Here Are Some Good Reasons To Replace Your Old Garage Door Opener

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Garage door openers are relatively simple mechanisms that can last for years, but there will come a time when your garage door opener will need to be replaced. Here are some signs that will tell you when that time has come.

It Lacks a Safety Reversal Feature

Garage door openers made since 1993 have included a safety reversal feature that will raise a lowering garage door if anything gets in the way of it. Some garage door openers will stop and go into reverse if the door meets any resistance, while newer openers go into reverse if an infrared beam along the floor is broken. Both of these features are designed to stop a garage door from crushing someone or something that might get in its way. A garage door opener that lacks this feature should be replaced, especially if you have small children or pets. Then again, any garage door opener that doesn’t have a safety reversal feature was built before 1993 and is more than old enough to warrant a replacement anyway.

It’s Too Loud

Older garage doors were opened and closed with a chain drive. This worked well enough, but it was also very loud. On the other hand, newer garage door openers use a screw drive or a belt drive, both of which are much quieter than older chain drives. Even newer chain drives are usually quieter than what came before.

If you find that you cannot open your garage door without disturbing everyone in your house, you might want to consider a replacement. A noisy garage door opener might technically be working just fine, but a quieter mechanism will always be a more welcome option.

It’s Insecure

Older garage door openers were notorious for their lack of security. Yes, you did need a control or a keypad to operate a garage door opener, but they relied on one code that could be broken by a savvy criminal with the right device. Once the code to a garage door opener was cracked, it could be opened easily. Newer garage door openers rely on a rolling code that resets itself so that only a device calibrated to the opener will work. You should invest in a newer garage door opener for this reason alone, especially if you have the option of using a numeric keypad for some extra security.

Contact Bailey Doors today for all of your Garage Doors and Garage Door Opener needs!

5 Uses for Your Second Garage

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Think of all the things you do in your primary garage and of all the things you store in that garage. Think of why you’re always wanting to organize and clean it. A second garage allows you to have everything you’ve always wanted out of owning a garage or extra space in your home.

An outdoor extension cord, a hose, and a little bit of creativity will work wonders for your second garage and allow you to do pretty much anything with your second garage that you wish you could do with any extra space! If you’re not sure why you would want a second garage or what in the world to do with one you already have, here are 5 uses for your second garage that will make both garages more useful and enjoyable!

  • Hobby Room

Even if you don’t have a hobby yet, finding ways to use your second garage as a hobby room will give you some ideas on how you can more enjoyably pass your free time. You can create a canning kitchen, woodshop, sewing room, auto shop, or even a home brewery! Grab a few outdoor extension cords if your second garage doesn’t have electricity. Visit your local Habitat for Humanity store or hardware store for a cheap utility sink, and use your hose, with a nozzle attachment and a sprayer, for the water supply. You never know, a second garage for hobbies may even end up being your new workplace when those hobbies turn into a home business!

  • Second Garage Home Office

Even if you don’t work at home, a second garage home office is the perfect area for paying bills and catching up on mail, or just for spending some much-needed time alone time reading and journaling. Buy some cheap indoor/outdoor carpet for your second garage office, get one of those old tables, a chair, and maybe even a dresser to use as a filing cabinet out of your primary garage, and voila! You have a home office!

  • Party Room

Many of us already use our primary garages for our man-caves (or woman-caves!).  We host informal weeknight gatherings among a few friends in our garages, rather than indoors, to keep the house clean, wave at and recruit passing neighbors to the party, or just to get away from the kids. Keep your party room temperature controlled by buying a portable fireplace or heater, or by placing a window air conditioning unit in the garage. If your Homeowners Association doesn’t allow window units in your neighborhood, place one on some garage shelving with a bucket underneath to catch the drip!

  • Getting Around HOA Restrictions

Homeowners Associations can be very restrictive. If you want a vegetable garden, but your homeowner’s association won’t allow it, create one in your second garage! Artificial ultraviolet light, heat sources, and a do-it-yourself hydroponic system can give you fresh vegetables and herbs year-round! Or, if your HOA doesn’t allow backyard clothes lines, hang clothes to dry in a second garage. Buy some cheap clothespins and clothesline from your local Dollar Store and a heat source or fan, then hang clothes to dry by attaching the clothesline to the walls. You can cut your electric bill by as much as a third when you hang your clothes to dry!

  • Dog House

Why, yes, we do mean THAT kind of dog house – but also the other kind. If you’re frequently in the doghouse at home, a second garage is a great place for you to spend the night (and 9 out of 10 spouses agree!). A blowup mattress and a heating or air conditioning source can be a lot more comfortable than sleeping on the sofa within earshot of an angry spouse. Add a dog bed and some treats and toys for your furry friend, and you’ve even got a place for your preferred companion!

