“The wheels on the door go round and round” Pretty simple right? Well, yes and no. First of all, there are several types of garage door rollers and each type affects how your garage door moves and what noise you hear while the door is moving differently.

Stem rollers are plastic rollers that have no bearings so they turn on the stem itself. The problem with these type of rollers is, the wear faster and tend to lock up and slow the door down when they are not turning properly.

Metal bearing rollers Are metal rollers with 7 ball bearings around the stem. These garage door rollers run smoother but have a tendency to get noisy as they wear. If you hear a “clacking” sound, move the door up and down manually as you visually inspect the rollers to see if they are running “true”.

Nylon bearing rollers are the ideal roller for your garage door! Here is why: The best of both worlds are put into this roller. A nylon coating for a smoother quieter travel as well as ball bearings for longevity and elimination of dragging on the garage door.

No lets get down to what effects worn rollers have on your garage door opener.

As I explained above garage door rollers that are not turning properly drag the garage door down. The garage door opener does not actually “open” the garage door. You’re probably thinking to yourself “What?! I push the button and it opens!” Let me explain. The function of a garage door opener is in to “assist” the garage door in opening and closing with the minimum amount of force needed. What this means is, When the door is balanced properly and the rollers are in good condition, a child should be able to lift the door. So, The more drag  on the garage door the harder the garage door opener has to work to open and close the garage door. This eventually causes premature problems with the opener causing undue costs to you, the homeowner. Take the time to maintain your garage door and garage door opener and it WILL save you money in the long run. If time is not a luxury you have, call Always Open & Shut Garage Door Service and we will provide a low cost lube/tune  for you.  Have a great weekend! Next week: Garage door openers: Basic to I can do what with it?!

Day in and day out people drive by our houses. What do they see? A well manicured lawn or  maybe the love thats been put into beautiful landscaping. And then…. a 20 year old garage door thats seen years of weathering and maybe a coat or two of new paint thats probably due for another coat. Maybe as your standing in front of your castle you’re thinking something just doesn’t feel right.

An average 2 car garage door takes up aprox. 30% -40% of the face of the home, so imagine if that 40% popped with a new door that fits the home decor or your personality! The cost is pretty low considering the facelift it gives the entire home!

Trying to sell? Where is the “wow!” factor?  Wouldn’t it be great if the prosective buyer saw it as soon as they pulled up to your, I mean their new home?  At Always Open & Shut we have a variety of styles and colors to choose from. Check us out at www.alwaysopenandshut.com to see for your self!

Until Next Time, Remember- Yesterday Ended Last Night And Today Is The Future!

The garage door goes up, we pull out and the garage door goes down. How can that possibly be inovated? In the last 20 years, great strides have been made to make “The new front door” more safe, secure and reliable. We have gone from billion code recievers to rolling code recievers to eliminate “code grabbing”. We have added an additional entrapment feature to protect our families from injury or worse and we have introduced the belt drive for the sheer pleasure of silence!

What’s next? Let’s face it we are now an automated society. So much so that we can do just about everything from our Smart phones! Including operating our garage doors and lighting throughout the house. Gone are the days of having to be home to let a service tech in to make repairs, leaving a remote control hidden somewhere on the property or giving out the secret code to our key-less entry. LiftMaster has introduced the MYQ series of garage door openers with Internet capability. Always Open & Shut Garage Door Service customers can operated their garage door and home lighting from anywhere in the world with a touch of a button from an Android or IPhone. Pretty techie! The other features include, TTC (time to close) Your garage door will automatically close in 1 – 5 or 10 minutes if you forget to close it. The new 8350 and 8360 series DC garage door openers also has a engery saving mode that when not in use drops energy usage 75%.  Visit our website www.alwaysopenandshut.com and schedule a consultation and recieve a free battery backup just in case of a power outage. Boy they think of everything dont they?

Living in Southern Arizona, it’s hard to believe that I run into this problem from homeowners. Let me tell you folks, it gets cold here too! It gets below 40 degrees and we run for cover!  As far as your garage door and garage door opener is concerned, that first cold snap is quite a shock. For most garage door companies, Autumn is spring, drive gear and adjustment  season. Here is what happens. Plastic and tempered steel changes as the weather the weather changes. Cold weather makes these items brittle and if there is a fracture to begin with, the weather will finish it off. The best case scenario and what most commonly happens, (A minor adjustment and tune- up will solve this problem), is that the wood jamb around your garage doors swell with moisture and causes your garage door to drag. If the force settings are set to low and/or the garage door track is not adjusted properly, guess what?  Yep, your stuck using the door manually until a garage door repair company can take care of the issue.

How can this be avoided? Although failure of a garage door torsion spring or garage door opener drive gear may be difficult to foresee, there are measures you as a homeowner can take to add life to your garage door and garage door opener. Most car owners I have spoken with, have their car maintained every 3000 miles like clockwork but have never shown the same courtesy to the garage door and garage door opener! Minimally this should be done once a year. Ideally, your garage door and garage door opener should be maintained twice a year or… that’s right, spring and fall when the weather changes.

Remember a well maintained car does you no good, if you can’t get out of your garage!

