JUNE: IT’S GARAGE DOOR SAFETY MONTH!

The International Door Association and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association have designated June as Garage Door Safety Month.

The International Door Association and its affiliated dealers will be working to increase awareness of the possible hazards of garage doors and automatic opener systems, and the need for periodic inspection and maintenance to keep them safe. Give your garage door a safety check to insure it’s in proper working order by using these ten garage door safety and security tips.

1. Make sure garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

2. Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

3. Consult the owner’s manual and learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.

4. Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. A trained door repairman must make adjustments to these parts, which are under high tension.

5. Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2 x 4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, seriously consider a new one with auto-reverse as a standard feature.

6. Never place fingers between door sections and explain the dangers to children. If you have small children, consider a door with panels that can’t pinch.

7. Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also impacts your home’s security as well.

8. While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.

9. If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, which changes the access codes each time the opener is used to prevent code grabbing, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with more safety and security features that are now standard.

10. A new trend in home invasion is gaining access to the home by stealing the opener or car. Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. Consider using a key chain remote and always lock the entry to the inside of your home – especially if your opener is programmed to your vehicle. It is a small inconvenience for safety and security.

Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.

The Story of a Non-Licensed Garage Door Installation

 This is a true story and the names of the individuals have been changed to protect the innocent.

  XYZ Garage Door Service isn’t a store or office-based business. It’s really just a man trying to earn his living via service, repair, and installation of garage doors.

I believe he works out of his home with his wife. When the homeowner hired Mr. Johnson, they knew there was an element of risk involved. He wasn’t licensed, but he had the price they wanted. When he came out to do measurements, answer questions, and give them options, he was extremely nice.

He seemed just like a really good guy. The homeowners hired him and he installed their garage door. He did an okay job, though probably not as good as a licensed contractor would have done.

Their issues with XYZ Garage Door Service, however, were with the follow-up. Part of their agreement with him was that he would haul away the old door and its remnants. He also said he’d be coming back to do a check after a week, to make sure everything was fine. Unfortunately, there was no follow-up.

Numerous, and I do mean numerous, calls were never returned. He did not come and pick up the door and its remnants as promised, and he never showed up to do this check that “he” volunteered that he’d do. They also had an issue with the installation. Again, no calls were returned.

They did manage to get him one time, and still sounding as nice as can be, he gave them a sing song about helping his wife with their children, blah, blah, blah. More promises were made, and they were never kept.

In the end, they chose not to pursue it further. But the problems remain.

No follow-up, unmet promises and failing to honor obligations… worth the price of dealing with an unlicensed garage door installer? Before choosing someone, make sure they’re a licensed contracted and have a good rating in your local Better Business Bureau or be listed as a member of the International Door Association (www.doors.org).

Insulating Your Garage Door

Have you ever noticed how steaming hot your garage gets in the summer and how freezing cold the room above it gets in the winter?

This happens if your garage doesn’t have any insulation. What you probably didn’t realize is that had your garage been insulated your heating bills probably wouldn’t be that high.

To insulate or not to insulate? Here are some points to consider if you’re thinking of doing so.

Insulation helps to lower your electricity and heating bills. If your home has a room above or next to the garage, that room can – just like the garage – get extremely hot during the summer and ultra cold during winter. Insulating the garage, or at the very least the garage door, will help to make that area and the room above or adjacent to it more bearable during these times of extreme weather. This translates to lower electricity and heating bills whatever the season.

You can DIY it with a kit. Yes, you can insulate your garage door yourself. There are DIY garage door insulation kits that you can buy from Home Depot or the hardware store. Insulation materials vary from polystyrene, fiberglass (not to be used on wooden doors), to polyethylene. Among the better known brands are Owen Corning, Falcon Foam, Anco, and Astro-Foil. A kit (for one door) will cost you anywhere from about $75 to $90. If you’ve got a 2-door garage, buy two kits.

You can also do a non-kit DIY. Ready made kit too expensive? Other people have reported success with styrofoam (polystyrene), reflective foil insulation, or fiberglass batting. This may be a cheaper option – you can buy the materials yourself and attach the insulation to your garage door with double sided mounting tape.

Rebalance the garage door and adjust tension springs afterwards. Remember to have your door rebalanced after you install the insulation. When you put in an insulation panel on your garage door, you’re adding to the weight that the springs the door opener has to carry. The door will need to be rebalanced and the spring tensions adjusted in order to prevent breakdown.

Seal the bottom of the garage door. Don’t forget to seal the bottom of your garage door as well, in order to prevent wind from going through the door bottom. For this, use a garage door threshold kit. This will keep out the wind, dust, water, leaves, and pollen from your garage. Garage door threshold kits can cost anywhere from $25 to $100 depending on the size.

You can replace your door with a new pre-insulated garage door. This is the most expensive option, but if you’re looking for a long-term solution, this would be the best. With an insulated garage door, you can expect to spend many productive hours in your garage for many years, come summer or winter, and see your HVAC bills go down.

