Curb Appeal Contracting Solutions, Inc. » How To

Garage Door Maintenance for Atlanta Home Owners

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:37:51 +0000

Spring is here, and everyone is ready to spruce up their home. Atlanta can be a difficult place for allergy sufferers to tackle large outdoor projects this time of year. Many home owners use this as a great time to catch up on some indoor spring cleaning. We’re all accustomed to hearing about checking the batteries in our smoke detectors to make sure our homes and families are protected, but did you know that most manufacturers recommend checking for safe operation of your garage door and opener once a month? Read on a for an general overview of the recommended monthly safety checks for your garage door.

1. Springs, Rollers, Cables, and Tracks

Visually inspect the springs, rollers, cables and tracks for any sign of wear or damage. Cables should appear taut and with no fraying. Springs should be one continuous coil with no breaks or gaps. All rollers should be able to travel freely inside the tracks. Tracks should be free of any obstructions. Springs and cables are under extreme pressure, as they take most of the weight of the door. Only a professional should attempt cable or spring repair or replacement.

2. Lubrication

This step is the easiest way to keep your garage door running smoothly and quietly. We recommend using a spray lubricant on all moving parts of your door, avoiding any plastic parts. Manufacturer recommendations can vary, and most garage door manuals will offer specific guideline for your garage door or opener.

3. Garage Door Balance

Garage doors can be quite hefty, with some tipping the scales at hundreds of pounds. All garage doors have a spring system to counter-balance that weight and make it functional. To check for proper balance, start with the garage door in the closed position. Disengage the opener by pulling the emergency release. You should then be able to easily lift your garage door. If it’s difficult or heavy to lift, your garage door opener could be receiving unnecessary wear and tear. We recommend scheduling a service call as soon as it’s convenient if yours feels heavy.

Always consult your owner’s manual for your garage door and opener for manufacturer specific instructions on maintaining your system. Most companies offer online resources for finding the appropriate manual for your model. We also offer service plans and reasonably priced repair and maintenance services. For more information about our garage door services in the metro Atlanta area, please contact us online, or call us at 678-714-7393.

Bookmark this page:

Programming a Genie Garage Door Opener Remote – Intellicode

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:20:29 +0000

The following instructions are for programming a Genie garage door opener intellicode remote. If you have an older model Genie opener you may need to follow a slightly different procedure. These instructions should also allow you to clear all the programming codes from your opener. Clearing the codes from the opener’s receiver is the only way to disable a lost remote.

Make sure to keep everyone, including pets, out of the path of the garage door when programming a remote or keypad.

Locate the “learn” button on the opener. The location of the learn button is dependant upon the model opener. It can typically be found under the light cover. The learn button will have a small indicator light next to it.
Press and release the learn button
Press and release the button on the remote.
Press and release the button on the remote once again.

That’s it. The remote should be able to operate the opener at this point. Repeat these steps for any additional remotes or buttons you may wish to program.

To clear all existing codes from the receiver:

Press and hold the learn button on the opener for 10 seconds, or until the indicator light goes out.

Clearing the codes will erase all programming from the receiver. This feature is useful if a remote has been lost, or if you wish to disable any old remotes or keypads. After clearing the codes, remotes or keypads will need reprogramming.

Bookmark this page:

LiftMaster, Craftsman, and Chamberlain Garage Door Openers: How To Program a Remote

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:14:31 +0000

Many of our Atlanta area customers have come to us for advice on programming remotes and keypads. We’ll always be happy to answer any questions or help with any problems, but the following steps will allow you to re-program after changing the batteries, or clear all the old codes and start over. We recommend reading over all the instructions to see which method will work best for your situation. Click here for a printable version of these instructions.

The steps for programming your opener’s remote and keyless entry can vary for different models and brands. Many openers will allow for programming from the wall button, as well as from the opener.

Method #1 – With a step ladder to reach the opener. You’ll need to locate the “Learn” button on the opener, under the light cover. It’s usually a square button with a tiny LED next to it.

Both methods described here simply add to the codes already in use for the opener. In order to clear all the old codes from previous remotes/keypads you’ll need to press and hold the Learn button for about 6 seconds. The indicator light next to the Learn button will go out. Then follow the directions below to re-program any remotes or keypads to be used.

Method #1 – With a step ladder to reach the opener.

There are three basic steps when programming a remote:

Press and release the “Learn” button on the opener.
Press and HOLD the button on the remote
Wait for the light bulbs in the opener to flash, and release the remote’s button. If there are no light bulbs on the opener, you should hear one or two clicks.

Programming a keyless entry is basically the same as a remote. We just need to enter the PIN before pressing Enter on the keyless entry/keypad.

Press and release the Learn button on the opener
Enter your desired 4-digit PIN, and HOLD Enter.
Wait for the light bulbs on the opener to flash, and release the Enter button. If there are no light bulbs on the opener, you should hear one or two clicks.

