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Garage Door News

We keep on top of the important advances, trends and changes in the world of garage doors as they happen.

Here you'll find our regular industry updates, expert knowledge and thoughts.

3 GREAT REASONS TO SWITCH TO AN INSULATED GARAGE DOOR - JAN 2012

Get yourself an insulated garage door and open up a world of possibilities for uses of your garage space.

2. DIY

it's the most obvious and popular second-thought for the garage. It can be the perfect space for DIY. If the garage door is insulated, you have a great environment with heat and potentially sound insulation to get on with building that ark for a rainy day…

2. PROJECT SPACE

if you have creative kids, who like the make as much mess as possible, with their latest artistic endeavour - stick them in the garage space. You can justify this if you have a properly insulated garage door.

3. MUSIC ROOM

have any aspiring musicians in your household? Nobody want to hear to squeal of an beginner violinist missing every note. The saxophone is so loud, as are the drums, that everyone, including the player, benefits from separation from the general household. An insulated garage door provides a perfect space for music practice.

sax in garage

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MORE REASONS TO REPLACE OLD GARAGE DOORS - DECEMBER 2011

The cold

A poorly insulated garage door leaves your whole garage freezing, which is not much fun in morning before work.

A new sectional garage door could be the way forward for you, with insulation to keep the cold out.

old garage door

Poor appearance

If the garage door has a weathered paint finish, it could be better to replace with a a properly treated new garage door.

Sometimes the look of the garage door just doesn't fit into the overall look of the house. Its easy to forget how important a garage door is to the overall impression of the house.

At first glance, purely because of its size, the garage door features almost as a shop window for the house. A smart and modern garage door can make the whole house look smart and modern.

Sounds awful

It pains us all to suffer the sounds of a knackered garage door three or four times a day. There is the possibility the problem can be fixed (see previous posts), but nothing beats the smooth operations of a freshly fitted modern garage door.

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COMMON PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMATED DOORS - 26 OCTOBER 2011

If you keep your garage door in good condition and occasionally check over the moving parts, you shouldn't have any problems.

But if you find yourself with a garage door that isn't working properly, there are a couple of things you could check yourself, if you are happy to do so, before calling for help.

Closing problems

Check the sensors: Be sure to check the safety beam of the sensors is not blocked in any way. These need to be aligned to each with no obstructions.

Door closes, then reverses: When the door starts closing but then reverses back again, its probably a sensitivity issues. Due to the safety mechanism, the garage door will reverse if it encounters opposing pressure, to ensure nothing can be trapped during closing. Check the door tracks are smooth and not causing problems.

Opening problems

Door doesn't move when triggered: If there is any emergency rope fitted, check that to make it hasn't been pulled. This can disconnect the garage door from the track.

Door sluggish in winter: It can be worth decreasing your door's sensitivity settings in winter to help to function more easily in the cold.

If you're having any of the above problems then please do give us a bell and we'll get a technician straight to you.

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LOOKING AFTER YOUR GARAGE DOOR - 20 SEPTEMBER 2011

It is wise to make sure you dont neglect your garage door and keep it well maintained.

If you keep you garage door well maintained you can small issues developing into costly repairs down the line.

We would suggest once a month taking a good look at the whole system and checking for any problems. Check the springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, hinges for any signs of wear.

If you do notice any potentially serious problems it may be worth calling a trained garage door technician to inspect the whole system for you. The sooner you do this the cheaper such a visit will be.

So if you notice any problems do deal with them straight away.

Keep your garage door clean! If you have a standard metal door, simply wash wish a mild detergent, don't use any harsh chemicals. This will help to avoid erosion and weathering.

Every now and then its worth lubricating your garage doors system's moving parts too, to keep the system running smoothly

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BEST TYPE OF GARAGE DOOR - 25 JULY 2011

How to choose between the different materials

You can opt for many different garage door materials. Once it was just wood that garage doors were made of but today you have a choice of steel, aluminium and wood composites. All of these options have their own benefits which can be confusing when looking to buy a new door.

Here we give you the basic qualities of each to help you work out which is best for you.

    Steel Garage Doors

  • Pro’s: Good value. Low maintenance. Multi-appearance options.
  • Cons's: Poor insulator. Can be dented if thin.
  • Aluminium Garage Doors

  • Pro’s: Multi-appearance options. Lighter than steal. Relatively cheap.
  • Cons's: More likely to be dented than steal.
  • Wooden Garage Doors

  • Pro’s: Sophisticated look. Multi-appearance options. Better insulation.
  • Cons's: More maintenance needed. Vulnerable to the elements. Potential fire risk.
  • Wood Composite Garage Doors

  • Pro’s: Less likely to dent than steel. Made from recycled wood. Don’t split, rot or warp.
  • Cons's: Not as cheap as aluminium. .

The main aspect to think about are how you want your garage to look and what you’re going to be using it for. Feel free to ask if you’d like any advice.

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BROKEN GARAGE DOOR SPRING - 25 MAY 2011

Our most regular bread and butter repair is replacing a spring.

