Why Your Garage Door Breaks More Often in the Winter

It can seem like garage door malfunctions happen whenever you need it to work the most. However, this isn't just bad luck.Winter freezes and bad weather can play a part in making fragile components of your automatic garage door snap or malfunction.

What does winter weather have to do with your garage door?

Metal contracts in the cold which can affect everything from the screws holding the mechanisms in place to the springs that bear the weight load of the moving door. One of the best ways to protect your garage door against this is to ensure that your garage is well insulated. Since traditional garage doors are thin sheets of metal with little weather-stripping, the cold air can seep right into your garage and around the bare metal pieces.  An insulated garage door and weather-stripping can help keep your metal safe from regular contractions and expansions.

Winter weather can also freeze your door to the ground. The motor lifting the door is set for an expected range of weight, and trying to pull the frozen lip of the door from the ground might put too much pressure on it. Even worse, the weather-stripping itself might freeze to the ground and start to rip if you try to open the door after a freeze. If you notice pools of ice or snow around the bottom of your garage door before you leave in the morning, pour salty water to break the seal before opening the door.

Some garage doors aren't built for winter weather. If you've regularly experienced broken doors or springs after a freeze, contact Overhead Door Company of Lansing to schedule a repair or find a long-term solution.

When Do You Need to Get Your Garage Door Rollers Repaired?

Garage doors can be finicky things. Everything from the weather to time can make them start to creak and go wrong, especially if it's been a while since the last time they've been serviced. If you've noticed that your door is started to slow down or rumble when you open and close it, here are three things to check the rollers for:

1. Is there a buildup of dust and dirt on the rollers? Even if you regularly sweep for leaves and dirt, particles can still get stuck in the door's tracks. That accumulation of dust and dirt can either make the door roll back up when you're trying to close it or it can slow the door down too much. Investigate the tracks and rollers for mud, dirt, and even small bits of rock, and use a can of air to clean out the crevices.
2. Is the rail out of alignment? If you hear a rubbing noise or sometimes your door won't close, the track could be out of alignment. Check the rails for bent metal, and look for any gaps between the rail and the rollers. If you see any signs of physical damage, call in a repair technician immediately: forcing the door to work around the damage can make the problem worse, and this is a dangerous repair to do on your own.
3. Do you hear popping noises? Once your garage door starts making noises it shouldn't, that's one of the clearest signs you'll get that one or more of the parts need to be replaced. A popping sound means the door has worn rollers, and the only solution is to have your garage door company replace them. 

Even though garage doors themselves are designed to last a couple of decades, their opening systems have a shorter lifespan due to all the moving parts. If it's been a few years since your door has last been serviced or if you have noticed signs of malfunctions, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with us at Overhead Door Company of Lansing.

What You Need to Know About Adding Windows to Your Garage Door

Thinking about adding windows to your garage door? Here are some things you should know.

Benefits of Adding Windows

The main benefit of adding windows is getting some natural lighting in your garage. Adding stylish windows also improves the curb appeal of your home, which increases its value.

Where Will the Windows Go?

Most often, people add windows to the top section of their garage door. This has a double benefit: It brings natural sunlight into the home, but it still maintains your privacy. If you use your garage as a workout area, or if you use your garage for any reason and you want privacy, this is the way to go.
Windows can also be added to a lower section of the door, usually to the third section. In this case, you may want to consider getting glass that makes it easy to look out but hard to look in, which will improve your privacy.

What Kind of Windows Should You Get?

There are so many different styles, shapes, and designs that you can get for your garage door windows. The most important thing is to get windows that fit in with the design and style of the rest of your home.

Give a professional a call and we'll help you find the perfect garage door with the perfect windows. They'll show you all the options until you find one that you like. They’ll also make sure that the windows are safe and that the garage door has the right weight and balance.

We encourage you to give Overhead Door Company of Lansing a call with any garage door questions or service needs you may have!

