Breaking the Code

A key point of entry into your home for thieves is the garage, and if you own an older type garage door opener, your home could be vulnerable.

The weakness of these units is the frequencies that operate them, using something called “fixed codes”. Fixed codes were initially developed years ago to combat a shared frequency problem. If a homeowner wanted to change the frequency, all he or she had to do was preset a digital code by switching eight to 12 “Dip Switches” on the receiver and transmitter. Whatever number sequence selected for the receiver (garage door motor) had to be the same for the transmitter (remote).

Multi-Code System

With this multi-code system, garages were secure again. Or were they?

Now a new problem developed. Burglars were scanning these frequencies with something called a “code grabber”. Criminals were able to defeat the multi-code system by grabbing codes from homeowners who were leaving their homes. There were basically two types of scanners. The first type scooped up the code when the homeowner pushed the garage door to either open or close it.

Once displayed on a screen, the criminal could immediately re-transmit the signal to open the door. The second type of scanner would automatically attempt every possible combination in a very short time. It didn’t take long for the frequency numbers to show up and the crook to enter the garage.

This caused garage door opener manufacturers to switch their transmitter/receivers to something called “rolling code” technology. For the “rolling code” to work, both the transmitter found in the remote and the receiver found in the overhead garage door opener must react with each other and have the same code generator.

After one code is used, both devices roll out a new code and continue to work together. Because the frequency codes are constantly changing, this technology prevents crooks from capturing codes and gaining entry.

New garage door openers can be securely locked when the door is down and can also monitor against attempted forced opening. Once the door is down, if an intruder tries to pry the door up, the locking system will reactivate the opener to the closed position.

Provide Temporary Passwords

If you have a system that allows you to control the opening and closing of the door from an outside keypad, did you know you can provide temporary passwords to friends or service people without having to reveal your own personal identity code? Did you also know you could program a temporary password (numeric) for a limited number of activations for a predetermined number of hours of operation?

How about coming home to automatic lights that stay on in your garage for up to 4 1/2 minutes before automatically shutting off? This is a standard feature today with most garage door openers. You can also program your vehicles built-in remote to accept a frequency code, enabling you to control the lights and opening from the comfort of your own automobile.

Going on vacation? Here’s a great security feature. Just push and hold the vacation button on the main panel until you see a light flashing. This signifies you have now blocked all outside frequencies while away.

Once a new homeowner takes possession, they often don’t change the frequencies on the garage door remotes or outside keypad. This is very dangerous because previous owners may still have a remote to your overhead garage door. If this is the case, even though you spent money to have your locks rekeyed, you’ve still allowed access by an outsider who holds a garage door opener.

So why don’t new homeowners change their garage door remotes? The problem lies in the fact new homeowners are not aware their remote frequencies need to be changed or just don’t know how to change them. Here’s a tip. Check on the door opener itself. Often there are step-by-step instructions on the unit located near the motor.

Garage Door Keypad

A garage door keypad is used on the exterior part of the doors.

It allows you to use a code to unclose the door automatically. It is a safe and convenient way of ensuring that the things you keep in your garage remain safe. When you are choosing a garage door keypad, you can select a wireless or wired one.

To use it, you need to get a suitable location to fix it on the exterior part of your garage. The installation process varies if you are using the wireless keyless entry. Once you have installed it, it needs to be programmed. To do this, you need to refer to the manual to find out the buttons that you are required to press. When you are programming the keypad, you have three options that you can work with. You can program it using its remote, motor or keypad. When you are programming the keypad, check if it requires a 4-digit code or whether you need to enter six digits.

There are some common problems that are associated with wireless keyless entry keypads. In most cases, the door refuses to open. The problem can be the keypad or the garage door itself can be faulty. If you are using a wired keypad, make sure it has power. The problem can also be caused by a faulty sensor or frayed cables in your garage door opener.

If you want to change the code that you initially used when installing your garage door keypad, you can simply reprogram it. Check the manual to check if there are instructions on how to reprogram the specific keypad you use. To reprogram, you need to have an access code to allow you to change your password. Once you have entered this code, enter your old password and then choose a new one.

Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

The better you maintain and clean your garage door, the longer it will last. The best way to get the most out of your garage door is to maintain it regularly and when you notice a problem, to address it immediately before further damage can occur.