Method #2 – With Multi-Function Door Control

Since both of these methods require the use of a ladder to reach the Learn button, LiftMaster has provided an alternative way to program remotes using the keyless entry and the wall button. In order to use this method, you must have two people and a multi-function wall button (one that allows you to turn the opener lights off and on).

Enter your 4-digit PIN into your keyless entry, and HOLD Enter.
The second person will press and hold the Light button on the wall button.
While still holding the buttons, press and hold the remote’s button until the opener lights flash. If there are no light bulbs on the opener, you’ll hear one or two clicks.

Bookmark this page:

Why Won’t The Garage Door Go Up? — 3 Most Frequently Asked Troubleshooting Questions.

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:52:27 +0000

We receive plenty of questions from homeowners here in metro Atlanta, GA about their garage doors and openers. While there can be wide variety of questions, most revolve around the following three issues.

1. Why does it reverse back up instead of closing?

Most likely, your safety eyes are out of alignment, or something is blocking the path of the garage door. The safety sensors/eyes need a clear line of sight between each other in order for the opener to travel downward. They’re usually black, and attached at the base of the tracks. Each should have a small LED light that remains lit when both sensors are properly aligned. If bumped out of place, they can be adjusted by hand so that they are pointing at each other again. It’s fairly common for the lenses on the safety eyes to become obscured by dirt or other debris, as well. Take a look at this post for more troubleshooting advice on garage door openers.

2. Why is it so heavy?

Garage doors are generally at least 8′ wide and 7′ high. That amount of material can really tip the scales, making it the largest moving piece of machinery in your home. That’s why there are springs and a counter balance system to take all that weight, and make it manageable. Remember manual keylocks, and doing things by hand? Openers don’t (or shouldn’t) pull any more weight than a person would when doing that job. That being said, springs can relax over time, making things heavier. Stripped gears, which are a very common repair, are caused by this type of problem. It’s generally a good idea to do some maintenance about once a year. Have a professional check for proper spring tension, and adjust them if needed.

3. Why won’t it go up? / Why is it stuck in the down position?

Take a look at the springs located on the wall above the garage door. There should be no break, or separation in the coils. Springs generally last for about 7 years, depending on the amount of daily usage. Again, these provide the force for balancing out all that weight. When one breaks, it can make things too heavy to lift, causing it to seem stuck in place. If one of yours is broken, you’ll probably need to call a pro. If you’ve seen no separation in the coils, try pulling the emergency release. This will allow manual operation, without the motor. It may be that they’ve relaxed to the point that the opener can’t lift the weight anymore.

Hopefully, some of your questions have been answered. If you still have issues that weren’t covered here, you may want to take a look at our blog. We also have links available for manufacturer sites. Most manufacturers will offer online access to owner’s manuals. Manuals for your model product are the best source for learning how to safely troubleshoot, and maintain your system.

Alpharetta Buckhead Buford Chamblee Clarkston Cumming Decatur Doraville Druid Hills Duluth dunwoody Emory flowery Branch Gainesville Grayson Kennesaw Lawrenceville Lilburn Lithonia Loganville Marietta Norcross Oakwood Roswell Sandy Springs Smyrna Snellville Stone Mountain Sugar Hill Suwanee Tucker

Bookmark this page:

Top 5 Ways To Extend The Life Of Your Garage Door

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:39:12 +0000

Your garage door is most likely the largest moving piece of machinery in your home. Some of them weigh in at several hundred pounds. Replacement costs can be high, especially when coupled with a new opener. Take a look at the following five things you can do to ensure yours lasts as long as possible.

1. Get Professional Service.

Just once year, have a professional come to perform some simple maintenance on your system. It should cost less than $100 to have a company adjust both the opener and spring system if needed. In addition to any work done on the springs and opener, this type of service will typically include a check for wear and tear, as well. Some companies provide the option of a service plan, which can help reduce the cost. The springs are the heart of the counter balance system, and can relax over time. An improperly balanced spring system can damage the opener, and pose a safety hazard.

2. Lubricate

Some aerosol type spray on the moving parts will do the trick. Not only will regular sprays reduce wear and tear, but it can make everything a little quieter, as well. Pay attention to the tracks, rollers, hinges, etc. While your there, give everything a quick once over to check for wear, making sure nothing is loose, no cables are frayed, etc.

3. Know Your Opener

They are fairly simple mechanisms and don’t require many tools for maintenance. Some may need to have the chain or belt tightened occasionally. Check your manual for these types of maintenance procedures, as well as how often to lubricate the moving parts. Other settings a homeowner should be familiar with are the sensitivity (sometimes called a force setting) settings. This feature of the motor controls how much force will be applied to open or close the door. The owner’s manual will have instructions on how to achieve a good setting. Close attention is needed, as this will affect how safely everything operates.

4. Keep It Clean

It may sound pretty basic, but keeping the area around the opening free of debris, and other items can solve major problems before they start. A rake, baseball bat, or other similar item can cause serious damage if caught in the path of the door or hardware. Spiders also love to build webs inside the lens openings of safety sensors. Make sure yours are free of any obstructions or debris.

