugaragedoors.com

Cheers,

Shawn

Garage Doors Unlimited

Ahoy Sailor! My Garage Door Won't Open!

This week we received more than the usual amount of phone calls about openers not working. Now we have tried to explain that when the Navy pulls in ships or subs that all bets are off. The basic reason is that a lot of remotes use a 300 Megahertz frequency in San Diego. 

This is reserved for the government but is not used as much as other frequencies, however when it is used by certain ships we are flooded with calls. My first thought on the matter is if that's the price to keep us safe and have the Navy here in San Diego then..well ok. 

Some do not share my enthusiasm so for those who are at their witts end there is the possibility of adding an external receiver and changing remotes.To get in touch with our service department feel free to visit us here... www.gdugaragedoors.com and click on the top link to request service.

I thought I would also post a great article I found on Sign On San Diego. Its a good read and hope it helps everyone out. Clip on the link below to see the article. 

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/04/garage-doors-glitching-once-again/

Cheers,

Shawn M. Black

Garage Doors Unlimited

If it's not broke, don't fix it?

Garage doors are one of those things in our homes that we just don't take that much time to understand. Most of us just think if it's not broke then don't fix it. Unfortunately easy adjustments are ignored and they can really cost a home owner. The good news is that most small repairs can be prevented by some monthly check list. Here is some do's from Amarr's do's and don't list.

This a great list but if you would like some free advice or just answers to questions give me a call at 858-751-2580. Here's the list!

	Do!
	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.

	Do!
	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 don't have the owner's 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" thick piece of wood (a 2"x 4" 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 owner's manual for details on how to make the adjustment. Test the reversing 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 protect against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety devices will not make an old opener meet the current U.L. standards.

Make sure the additional safety devices, such as photo eyes or edge sensors, are properly installed and adjusted (see owners' manual).

You can find more information by visiting our website www.gdugaragedoors.com or calling me at the office at 858-751-2580!

Cheers,

Shawn Black
Garage Doors Unlimited

What type of care and maintenance is necessary for a steel door and hardware?

Good Day! So I have had some calls this week and the most popular question was maintenance on their garage door so I have pulled one of our FAQ's to help with this.

What type of care and maintenance is necessary for  a  steel door and hardware?

Answer: We recommend that you wash your steel door a minimum of one (1) time per year with: (a) One cup of Tide® (or other common detergents which contain less than 0.5% phosphate), dissolved into five gallons of warm water. NEVER BLEND CLEANSERS OR DETERGENTS WITH BLEACH.
      

The use of a well-soaked cloth, sponge, brush (with very soft bristles) or low pressure spray washer is recommended. Once the door is washed, thoroughly rinse with clean water to eliminate the possibility of residue.

In addition, lubrication of rollers and hinges is recommended on a yearly basis. Visually inspect springs and cable for wear and binding once each year and contact a professional garage door dealer/installer if damage is suspected. Do not attempt to remove, repair or adjust springs. HIGH SPRING TENSION CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

We offer service to all of our existing customers at a special reduced rate and if you would like us to come out we will perform a full safety inspection, lube & tune the door and full balance of your door for only $89! Feel free to give us a call at 877.777.3344 or visit our site at www.gdugaragedoors.com

Cheers,

Shawn M. Black

Garage Doors Unlimited

I have a one-piece door now. Can I replace it with a sectional door?

We get this question a lot from home owners so I wanted to take a moment to address it.

Yes. We can install a sectional door for you by installing track and springs to accommodate a sectional door. Depending on the construction of your garage, other modifications might be necessary. Simply discuss this with one of our estimators prior to installation, so that any required modifications can be performed.

 

Its almost an 90% chance we can get it done, however if you absolutely need a one-piece door (canopy door) we can either make a new wood one for you or convert a new roll up steel door to a canopy door! Either way we are ready to take on your project and guarantee your satisfaction!

 The answer to this question along with a bunch others can be found on our website www.gdugaragedoors.com in our FAQ section. Hope this helps!

3's A Crowd?

Scott, Cesar, & Brad finished up a project that Heather brought in for us earlier this month! These doors are commercial full view doors from Wayne-Dalton. Anodized aluminum frames, & clear glass.  We have done several of these types of doors and have a great gallery on our webpage to check out. This style of door is perfect for a contemporary home with its clean lines and contemporary color choices.

Cesar and Brad are some of our most experienced installers, they has been installing and servicing garage doors for almost a decade now. 

Both of these guys are factory trained and certified, and perform installation as well as service. Scott, well he have been installing doors forever and is always the anchor on our projects. Whenever we need some help he is there to take care of whatever we need!

Thanks a lot guys you did a great Job!

There's no place like home...

This week Scott & Kandee were off to Indiana for the International Garage Door Exposition 2011, Racing Forward. Its was a good opportunity for Scott & Kandee to get some R&R and visit some of their family and friends in Indiana. 

This year Racing Forward was filled with new products and opportunities to meet new and old friends. There were some great innovations from companies like Amarr, Liftmaster, & Janus that were really cool. We always love to find new ways to better serve our clients by providing cutting edge products and services!

At the show we were able to meet with some of our strategic partners including Amarr & Costco. It was great hear such positive plans from Costco for growth and exciting insight from Amarr! Kandee was so impressed with Costco's presentation I think she is ready to take off and start a career at Costco! = )

We were also happy to visit Liftmaster, Resource, and other manufacturers. All and all it was a great trip and we would like to thank the IDA and all the presenters for a job well done!

For more information about these exciting new garage door innovations check back with us for new post or visit our website at www.gdugaragedoors.com

What are the benefits of a steel door versus a wood door?

I wanted to cover this topic because I get the question quite often. I have the answer also posted in our FAQ on the site http://www.gdugaragedoors.com/#!__garage-doors/faq

Both wood and steel doors have advantages.  A solid wood door is 100% wood, through and through, and is preferred more for its natural look.  It is by far the heaviest, most secure and beautiful door you can purchase. From a high quality manufacturer, they will resist most major shifting and expanding, although they will require more maintenance.  

Typically these doors may be all cedar, redwood, or may have softwood frames with oak, mahogany, or other hardwood panels. They arrive unfinished and need to be primed and painted or stained on all six sides of the door upon installation.   We recommend a visual inspection of the paint or stain finish on wood doors one time per year to confirm if another finish application is necessary. 
 

Paint Grade Carriage House Door

Steel doors may require less maintenance than a wood door. Steel doors withstand the elements better, and, because most are made of hot-dipped, galvanized steel that is vinyl clad or given a baked-on polyester finish, they don't rust or require repainting as often as wood doors. Most warranties guarantee the door won't rust for as long as you own the house, but do not protect against fading. On the downside, steel does dent and can be difficult to repair.  

Amarr Classica

Annual cleaning of the exterior of the door with a common household detergent and warm water at least one time per year is recommended. These doors are a great addition to your home and are one of the most cost effective way to update your home. We have some great design galleries you can browse through by visiting our website at www.gdugaragedoors.com.  

I hope this helps answer some of those questions but if you have more feel free to email me at shawn@gdusandiego.com.

Best regards,

Shawn M. Black

Early Birds Get The Worm....

Chuck and Scott are up early today to install the Abrams gates. They came out perfect!  Earlier I posted production pictures of this project, I thought it would be nice to see the progress of the project. Look out for a post with the finished doors with stain and hardware!  

We are finishing up May and with the arrival Memorial day here we are expecting a record breaking summer with all the new jobs the estimators are bringing in! Be sure to check back for updates or click on www.gdugaragedoors.com to sign up for our RSS feed.

Solutions emerge for Navy radio garage door jams

Some interesting tidbits of information about the Navy and garage door openers.

Solutions emerge for Navy radio garage door jams

Garage Doors, Gates, and Dueling Road Shows

This week at Garage Doors Unlimited is exciting, and challenging. We have several orders for new Custom gates and garage doors. Sean is doing all the finishing touches on these custom STK cedar gates this morning.