6 Tips for Preparing Your Garage Door for the Winter

Are you confident that your garage door is ready for the winter? The last thing you want is for your garage door to break down before a major blizzard. Having that said, it is very important to get a garage door tune-up before the winter sets in if it’s needed.  We encourage you to keep reading so that you know what to look out for. 

Check the Batteries:
Have the batteries checked to make sure they have their full power. If the batteries are weak or dying, you should have them replaced in order to prevent breakdowns.

Check the Weather Stripping:
Weather stripping ensures that snow will not enter your garage. It also helps to keep your home warm by keeping out the cold, which in turn reduces energy consumption and your energy bill. If you find that the weather stripping is cracked or damaged, you will want to have it fixed or replaced.

Insulate Your Door:
If your garage door is not keeping out the cold, you should have it insulated or, if necessary, consider having it replaced with a stronger and warmer garage door.

Lubricate:
Lubricate the moving parts of your door. This will keep it running smoothly and will prevent issues from arising.

Clean:
Clean out the tracks from any dirt, debris, or grease. Wash down the garage door itself on both the inside and the outside.

Get an Inspection:
A lot more goes into making sure that your garage doors are working properly; you’ll want to check the rollers, the cables, the auto-reverse function, etc. Given that, you should leave this work to the professionals. 

We encourage you to call Overhead Door Company of Lansing to schedule your garage door tune-up before the winter weather hits.

Garage Door Repair & Replacement: What to Look Out For

A sturdy garage door provides your home with security, safety and ease.  It is important to ensure that your garage door is working effectively and to know when it’s time to take the route of either repair or replacement. Below are some causes that would lead you down either one of those routes.  

Faulty Safety Sensors

A lot of garage door systems these days are equipped with photo-optic safety sensors which are used as a safety precaution in keeping the door from accidentally closing on a person or object. Basically, there is an invisible beam of light that the sensors give off that goes from corner to corner beneath your garage door. When this beam of light is interjected, it stops the opener from operating. Having that said, if this beam of light loses its’ electrical link, burns out or has an askew emitter and reflector, it can cause an untrue signal to the garage door, causing the operation of the opener to be infrequent or simply stop working altogether. If you find yourself in this situation, a garage door repair is needed.

Security

Garage door openers for older models do not offer much security which can leave your home at risk of break-ins. Door openers these days have more cutting-edge technological features, so if you home has an older garage door model then it would be in your best interest to consider a more up-to-date door replacement.

Noisy Garage Door

Is your garage door noisy? A noisy garage door can lead to all types of problems, not to mention for those whose sleep is interrupted due to having a bedroom located either above or next to the garage. The positive news here is that a lot of noisy door problems can be straightforwardly solved by substituting a few parts and maintaining regular upkeep.

The Door is Off Track

Your garage door is able to open and close due to the way in which it runs on a metal track. In time, the opening and closing function of the garage door will result in a broken spring which will prevent your garage door from opening all of the way. Having that said, you will need to have your garage door repaired as soon as you see signs of the door being off the track so that you can save yourself some trouble down the road.  

Tired Motor

The motor is the fundamental hub of a garage door’s opener simply because the door would not be able to function without it. Warnings of a motor problem could consist of grating noises, stench of hot wires or decelerated motion of the door. It is extremely important to note that only qualified professionals should be the ones to repair this essential part of your garage door, especially since there is the chance of experiencing electric shock while doing so.  

Keep in mind that there are numerous reasons that can keep your garage door from working as it should. You should never try to fix your garage door problems on your own because not only can it be complicated, you could put yourself in serious danger.  Having that said, it is always best to take the safe approach and hire only a qualified company for your garage door repair or replacement service needs.

We encourage you to call Overhead Door Company of Lansing with any service needs or inquirers you may have.

How to Protect Garage Door Springs from Damage

Averages will tell you almost nothing about how long your garage door springs will last. So, to get the longest life, it is a good idea to regularly inspect and perform maintenance on your garage door components. Doing so will limit the possibility of unnecessary damage. Below are a few steps that will ensure your garage door springs will last a long time.

