Summer Maintenance Tips for Your Garage

As the weather heats up and summer months roll by, we here at the Overhead Door Company of Lansing wanted to remind you of some simple tips to help keep your garage in good shape throughout the year. Luckily, these are pretty basic tips that you can quickly complete without the help of a professional.

Inspect the Hardware

First and foremost, take a look at all garage door hinges, bolts, tracks, screws, cables and pulleys to make sure everything is intact from the previous year. Fixing these issues could be as simple as just tightening a screw.

Freshen Up Your Garage Door

Dirt and mildew can build up over the year, so this is a great time to wash and repaint your garage door. A well-maintained garage door can help the messiest of garages appear clean and fresh.

Clean Your Garage

If you skipped over spring cleaning, now would be a good time to tidy up the inside of your garage. Whether you plan to get rid of the clutter with a yard sale or simply dig out those old pool toys, be sure to utilize the nice weather to get your garage in order.

Keep Out the Heat

Insulating your garage door will help your garage maintain the desired temperature throughout all seasons. During the summer months, an insulated garage door can also help manage temperatures in any potential living spaces above or attached to the garage.

Lubricate

If your garage door is making squeaking or screeching noises when opened/closed, it may need to be lubricated. Lubrication is a great way to keep everything running smoothly throughout the year.

Most importantly, if you come across a problem that you’re not sure how to fix, don’t hesitate to call in a professional. We’re here to help, whether you are looking to book a repair or just a free estimate, feel free to contact us with any questions.

Three Garage Door Problems Caused by Summer Weather

With its ice, snow, and freezing cold, winter can cause a lot of maintenance issues with garage doors and their opening systems. However, winter isn't the only season that's hard on garage doors. Summer also causes a number of problems. Although we associate summer with vacations and barbecues, it is also a time of high heat, humidity, and lots of thunderstorms, all of which can affect your garage door's performance.

The Effect Of High Heat And Humidity

During heat waves and high summer temperatures, garage temperatures can easily exceed 100 degrees. This high heat can also affect the performance of your garage door electronics. This shouldn't come as a surprise: electronics already generate a lot of heat and high garage temperatures make it difficult for them to dissipate their own heat. This may cause your garage door opener to malfunction and prevent it from properly opening or closing the door. Fixing this problem will require some adjustments by a garage door service professional.

The Effect Of Direct Sunlight

If your garage door faces the sun during the morning or late afternoon hours, the garage door may not close because direct sunlight is shining on the sensor eyes. These photo sensors normally prevent the door from closing when it detects an obstruction. However, direct rays from the sun causes the sensors to behave as if an obstruction were present and prevent the door from closing. Therefore, if your door mysteriously refuses to close in the morning or late afternoon hours, this could be the reason for the problem.

The Effect Of Thunderstorms

Lightning strikes can sometimes cause power surges that enter the electrical systems of your home. If the circuit board of your garage door opener isn't protected against power surges, it can be damaged. When this happens, the garage door opener may not work at all or may exhibit odd behavior such as opening or closing on its own.

If your opener suddenly stops functioning during or immediately after a thunderstorm, this is the likely culprit. The circuit board or other affected electronics will require replacement. This problem is preventable by using a surge protector sold at most hardware stores. The surge protector is placed where the garage door opener is plugged into the wall.

If the summer weather has caused any issues with your garage door or garage door opener, we can help! Just contact us to set up a time for one of our technicians to come out and take a look!

Garage Door Service Emergencies

Have you ever experienced a need for emergency garage door service at the worst possible moment? Here at Overhead Door Company of Lansing, we could tell you countless stories about the emergency calls we've had. But one of the most stressful for our customers is when they need to get a car out of their garage to go to work. When this doesn't happen because the garage door won't open, it becomes a nightmare scenario.

If you're having the same problem, it could be due to various reasons. The good news is that we're there for you in getting it fixed in as short of time as possible. We'll also help in future maintenance so it won't happen again.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong With Your Garage Door?

Those who've lived here in Michigan know how rough our winters are. The cold and ice we frequently get can especially wreak havoc on garage doors when the door hasn't had recent maintenance. Ice can sometimes freeze garage door parts if your door is an old one with deteriorated insulation.

Then you have the most typical situation why a garage door won't open: The breaking of high-tension springs. This sometimes happens due to lack of maintenance, or just because the door is too old. Also, weather conditions can make them break as well.

When you call us, we're there immediately to replace those springs so you won't have your car trapped in your garage for hours. Other garage door services might put you on hold and force you to leave your car inside for a full day. This only costs you money because you'd have to take a taxi to work, or pay someone to take you.

