3 Winter Tips Final Thoughts

3 Winter Tips Final Thoughts

Those are just a few ways to winter-proof your garage door—if these don’t solve your problem, you may need to consult with an expert. If your garage door is malfunctioning, do not hesitate to contact Patrick's Garage Door Company in the Portland/Vancouver Metro Area. We’ll do our best to identify and fix your problem fast, so you don’t get left out in the cold.

Thanks 😃

Tip 3

Tip 3

Wipe down the weather-stripping and look for cracks that need repairs. Since you use it every day, your garage door will see a lot of wear and tear over time. Weather-stripping at the bottom of the door can often crack after extended use, which can allow snow and ice inside your garage, thus causing the door to freeze shut. Take a cloth and wipe your stripping down so you can get a good look, and take note of any problem areas, and have an expert help with the repairs.

Final Thoughts Next Post

Tip 2

Tip 2

Lubricate all moving parts. Once you’ve cleaned the tracks, use regular grade machine oil (make sure to avoid heavy axle grease) to lubricate the rollers, track, hinges and bushings. These parts can stick and become stalled when it’s cold out, and the lubrication will help get those parts operating smoothly again. When you’re done, wipe away any excess oil to prevent more build-up. Your garage door should actually be cleaned and lubricated a few times a year, so getting into the practice now can only help you in the long run.

Tip 3 Next Post

Tip 1

Tip 1

Remove any gunk or grease build-up on the garage door track. As you use your door more and more, over time, debris can build on the track and rollers, which interferes with how easily it opens and closes. Eventually, your tracks may become so clogged that your garage door can’t open and close at all, which can be pretty inconvenient when temperatures reach those winter lows. If yours is snagged, this could be a likely culprit. Start from inside the garage, and use a cloth to wipe away and remove any grease build-up.

Tip 2 Next Post

3 Winter Tips

This time of year, when you pull into your driveway, your number one goal is to get out of the cold and into your warm home as quickly as possible.

That plan backfires, though, when you suddenly find your door won’t open.

It’s annoying, yes, but it’s a pretty common occurrence during the winter months. When it gets really cold out, garage doors tend to stick for a variety of reasons. And when temperatures drop really low, the door may even freeze shut, leaving you standing out in the cold.

Your garage is a pretty important part of your home. You likely use it every day, and it keeps your car safe from inclement weather. When you leave for work in the morning or return home at the end of the day, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether your door will open or not.

Fortunately, with a few simple maintenance steps, you can safeguard your garage door from cold-weather stress and keep it in tip-top condition, allowing you to come and go as you please.

See Next Post for Tips

Not how we would do it! 😱

Not how we would do it! 😱

Garage Door Fun!

Garage Door Fun!

Top 4 Winter Garage Door Problems Number 4

4.) Excess grease / thickening of grease.

Symptoms: Garage door has trouble going up and down or will not go up and down. (Similar to contracting metal symptoms)

Solution: If a garage door has grease in the tracks the cold weather can make this grease thicken up and make the door unable to travel or not travel smoothly.  It is not recommended to put grease in the tracks in cold climates because of this reason.  Depending on how extensive the problem is sometimes it may be necessary to replace the vertical tracks and rollers to combat this problem.

Safety First! 😳

Safety First! 😳

Top 4 Winter Garage Door Problems Number 3

3.) Broken gears or travelers on garage door openers.

Symptoms: Garage door opener sounds like it is traveling the whole way but the door does not move.

Solution: Typically this problem is caused by Problem #2 we listed, or just by age of opener.  When the door freezes down the opener is still trying to open the door and something has to give.  Most often it is the gears inside or the traveler depending on the brand of garage door opener.  To repair the problem give us a call and we can come out and make repairs or supply parts!

Thief! 😃

Thief! 😃

Top 4 Winter Garage Door Problems Number 2

2.) Garage door freezing to the floor.

Symptoms: Garage door will not open, opener is trying to open it.

Solution: Winter ice and snow build up under the door can cause the door to freeze down.  It can also cause the door to not close all the way as it comes down on a pile of snow.  Keep the area where the garage door meets the floor clean and clear.  We have also found that spraying a bit of cooking spray on the bottom rubber seal of the door helps to keep the door from freezing to the floor.

😱 DON'T TRY THIS!

😱 DON'T TRY THIS!