  • Family Expansion

We know we said we only had 5 uses for your second garage, but this bonus idea is one of the best ideas for a second garage for married couples! Anyone who lives with a child knows how hard it can be to try to conceive a second, third, or fourth one when a kid is already in the house. Although you should never leave small children alone, turning your second garage into your family-making room will allow you the privacy you need to finally expand your family. We won’t get into specifics on this one!

Any of these ideas can applied to your primary garage as well, if you just move all your junk from the primary garage to the second garage. Also, think of ways you might use any type of additional space in your house. For the most part, a second garage is not only a cheaper option than adding a room, but a better one! Owning a second garage can be turned into an investment or anything you might dream of doing with extra space in your home. If you don’t have a second garage or can’t afford to build one, turn a backyard shed into one and start enjoying your second garage today!

Visit Bailey Garage Doors for all of your garage door needs!

Which LED Bulbs Can I Use in My Garage Door Opener?

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LED light bulbs are the way to go when you need to replace an old bulb. They last longer and work seamlessly with the remote control.

But it’s not always easy to figure out which bulb to get. Here is a look at how to determine the proper LED for your opener.

LED Is Better

LED bulbs have several advantages over other types of lights, including:

  • They last about 25,000 hours.
  • They last about 25 percent longer than compact fluorescents.
  • They don’t interfere with the communication signals from the opener to the remote.
  • They are more energy efficient than incandescents.
  • They give off little heat.
  • They don’t need to warm up and go on immediately.

The Right LED for Your Garage Door

Each manufacturer has its own specifications when it comes to garage door lights. It is critical that you follow these recommendations. If you select the wrong one, the light might interfere with signals between the remote and the opener.

Find the documentation that came with your door. Or check the manufacturer and model, then look it up online. This will show the LED bulbs that are compatible with your specific model of garage door opener.

As an example, the maker of LiftMaster, Craftsman and Chamberlain garage door specifies these types of bulbs for its lines of openers.

  • Phillips bulb #425256, 40 watts
  • EcoSmart #ECS A19CW 60W E120, 60 watts
  • EcoSmart #ECS GP19 W27 40WE FR 120 DG 2PK, 40 watt
  • CREE #BA19-04527OMF-12DE26-2U100, 40 watt
  • 3M #RRA19B4, 60 watt
  • Sylvania #72554, 60 watt
  • FEIT #BPAG800DM-LED, 60 watt
  • FEIT #R20_DM_LED, 45 watt

Confused? Ask an Expert!

Changing a light bulb really can be confusing, especially when it comes to your garage door opener. You can save time by checking with a garage door expert.

A skilled technician can come by and look at your opener. He can change the bulb and explain the type you need to get in the future.

This is a good time to schedule an inspection of your entire garage door system. Inspections and early detection of problems can save you frustration, time and money.

Contact Bailey Garage Doors for all of your garage door needs.

Why Did My Garage Door Come Off Its Tracks?

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For jaw-dropping frustration, nothing beats driving up to your garage and finding the door off its track. Garage doors are extremely large. When it’s on the ground, you have a major problem.

Here is a look at what causes a garage door to come off its track.

Reason #1: Car Hitting the Door

Garage doors are big and tough. It takes a lot to get them off their hinges. So it makes sense that, in most cases, a car has hit the door. And it’s easier to do than you might think.

Have you ever been later for an appointment and in a hurry? You can pull out of the garage, or perhaps enter it, going too fast. If the door isn’t totally up, a crash is inevitable. Or you can forget to click the remote to open the door.

Reason #2: Improper Alignment or Weak Tracks

If the horizontal tracks on the garage door system aren’t sturdy enough, they can bend under the weight of the door. This happens when they are poorly made, using weak steel.

If the tracks are improperly aligned, they can also bend. Bolts in the brackets get loose, causing wobbling and finally breaking.

Reason #3: Worn Out Rollers

The rollers for your garage door can wear out and break, causing structural stress. Some fittings don’t have enough or the right type of ball bearings.

Reason #4: Broken Lift Cable

Older doors have parts that are worn out, especially around the lift cables. Old parts can cause of series of problems with various pieces of the door system. The end result is a garage door off its tracks.

The Importance of Garage Door Inspections

A garage door off its tracks is expensive to repair. It makes sense to get regular inspections of the components and system as a whole. Expert technicians can spot problems early, preventing damage and even injury.

Contact Bailey Garage Doors for all of your garage door needs!

