Why Is My Garage Door Noisy?

Your garage door & garage door opening system are meant to open and close smoothly with little to no noise. However, normal wear and tear & other factors like loose or broken garage door parts can seem to all of a sudden make your garage door noisy! Maybe it’s just a slight banging you hear when you go to open your garage door or perhaps it has started to squeak whenever the door is operated at all. No matter the sound, not only is a noisy garage door annoying it can also mean it may be in need of lubrication or repairs.

If your garage door is loud when opening & closing it could be time to upgrade your garage door insulation!

There are many reasons your garage door may be noisy, from improper maintenance to normal wear & tear, a bent track, becoming off-balance, or a loose part (rollers, nuts, chains, hinges, springs, etc.). The key is to listen to the type of noise being emitted and to take note of when the noise is happening during the open/close cycle. If you hear a banging noise it could mean that your door is off track or you may be in need of garage door panel replacement. A rattling noise usually means there are loose nuts or bolts or the opener support rails or chains could be loose. A scraping noise could indicate an unbalanced garage door which can be extremely dangerous. Clinking can indicate rust build-up causing garage door springs to rub together! And a popping noise usually signals a torsion spring has snapped and you should call a garage door repair service immediately. Any type of broken/snapped garage door spring or unbalanced door should be looked at and repaired by an experienced garage door expert as soon as possible.

Causes of A Noisy Garage Door

Improper Maintenance
Normal Wear & Tear
Bent Tracks
Loose Parts – rollers, nuts, chains, springs
Door Is Off-Balance
Opener Needs Repair/Replacement
Hinges/Rollers Need Lubrication

The Importance of Garage Door Maintenance

Garage doors are subject to the different weather elements, everyday use, and here in Arizona the extreme heat during the summer months. These things all collectively work together and wear on the many parts that compromise your garage door. That being said to ensure that your garage door is in proper working order & is performing as efficiently as possible it is important to schedule regular garage door maintenance with a trusted garage door company. Regular garage door maintenance helps to ensure that any repairs needed are spotted sooner rather than later which can help prevent serious injury or accidents as well as costly garage door repairs or replacement. Maintenance also helps to ensure that your garage door tracks are free of dirt & debris which can hinder movement & create a noisy garage door!

Lubricating Your Garage Door

Remember when your garage door starts making noise it’s trying to tell your something. If a little lubrication is needed it is important to add it anywhere needed as soon as possible.

Garage door parts that are rubbing together causing friction & heat, are bound to break completely, causing a dangerous more costly issue. This is also why it is important to lubricate your garage door and its moving metal parts regularly and not just in times of distress.

While it is always advised to work with a reputable garage door repair company, should you look to lubricate your garage door parts yourself we highly suggest that the garage door is disconnected from any power source before beginning. And while WD-40 may be used to help lubricate parts we suggest using lithium grease. Lithium grease will not cause dirt build-up over time like WD-40. Should you find a lot of dirt build-up, a little bit of brake cleaner goes a long way to help remove built-up grime.

In the end, your garage door is responsible for much of the heavy lifting in life (literally) and should be taken care of and maintained to ensure the safety of people and personal property. And proper garage door maintenance & lubrication can help to extend the overall lifespan of your door while also ensuring it is always in proper working order.

Help Minimize Heat With Garage Door Insulation

The Arizona summer is upon us and with it comes increasing temperatures and higher energy bills. Summer temps can feel like a scorching hot oven, especially if you plan on spending any time in your garage. Many people utilize their garage space using it to exercise, work on cars, as a workshop for various tasks, and even as a man cave.

During the summer months you can expect your garage to be between 10-20 degrees hotter than the temp outside!

Living in Arizona we know the highs can get into the 120’s which means your garage space can reach up to 140 degrees on some days! Not only does a temperature that high make being in your garage unbearable it also makes it unsafe! And let’s face it, if your garage is connected to your house like most peoples are, it makes keeping your house cooler a little harder. This means that your air conditioning system works harder and in turn you see your energy bill go up even more so during summer months. And let’s be real, no one likes a higher energy bill!