Top 4 Winter Garage Door Problems Number 1

Top 4 Winter Garage Door Problems

Winter is coming soon and we want to get you ready for winter issues for garage doors and openers.

1.)    Contracting metal/cold weather issues.

Symptoms: Garage door opener will stop during travel up and down.

Solution: When we go from hot to cold temperatures we sometimes will see the metal contracting which makes it harder for the opener to move the garage door up and down.  Many times this can be corrected by a force adjustment on the garage door opener itself.  In order to adjust your force limit check out your owners manual for your particular opener, or give us a shout and we would be happy to come out and service your garage door by tuning up and lubing the door and make any necessary adjustments.  Using a garage door spray lube on the rollers, hinges, and bearings of the door can go a long way as well.

More Info Coming..

Portland Metro - Vancouver Washington Garage Door Experts!!

Portland Metro - Vancouver Washington Garage Door Experts!! 

Give Us a Call

Patrick's Garage Door Company

6715 NE 63rd St Ste 103 Vancouver, WA 98686

Serving Portland / Vancouver Metro Areas 

Portland Oregon Metro 503.407.0013 | Vancouver Washington(360) 600-1573 

patricksgaragedoorcompany@gmail.com

 

😃 Hilarious Garage Door Fail

😃 Hilarious Garage Door Fail

😜 Garage Doors are Heavy!!!

😃 Garage doors can be very heavy, please leave this to the pros! (this is just 2 rows)

😳 Well.... Don't do this!!!

Now that's got to hurt.... the garage door!! LOL

😃 Tip 4) Are the sensors blocked?

In newer openers, safety sensors may also be the culprit. Safety sensors work in pairs, mounted on either side of the garage door at about 10 to 12 inches in height. Each beams a light – one red, one green – across the opening. When the beam is obstructed or when the sensors cannot catch the other sensor’s light, the garage door opener will fail to engage or, sometimes, stop during operation. The fix is simple: Check for anything obstructing the sensors. Remove obstacles, position the sensors directly across from each other, or clean the sensor’s surface to remove moisture, dirt or other impediments. Afterwards, attempt to open the garage door again. If you’re successful, you know that the problem is resolved.

😃 Tip 3) Rule out electrical issues.

Finally, move to the house breaker or fuse box and check the circuit controlling the door opener. Reset a tripped breaker – which will be out of line with the other breakers, looking half on and half off – or replace the fuse. Even if the breaker looks fine, try turning it off, waiting about 60 seconds, then turning it on again to reset the connection. Consult an electrician for damaged wiring in the breaker, fuse box, or in the home’s wiring.

Basic Home Maintenance : How to Quiet a Garage Door

😃 Tip 2) Check the batteries.

If the remote works fine but the wall unit fails to engage the opener, first consider the power source. Some opener wall control units are battery operated while others tie into your home’s electrical wiring or simply plug into the wall. Test the batteries, if applicable, to see if that fixes the problem. Otherwise, quickly examine the plug or wiring to see if you can locate visible damage such as scorched, exposed or broken wires.

Garage Door Opener Fail (catastrophic)

Please Let Us Help http://patricksgaragedoorco.com/

😃 Tip 1) Does the car remote work?

Check to see if either the car remote or wall unit will activate the garage door opener first. As simple as it seems, in many cases that first panicked, “Oh my goodness it isn’t working!” is followed by the realization that the remote batteries are simply weak or dead. Incidentally, many remotes feature a blinking LED light that may actually flash to display a code which diagnoses operational problems. Consult your owner’s manual for more information.

Where to Start Troubleshooting

It’s pretty obvious when the opener isn’t working: you push the button and nothing happens. Don’t panic; pay attention to little clues instead. If, for instance, a control pad fails to light up or the motor makes an unusual sound, your best bet is to check that specific component. When there isn’t a visible clue to track, consider the symptoms to suggest a cause and possibly a cure.

See next 4 posts for tips...

🔴🔵Warning🔴🔵 Do not do this!!

The torsion spring is the long, coiled piece that runs horizontally just above the door. This spring – not the motor or armature attaching the door to the mechanical unit – does the heavy lifting. A note of caution: This spring is under an enormous amount of tension and the average DIYer should not attempt to remove it. Garage doors aren’t light – steel doors can weigh 300 pounds easily.