Top Ways to Upgrade Just About Any Garage

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Although there are many ways to upgrade your garage; some ways are definitely better than others – especially if it’s not a neglected space, and you use it for more than just parking your cars.

Extra Ceiling Space

Make your garage more of a fully three-dimensional storage space by installing ledges on the ceiling that can hold storage boxes. The ledges look like I-beams, and can hold more room than you would’ve thought possible; this really declutters a house when done correctly.

Erect a Do It Yourself Work Bench on the Wall

This can be embedded right in the wall, so that you never need search for your tools again, more or less. This idea of making use of the preexisting wall can be extended to a place for all of your garden tools, as well. You’ve got at least three walls to work with, after all. Turn one entire wall into a storage space by nailing ledges to it.

Turn It Into an Extra Work Room

If you don’t need to park your vehicles in the garage, then it’s large enough to convert into an ample-sized office. Put in carpeting and build desks and cabinets into the wall. Just in case you already have an adequate office in the main house, then your garage can make a very nice home gym.

Change the Lights

Most garages have fluorescent lighting; but if you are upgrading it into an office or work room, then you should replace these with LEDs. they last a lot longer and are more efficient; plus, the right colors simulate natural light much better.

These are some of the top upgrades you’ll find in most garages; there are others, but they depend on specific uses you might have for in your particular case.

Here Are Some Good Reasons To Replace Your Old Garage Door Opener

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Garage doors are fairly simple mechanisms that will last for years, but they won’t last forever. Here are some signs that it might be time to replace your garage door opener.

You Don’t Have a Safety Reversal Feature

Since 1993, all garage door openers are required to have a safety reversal feature. This mechanism relies on a beam between two sensors located about six inches above the floor on either side of the door. If anything breaks this beam while the garage door is lowering, the door immediately reverses. If your garage door opener doesn’t have this feature, consider buying a new model.

Your Garage Door Opener is Too Loud

Any device with moving parts is bound to make at least a little noise, but modern garage door openers are designed to be as quiet as possible. If your current garage door opener is making too much noise when it works, invest in a screw drive or belt drive model as these will be a lot quieter than the older chain drive models.

You Don’t Have a Rolling Code for Your Garage Door Opener

The remote controls of older garage door openers functioned with fixed codes that could be cracked by savvy thieves, making them major security risks. Newer models utilize a rolling code that changes every time your remote control is used. Since they’re so much harder to duplicate, they’re much safer than older models.

You Don’t Have a Battery Backup

Older garage door openers were all but impossible to use if there was a power outage. Homeowners were completely blocked from using their garages when they didn’t have power, but modern garage door openers have a battery backup system that will let you at least open your garage door and drive somewhere else if you lost power.

Contact Bailey Garage Doors today for all of your garage door opener and garage door needs.

Someone stole my remote! My home and belongings are in danger! What should I do?

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Garage door remote controls are among the most coveted items on burglars’ lists, and for good reason.  Such a remote essentially acts as a key to your home, or your garage at the very least. A stolen remote means a burglar can access your belongings with the push of a button, so what can you do when your remote is stolen?

As it turns out, there’s quite a bit you can do when this happens to you.

First of all, most garage door openers provide a way to disable remote controls when something like this happens. There should be a button located on your garage door motor’s housing that should do the trick. The color and appearance of this button will vary depending on the brand of garage door opener you have, but pushing and holding it for a couple of seconds should deprogram all remote controls connected to it. You can then reprogram all remote controls and keypads you have so they can still be used.

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of reprogramming all of your remaining keypads and remotes, you can always use the LOCK function on your garage door opener to disable all remotes. This won’t solve your problem if you ever unlock your garage door opener, but it will temporarily deter the thief who stole your remote in the first place. This might also come in handy if you aren’t sure if your remote was actually stolen; simply LOCK your garage door until you’ve either found your remote or you’re sure it was taken.

Of course, the best way to solve this problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Be proactive by locking your car doors at all times, and keep your garage door opener remote out of sight. If you have the options of placing a mini-remote on your keychain, do that instead of keeping a remote in your car. A mini-remote that you keep on your person will be a lot harder to steal than one that is kept in your car.

Please contact Bailey Doors today for all of your garage door needs.

 

Why do I need a backup battery for my garage door opener?

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If you’ve ever suffered from a home power failure, you know that they are incredibly inconvenient. This is especially true if you’ve ever lost power in your home and not been able to open your garage door. In these cases, a backup battery for your garage door might be the perfect solution.

What is a Backup Battery?

A garage door backup battery is a small, 12-volt battery that will operate your garage door in the event of a power outage. The top garage door brands that now offer this option include Genie, LiftMaster, Mastercraft, Linear, and Chamberlain.