Did you know the summer heat can greatly affect your garage door’s opening system?

The heat creates issues with the electronics involved and can hinder the opening and closing mechanisms and even cause the motor to overheat. Another expense is added if you call for garage door repair or an adjustment!

What Can You Do To Make Your Garage Cooler During Summer?

Use & Time of Day- The early morning hours up to about 10am prove to be a much cooler time to spend in your garage. Opening your garage door a little to allow some of the trapped hot air to escape also helps. Definitely avoid being in your garage between 3-6pm when temperatures are the highest making your garage a dutch oven!

Garage Door Colors/Material- Believe it or not the color of your garage door and outer exterior matter! Darker colors tend to conduct more heat. Installing a lighter-colored door or choosing to paint it a lighter shade can reduce some heat. Same goes for the material of your door. Steel doors are heat conductors whereas wood doors are natural insulators.

Ventilation System- Your garage ventilation system or lack of one can be a huge factor in the rising temperatures in your space. An active ventilation system is a bit pricer than the normally used passive systems but also a lot more economical and efficient.

Installing a Fan- While a fan can only help to a certain extent it does help to improve the airflow and circulation, which can help to break up that hot stagnant air! Removing clutter and creating a more open space can help airflow as well.

And…

The #1 Way to Help Minimize Heat…Garage Door Insulation

Garage door insulation is the number one way to help combat that horrible summer heat. All of a sudden you can see yourself spending time in your garage again! On top of helping to decrease the higher temperatures in your garage, insulated garage doors offer so many other benefits as well!

Benefits of Insulated Garage Doors Include:

Greatly reduce heat transfer
Lower energy bills
Insulation helps quiet noisy garage doors
Reduces outside noise
Helps keep cold air out during winter
Better constructed as opposed to uninsulated garage doors

Now that you are aware of some of the benefits of an insulated garage door what do you need to know when choosing the right insulation?

R-Value- The R-Value of a garage door is key! What does R-Value mean? This is basically the number that measures the insulation in your door. The higher the R-Value the better the insulation. In fact, an R-Value of R18 or higher can help reduce radiant heat, ultimately helping to keep the inside of your garage a lot cooler.

Thank you.

Overall Insulation– An insulated garage door can do wonders for the temperatures within your garage but in order for them to work to their maximum potential it helps if the walls of your garage and attic space are insulated as well.

Type of Insulation- The type of insulation matters. While the R-Value measures the performance of insulation it helps to understand which types are best. For example, convex reflective foil-faced foam utilizes radiant heat which helps to reflect the heat away from your garage. Flush foam insulators help to absorb heat from conduction, while reflective foil has a 97% reflective rate.

If you are looking to survive the summer heat while still being able to utilize your garage spaceit’s highly beneficial to look into replacing your garage door with a higher R-Value door or by adding insulation to your existing one.

One more positive factor to consider when deciding on insulating your garage door… it helps add to your homes overall value!

If you have any other questions or want to insulate or upgrade your existing garage door, give Parker Garage Doors a call! We’ve been providing honest, affordable service in Phoenix, Lake Havasu and throughout the valley for over 20 years. We are family owned and operated and know our stuff when it comes to garage doors.

June: National Garage Door Safety Month

June is National Garage Door Safety Month! You may not know this, but the garage door is the most used entry point for the home. On average, the garage door closes and opens at least 4 times a day. More than 70% of homeowners use their garage door as the main entrance into their home. With that much traffic in and out the garage door, it is important to ensure your garage door is working correctly at all times.

The use of our garage doors have become such a daily part of our family lives that we often don’t take the time to stop and see if the basic components of the garage door are functioning correctly. Checking up on your garage door not only keeps your family safe, it will also keep your door safe and operating for years to come.

Is Your Garage Door Safe?

In recognition of National Garage Door Month, the professionals here at Parker Doors & More will like to share some tips with you on maintaining the security and safety of your garage door. Below is a list of common garage door accidents and how to avoid them. Garage Door Safety is a must:

Do-It-Yourselfers

Some of us are more handy than others and would rather work on their own garage door compared to seeking help. This is an affordable option for quick maintenance and repairs, but you also increase the chances of receiving an injury if you are not familiar with garage doors.