🔴🔵🔴🔵 THIS SPRING CAN REMOVE BODY PARTS🔴🔵🔴🔵

Call a professional  Like Patrick's Garage Door Company!

Annual Garage Door Opener Maintenance

Perform an annual inspection and maintenance procedure on your garage door and opener to keep it working for years. Clean all tracks and lubricate moving parts. Change batteries and check all bolts and fasteners. Inspect belts, chains and pulleys, replacing worn parts as necessary. Test the lift and close force and adjust accordingly. Look at the garage door seal and repair the weather stripping if needed.

The Garage Door Light Fails to Operate

If your garage door opener is leaving you in the dark, check the lightbulb first; it’s the most common cause of light failure. More complex issues involve a dead socket or problems inside the motor’s circuit board. Unplug your garage door opener or remove the batteries for 30 seconds or more. Plug it in again. In many cases this will reset the circuit board as well as fix other mechanical problems. If the light still fails to work, have a professional assess and solve the problem for you.

The Garage Door Opener is Noisy or the Door Vibrates

Some openers are louder than others. Chains rattle, springs creak and doors chatter as they move. As long as the door operates properly, barring alarming noises such as shrieks that suddenly arise or smoke billowing from the unit, there’s probably nothing to cause concern. New noises or movements can result from loose nuts and bolts or failure in the track system. Examine every part of the door, rails, drive and springs. Tighten or adjust components as needed. Lubricate the travel mechanism with a little oil or as recommended by the manufacturer.
You can actually pop the cover off the opener unit and observe how it works when activated. Just don’t touch anything to prevent electrical shock or injury.

The Garage Door Opener Hums but Doesn’t Operate

Humming may be a good sign – you know it has power. The unit may simply be bound up. Check the moving parts to ensure the rails aren’t blocked and the armature is connected to the garage door. Ensure the unit is engaged, not in manual mode. Another possibility is, again, the force adjustment. Old, weak springs may shift much of the burden for lifting and lowering the door to the opener motor and drive system. While the unit may be able to handle the weight, then again, it may not. The result will be a straining motor that fails to open or close the door. Tweak the force adjustment to solve this problem.
A handy way to determine if the fault lies in the opener or the door is to eliminate the opener. Pull the emergency release handle hanging from the overhead unit to disengage it and allow the door to open and close manually. Lift and lower the door, testing the spring and rail systems. Your door should stay at any point of travel, when released, on its own. If it doesn’t and previous steps fail to fix the problem, the springs are too worn and need replacement.
If, however, the door stays where it’s left and moves up and down smoothly, the problem is likely an internal component in the garage door opener unit itself. Keep the setting on manual, so you can continue to use your garage, and consult a qualified professional.

The Garage Door Motor Fails to Stop Running

It probably comes as no surprise: If the door opens or closes but the motor continues to run, the limit switch is probably to blame. Adjust the switch, either on the rear of the opener unit or on the track, and try the opener again to confirm the solution.

The Garage Door Reverses Before or After Closing

If the garage door hits the floor and reverses to open again, check the close limit switch and adjust accordingly. When it reverses before even hitting the floor, a possible cause is another adjustment feature on the opener unit called the “close force adjustment.”
As your garage door gets older, the springs wear out. The result is irregular opening and closing. The solution is to increase the force setting on your opener.
Climb a stepladder to reach the garage door opener and look for the knobs on the rear of the unit. Turn the desired control clockwise slightly to adjust and retest the door. Continue turning, one at a time and in small increments, until the door opens and closes properly and stays in position.

The Garage Door Fails to Completely Open or Close

When the door refuses to lift or lower completely, the culprit might again be the safety sensors. If the sensors are operating properly – looking again to see if the lights shine red and green and are facing each other and aligned – a likely cause is one of the limit switches.
The exact placement and appearance of the limit switch depends on the specific garage door opener. Typically, you can find limit switches on the back of the garage door opener unit, the box attached to the door track overhead. Use a stepladder to reach the switches, small plastic screws marked up and down, and turn to adjust. On some brands, the switches are instead mounted on the rail extending between the door and opener unit. Loosen the switch and move either closer to or farther from the unit, then tighten with a screwdriver. Test the garage door opener after adjustment of either to see if this solves the problem.