The problem with garage door springs, especially on garage doors more a decade old, is they are prone weather and snap without warning. Old Up and Over Doors end up stuck on opening or closing, usually when you're in a rush to get somewhere!

We've helped scores of customers in this situation over the years as we get an engineer asap to fix the garage door or replace if need be.

Whatever you do dont try to replace the broken spring yourself unless you know what your are doing as this can be a hazardous task and has caused serious in the past.

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OWN AN OLD-STYLE 90'S GARAGE DOOR? - 24 March 2011

Do you have an older-style – early 90's Automated Garage Door? Over the years the automation of garage doors has evolved significantly. It is advisable to consider upgrading for security and energy reasons.

Automation is much cheaper, safer and more secure these days. In fact automated garage doors are now a standard request from most customers whatever their budget, and we think it's great that automation so affordable.

We feel it's worth mentioning to people who brought automated garage doors in the early 90's that security has improved to such an extent, you should seriously consider upgrading those old doors.

Back then the remote control operators issued static opening codes. This means there was always a chance that a would-be thief with some research could access a garage remotely with the owner suspecting a thing. This was simply a technological problem but poses a serious risk to garage owners.

Since then remote controls for garage doors are configured in such a way that the actual opening code for each individual door regenerates randomly through an almost infinite amount of possible codes. As such up-to-date automated garage doors give customers the peace of mind of high-tech security.

Manufacturing materials and insulation have also improved so much in the just the last 15 years, it makes to sense replace older-style automated doors when ever possible, to conserve energy and make your home more secure.

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5 COMMON SENSE SECURITY TIPS - 06 December 2010

As a home-owner it is good practice to review your home’s security regularly. An effective technique to help you spot issues is to imagine you are the burglar; you are trying to get into the house.

How would you try and get into the garage or house, where are the weakest links? This helps to give you that opportunistic perspective. Then you know you have made it as unlikely as possible that anyone would attempt to break in.

Here are some 5 Common Sense Tips to keep your home and garage secure:

1. Keep your garage door remote control with you. It is not wise to leave it in the car as this could give a burglar a route into your home.

2. Fit a proper lock to the door leading into the house from the garage. It’s worth considering the door needs to be treated as if it were the front door.

3. Don’t leave your garage door open!

4. If you have windows in the garage, the best advice is to make sure you have obscured glass fitted so nobody is able to see inside.

5. Maintenance of your garage door is important. Ensure you have wither checked and corrected any problems yourself or arrange for a professional to look over the door once in while.

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CURB APPEAL - 25 October 2010

In the States they use the term ‘curb appeal’. It’s the easiest way to get across the importance of how your property looks at a glance from the road.

Don’t under-estimate the impact of curb appeal. The impression your property makes on a potential buyer from the road as they approach sets a psychological foundation for the whole viewing.

Its pretty obvious when you think about it. If you approached a property with an impressive smart, and stylish automatic garage door then would you think more generously towards that property or exactly the same property somewhere else with an old knackered up and over?

For the relatively low cost of installing a modern automated garage door you have increased your selling potential considerably. If you’re selling or looking to sell in the near future it makes sense to have a good look at your curb appeal before going to market.

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GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR GARAGE DOOR - 09 September 2010

Today, garage doors and the technology of the systems that run them should last for a decade or two. However, it is important to schedule in a general maintenance review of the full garage door and opener system before each season change.

By doing this you’ll be able to spot any specific issues before they evolve into serious problems that affect the system. Its common sense to have individual parts replaced or lubricated when required and will save you money in future. If you neglect your garage door you may end up having to replace the whole system.

You can check generally over the garage door action and function by shutting down automated garage door opener all together.

Try opening and closing the garage door by hand. This should be a smooth action. Check all the brackets and hinges in case anything needs tightening. Lastly, be sure to lubricate the system wherever necessary. These tips will help to prevent problems with your garage door and ensure you get the most out of your investment.

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GARAGE DOOR OPENER FIXES - 20 July 2010

Modern garage door openers often have indicators on them to identify any operation errors. Here’s our list of fixes for the most common problems for the older openers.

Problem: The garage door reverses when almost closed:

Fix it: With this its more than likely the case that the power unit is malfunctioning. The issue is probably with the close limit switch which can be adjusted on the power unit to fix the problem.

Problems: Garage door reverses mid-operation and doesn’t close.

Fix it: The cause of this problem is maybe more predictable – the garage door opener’s closing function is faulty. Again this can be adjusted relatively easily.

Problem: Garage door is ‘stuck’ – wont open at all.

Fix it: If neither the remote control nor the inside switches aren’t working as expected, it is first worth checking the tracks of the garage door for any accumulated dust or anything that might be obstructed the operation. If the tracks are clear then it could be the opener’s motor not functioning properly.

Problem: The garage door struggles to open or sounds unusual.

Fix it: If this occurs, it may be the case that the garage door was fitted a while ago and simply needs the tracks re-lubricated.

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REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR GARAGE DOOR - 17 June 2010

Firstly be sure to understand that of the two main types of garage door springs; torsion and extension, torsion sprung doors are far more dangerous to adjust on your own.