Custom Wood Gates by Garage Doors Unlimited

Custom Arched, T&G STK Cedar Face, STK Cedar Face

Not only are we able to produce these beautiful doors and gates we are in the middle of dueling Costco Road Shows. Scott really out did himself this week making some awesome new displays so we can know set up and break down the shows in minutes as apposed to a more traditional brick and motor display.

Check out our new website @ www.gdugaragedoors.com or stop by the Costco Roadshows in La Mesa and the Market Street locations and to take advantage of our promotions and save some money on your new garage doors and gates!

Top 10 Garage Door Security Tips to Prevent Break-Ins

Hello Everyone, I found these great tips on a cool site from ITS TACTICAL.COM to help you all out with your new garage doors. This just proves there are very easy ways that anyone can do to protect yourself from those evil doers! If you have any questions you can contact us at www.gdegaragedoors.com just click on our contact page!

- Shawn

Top 10

1. Don’t leave the garage door remote in your vehicle – If a thief breaks in to your car and steal the remote he has a way into your home.
2. Invest in a keychain remote opener – Stop using that remote you clip to your visor and get a keychain remote opener that you can leave on your keys.
3. Secure your garage door emergency release – Follow our article here and learn how easy it is throw some zip-ties on your emergency release and still retain it’s intended function.
4. Keep it locked – Put a deadbolt on the door between your house and garage; is it really that much of an inconvenience to have to use a key each time you come home?
5. Make sure the door from your garage into your house is as secure as your front door – Ensure you have a strong, sturdy door made out of solid-core wood or reinforced steel and install an Anti-Kick device like the Door Devil on it!
6. Don’t leave your garage door open – It amazes me how many people in my neighborhood just leave their garage door open all the time. It’s just inviting someone to pop their heads in and grab something. Listen up America! I don’t care how safe you think your neighborhood is, good neighborhoods are the first place criminals like to drive through to case houses.
7. Install a wide-angle peephole in the door between your house and your garage – You’ll at least be able to see what’s going on if you hear a strange noise; rather than opening the door to find out.
8. Frost or cover your garage windows – Don’t do thieves any favors by enabling them to see when your vehicle is gone, a better idea would be to replace the door with one that lacks windows.
9. Padlock the throw latch on your garage door when you’re out of town – If you don’t have a manual lock on your garage door, you can use a c-clamp tightened down on each side of the door track to effectively “lock” down the door. It’s similar to those small window track locks you can buy for your home interior windows.
10. Don’t neglect maintenance on the mechanical parts of your roll-up garage door and keep an eye out for corrosion. Don’t forget the door from your garage to your house; check the frame, locks, hinges and any replaceable items

On The Road Again....

Well it's that time of year again, we are busy with new Costco Roadshows. This month we have two events back to back. This week we are the Morena Store! You can't miss us come on by to say Hi and take advantage of our great promotions! Be sure to visit our website at www.gdusandiego.com for updated events and money saving coupons.

Getting Motivated to WIN!

As our team grows here at GDU we all learn that everyone is unique, and I feel it is really important to understand that being a part something greater than ourselves is what brings people together.

This past week Scott helped to bring our team together and invited the entire office to an event that tens of thousands of San Diego's finest attended. We all went to the Get Motivated Seminar! It was a great event, some of the speakers really moved me and inspired with their stories of great struggles and great victories. We listened to Colin Powell, Steve Forbes, Bill Cosby, Joe Montana, Rudy Giuliani, Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz, and former Microsoft president Rick Belluzzo.

I personally connected with Lou Holtz the best, probably  because he is just a normal mid-west guy who made a career of doing the right thing and continues to go after his dreams even at his age after accomplishing so much. I once had a great manager tell me its not how far you fall Shawn, its how you get back up that matters. Cheers to you Victor Bennett! I say hoorah, lets get ready to WIN BIG!

Garage Door Road Show At Costco!

Classica w/ Woodgrain Finish

The roadshow is in full swing for our Market Street location! The traffic is great, I love meeting our Costco members this way! Here are a few quick shots. Come by the booth if you have time, we have some good promotions. Be sure to get more info at our website www.gdusandiego.com

-Shawn

Another Classica in Sandtone

Here is a Oak Summit - A Great Looking Door

Another Oak Summit with Hardware