Your garage is most likely the place that houses very valuable  items such as tools, bicycles and automobiles. You want to be able to come and go as you please but , you don’t want others to be able to do the same! With that in mind, it is very important to keep the access system in good and safe working order.  For this reason, you must keep an eye on the garage door to make sure it remains in safe and proper working condition.

What if you could have a garage door open, lights in home turn on or off and have your dog walked from your smartphone or laptop from 300 miles away! (I’m just kidding about the dog walker) LiftMasters new MyQ technology can make that happen. What if you forgot to close your garage door when you when you went to work. Problem solved! This revolutionary GDO will close automatically after you leave in 1 5 or 10 minutes. You decide! I know this sounds like a pitch… it is! I am so excited about this I wanted to share it with my readers. The LiftMaster Premium series 8360 DC chain drive and the 8550 Elite Series DC belt drive with a battery backup is here.  Along with the battery back up feature that never leaves you locked out of your garage in a power outage you also have access to new features like a light switch that when you open you garage door Your entry light in your house will turn on as well. Never walk into a dark house again.

Remeber your garage door is the largest moving aplliance in your home, keep it safe and keep it secure!

Property Crime Happens Every 15 Seconds…Lock Your Garage!Posted by admin on Monday, August 15th 2011     

For garages that are attached directly to your house, the overhead garage door does perform an important role for home defense. Most police departments will confirm that most burglars enter the home through the garage, therefore keeping it functioning properly should be every homeowners priority. If you’re considering a new garage door, make sure it comes with some sort of locking mechanism. For existing garage doors, keep in mind a garage door that doesn’t shut completely and is easily seen by passers by may attract would-be intruders. Don’t risk it…get your garage door repaired as soon as possible.

Most garage door repairs aren’t repairs to the door itself but to garage door openers, rail systems or electrical components that make the system work. Although it may seem like a do it yourself kind of project, garage door openers and rail systems that carry the door up and down can be more complicated than some people realize. Some can actually be dangerous to disassemble without following proper safety guidelines. Again, don’t risk injury at this point…call a professional garage door repair service.

Most people know that when times get tough, desperate people tend to increase the frequency of their daring ways. It doesn’t really matter to homeowners who know, first and foremost that people are, by nature, good or bad…and when you add in the number of vacant properties within a neighborhood…crime will always be lurking. Property crime accounts for three-quarters of all crime in the USA. According to the FBI, property crimes occur every 15 seconds. Of course, most of the property crime is motor vehicle theft, but garages also have the distinction of being the one place where motor vehicle and in-home property theft intersect, making your garage a security risk unless you take precautions.

Creating a secure garage door can’t be accomplished by any one thing. The door itself must be sturdy, the garage door opener must resist tampering, and the surrounding area should be well-lit, preferably with motion-sensor lights. Finally, tie your alarm system not just to your front and back door, but your garage door as well which can make the difference between catching/deterring a would-be intruder. 

Besides providing an entrance and exit for your car, it’s just as important to install and maintain a garage door that won’t hurt anyone, especially your own family. Most garage door service contractors can come and provide a safety inspection of your door, opener and even offer you safety ideas that will help you sleep better at night knowing the largest door in your house has been and is providing you with good functionality and peace of mind.

Finding a reputable garage door opener repair service can be challenging, but it is well worth the effort. No matter how simple or complicated the needed repairs are, the company that will perform this service should be reputable.

One thing people should keep in mind when choosing a garage door repair company is that the employees of that company will have access to the homes and security systems of their clients. Word of mouth from current clients is an excellent way to locate a trustworthy business in the local area.

Another popular method of locating a good garage door repairman is by searching on the internet. There are many benefits to conducting an internet search, such as being able to access a great deal of information about the company quickly through their website .

Some of the disadvantages of locating a service on the internet, however, include the possibility of finding websites for companies who are no longer in service or are located further away than would be reasonable to travel. Another problem can be that it is difficult to get to know the workers of a business through a website and these employees will have access to not only the home of a person, but many times their security system as well.

There are several different types of garage doors, and even more various brands. One of the first questions that should be asked of a garage door professional is whether or not they work on that particular type or brand. It can be very frustrating to be charged for a house call just to be told that the problem is not able to be solved by that company.

Most repair services will ask what type of garage door and garage door opener is in the home and will be able to deduce from the answers they received whether or not they will be able to assist. If no questions are asked at the time of the phone call, caution should be taken. An excellent question before the appointment is confirmed would be whether or not there is a charge for coming out if the repairman cannot fix the problem.

Many people are tempted to attempt a repair themselves prior to contacting a professional. While this is certainly an option for those who have knowledge of their garage door access system, in some cases it may void a manufacture warranty. There is also the matter of the experience a professional repair service has over a layman. Sometimes the problem has a very simple solution that most people would not notice, but can be solved over the telephone saving the customer a service visit.

While research is paramount when seeking a garage door opener repair service, most people are pleased with the results they get from using a professional. When residents have broken garage door in Tucson they trust the professionals at Always Open & Shut Garage Door Service to provide the highest quality garage door and garage door  services available.