For torsion sprung doors it is certainly advisable to seek the help of a professional with the experience of dealing with the immense pressure involved.

With extension sprung doors it is possible to service them yourself, although you will need to recruit a friend or neighbour to give you a hand. You’ll need one person to support the door whilst the other works on the springs.

For your safety be sure not to attempt spring servicing without using safety cables – older springs can be very precarious.

If you’re not confident you can service your door safely, call for help, most repair jobs aren’t expensive.

TOP TIP – for the more modern doors which are sectioned, problems with squeaky operation can commonly be solved quickly with some oiling or by replacing faulty hinges.

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SAVE ENERGY SAVE CASH - 10 May 2010

Insulated garage doors make a lot of sense in a time when we’re all preoccupied with ways to save energy and money.

More and more people are utilising their garage space as an addition room to the house.

Families looking for playroom areas, dads looking for workshops and students who need a space to be creative are finding the garage can be invaluable. With insulated garage doors all these things are realistic options for home owners.

It’s worth remembering garage door drafts have a large impact on heating bill losses of the entire property. Insulation helps you to save cash and also enables you to use the garage space in smart ways.

There are a large range of insulated garage doors available with different designs and features but they all share one important attribute – they are made to offer a very high level of security, which appeals to a lot of our customers.

IF you have any garage door problems we can solve them . Get in touch for any advice.

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TOP TIPS FOR YOUR GARAGE DOOR - 22 March 2010

In our article in Feb' this year we covered some of the great reasons people replace their garage doors.

In these tips we set out some further aspects to the benefits of modern garage doors you may want to consider when choosing your door.

  • Modern metal doors are usually purchased with a huge choice of pre-finished colours. Easily washable with regular soap and water and properly weather-resistant, these doors are very low maintenance.

  • To a lot of households the garage serves as the ideal extra storage space. A lot of us keep not just vehicles but many other items and sometimes the garage can double as a general utility area. Installing a properly insulated door protects all these items from temperature fluctuations.

  • Once you've installed a properly insulated door you create a new practical space to use for other purposes such a DIY workshop.

  • We stock garage door from a range of manufacturers including top quality UK manufactures. In todays globalised market it's becoming increasingly important to support UK industries.

Dont hestitate to give us call or drop us an email if you need any help at all.

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HOW TO MEASURE UP IN 4 STEPS - 15 March 2010

Clearly your first concern upon installation of a new garage door should be to measure up.

Measuring should be completed with considerable care to avoid problems later.

  1. Determine the size of the door needed by measuring the height and width of the opening.

  2. Measure the width of the areas to the left and right of the opening. This is known as the 'sideroom' and needs to be determined in order to accommodate the spring system.

  3. Next measure the area from the top of the door to the lowest point on the ceiling of the garage. This measurement influences the door type that can be installed. In some circumstances specific hardware can help to alleviate any space restrictions.

  4. Lastly measure the area between the back wall of the garage and the opening of the door. This area is known as the 'backroom' and determines the space available for certain door types like the roller garage door for example.

Get in touch for any help or advice by clicking here Contact Us

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NEW RENNOVATION PROJECTS - 18 February 2010

It has been widely reported that the new year is scattered with new opportunities for large home refurbishment project opportunities.

Popular TV home renovation shows have encouraged the purchase of rundown property in order to transform it into contemporary desirable living spaces - and accumulate a hefty profit along the way.

The difficulties with these kind of shows of course is they often neglect to put the markets in context - they are entertainment shows after all. We know now that an over simplified view of this process was at best naive, although nobody predicted the extent of the downturn.

If you are prepared to do a little research a wealth of uncompleted development projects are up for grabs at massively discounted prices. Developers around the country bamboozled by the economic fallout ended up running out of cash before completion.

Now things are starting to pick up new opportunities await fresh would-be developers. It is expected there will be an increasing amount of properties on the market like this during 2010, including some huge country mansion projects.

To view our guide to garage doors, click here

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5 REASONS TO REPLACE YOUR GARAGE DOOR - 15 February 2010

  1. Its been long established that the quality, condition and functionality of the garage door installed on your home has an influence on the overall impression of the market value.

    External presentation is regularly cited as an important 'swing factor' in consumer surveys of the residential property market.

  2. New garage doors have huge security benefits. Criminals looking to gain entry to a property will look for the easiest route in.

    Too often this is via the garage door due to home owners forgetting to lock their doors. The garage doors on the market today now use top quality reliable automation systems.

    Locking the door is easy. Some systems now also have a built in alarm system to warn you if in a rush you have forgotten to lock up.

  3. The installation of properly insulated garage doors can translate into money off your annual heating bill.

    The amount of heat escaping from your home via your garage door may surprise you when compared with a fully insulated door.

  4. The technology that comes as standard for most new automatic garage doors is such that if there is a blockage in the path of the door, like a bike or a person, the mechanism safely shuts down

  5. These days the sheer choice and quality of design found in new garage door ranges are astonishing. Whatever your personal taste, you can express your individuality by choosing a smart new contemporary design that will stand out.

Roller garage doors are the most popular doors. You can download brochures here.

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