How to Find the Best Garage Door Repair Service in the Portland OR Areas - Step 4

4. Investigate their reputation: with the pervasiveness of the internet these days, it’s easy to conduct some investigation into the background and business track record of any garage door repair service professional, even those that mainly do their business offline. Many independent review websites offer garage door service customers a chance to rate and leave some online feedback about the company that serviced them. In fact, if you’re in the Portland OR areas, there are a couple of reviews websites that list highly rated garage door repair service companies operating in the said cities. Checking out these websites can help you zero in not only on the service companies operating nearest your location, but also those that have the best reputation regarding price and excellent service.

The bottom line: finding the best garage door repair company in Portland OR can be easy and trouble-free if you follow the aforementioned tips. And of course, be discerning and keep your wits intact during the service negotiation—it pays to haggle over the service fee, but only to a certain extent. Also, before calling up the technician, be sure to do what you can to be familiar with your garage door’s problem, so that you’ll be able to have a more fruitful discussion of your problem with your chosen service technician. Remember: a well-informed customer is well-protected from “scammy” offers, and this principle applies to garage door repair services as well.

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Thanks for reading,

Patrick

How to Find the Best Garage Door Repair Service in the Portland OR Areas - Step 3

3. Ask for garage door repair referrals in the Portland OR areas: you may ask friends, relatives or officemates who may have had used such a service in the past, as they may have someone they know to be competent. Or as an easier alternative,
you can blast an email to all your friends (these days, this can also be done by posting your need for a garage door repair service on your Facebook status or Twitter) asking them for referrals.

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Thanks for reading,

Patrick

How to Find the Best Garage Door Repair Service in the Portland OR Areas - Step 2

2. Start searching online: most reputable garage door repair service people in the Portland OR areas maintain their own websites, which makes it easier for their current and prospective customers to find them. But having a website is one thing, and having a helpful, informative website is another. If their website seems outdated, with nothing but an “about us” page that seems to have been posted years ago, then this may not be a good candidate—although we’d give them the benefit of the doubt by actually calling them up first and checking their rates. On the other hand, a garage door service technician who is serious about their business would make it a point to maintain a highly informative business website, which should contain a contact page (that lists their email or contact form, physical address, and contact numbers), an about us page (something that informs the reader about their professional profile) and even a page that lists their past customers, including feedback or testimonials.

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Thanks for reading,

Patrick

How to Find the Best Garage Door Repair Service in the Portland OR Areas - Step 1

1. Check first if you really need a garage door repair service: a technician’s services are not exactly cheap, so calling them up at the smallest garage door problem can be unnecessarily inexpensive. There are a few things you can do to determine if your garage door’s problem is something that you can fix on your own without having to break a sweat. For example, if your garage door is making that annoying screeching sound, then rusted hardware or hinges are mostly the culprit. Fixing this can be as easy as replacing your garage door’s springs, screws, or rollers, which are spare parts you can easily buy cheaply at your friendly neighborhood hardware store.

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Thanks for reading,

Patrick

How to Find the Best Garage Door Repair Service in the Portland OR Areas

Hi All!

Garage door repair is not exactly something you can simply “breeze through.” A garage door is a typically heavy, even complicated structure, especially if you have one of those garage doors equipped with electronic locks, remote control and other new-fangled what-not. Fortunately, if you’re in the Portland OR areas, there are several competent garage door service technicians who can competently perform garage door repair for you, as well as do other services like garage door installation or overhead garage door repair. But given the existence of many unscrupulous businessmen out there, how do you know if you’re dealing with the best garage door repair service provider? Here are some no-nonsense tips to help you in making that crucial decision.

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Thanks for reading,

Patrick

Thank You! To our customers!!!

Hi All

Just wanted to send a BIG Thank You! To our customers!!!

Here's what some of you have said:

"Patrick was simply amazing.  I called, and he was super accommodating to my schedule.  In addition to fixing my garage door, he reprogrammed my keypad which I had never even known worked.  Perfect top notch service."
 




Thanks Arley Ann L.

--------------------

"Patrick and his tech, Aaron were a pleasure to work with. I spoke to Patrick at noon, and by 3pm Aaron was wrapping up his repairs. His price was competitive and he even honored an obscure discount I found! I would highly recommend these guys if you have any garage door problems, they were knowledgeable, responsible, and fast! Give these guys your business, they truly made me feel like they wanted mine!"

Thanks William H.



Thanks so very much for being GREAT CUSTOMERS!

Patrick