You can easily perform garage door system safety and maintenance tasks yourself. For starters, perform a monthly visual inspection. Stand inside the garage with the garage door closed and look over the door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, such as hinges, for signs of wear or damage. Look for cable wear or fraying. Is the mounting hardware becoming loose? If something doesn’t look quite right or doesn’t sound quite right it could be the symptom of a more serious issue. Have the garage door system inspected by a trained service technician.

Then go outside and visually inspect the surface of your garage door. Is it dirty? Are there chips in the paint? Protecting your garage door surface, whether it is a metal or wooden door, helps to ensure your door’s longevity. Begin by cleaning your garage doors with a mild detergent and a soft car brush. Some people remember to clean their doors whenever they wash their car. Washing your garage doors regularly will reduce the buildup of corrosive elements. Avoid using any abrasive cleaners or corrosive chemicals on or around your garage doors. In Hawaii’s diverse environment, it is recommended that you wash and wax your metal door surfaces according to the area in which you reside. If you live in an area prone to salt carried by the wind, then you should wash and wax your doors more frequently.

Wooden garage doors should be cleaned and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Monthly door balance tests should also be done. If your door is equipped with an automatic opener system, close the door, disconnect the automatic opener and lift the door manually. It should lift smoothly with little resistance and should remain fully open. If it is difficult to open or does not remain open, the door may be out of balance and should be serviced by a trained service technician.

Semi-annual lubrication of moving parts is necessary to ensure the garage door is functioning properly without binding or unnecessary wear on parts. Apply a light-weight oil to all rollers and hinges at least once a year. There are end hinges which hold the rollers in the track, as well as center hinges which pivot as the door moves. Lubricate all pivot points.

Probably the most important part of the garage door is the springs. These beasts are the muscles that are actually supposed to do 95 percent of all the work to lift an overhead garage door. If you have to struggle to lift your door, then the spring may be out of adjustment or possibly worn out. You should lubricate the springs about twice a year. We recommend using a non-petroleum based lubricant to help reduce gummy buildup. Do not attempt to adjust the spring yourself. It is very dangerous and must only be done by a trained professional.

When You Need A Good Garage Door Repair Company

You need to make sure that you use a good garage door repair company whenever there is something wrong with your garage doors. You should look for garage doors repair company that can make repairs as well as replacements, if necessary. In the building trades, the garage door is a specialized part of the business. There are businesses that only deal with installing garage doors and these same companies that do the installation of garage doors can also repair the doors.

You may only need to get garage door repair instead of a full replacement on the door if there is something wrong with it. Many people think that because something goes wrong with their garage door, they have to replace the entire thing. This is not true. Residential garage door installation provides to protect our cars

In many cases the door can be fixed. This is true whenever you are talking about mechanical problems with the door such as failure to open properly as well as close all the way. In most cases, there is nothing really wrong with the door itself. It just needs to have the springs replaced or even the track which it is on adjusted.

Even if you just want to make life more convenient for yourself by getting an opener for your garage door, you can do so when you use a company that works with repairs. They will be the best at installing a garage door opener for you. As they understand how your garage door works and how heavy it is, they will make sure that the garage door opener that they install is one that will be able to lift the garage door that you have as well as continue to open and close it without wearing out. You do not want to have any problems burning out the motor because you use an opener that is too small to lift the door.

You can get repairs as well as replacements to your garage door when you go to a company that knows how to address any and all problems that can occur with a garage door and will be able to do so at a reasonable cost. If you are moving into a home that is in need of repair, and that repair includes the garage door, then you have to call out a garage door company that deals with replacements and repairs. Get an estimate from them on how much the job will cost so that you can budget for it.

Garage Door Friday Funny

Garage Door Shopping

Most homeowners, if any, experience shopping for a new garage door. When we do, we often get a bit overwhelmed with all of the choices we need to make.

Signs of a garage door in need of replacement include sagging, peeling paint or dented steel, light coming through the bottom, worn or rusted hardware, or simply inconsistent operation.

If you are renovating your house and think it would look better with a new door, by all means take the plunge. New doors are not particularly expensive. It is really hard to make a bigger improvement to the look of your home’s exterior in just a few hours than by having a new garage door installed.

But there are a couple of things to keep in mind before you start shopping for a new door. First, most garage doors can be painted. If your biggest gripe is simply that the existing door color isn’t right, or the coating is dirty or peeling, consider opting for a paint job instead of replacement.

Second, if you just have a problem with a single panel, you may be able to find a replacement for the panel without having to replace the entire door. Look for a serial number on the bottom of the panel, and then contact the manufacturer or a garage door supplier who handles the same brand of door. If the garage door is not too old, you may be able to order a matching panel, although it is quite possible that the color of the replacement will not exactly match the faded color of the remaining panels.