Still not sure? Contact a local licensed and insured garage door dealer. You can find one thru the International Door Association at http://www.doors.org

Tot found safe after wandering off from home

In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, a 3-year-old got out of bed, climbed down two flights of stairs, opened a garage door by pushing a button on the wall and wandered a half-mile along busy roads before he was found safe in Eagan, police said. Police picked up the boy, who was staying with his mother at relatives in Eagan, at 2:45 a.m. near the intersection of Minnesota 55 and Lone Oak Road.

This is a reminder to parents that young children are curious and they can wander out of their homes. There are steps you can take to insure your child doesn’t wander off like this child. There are cheap measures you can take that send an audible alert, like wireless door and window chimes. But as far as the garage door is concerned, this demonstrates the importance of having your garage door wall switch and remotes be keep away from children at all times. Keep the wall button out of the reach of children. The recommended height is at least 5 feet from the floor.

D O O R SAFE

DOORS are heavy – never stand, run or play under or near any garage door, especially when the door is open or moving.

OUCH! – never touch any part of a moving garage door. Your fingers and hands can get hurt!

OPENERS are for adults – never play with the button on the wall that opens and closes the garage door.

REMOTES are for adults – never play with the remote control in the car, on Mom & Dad’s keychain or the one on the wall. 

A few simple precautions, like this, can protect your family from potential situations.

Garage Door First Aid Station: Today’s Tip

There’s good reason to keep the home’s largest moving object in proper order. The garage door is often the largest entry point in the home. Consumers can bring garage door and opener safety awareness to the home front this summer–the International Door Association (IDA) and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) have designated June as Garage Door Safety Month.

Here are ten safety and security tips to keep in mind throughout the year.

1. Make sure the garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

2.  Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

3. Never place fingers between door sections. Explain the dangers to children and consider pinch-resistant door panels.

4. Consult the owner’s manual and learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.

5. Visually inspect the garage door each month.  Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. These parts are under high tension, and should only be fixed by a trained door repairman.

6. Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2×4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, seriously consider a new one with auto-reverse as a standard feature.

7. While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.

8. Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also compromises a home’s security.

9. If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, which changes the access codes each time the opener is used to prevent code grabbing, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model  with more safety and security features that are now standard.

10. Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. A stolen opener or car leaves you more susceptible to home invasion. Consider using a key chain remote and always lock the entry to the inside of your home, especially if your opener is programmed to your vehicle. It’s a small inconvenience for safety and security.

Garage Door Safety Beams: How Do They Work?

One of the most important inventions of the last few years has been the advent of the garage door safety beam.

The safety beam is a beam of infrared light that sits near the floor of your garage. If something is in the way or if something breaks the beam as your door is closing, the sensor will automatically make the door rise back up. It is basic motion sensor detection technology that, thanks to military research, has come down in price considerably from where it was just a decade ago. Let’s take a look at why these beams are so important.

The safety beam is a basic motion detector. The units transmit a beam from one end to the other that, when broken, serves as an effective safety device. When you close your garage door, the censor in the safety beam allows the door to continue closing as long as the beam remains unbroken. Should a person, pet, or even a piece of paper happen to break the beam, the door will immediately begin to open. It is a long overdue safety feature that works like a charm and can saves lives.

Along with high quality insulation and a durable opening mechanism, the safety beam is definitely one of the most important inventions in garage door history. The idea of someone being crushed under a 400 lb. door is unthinkable. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 46 confirmed deaths from 1982-1990 involving children and garage doors. It was this call by the CPSC and garage door industry associations that brought the use of the safety beam into today’s homes. Best of all, the addition of safety beams has not significantly increased the cost of garage doors, which makes this addition something everyone can agree on. The beams help protect you and your family from accidents, slips, falls, and disasters. They also protect the garage door companies from being sued by families that have experienced such accidents.

If you want to install or retrofit your garage doors with safety beams, you may want to call a professional to do the installation for you. Many of the best safety beams on the market are made by companies that have been in the industry for many years, so you won’t have to worry about compatibility problems.

JUNE IS GARAGE DOOR SAFETY MONTH!

The International Door Association and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association have designated June as Garage Door Safety Month. The IDA and its affiliated dealers will be working to increase awareness of the possible hazards of garage doors and automatic opener systems, and the need for periodic inspection and maintenance to keep them safe. Give your garage door a safety check to insure it’s in proper working order by using these ten garage door safety and security tips.

1. Make sure garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

2. Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

3. Consult the owner’s manual and learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.

4. Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. A trained door repairman must make adjustments to these parts, which are under high tension.

5. Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2 x 4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, seriously consider a new one with auto-reverse as a standard feature.

6. Never place fingers between door sections and explain the dangers to children. If you have small children, consider a door with panels that can’t pinch.

7. Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also impacts your home’s security as well.

8. While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.

9. If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, which changes the access codes each time the opener is used to prevent code grabbing, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with more safety and security features that are now standard.

10. A new trend in home invasion is gaining access to the home by stealing the opener or car. Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. Consider using a key chain remote and always lock the entry to the inside of your home – especially if your opener is programmed to your vehicle. It is a small inconvenience for safety and security.

Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained door systems technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.

The Garage Door Rip-Off

Omaha, Nebraska homeowner, Patricia Spellman, paid $500 down for a new garage door in January.