It is important to keep springs lubricated since rust is the No. 1 reason why a garage door spring will fail. Consequently, basic lubrication will help prolong the life of your springs. Those being said, use only lubricants specifically designed for garage doors.

Visual inspections should be done on a regular basis so it is a good idea for homeowners to inspect for damage. Make sure the garage door opens and closes smoothly, that there are no unusual noises, and that the springs are stable.

If you ever discover anything unusual with your garage or have any questions, contact Overhead Door Company of Lansing.

Replacing a Broken Garage Door Spring

Replacing a broken garage door spring is considered dangerous for a good reason. Garage door springs are under extreme tension and the wrong mistake can suddenly release it. Consider the following points and don't trust your well-being to luck by taking this work on as a DIY project.

• A mistake that releases a spring's tension may cause something to fly. An accident can lacerate or badly pinch hands and fingers.
• Dismantling components before unwinding the unbroken spring; this can be a deadly mistake. Inexperience, distraction, excessive haste, or emotional distress may cause this. The springs and any hardware attached to the springs such as the cables, anchor plates, and brackets are under high tension. Dismantling any of these will suddenly release the mechanical tension and may cause severe injury.
• An important tool is the winding bar. Casually looking around for something to insert into the spring winding cone is a sure recipe for an accident. Winding bars with worn and rounded edges at the end are dangerous and require replacement. A professional can ensure that they are using the proper tools and that those tools are in good condition.

Avoid an accident and accept that this job should be left to a garage door professional. Make the smart and safe choice by calling Overhead Door Company of Lansing inLansing MI today.

4 Reasons You Really Need Garage Door Repair

After all our years in the business, we’d like to say we’ve seen it all in commercial and residential garage doors when it comes to repairs.  At Overhead Door Company of Lansing, we pride ourselves on the best service and parts in the business, and we’re proud to serve the greater Lansing, MI area. Here are some of the most common problems we see when a garage door suddenly won’t work.
 
Transmitter Suddenly Stops Working.
You come home late at night, and it’s raining (because it’s always raining when things go wrong), and when you point your transmitter at your door, nothing happens. The first thing you want to check are the batteries in your transmitter.  If you can still open the door from the transmitter inside your garage, there’s a good chance that it’s just the batteries, and we just saved you a service call. Change out the batteries using two fresh new batteries and if that doesn’t take care of the problem, give us a call.  Helpful Tip: If you have more than one transmitter, change out the batteries in all of them at the same time. If one has failed, the others aren’t far behind.
 
Something Blocking the Photo Eye.
The Photo Eye mechanism is what prevents your garage door from closing if something is blocking it. For those of you who remember the game when we were kids of dashing under the garage door before it closed the photo eye now prevents this. This important safety measure on all garage doors was made mandatory in 1993 and probably has saved countless lives because of it. Located on either side of your garage entrance, the eyes can sometimes get dirt, bugs or other debris in front of them and that can cause your garage door to fail to go all the way up or down. If clearing the eyes does not work, then they are most likely out of alignment, so give us a call to make sure they are calibrated correctly.

Your Track is Out of Alignment.
The metal track that your garage door runs on can move if it is bumped, or even just because of the aging and shifting of the building. Once it is out of alignment, it affects the entire mechanism including, the rollers, hinges, and springs. If your door slows down at a certain point when it is opening or closing, or makes a grinding or rubbing noise your tracks may be misaligned. Our trained repair technicians can safely realign and repair your tracks to get your door working smoothly again.

Torsion Spring Failure.
The heavy lifters in a garage door are industrial grade springs called torsion springs, and depending on the size and make of your garage door there are one or two of them. As with any repetitive movement, the springs begin to wear, and when they go, you’ll know it as it sounds like a shotgun blast. Any garage door that is more than 20 years old risks a torsion spring failure and should be replaced. When a torsion spring breaks, the cables that lift the door will snap as well and fly out and could cause serious damage to your vehicle or anyone in the garage.