If you are still motivated to do the repair on your own, be sure to study the instruction manual for your garage. There are over 1,500 injuries a year from homeowners trying to fix their garage door. Contact a professional if you have any questions or if you are not sure on the proper procedures when repairing your garage door.

Kids Playing With Doors

This is very common, especially during the summer when the school is out. Little ones love racing under the door as it opens and closes. They also like testing how long they can maintain their balance on the bottom door panel as the door opens. Approximately 100 children are injured each year playing with garage doors.

The best way to prevent this is by simply educating the children that live in the home to not treat the garage door as a toy. Practice garage door safety with your young ones. Parker Doors & More suggest that you keep small children away from automatic garage doors and garage remotes at all times.

Continue Use Of A Broken Garage Door

You will be surprised by the number of households who continue to use their broken garage door. Whether it is a broken panel, bad sensors or a problem with the garage door opener, we always recommend that you repair the issue as soon as possible to avoid injury. Hundreds of Americans are injured every year by broken garage doors.

It is a good idea to visually checkout your garage door from time to time. Be sure that the mechanics and the moving parts of the garage door look in place. We recommend having a professional perform routine tune ups to avoid serious repairs and injuries.

Avoid Racing The Door

We have all have had a time when we realize we left something in the house as we are backing out of the garage. Even though modern garage doors have sensors as a safety feature to avoid accidents. Over 130 people injure themselves, damage their homes, damage their garage door or damage their vehicle each year while trying to race the door.

The best way to avoid injury is patience. You may have to wait a few moments as the door reopens, but you will avoid injury and damage to your home and/or car.

Trapped Fingers

Before attempting any ‘Do-It-Yourself’ repairs, make sure that the power is disconnected. Even once the power is disconnected, the garage door can still be very dangerous and should be handled with care. Nearly 200 people hurt themselves every year. Fingers can easily get caught between the rollers, cables, tracks and springs.

Children and adults should always be very careful. Garage door accidents can lead to severe injury or even amputation in some cases.

Broken Glass

If your garage door is a contemporary glass-based design or if you have glass windows on your garage door, then you will have to deal with broken glass at some point. It is important that you pay attention to cracked and broken windows to avoid serious injuries or damage to the tires on your vehicle.

Although there is not much you can do to prevent glass from breaking, try to take extra precaution while cleaning the mess. Sweep the area two or three time to make sure there aren’t any glass shards being left behind.

Falling Garage Doors

Once a garage door has been damaged, or if the door has been improperly maintained, there is a good chance that a garage door panel, or the whole garage door itself can fall and cause serious harm to yourself, your car or your house. Maintaining your garage door is the only way to avoid major malfunctions. We recommend doing seasonal check-ups on your garage door. Make sure the bolts and screws are tightened and that the hinges, rollers and tracks are in proper working order.

Summer Safety

With June marking the beginning of summer vacation, garage door professionals thought it will be a good idea to use June as National Garage Door Safety month. We increase our garage door use in the summer storing garden supplies, sporting equipment, kids bicycles and cars. It is the perfect time to pay a little more attention to the functionality of your garage door.

Garage Door Service With Parker Doors

Parker Doors & More offers a variety of services to keep your garage door safe and working properly. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, There is no job too big or too small. If you are in need of a repair or a tune up, call 602-870-9848 or contact us online. Ask about our June Tune Up Special!

Upgrade Your Garage | Phoenix Garage Doors

#1: Smart Garage Door Openers

The first and most foremost to add to any garage is a powerful garage door opener from one of the many prestigious manufacturers available on the market today. Many of the garage door openers currently being sold are massively smart. In combination with a smartphone app, these smart garage door openers alert you if you fail to close your garage door, no matter where in the world you may find yourself.

#2: Laser Parking Assistant

Your car would likely benefit from the purchase and subsequent installation of a laser parking assistant. Laser parking assistants aid you in parking your vehicle perfectly each and every time. They turn on as the garage door opens and turn off when your vehicle’s hood reaches the exact spot it should stop at. This prevents you from damaging the wall with your car. Installation is relatively easy.