Most of these garage door systems have the backup battery inside the motor housing, and a few have the battery sitting on top. When there is a power failure, your system should continue working for as long as 24 hours as long as your battery is fully-charged.

Why a Backup Battery For Your Garage Door Makes Sense

Even if you don’t have a backup battery with your current garage door system, you can either add one or purchase a new system with an integrated battery.  A backup battery in your garage door is a good idea for several reasons.

  • Bad weather: You are no longer at the mercy of the weather and potential blackouts or brownouts.
  • Emergencies: If you have any sort of emergency when there is a power outage, you can still get out of your garage.
  • Fire: If a fire in your home knocks out electricity, your battery backup will allow you to open your garage door.

Keeping Your Backup Battery in Top Shape

Once you have your backup battery installed, you’ll want to make sure that it remains fully charged and functional so that it will work when you need it. Your garage door opener may have a warning signal that tells you when battery life is low. If not, unplug your garage door and test your backup system every few months just to be safe.  Fully recharging a backup battery should take about four hours.

Contact Bailey Garage Doors today for all of your garage door needs!

What You Didn’t Know About Today’s Garage Doors

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Garage doors aren’t an everyday purchase, so it may be as many as fifteen years since you’ve looked at garage door options. This newer generation of garage doors is stronger, better insulated, and more secure than their forebears. They also require a lot less maintenance while giving you broader choices in just about every area.

Materials

Garage doors in the “old days” were often made from wood. Now, most are made from steel backed with insulation. Steel panels range from 24 gauge (the strongest) to 28 gauge, and most are embossed with a subtle pattern or smooth finish. Baked-on primer and a polyester topcoat are two things to look for if you want the maximum rust protection available. Warranties on steel garage doors start at 10 years.

Plastic is an even newer option and may become the most popular one. Like their steel counterparts, plastic garage doors are lightweight and durable with minimal routine upkeep. Unlike the older wooden doors, and even newer steel ones, they aren’t subject to rot or corrosion. Plastic doors also have the advantage of operating much more quietly than doors made from other materials. Plastic doors can carry a warranty of 20 years or more.

Insulation

An insulated garage door is the optimal choice for homeowners in areas of the country that experience three or four seasons. If your garage is attached to your house, or if you have living space attached to your garage, you’ll also want to consider an insulated door. It helps cut down on cold, tamps down noise, and makes the door more immune to denting. Newer model garage doors have what is essentially a steel door “sandwich” – thick layers of steel on the outside with a core of insulation. A thin steel or plastic backing attaches the insulation to the outer steel layers. This “sandwich” construction makes for a very strong but lightweight garage door.

Style

A garage door can make up a significant portion of your house’s exterior. Every major garage door manufacturer offers a range of style options. From basic panels to more decorative ones, you can choose the elements that work with your budget and home style. Even color options have been updated. Where you used to have to choose from basic, light neutrals, many companies are now offering deeper colors and a more refined color palate. If none of the many options are quite what you’re looking for, a custom garage door design can be ordered from most companies.

Contact Bailey Garage Doors today for all of your garage door needs!

What Are The Most Common Problems With Garage Doors?

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Maybe you tried to leave for work today only to have your garage door refuse to open. Perhaps your garage door doesn’t open and close as smoothly as it once did. There are a variety of issues that people may experience with their garage doors, but many can be traced back to a few root causes.

Dead Transmitter Batteries

First things first: make sure your transmitter batteries are working. If they’re out of juice, they can’t transmit a signal to your garage door, telling it to open or close. Luckily, this is a simple fix – just replace the batteries.

Misaligned Tracks

Your garage door runs on a metal track, and this track needs to be properly aligned for your garage door to move. Gaps between the rail and rollers or bends in the rails are a serious problem. Your garage door is heavy and can make even seemingly insignificant problems with the track worse, making your garage door a danger to use.

Broken Springs

If you’ve checked your transmitter batteries but your garage door still won’t open, you may have a problem with your door springs. Garage doors have either one or two torsion springs that do the heavy lifting of raising your door. If a spring is broken, the door may struggle to open – if it opens at all. A professional garage door repair service should be called immediately, before you try to open or operate the door further.

Broken Tension Springs or Cables

Garage doors also have tension springs, which help the door open and close safely and smoothly. If your garage door is closing much more quickly than normal and hits the ground with a bang, you may have broken tension springs or cables. This is a dangerous situation that should be addressed by a professional garage door repair service. Once tension springs or cables break, there is nothing preventing the door from crashing down onto whatever may be in its path. Call a repair service as soon as you can, and refrain from using your garage until the door is fixed.

Contact Bailey Garage Doors today for all of your garage door needs!