How Putting off Garage Door Repair Can Backfire

Sometimes procrastination saves money. For example, putting off impulse purchases at a store for things you don't need can save money. Once the items are out of sight, they're also out of mind and the desire for them fades. The same can't be said of garage door repair. It's common for people to put off a garage door repair when the door continues to function. The usual outcome of this is that the delay ultimately causes the owner to spend more money. This can happen in a number of ways. Here are two:

A Delayed Broken Garage Door Spring Replacement Causes Further Damage

The two springs on a garage door are adjusted to balance out the weight of the door. The garage door motor supplies the remaining lifting/lowering force to open or close the door. When one spring breaks, the motor must lift about half of the door's weight. However, the motor isn't meant to do this over the long-term. This reduces the motor's service life or causes damage, which may require repair or replacement in the near future.

A more devastating scenario can play out if the second spring breaks while the first is still broken. If both springs were installed at the same time, they have the same number of usage cycles when the first spring breaks. Because the second spring has the same usage rating as the first, it's ready to break at any time. When this happens, the door may fall down in its tracks or pop out of its tracks and possibly cause severe injury or property damage.

An Improperly Closed Door Causes a Home Break-In

A door that's cocked, doesn't close all the way down, or has popped from a track requires repair ASAP. It's a home break-in waiting to happen. Break-ins aren't limited to high crime areas. Criminals often case homes in affluent neighborhoods. The more "experienced" of these people are good at spotting security weaknesses, and a poorly closed garage door is practically an invitation sign. Even if your insurance covers all of your losses, the emotional trauma, inconvenience, and increased insurance premiums make the experience an ordeal.

The saying, "never put off until tomorrow what you can do today," especially applies to garage door repair and maintenance. If you have any problems with your garage door, get it fixed promptly by contacting Overhead Door Co. of Lansing.

The Many Benefits of Garage Door Openers

If you don't have a garage door opener or have an old one that has fallen into disrepair, opening a garage door by hand or by pressing a button may not matter much to you. If the springs are doing their job, opening a door manually doesn't exactly break a sweat. However, a garage door opener is more beneficial than merely sparing you some physical effort. This is especially true if there are others in your life you care about. Here are five reasons why you might reconsider:

They Protect You and Your Family from the Weather

If it's exceptionally hot or cold outside, opening the garage door from inside your car, minimizes your exposure to enervating heat or to bone chilling cold. You can get out of your car after you're inside the garage and have shut the garage doors. A garage door opener allows you to keep your clothes dry instead of unlocking and opening the door by hand in a pouring rain or hail storm with lightning flashing overhead.

They Prevent Injury or Re-Injury

Even a young athletic person will find a garage door opener useful such as when recovering from an injury. If you're suffering from pulled muscles in the back, whiplash, a broken rib, or just sore muscles from a hard workout, manually opening the garage door is literally a pain. Perhaps others in your household with medical problems, lower back pain, or possibly arthritis would appreciate a working garage door opener.

They Enable Independent Living for the Elderly

Everyone values their independence including your grandparents or your parents. They may not be capable of manually opening the garage door, or perhaps doing this risks a debilitating injury. Automation, including that of your garage door reduces their dependence on others and increases their sense of dignity.

They Enhance Your Home's Security

A garage door that automatically closes as you drive away guarantees you'll never leave your garage door open all day when no one is home. Garage door openers are controllable via smart phone apps. These apps can warn you at work that your garage door is still open, and allow you to close them remotely.

They're Green

Garage door openers consume little energy and therefore have little impact on the environment. How is this possible with a two hundred or three hundred pound door? Every time you close your garage door, it stretches extension springs or twists coil springs. These springs store mechanical energy that is later used for reopening your door.

If you're ready to install a garage door opener, or wish to repair or upgrade your current system, contact Overhead Door Company of Lansing today!