But if replacement remains the goal, here are some tips and links that can help guide you through the shopping experience.

• Material. There is really no “best” material for a garage door, but there probably is a best choice for your home. Learn about the different materials garage doors can be made of.
• Style. Yes, you really do need to be style conscious when choosing a new garage door. Houses are built in styles, and garage doors are made to conform with, or at least complement, those styles.
• Cost. As with just about everything else, you can spend a lot of money or very little money on a garage door.  
• Find an Installer. Find a top quality, reliable and affordable professional to do the job.

Garnish Your Garage Door with Decorative Hardware

One of the most basic tenants of home design and decor is to have all the hardware match, throughout rooms, and throughout the entire house if possible. This goes for the exterior of the home as well. The more windows and doors can be made to match, coordinate, and complement each other, the more curb appeal a structure has. Most everybody values coming home to a space that is pleasing and pleasant. Yet, structural items like garage doors can become dull over time. Renewing them with proper cleaning and a good garage door protectant will restore luster and beauty to the doors. But updating existing door hardware to match other exterior hardware is an easy and inexpensive way to add curb appeal without having to replace the entire door.

Many garage door service companies sell decorative hardware kits that are made to fit and compliment the doors that they sell and install. When shopping for replacement garage doors, check on the type, style, and color of the hardware that comes standard on the doors. Upgrading at the time of purchase makes upgrading the look of new doors simple. For existing vehicle entry doors, check with the original service provider or manufacturer if possible to see if they sell decorative hardware.

If the original garage door service or manufacturer cannot be ascertained, no longer exists, or simply does not have the sought after items, there are plenty of other services, shops, and internet stores that have many offerings. In fact, many online retailers offer selections of matching decorative hardware for many of the exterior fittings of a home, making it easy and relatively inexpensive to update the aesthetic look and feel of the entire exterior of a home.

Not only is it possible to replace operating handles and hinges on garage doors, many “dummy” items are also available to create an all-new look on an existing garage door. False hinges are perfect for creating a carriage house look, and the wide array of available finishes allows for creativity in the garage door remodel.

Most of the replacement operating parts as well as decorative dummy pieces are easily installed by the homeowner. Make sure the items come with matching screws, or purchase matching screws separately. For operational hardware, like locking handles, it is vital to read the instructions before starting. In general, these types of hardware changes and installation can be done without the need for a garage door service company, making updating garage door hardware an easy and affordable way to update the home.

Creative Reuse of a Garage Door

Frame a Compost Pile or Garden

Garage doors can provide the perfect frame for a raised garden or a compost pile. Separate the door into the individual panels to form the walls, and cut one in half to form the back.  Use metal cutting shears if your door is made of aluminum or steel, or a circular saw if the door is wood. Next, dig a small trench to partially bury the panels, then place them standing up to create your frame.

Leave one side open if you are making a compost pile so you can easily roll a wheel barrow in. If you are making a raise garden close off all sides then fill with dirt.
Some garage doors are painted, so be sure to scrape down and sand to remove the paint to keep your garden or compost pile clean.

Create a Green House

Turn your old garage door into a mini green house. There are some limitations to this idea, as a steel or vinyl garage door just is not going to help protect against the cold. But if you have a wood or wood composite garage door this really works great.

If you are somewhat handy you can easily do this with a table and jigsaw, some Plexiglas, and screws. On particularly cold nights you may want to consider adding some hay or straw around your plants for extra protection.

Garage Door Headboard

You might want to check with your significant other or roommate before doing this, and it probably won’t work if it’s a newer garage door that looks mass produced, but consider making a headboard out of your garage door.

Back in the day, before they started using vinyl and steel, garage doors were made of fine quality woods like cherry, chestnut, and mahogany. If you have one of these, sanding it down and placing it as your headboard can be a nice room accent. Not necessarily for everyone, but it just goes to show how a little creativity can go a long way when it comes to reusing our old stuff.

Not everyone has the time or inclination to try and reuse an old garage door themselves. In that case, before you purchase a new door, open your yellow pages or go to Google. Search for whatever town you live in and start calling the companies up and asking them “How do you recycle the doors you replace?” This way you can rest assured that it will be recycled and not end up in a land fill somewhere.

Your garage door louder than a baby’s cry?