Its now May and her old garage door is still there and can’t be opened. Spellman said, “Rain, sleet snow and hail and I can’t protect my vehicle because I have to park it outside.”

Spellman wrote Garage Door s Systems of Bellevue a $500 check four months ago. Patricia said, “They cashed it within four days.” Since then she’s made up to 35 calls to the company with no new door or any indication when she might get one.

Garage Door Systems has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau. The BBB has received 15 complaints the past three years, most of them from customers who put money down but didn’t receive their garage doors.

Garage Door Systems eventually did put in one garage door and issued a refund to another customer.

This spring it’s a different story for Patricia Spellman with no door or refund.

Patricia said, “I Googled them after the fact and found complaints and stories they had done this is the past. So do your research.”

Her contract listed three phone numbers for Garage Door Systems. Two have been disconnected. A message left on the third number hadn’t been returned.

It’s always best to investigate the companies you do business with. Make sure the company is a state licensed contractor that is also bonded and insured. You can also check with the International Door Association (www.doors.org). Lastly, it’s always best to check your local BBB first!

Be D.O.O.R. Safe

Most folks take their garage doors for granted. Until the day the garage door doesn’t work.

GarageDoorCare.com, a website sponsored by the International Door Association (IDA), can help homeowners learn about garage door safety and maintenance. IDA is the world’s largest trade association of professional garage door and access system dealers and installers.

One page of the website is devoted to children and garage door safety. A special learning tool entitled “D.O.O.R. Safe” contains four brief messages to help parents teach young children the dos and don’ts of garage doors. These messages are:

•  Doors are heavy – never stand, run or play under or near any garage door, especially when the door is open or moving.
• Openers are for adults – never play with the button on the wall that opens and closes the garage door.
• Ouch! – never touch any part of a moving garage door. Your fingers and hands can get hurt!
• Remotes are for adults – never play with the remote control in the car or on Mom and Dad’s keychain.

 “We encourage parents to teach their children that the garage door and garage door opener aren’t toys,” says IDA Managing Director Chris Long. “Whether a child is at home or at the house of a friend or relative, it’s important they understand that they should never play near or underneath a garage door. It’s also important that they learn not to play with garage door opener remotes or button controls.”

When it comes to maintenance, the website can help homeowners learn about maintenance checkups they can perform themselves, but it also provides helpful guidance about when it’s best to call in a pro.

Homeowners should consider using a garage door professional when it comes to repairs. A garage door system is comprised of many components, including springs and cables that are under high tension and can cause severe injury or even death if broken, tampered with or mishandled.

The site also provides a handy zip code search function that allows consumers to locate the nearest garage door professional if they prefer the help of a seasoned expert for annual or semi-annual checkups, or for maintenance and repair issues.

SOURCE International Door Association

Beware: Garage Door Rip Off

Homeowners around the country have been swindled, conned or tricked by  dishonest garage door installers or companies. There are a variety of tactics that these unscrupulous individuals use to rip off customers. So what do you do?

You can check out a company before doing business with them by simply doing a Google search, including the city or state. If a company has been charging exorbitant prices or performing shoddy work, comments about them will often show up. You can also check sites like www.ripoffreport.com.

DASMA, the garage door industry trade organization, also exposes unscrupulous door companies at times. You can search door companies in their search engine.

Another excellent way to check out a company is to check with the Better Business Bureau.

The best thing to to is to educated yourself and watch for these warning signs of a possible scam: 

• No Price Quote Before Work Is Done. DO NOT agree to any work (except the initial diagnostic fee) until you have received a firm bid in writing, have signed it to give authorization and you have received a copy.
• Phones Answered By A Distant Call Center Or A Recording. Call centers located in distant states or foreign countries may signal problems. Phone recorders are another way Bad Bob tries to stay anonymous.
• No Name, No Caller ID. Do they answer the phone with their advertised business name? If they operate under several business names, they often answer the phone with a generic response, such as, “Garage door service.”
• Years in Business Unknown. This is a possible indication of instability and lack of experience in the industry.
• No Local Showroom and Office. Companies with no local office or showroom may be trying to stay anonymous or hard to track down in the event of a problem.
• No Contractor License # Listed In The Ad. This is the law. Do not trust any garage door company that doesn’t show its license #.
• No Professional Memberships, Accreditations or Certifications. Reliable companies are generally affiliated with one or more professional organizations with standards and codes of conduct such as IDA (International Door Association), DASMA (Door & Access Systems Manufacturer’s Association International), BBB (Better Business Bureau), ISO (International Organization for Standardization), UL (Underwriter’s Laboratories Registered Firm) and others. You can more likely trust a technician who has been certified and a company that has been accredited by IDEA (Institute for Door Education and Accreditation).
• High Pressure. Do not succumb to high pressure sales tactics. Does the technician pressure you to make a quick decision? Does the technician claim that your family or property is in danger if the proposed repair or replacement isn’t done immediately?
• Surprise Visit. Be wary if a company knocks on your door, claiming to have a special deal.
• Pre-Payment. Do they demand payment in full before the project is complete? Never pay for an entire job in advance. Avoid paying in cash whenever possible.