5. Keep It Painted

If you’ve got wood on the exterior of your home you already know it needs to be painted or sealed against the elements in some way, but don’t forget about the garage door. Rot or insect related damage is a common cause for repairs. The bottom section is the most commonly afflicted part. In severe cases, this can cause a safety hazard since the bottom section is under pressure from the counter balance system. Make sure to keep yours properly sealed.

That may seem like quite a bit to follow through on, but in reality it can save you time and money. This is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth more than pound of cure. Maintaining your garage door and opener costs very little compared to the hundreds of dollars it would take to replace them.

Bookmark this page:

The Garage Door Didn’t Close!

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:29:39 +0000

Everyone’s finally dressed and ready to leave. You back the car out, hit the remote, and you’re off. Until you realize the garage door hasn’t gone down. You reluctantly pull back into the driveway, brow furrowing in frustration. It happens to everyone. Many homeowners don’t even realize they left it open until they return home.

Why didn’t it close? Garage doors usually fail to close as a result of the safety sensors being blocked. They’re located on each side of the opening, no more than a foot or so off the ground. Typically, each will have a small light that stays lit when everything is going well. If either of the lights are out, simply move whatever is blocking the sensor (sometimes even cobwebs/small debris can cause safety sensors to malfunction) or adjust them so that they are pointing at each other again. You can move these around by hand if they’ve been knocked out of alignment.

If you’re still stuck at home, make sure nothing is blocking the path of the door. This can be a common cause for service calls on garage doors. Always use caution when operating your door, but be extra cautious when it’s not working correctly. It’s the probably the largest, heaviest piece of machinery in the house. The counter balance system of the door is under EXTREME pressure, and when it doesn’t work properly, it can be dangerous. Many people have been injured or even killed by garage doors, some of them professionals. If your garage door is sitting crooked in the opening, has come off the tracks, or is not working properly, call a professional repair company immediately.

If the door works but the opener still won’t close it, there are a couple more things to try before calling a professional. Try using the wall button instead of the remote or keyless entry. It’s possible the remote’s batteries are dead, or the opener’s lock function has been enabled. If the garage door itself is working properly, you can pull the manual release on the opener. This will let you close the door manually, although the opener won’t be locking it shut the way it normally would.

Some openers have an indicator light that can help troubleshoot any problems. Again, you’ll need your owner’s manual for your opener. Many can be found online by doing a quick search for your make and model number. You can find the model and manufacturer on the back of the opener.

If all else fails, it may be time to call a pro. Some companies will be able to give an estimate on probable repairs over the phone, so let them know what steps you may have already taken. Call a few different companies to ensure their numbers are competitive. Since openers have an expected life span of about 10 years, it might also be a good idea to check prices for new openers, instead of repairing an older model. Newer models will have more up to date security features, as well. For more information about security vulnerabilities and older model garage door openers, take a look at “Is Your Garage Door Opener Leaving Your Home Unsecured?“.

Bookmark this page:

How To Choose A New Garage Door

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:12:44 +0000

There are an abundance of options as far as building materials and designs available in new garage doors, wood and steel being the most commonly installed. Each type will have options available for the exterior style/color, decorative windows, hardware, insulation, etc. Every manufacturer will tell you theirs is best, and give you tons of reasons why you should agree. Just like any other product or service. That being said, you should keep in mind that the new garage door you are thinking of purchasing is going to be around for a long time. They usually last anywhere from 10-20 years, depending on usage and maintenance, and can possibly last longer.

Steel is the most commonly installed type. Their lower costs, maintenance, and a variety of available designs make them the obvious choice for most homeowners. No painting is required, although they can be painted, and most manufacturers offer different finish warranties. Styles include, but are not limited to, raised panel designs, flush panels, and various carriage house designs. Most have insulation options, as well. Considering the fact that most garages share an interior wall with the home, upgrading to an insulated model can help conserve on heating and cooling costs.

While their not as common as they once were, wooden doors are still readily available in most places. They are available in the same standard styles as steel models, and can be built to suit. Their costs are generally slightly higher than steel, and they will need to be painted or stained to prevent water damage. There are still benefits from using wood. A standard model can provide a better R-value than a basic non-insulated model. They can also take a little bit more punishment than the steel types-something to consider if you have kids that play near the garage, or work in or around it yourself. Options for insulation are available. Their versatility is probably their best point. Homeowners wanting custom garage doors for their home typically go with wood.

Vinyl is beginning to make a larger impression on the market as a more durable material. These models won’t rust, and are more resistant to dings and scratches than the steel. Prepare to pay substantially more for this type of product. Many dealers don’t carry any in stock, so a lead time of 2-4 weeks can be expected. They usually look like just like the steel types as far as exterior styles are concerned. They also have similar insulation options to a steel model.

Composite products are becoming more mainstream as consumer demand for environmentally-friendly options grows. They are typically made from recycled wood, and are insulated in most cases. Again, opting for insulation can provide a higher R-value. They can be painted, or even stained.

Bookmark this page: