What’s the big deal about garage door springs?

One of the most common and hard working garage door parts is also one of the most widely overlooked parts of a garage door system. Oftentimes, people do not think about garage door springs at all until one breaks . In this blog we will be discussing garage door springs ,types of garage door springs and what they do.

What do garage door springs do?

Garage door springs counter balance the weight of garage doors so that they can be opened by hand or with a garage door opener.

Types of garage door springs

There are two basic types of garage door springs : extension springs, and torsion springs.

Extension springs – Extension springs are traditionally used on smaller, lighter doors. Typically, these smaller doors are between 8-9 feet wide.

Extension springs are easily identified in that they are mounted on the outside of the horizontal garage door track. These springs are considered to be the most dangerous of the two types of springs simply because they are exposed. This makes it much easier to get fingers caught in the coils or even into the cables.

Torsion Springs - These springs are confined and mounted to a tube which is located out of the way and above the garage door. Torsion springs are the safest of the two types of garage door springs and can be used on any door. Because of their more remote location, and due to the fact that they are mounted on a tube, there is less of a chance of being injured by them.

How can you tell that your garage door springs are weak and getting ready to break?

Usually when the garage door gets extremely heavy to lift by hand, that is a sign that the springs are not working well.

A good way to test your springs is to disconnect your garage door from the garage door opener. Then, grab the door by hand and lift it to waist high. You should be able to let it go, and the door should sit there in that position, or very slowly descend to the ground. It should never slam to the ground. If your door does quickly go back down, it is time to get your springs replaced.

What happens if you have a garage door opener and you use it to operate your door when you have bad or broken springs?

If you find that your garage door springs are going bad or have broken completely and you still use your door with your garage door opener it can cause severe damage to your opener. It can overload your opener causing it to strip out the main gears in your opener unit, and sometimes it can even burn up your garage door opener motor.When this goes long enough, your opener can quit altogether making it very difficult and even impossible to open your door.

If one of the springs break on a garage door is it okay to just replace the broken spring or do I have to replace both?

Garage door springs work evenly together in pairs, so they also wear evenly in pairs. If one garage door spring breaks, you can bet that the other isn’t too far behind. It is for this reason that Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. recommends that you replace springs in pairs for safety reasons and so that you don’t have to go through the hassle of replacing them individually. Besides, when a technician replaces springs, he has to disassemble everything to put up the new spring, so it just makes more sense to have him do both while he has everything apart.

Can’t you just repair a broken spring rather than replace it entirely?

Some companies do offer to just repair a broken spring rather than swap it out for a new one, but this is actually really dangerous. Broken springs are due to metal fatigue, the metal gets weak and then it breaks. When a company ‘repairs’ your old spring rather than replacing it, they are taking your broken spring with it’s fatigued metal and reattaching the broken parts with a coupling. It is really easy for a repaired spring to simply break again.

Trinity Garage Doors is a service, repair and installation company serving all of Metro Atlanta for over 13 years. Trinity Garage Doors services and installs most types of Garage Doors and Garage Door Openers including Linear, Liftmaster, Genie, Craftsman, Clopay, Wayne Dalton, CHI, and Stanley . We are accredited with the Better Business Bureau. We are also members of both the Chamber of Commerce & the International Door Association.

Visit the Trinity Garage Doors & Openers website at http://www.trinitydoors.com/ for more information on garage doors, garage door openers, and other garage door products and services.

Are your doors ready for fall?

The kids head back to school. We watch as leaves change from green to hues of brown, gold, red and fiery orange in the crisp, cool autumn air. The busyness begins again and we find that many of us will scurry from activity to activity for months to come. All this renewed activity results in extra work for every part of our homes..especially our garage doors. They go up and down and up and down as we leave for work, and come back again. We load the kids up for sports, and activities and are in and out of the garage all week.
Are your garage doors ready? Can they handle all the hustle and bustle that fall inevitably brings? Your garage door opens up over the heads of yourself, your family, your cars, pets and stuff so they need to be in good working order.

There are some common garage door problems that occur primarily in the fall and in early spring. In this article we will discuss these problems and we will outline some things you, the homeowner can do to get your garage doors ready for the cooler temperatures of fall and winter.

When the seasons change, and the temperature starts to rise or fall it can bring with it garage door issues. These climate changes cause metal to contract and expand. When this happens, weak points in the metal on your garage door will begin to break.

1. Look for frayed or broken Cables - If you have cables on your garage door that look a little worn and frayed, it is best to get them replaced before the cooler fall weather sets in.

2. Look for sagging or broken springs – It is a very common occurrence for garage door springs to snap during a season change. Usually springs tend to wear evenly so if one has broken, the other is usually not too far behind. It is for this reason that Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. always recommends changing out both springs at the same time. It is safer and ends up saving money in the long run.

3. Cold weather opener woes – The same cold weather that snaps cables and springs on a garage door also can cause problems for your garage door opener. Look for worn out or stripped gears in your opener (especially for doors that are not balanced or running smoothly). Also, expect to have some difficulties with your screw drive opener. The screw drive opener has a thick lubricant around the screw assembly which, in cold weather, tends to thicken and cause the opener to function improperly, or sometimes not function at all.

Here are some things you can do to get your garage doors ready for fall.

1. Schedule a routine door service – Have a trained garage door technician perform a routine door service.This is an affordable way to ensure that your garage door is working properly.While performing the door service, your tech will be able to check your door and opener and give repair recommendations.

Here are the things that Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. technicians will do during a door service :

For the door itself:

A. Tighten door – this takes care of any loose hardware which could result in poor door operation and eventual damage to the door and opener.

B. Adjust track – to ensure that the door opens and closes smoothly.

C. Adjust springs – to make sure that the spring is not wound too tight or hanging loose (this is done on springs less than 5 years old).

D. Check condition of parts – this is where a technician will note worn or broken parts and recommend repairs.

E. Inspect bottom rubber – to make sure the rubber seal on the bottom of your door is not torn, or cracked.

F. Lubricate door – The technician will lubricate all moving door parts with a silicone-based spray lubricant to ensure that your door runs smoothly.

For the garage door opener:

A. adjust chain or belt – to make sure it is running smoothly.

B. Adjust force limits – the force limits are the amount of push and pull “muscle” your opener unit has. If the force limits are incorrect, your opener may operate your door too forcefully or not forcefully enough.

C. Adjust travel limits – the travel limits are the distance the door opens and closes.

D. Check remote and keypad reception – this ensures that the remote and keypad functions properly.

E. Lubricate opener- all moving parts are lubricated with a silicone-based spray lubricant to ensure that the opener runs smoothly.

2.Lubricate all working parts – In order for your garage doors to continue to run smoothly, and as noiselessly as possible, it is important to occasionally lubricate them. A garage door should be lubricated a minimum of  two times a year.

3. Replace worn out bottom rubber - If you find that your garage door has cracked or torn bottom rubber, call a garage door technician to replace it for you.

4. A fresh coat of paint -If you have a wooden door, and you find that the paint is peeling or chipping, it may be time to apply a fresh coat of paint. Direct exposure to rain can ruin a wooden door quickly. Pay particular attention to the bottom of the door where water collects the most. It is usually where a door starts to rot.

With just a little care each year, and routine service a garage door will run smoothly for years to come.

Rainboots for your garage

With all the strange and unpredictable weather we have here in Georgia, homeowners must constantly face issues about weather- proofing their homes. Since the garage door is the largest moving part of your home and accounts for roughly a third of your home’s exterior, doesn’t it make sense to make sure your garage door is weatherproof also?

It is said that during a bad storm, the garage door is the entry point for damage. So how do you ensure that your garage door is ready to take on inclimate weather? Here are some things you can do to weatherproof your garage door.

1. Keep it painted- If you have a wood door, the fastest way for it to fall into rotten disrepair is for bare wood to be exposed to water, so you should plan on repainting your door every 3 to 5 years.

2.Check the bottom rubber- Bottom rubber is the strip of rubber found on the bottom of your door that acts as a seal for your garage. Check it periodically to make sure that it is still good. Good bottom rubber should be soft and pliable, fitting into the contours of the concrete when the door closes. If it is cracked or torn, chances are that wind and moisture are able to get in more easily.

3.Inspect vinyl weather seals- A typical metal door will have a vinyl weather seal around the perimeter of the door to seal it when the garage door is closed. If you find that pieces are missing, torn, bent or in poor shape, it may be time to get a repair company to replace it for you.

4.Clean out those gutters!-Another cause of poor garage door weather proofing is clogged gutters, so be sure that when you are having your gutters cleaned, the ones above your garage door opening are cleaned too. That will keep rain and debris from getting into your garage.

5.Storm shield- If you have severely uneven concrete under your garage doors, it can cause gaps that even the thickest bottom rubber cannot remedy. Typically when this happens, you will notice large amounts of water entering your garage during storms, and possibly other things like debris, wind and small animals as well. A situation like this is usually corrected by a product called storm shield. Storm shield is a thick, dense rubber glued permanently to the concrete under the garage door that the garage door closes on top of creating a dam or barrier to block water and other items out.

These are all things you can do to make sure your garage doors keep bad weather out. If you find that you are still concerned about your garage doors, however, you may need to contact a garage door repair company, such as Trinity Garage Doors & Openers to do some repair work.

Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. is a company located in Atlanta, Georgia and focuses on the installations, servicing and repairs of garage doors and garage door openers. They can be contacted at 770-924-4223 or online at www.trinitydoors.com.

An easy way to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ using your garage door.

Ever get tired of keeping up with the latest and greatest? In this economy it is hard to keep shelling out money for luxuries like jets, boats, and roadsters. Look at this article on how to look like you have it all – all you need is a garage door.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1201018/My-cars-jet–Or-turn-garage-door-work-art.html

What to do with the old door

After having one of the technicians from Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. install your new garage door, they can haul the old door away. Or, if you are crafty, you can take your old door and make this greenhouse!

http://www.funinthemaking.net/category/reuse-wood-garage-door/

Meet the Trinity Garage Doors & Openers office kitty

Meet Zep, our  one year old black and white tuxedo office kitty. We adopted him last fall from the animal shelter in Canton, and now he lives here at the office. We named him “Zep” after the lubricant we use to lubricate garage doors with. He greets our guests here in the office with great enthusiasm.

Faux finishing a garage door

One lady got tired of her boring taupe garage door and decided to take care of the situation herself. Check out this article and see what her creativity accomplished.

http://www.thesouthernfamily.net/2009/04/wfmw-new-look-for-bo-ring-garage-door.html

Not everybody is that creative, however, so if you are in the Atlanta area and would like some help dressing up your garage doors, please give Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. a call.

Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. is a company located in Atlanta, Georgia and focuses on the installations, servicing and repairs of garage doors and garage door openers. They can be contacted at 770-924-4223 or online at www.trinitydoors.com.

Are you using the right lubricant for your garage door?

In order for your garage doors to continue to run smoothly, and as noiselessly as possible, it is important to occasionally lubricate them. A garage door should be lubricated a minimum of  two times a year, although lubricating it more often than twice a year is not going to do any harm. This blog post will be dealing with the different types of lubricant available, what they do , and which one is best for lubricating your garage door.

WD-40- This is a very common household product that is usually thought to be a lubricant for just about anything that needs it. However, wd-40 is NOT a lubricant at all. It is designed to be a cleaner, removing grease, rust, and other substances. Do not use this to lubricate your door.

Grease- Grease would seem to be another obvious choice for lubricating your garage door, and is also very common in most homes. The problem with grease is that it attracts dirt and dust, and it does not work its way into bearings and door parts. It is not an effective lubricant for a garage door and even worse, that dust and dirt attracted to your moving garage door parts will most likely build up and mess up the smooth operation of your garage door.