3 Common Garage Door Problems

The garage door is one of the hardest working devices in the home, even if it is sometimes under appreciated. For a garage door to continually run efficiently, a homeowner must keep up with its particular ways, working around and fixing its little quirks, so that it performs as expected.

Do you know when to call a professional for your garage door repair? In this post, we'll outline 3 incredibly common garage door problems that you can fix yourself.

1. Sticking: When a garage door sticks, it's a problem that is easily sorted out. First, if you have an opener, check the batteries. Then, ensure that the sensor isn't obscured. From there, look at the wheel track and verify that the wheels are aligned. Lubricate the tracks as needed. If you find that your garage door is hung unevenly, contact a professional for assistance.

2. Uneven Movement: Less than ideal movement from your garage door means that the track is full of debris. If your garage door moves from side-to-side when in use, it's best that you check the track for bits of grit and dirt. If you find upon inspection that your tracks are bent or that the wheels need attention, put in a call to a professional to clear up your issue.

3. Loud Noises: After years of consistent use, garage doors will begin to make abrasive noises. While this type of sound doesn't mean a garage door will fail, it is a sign that something worse is going on. Try greasing the track with special garage door track oil (or WD40). If that doesn't work, consider discussing your problem with a professional garage door repairman.

While many garage door problems are fixed by the homeowner, it's important that you know when to contact Overhead Door Company of Lansing to help you out.

Is Your Garage Door a Lawsuit Waiting to Happen?

A potential safety liability on many home owners' radar is the backyard swimming pool. Swimming pools have been the scene of many serious injuries and fatalities. The victims are often unsupervised children, or children who wandered onto the property and made their way to an un-gated pool. However, there is one overlooked item that is equally dangerous to children and adults alike: the garage door.

Unlike the backyard swimming pool, people often underestimate the danger of their garage door. This is likely because it's used so frequently that complacency sets in, and its danger becomes hidden in plain sight.

What makes a garage door dangerous? It's a three or four hundred pound object that moves up and down a vertical height of over 7 feet several times a day. If it's well maintained and frequently inspected, then it's reasonably safe. However, that can change with owner neglect. Safeties that prevent the door from closing on someone can stop functioning. A door with a broken spring can drop down its track, and a door that hangs unevenly may pop out of its track and land flat on the garage floor.

In addition to being concerned about the safety of yourself and your family, you must also think about the welfare of invited guests to your home. If they are injured by your garage door because of a known problem that wasn't fixed, and you didn't warn them of the danger, they would have a good liability case against you in court. Even friends sue friends if the injuries suffered are sufficiently debilitating or the injury happened to their child. Three or four hundred pounds of garage door can cause serious harm.

Although giving guests sufficient warning gets you off the liability hook, it does nothing for your family's safety if they continue to use the door. If you have a problem garage door in a house that you rent out to others, you're required to keep it in good working order. Otherwise, it's also an injury and lawsuit waiting to happen. We suggest you have your garage door regularly inspected and maintained by Overhead Door Co. of Lansing.

Help! My Garage Door Opener Won't Work

Pulling into the driveway, you grab the garage door remote, push the button and nothing happens. You try again with the same results. Several more attempts, you finally give up and begin searching for what could be the problem.

When any electrical device is not working the first thing to consider is the power source. Is the unit plugged in? Take a look at the circuit breaker and reset if necessary. Did this take care of your problem? If not, try plugging another electrical device into the same outlet as the garage door opener. If that device works, the power supply is not the problem and we need to try a few other tests.

Next, try pushing the opener control button on the wall unit and note whether either the small green light or the overhead light blink or come on at all. If the light is blinking check to see if there is anything blocking the sensors from communicating with each other. These are the two sensors located on the track on both sides of the door, about a foot off the ground. It could be a tool, a trash can, spider webs, dirt or anything. Either something is blocking the two sensors or the tracks are misaligned. The sensors are installed for reasons of safety. They prevent hazards by keeping the doors from closing when something is blocking them.

If the garage door labors to open, then stops, suspect a broken torsion spring. If they appear broken in any way at all call a professional garage door repair service. Do Not Attempt To Repair a malfunctioning torsion spring. It is a difficult and risky repair and could cause serious injury. Leave it to the professional garage door contractor.

If the garage door opens and closes with the main control button on the wall but does not open or close when using the remote or keypad, change the batteries in the remote and keypad and try again.

If that didn't resolve your opener problem, the unit may be in lock mode. If it is in lock mode the light on the main control would be blinking. Your wall unit comes equipped with a button that you press for a few seconds and release. If the light is not blinking any longer than you have solved the problem.

If the door still does not respond, the garage door opener itself may have a bad component. If the door sounds like it wants to open but does not and the torsion springs are intact, it's probably a bad capacitor which can disable the motor entirely. It could also be a bad power board or control board. Once again, we recommend you leave these types of repairs for the experts.

If you're experiencing issues with your garage door opener, contact the experts at Overhead Doors of Lansing!

Maintaining Your Garage Door

Garage doors tend to grow louder and creakier with age. While in some cases these symptoms point to the need for a new garage door, in others they simply indicate that some basic maintenance efforts are required. If you would like to learn more about how to keep your garage door in good working order, read on. This article will discuss two of the most important strategies to employ.

Keep your rollers lubricated 

Your garage door moves up and down along two parallel metal tracks. Running inside of these tracks are bar-mounted roller wheels whose opposite ends are attached to the door itself. Over time, the rollers tend to accumulate gunk, dirt, and debris that impede their movement. This often causes the door to become much noisier when it is opened and closed.

Fortunately, you can do wonders to restore smooth functioning to your garage door simply by lubricating the rollers. First, however, it is vital that you remove as much grime as possible using a clean rag. Then carefully apply a small amount of silicone-based lubricant to each of the rollers. Try not to get any on the tracks, as this could lead to the door slipping.

Tighten loose hinge bolts 

The chains and pulleys of a garage door opener tend to produce a lot of vibrations. As time goes on, these vibrations often act to loosen the bolts that hold the roller hinges to the door. Thus it is a good idea to inspect and tighten these bolts using an appropriately sized wrench. This will help to cut down on annoying clattering and other unwanted noises.

For more information on how to maintain your garage door and to ensure that yours is in good working order, give us a call today! 

3 Garage Door Facts You Should Be Aware Of

People often don’t think of their garage door specifically when thinking about their garage, but your door does a lot to keep your garage, vehicles and family same. Here are a few facts about your garage door that you might not know about your garage door.

1. It Can Help To Increase Your Home's Value 

Especially when your garage door faces the front of your property, it's not just an average door. The right garage door can add increase your curb appeal and make it more appealing to potential buyers. Even if you aren’t currently trying to sell your home, it’s still something to consider for the future in case anything changes. If you use your garage as an entry way to your home, it’s even more important that you keep it in good shape to prevent any potential safety hazards or break ins. Because this door is going to be used so much, installing a new door before you sell your home increases your home's value.

 

2. It Can Be A Design Statement

 

Because garage doors can take up as much as 1/3 of the front of the house, they can be used to make a statement. Especially when you are thinking of upgrading the exterior of your home, you shouldn't forget your garage door. There are all kinds of design options to choose from, from various materials, colors and paneling. So many options will allow you to pick a door that allows you to express your style, find one that matches the exterior of your home and provides you with the right amount of durability and other features within your price range.

 

 3. It Adds Energy Efficiency To Your Home

 

Garage doors, especially those that are insulated, can help to reduce heating and cooling costs. A strong and well insulated garage door can help to keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. With winter approaching, you want to make sure that your garage door will help to keep that space of your home a comfortable temperature, especially if you park your car inside your garage or use the space for other activities.

Garage doors as an important component of your garage and your home overall. Make sure that your garage door is in good working order and makes the right statement about your property. If you have any questions about your garage door options, give us a call today!

How the Cold of Winter Affects Your Garage Door Opener

Anyone who owns a car in places with cold winters knows from firsthand experience that extreme cold causes mechanical problems. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise that your garage door opener may not function as it should when the temperature drops.

These problems come down to how the cold causes the metal components of your garage door opener to shrink. When moving parts shrink, they don't quite fit together as they should, which can cause them to seize. The tendency to contract also stresses and may warp the garage door tracks, which increases the likelihood of the rollers getting stuck. Furthermore, the cold causes grease to thicken, and moving parts already affected by the cold are also held back by thick, hard grease.

Low temperatures make the metal in your garage door springs "want to contract." They can't do this because they are held in place. This stresses the metal. In addition, the metal becomes brittle in the cold. What happens to your stressed and brittle springs when they are near the end of their service life? They break.

Here's what you can do to prevent cold weather issues:

Insulate Your Garage 

Since cold temperatures are at the heart of the above problems, it makes sense to keep the cold out of your garage as much as possible. Insulate the door, the walls and ceiling of your garage. Make sure the seal at the door bottom makes full contact with the floor. Insulation also saves on heating costs in the winter, and air conditioning costs in the summer.

Have Your Old Springs Checked 

Weak and old springs tend to break in the winter because of the reasons discussed previously. Contact a garage door serviceman to evaluate the condition of your springs. If they're on the verge of breaking, the serviceman will be able to determine this.

Clean out the Grease and Apply a Silicone-Based Lubricant 

Use a solvent to clear out old grease and then use a cloth to wipe away the solvent. Lubricate the parts with a silicone-based lubricant. Apply lubricant to all moving parts including those not caked up in grease. This will make them less likely to seize in cold conditions.

Check the Alignment of Your Tracks 

If your garage door opener tracks are slightly misaligned in warmer weather, the cold can worsen the problem. Have a garage door professional check the alignment and make the necessary adjustments.

Other Winter Problems 

Whenever an ice storm coats your door with ice, don't try to open the door because the door bottom will be iced to the floor. Furthermore, the ice coating is weighing down the door and lifting the extra weight will stress and possibly damage your garage door motor. Remove ice from the entire door including its bottom. You should manually check to see if the door freely opens before using the garage door opener. Also clear out any snow buildup at the floor below the door because it may trigger the safety reverse mechanism when closing the door.

If your garage door opener needs a winter tune up, give us a call today.

How to Maximize Home Security Revolving Around Your Garage Door

For homes with an attached garage, the space becomes a large portion of the home itself. While it should be standard to visually inspect your garage door every once in a while to make sure it is in good condition, you can invest in other methods to maximize home security regarding your garage and garage door.

Invest in a Deadbolt Lock for the Door Entering Your Home

With an attached garage, you will have a door that goes from the garage to inside your home. Although you might think that your garage provides you with enough of a safety net to prevent break-ins, you cannot be overly safe. It is best to invest in a deadbolt lock for this door, which you can use to minimize the chance that a criminal is able to get through your garage and into your home successfully.

Hide Your Garage Door Opener in Your Vehicle

It is not uncommon for homeowners to keep their garage door opener in their car, especially out in the open. While it might be easy to have it attached to the visor in the driver seat, you should think about safety first, which means the greatest solution is to hide it where it is not easily found.

Check the Garage Door Before Going to Sleep

Whether you live by yourself or have a family, you should make sure that your garage door is closed before going to sleep. It is a process that takes only a few seconds and it can drastically improve the safety of your home. One of your family members may have forgotten to close the door when they left or after coming inside, and you can prevent this from being an issue with a nightly inspection.

Maximizing security with your garage does not have to be a tough task. If you ever have any questions about your garage or garage door, give our experts a call at (517) 332-1133. Or visit our website!

Garage Door Service Experts Discuss Safety Tips for Parents of Younger Children

The garage door is probably the largest moving piece of your home. Even though your child spends time with you inside or in the backyard, there are times when the youngster will be around when the door opens or closes. Our garage door service experts offer you some tips that help keep the kids safe.

• Talk about garage door safety. You would be surprised to learn how many parents do not tell their children to stand away from the door when it opens or closes. Show the child how the door operates and point out areas where touching may cause pinched fingers. 
• Repair broken down doors quickly. If your door works with coil springs, fix any broken pieces quickly; these doors are hefty without functioning springs and may cause severe injuries. Automatic doors with iffy openers can also create problems. As soon as you notice a hitch, call an expert to handle the repairs. 
• Lead by example. Show your child how to enter and exit the garage safely. We always recommend waiting until an automatic door has come to a complete stop. Then enter or exit. When your child sees you doing so, s/he is much more likely to comply. 
• Keep openers away from children. Because garage door openers are so easy to operate, children delight in making a door go up and down. We suggest putting the garage door openers out of reach of young children. Train older children how to use the opener and to follow your rules of garage access. 

Contact the Overhead Door Company of Lansing today for answers to additional questions about child safety procedures around garage doors or to schedule a repair appointment to fix broken parts.

Discover How a New Garage Door Increases a Home's Sale Price

In the past, we have written about how a new garage door increases curb appeal when selling your home. In a competitive real estate market, you want your home to stand out in the crowd. Buyers have a lot of homes to choose from and even something like an old garage door will have buyers moving on. The question many homeowners have is, "Is the cost of a new garage door worth the investment?"

We all know we must make repairs, improvements and upgrades for the purpose of maintaining our home. We also know many of these projects don't really increase the value. Nonetheless, if you take the time to educate yourself, you will find there are some projects worth doing before placing your home on the market. Two separate reports identify a new garage door as one of the top projects for creating value, increasing a home's resale price.

The first is the Remodeling Impact Report created by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the National Association of Realtors. The study ranked a new garage door No. 3 for both exterior projects adding value to a home at resale, and No. 3 for having the most appeal to buyers. They report that with an estimated job cost of $2,300, a new garage door recovers $2,000 at the time of a sale. This is an 87 percent return on investment.

Moreover, Remodeling magazine's 2016 Cost vs. Value report discovered similar results. This study is more focused on the cost of the project rather than the increase in home sale price. However, they found a "midscale garage door replacement" received a 91.5 percent return on investment, and ranked it as their No. 3 overall home improvement for cost vs. value. They also ranked an "upscale garage door" at No. 5 with a 90.1 percent cost vs. value ratio.

Overall, a new garage door is a small investment with a big return. This is especially true if your old one is causing buyers to take a pass. If you would like to talk more about a new garage door, or would like a free estimate, give us a call today! 

New Construction? A Garage Door Contractor Can Get the Project Done!

Building a new house is exciting! As well as scary, stressful, overwhelming, and a lot more emotions than you ever thought possible. After choosing all the finishes for the house, being in constant communication with the general contractor, dealing with delays and roadblocks, most homeowners get to a point where they just can't wait to get the project done. That's understandable, so if you're looking for someone to finish off the garage, a garage door contractor can get the job done quickly.

If you're feeling overwhelmed with all the decisions for the house, take a minute to focus on the garage. While it can be tempting to just choose a boring, inexpensive door, you may regret it in the long run. Your garage door is usually the first thing people see from the street, and it says a lot about the character of your house. So take some time and find a door you love. Maybe it's a standard panel door, or maybe you want to go old school with a solid wood door. You can choose doors made of aluminum, steel, or vinyl too. If you really want to convey a classy and unique look, some carriage doors might be in order.

The good news, is, once you choose your doors, you don't have to think about it again. Installation will be done by professionals who are experts in the field. We can add automatic openers so once you start moving in, you can easily access your garage with the touch of a button.

When you're building a house, it feels like it takes forever, but you will look back and be glad you took the time to pick out garage doors that fit the look of your house, and add to its character.

As a reputable, professional garage door contractor, Overhead Door Co. of Lansing can handle the installation so it's one less thing you have to think about as you finish your dream home. Contact us today to learn about our garage door options and schedule an appointment!