No matter what the problem is with your garage door, we have parts on hand when we arrive so you won't have to wait long for repairs. Afterward, we'll provide maintenance tips while also being a continual maintenance source for you so your door stays working efficiently.

Most importantly, if you need a new door, we're also your leading source for doors at reasonable prices. When a door is too old to withstand our Michigan winters, we'll find you one with durable materials guaranteed to last you for years. With proper insulation, you'll also have one that saves money on your heating bills.

Contact us here at Overhead Door Company of Lansing if you need quick garage door repair. You have our commitment to excellent customer service when time is of the essence.

Frequently Asked Questions - About Us

We thought we'd take some time to answer some frequently asked questions related to our company and how we work. Need something else? Don't hesitate to contact us!

Do you take credit cards or personal checks?

Yes! We accept cash, checks and Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express credit cards.

 

Do the technicians carry all necessary parts on their trucks?

We try! Our service trucks stock a large number of parts for all brands of equipment that we service. It is very possible that we will have the parts needed for your door without having to make a second trip.

 

Do you give estimates on service? Or only on new/replacement doors and openers?

We charge a minimum service fee to diagnose equipment problems. This is due to the fact that service work involves a site inspection by a qualified field technician.

 

What warranties do you offer?

New doors and motor operators are covered by a minimum one-year warranty on materials and workmanship. Several doors and operators have extended warranties beyond that first year. Service and repair work warranties are 90-days on parts and 30-days on labor.

 

Can I talk to a salesperson?

Absolutely! All of our showrooms have experienced and knowledgeable salespeople ready to answer your questions.

 

How qualified are your technicians?

Our service technicians are highly-trained professionals and are employed exclusively by us. We never use subcontractors – only our own employees.

Benefits of Our Preventative Maintenance Program

If you're looking to save substantial time and money on the ongoing maintenance of your garage door, look no further than our Preventative Maintenance (PM) Program. Enrollment in the program reduces the likelihood of costly breakdowns and extends the operating life and efficiency of your equipment.

PM Program Benefits:

• Discounted labor rates
• Priority scheduling
• Decreased downtime
• Increased operational efficiency and reliability of your equipment
• Lower risk of malfunctions
• Extended life of your equipment
• Decreased long-term repair expenses
• Written checklists of work performed
• Recommendations of necessary repairs or replacements
• Enrollment is FREE

For all details on the PM Program, head over to our website!

What Are Sectional Garage Doors?

Sectional garage doors are great options for commercial and industrial locations, and are ideal for service stations, fire stations, professional facilities and retail environments. They are practical, durable and engineered for long life, low maintenance and enduring aesthetic appeal.

They are typically constructed with three to eight panels, and they slide up and overhead when opened. Two benefits of sectional garage doors are:

• They do not need any space outside of the garage in order to open, meaning vehicles can park very close to them.
• Each panel has its own connection to the track, which increases overall reliability of the door.

Learn more about the different sectional doors we can offer you at our website.

Shining a Light on Energy Efficient Garage Door Options

It isn't unusual for outdoor temperatures to dip into single or negative digits in Lansing at this time of year. As such, it pays for homeowners to speak with garage door contractors about the insulated doors. Although the doors are not yet ENERGY STAR certified, they obviously play a role in energy efficiency and much more. So today, we wanted to explore that topic in a little more detail.

Like other insulated building materials, garage doors are issued R-values based on how much protection they are able to provide. Although it is important to take that rating into consideration, homeowners shouldn't stop there. It is also vital to take into account the garage door's air infiltration rating, construction and bottom weather seal because they can impact a building's heat loss or gain too.

That said, our garage door sales staff will often recommend that Michigan residents choose models that feature multiple layers, bulb-style bottom seals, air infiltration ratings of .08 cfm or better and high R-values. There are many garage doors that have those types of air infiltration ratings and R-values. Ones that immediately come to mind are the Courtyard Thermacore®, Durafirm®, Signature Carriage and Impression® Collections. They are all designed for residential use.

Of those four residential options, the Courtyard Thermacore® has the highest R-value, ringing in at 11. It's followed by Durafirm® (11.75), Impression® (7.6) and Signature Carriage (4.75). We should also mention Thermacore® Insulated Sectional Steel and rolling service or counter doors. They have similar characteristics but are earmarked for commercial use. When it comes to those models, the first one tends to have the highest R-value, weighing in at an impressive 17.5.

Pricing options vary and may be occasionally offset by manufacturer's rebates. Unfortunately, tax credits or government-sponsored incentives do not apply at this time. To learn more, please contact us in Lansing.