If your garage door is a little too loud for your liking, there may be an issue amongst the cables, gears and pulleys which serve to operate the electronic opener. There are many reasons any of these parts could be making noise. Some of these issues merely require a little tender loving care, while others may be too complicated for the common homeowner to fix himself.

So how do you tell the difference between the problems that are easily fixed and those that require a phone call to the garage door repair team? You will first need to determine which type of garage door opener you are using in your home. There are generally three types: belt drive, screw drive or chain drive.

If your home features a chain drive, there is no way you will ever be able to escape the noise; these kinds of openers are noisy by nature. That said, chain drives are not all bad. For one thing, they are affordable and they go a long way even in the worst winters. But these long lasting garage door openers will never be completely silent. If they seem to be making more noise than usual, on the other hand, they may be in need of a little lubrication. Less noisy than chain drive doors are screw drive doors, though these may become just as audible in time. The quietest kind of garage door opener is the belt drive, but this is only silent when it is functioning properly. An unbalanced door may stop working in addition to making too much noise. To check the door opener’s balance, pull the red emergency stop cord and open the door manually. Let go of the door after opening it about halfway. A door that is balanced properly will move very little from the spot to which it has been raised. However, if it falls, you will know that the door has some issues with balance. Usually worn springs are the culprit when a garage door is unbalanced. Repairing these can be a bit tricky. Those springs which run along the sides of the door, the extension springs may be easily replaced by the novice handyman, but the springs along the top of the door and the torsion springs may require replacing by an experienced professional.

If your garage door has begun making a squeaking noise, it may be due to a troublesome hinge. The first fix you will want to try is oiling the hinges. A grinding noise, on the other hand, may be something else altogether. For grinding, check the gears and sprockets within the main console; these may need replacing. Unfortunately, replacing these parts is better left up to the experienced repairmen. But if you do decide to take the plunge, be sure to unplug the unit from any electrical source first. You do not want to electrocute yourself!

An opener that is making a strange ticking noise may be operating with worn bearings. These are located in either the rollers or the pulleys. To fix this problem, either experience or a careful hand is required.

Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

The better you maintain and clean your garage door, the longer it will last. The best way to get the most out of your garage door is to maintain it regularly and when you notice a problem, to address it immediately before further damage can occur.

You can easily perform garage door system safety and maintenance tasks yourself. For starters, perform a monthly visual inspection. Stand inside the garage with the garage door closed and look over the door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys and mounting hardware, such as hinges, for signs of wear or damage. Look for cable wear or fraying. Is the mounting hardware becoming loose? If something doesn’t look quite right or doesn’t sound quite right it could be the symptom of a more serious issue. Have the garage door system inspected by a trained service technician.

Then go outside and visually inspect the surface of your garage door. Is it dirty? Are there chips in the paint? Protecting your garage door surface, whether it is a metal or wooden door, helps to ensure your door’s longevity. Begin by cleaning your garage doors with a mild detergent and a soft car brush. Some people remember to clean their doors whenever they wash their car. Washing your garage doors regularly will reduce the buildup of corrosive elements. Avoid using any abrasive cleaners or corrosive chemicals on or around your garage doors. In Hawaii’s diverse environment, it is recommended that you wash and wax your metal door surfaces according to the area in which you reside. If you live in an area prone to salt carried by the wind, then you should wash and wax your doors more frequently.

Wooden garage doors should be cleaned and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Monthly door balance tests should also be done. If your door is equipped with an automatic opener system, close the door, disconnect the automatic opener and lift the door manually. It should lift smoothly with little resistance and should remain fully open. If it is difficult to open or does not remain open, the door may be out of balance and should be serviced by a trained service technician.

Semi-annual lubrication of moving parts is necessary to ensure the garage door is functioning properly without binding or unnecessary wear on parts. Apply a light-weight oil to all rollers and hinges at least once a year. There are end hinges which hold the rollers in the track, as well as center hinges which pivot as the door moves. Lubricate all pivot points.

Probably the most important part of the garage door is the springs. These beasts are the muscles that are actually supposed to do 95 percent of all the work to lift an overhead garage door. If you have to struggle to lift your door, then the spring may be out of adjustment or possibly worn out. You should lubricate the springs about twice a year. We recommend using a non-petroleum based lubricant to help reduce gummy buildup. Do not attempt to adjust the spring yourself. It is very dangerous and must only be done by a trained professional.

While lubricating, you should also check the garage door hardware parts. With repeated use, the hardware on the garage door will tend to loosen over time. If you notice any loose screws, bolts or nuts, tighten them so hardware parts won’t fall out of adjustment.