Oil – Oil is a good thing for lubricating car engines, and motors on some household tools. While it is better at working its way into bearings and door parts than grease, and it does act as a lubricant, it is very very messy. Oil runs out of garage door parts and all over the place- on cars, on your stuff and even on you. Not such an ideal lubricant for garage doors.

Silicone-based or teflon-based spray lubricants- These types of spray lubricant are easily found at any hardware store, and are by far the easiest and neatest way to lubricate a garage door. They work themselves around bearings and other moving garage door parts and stay there, unlike oil which goes everywhere. They don’t attract dust and dirt like grease does.

* NOTE- Close your garage door before you start to lubricate them. Be sure to lubricate your rollers, hinges and in the garage door track as well.

Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. is a company located in Atlanta, Georgia and focuses on the installations, servicing and repairs of garage doors and garage door openers. They can be contacted at 770-924-4223 or online at www.trinitydoors.com.

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How do you know that you are getting a reputable garage door company?

Tell-tale signs of a good service company

There are many service companies available for just about any type of home repair. The garage door industry is no different, in that regard. It can be a bit daunting to try and choose between all the different companies available, so it is important to know what to look for in a really good one. Below are some things to look for in a good service and repair company, and keep in mind that these are things that any company can achieve no matter how big or small they may be.

1.They are BBB accredited -As far as we can tell, the Better Business Bureau is  the only organization that does a true and accurate reporting of a company’s history with customer service. Checks and balances are in place so that a person cannot submit a false claim about a company. For example, a person cannot go in and submit false claims/complaints about their competitors, and companies cannot go in and make reports about themselves to make them look better, etc.

2.They are incorporated with the state- It is illegal in some states for a company to operate without being a corporation.

3.They are licensed in their local municipality.-It is illegal to operate without a legal business license.

4.They can provide verifiable proof of insurance.-This is legally required in all states. When obtaining proof of insurance from a company, insurance companies should always send homeowners proof of insurance and not the technicians of the garage door company. This prevents the document from being tampered with.

5.They can provide references upon request.-This shows that they have a history of happy, satisfied customers and they are not afraid for a potential customer to do a little research. It also shows the stability of the company.

6.They clearly state the warranties (if any) that they offer.- Once going over any warranties they offer, they should be prepared to honor them. This is a very basic thing, but there are a surprising number of companies in the service industry who do not clearly spell out their warranty policy, or worse yet, they can’t seem to ever get around to holding up their end of the bargain when problems with their work arise and they have to fix something under warranty.

7.They observe and uphold local and federal business laws.- These, of course, will vary from state to state, but you want to stick with companies who are aware of any applicable laws or codes and will do things lawfully and correctly.

8.They are upfront and honest about their practices and pricing.- Find a company who will be willing to provide these in writing and then stick to them. Price should not be a total mystery until it’s time to write the check. A reputable company will meet with you and give you a quote in writing and then they will do only the work agreed upon at the agreed upon price.

9.They screen the people they hire.-When a technician shows up to your home, they should arrive in a truck that is clean and clearly identifiable with the company name on it. The technician should have a clean and neat appearance with the company logo on his shirt. The technician should be able to present himself with a professional and courteous attitude.Also, the technician should have passed a rigorous background check prior to being hired.

10.Ultimately, you should feel comfortable doing business with whomever you choose to do business with whether it is with us here at Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, or someone else. A good company should leave you with no doubts or reservations about them being in your home.

A few minutes spent doing your homework about potential service companies could pay off in the long run, and ensure that you have a safe and pleasant experience, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask to see some credentials.

Trinity Garage Doors & Openers, Inc. is a company located in Atlanta, Georgia and focuses on the installations, servicing and repairs of garage doors and garage door openers. They can be contacted at 770-924-4223 or online at www.trinitydoors.com.