#3: A Work Table

No garage should be without a work table. Considering the fact that many things take place in a garage – the least of which is parking the vehicle inside – a sturdy work table isn’t just a want…it’s a must have. Many of today’s work tables have built-in storage for easy accessibility to your tools and other garage gadgets. There are also many build-it-yourself blueprints out there for those of you that are handy around the house.

#4: Storage Systems

No matter what you use your garage for, storage, and lots of it is a necessity. Many of the storage systems available today allow enough storage room to store all of your belongings including items you may consider too big for storage. Peg boards and wall storage are also very important as they allow you to quickly access tools and other items you use on a daily (or weekly) basis.

#5: A Quality Garage Door

Last but definitely not least important for your garage is none other than a high-quality garage door. Considering that a mid-range garage door literally pays for itself, in the event you sell or refinance your home, there’s never been a better time than now to invest in a new garage door. We carry a wide variety of new and replacement quality garage doors for you to choose from.

#6: A Professional Garage Door Repair Technician

If you choose to stick with your old garage door, it’s important to keep it properly maintained and repaired, so as to avoid any unnecessary headaches associated with a malfunctioning garage door. Give the professionals at Parker Garage Doors a call today at 602-870-9848 for prompt assistance for any of your garage door repair and maintenance needs.

Give Your Garage a Showroom Floor

If there’s one area of the garage that takes a lot of abuse it’s the floor. It gets covered with oil leaks, spilled paint, tire marks, mud and dirt. A few of these leaks and fluids can leave unsightly, permanent stains on your garage floor. Sure, we may throw a piece of cardboard or kitty litter down to absorb leaks from our vehicles, but that looks just as bad as stains. If this is the state of your garage you may want to consider painting your garage floor.

Painting your garage floor has a few benefits. Number one, it’s going to enhance the look of your garage ten-fold giving it a shiny, showroom floor look. Next, assuming you use the right kind of paint, the floor will be spill resistant to just about any fluid that falls on it. It also has an anti-skid effect helping you get grip on those snowy or rainy days.

If you choose to take on this task, preparation is key. It’s generally recommended to add two coats to the floor, so plan on the job taking at least two days as you will need time for the first coat to dry before applying the second. You will need to clear the garage floor and tape off the bottom edges of the wall. The floor will need to be swept or even hosed completely clean to help the paint bond to it. You may need a de-greaser to get rid of stubborn oil stains. It also means your car will be parked outside of the garage for some time, so make sure it is locked and secure.

There are a few types of floor paints, but epoxy is considered the best choice. Epoxy paint consists of two liquids with one being a catalyzing agent. This means when it dries, it forms a nice solid coat which is both weather and stain resistant. The paint often comes with color chips or flakes you can add to help disguise imperfections on your concrete floor. For best results, try to apply the paint when it’s between 50 and 80 degrees outside.

Once you are finished, you will be tempted to park your car on it right away but it’s recommended to wait 72 hours before driving on it.

Garage Door Apps For Your Phone

hese days, you can control just about anything via apps including garage doors. But there are a wide variety of garage door apps. Some are full systems which need to be professionally installed while others are complete DIY systems which require you to purchase and assemble all of the components. So which one is best? Today we will look at a few of the different apps and find out how they work.

GarageMate

Formerly know at GD Mate, this garage door app claims to be compatible with any garage door opener built in the last 30 years. This app works by physically ‘pairing’ the app with a receiver to control your garage door. Since the app the receiver are physically paired, it’s virtually impossible for anyone else to use their phone to open your door, even if they have the same app according to their website. While the app is free you do need to purchase the receiver through btmate.com which, at the time of this writing, is $49.95 for the pre-built receiver, or $25.95 for the DIY receiver kit which you build yourself.

MyDoorOpener

MyDoorOpener is a native iPhone app which requires an Arduino controller which you assemble via instruction provided by their website. The instructions itemize all the components you need to purchase and how to assemble and connect to your garage door opener. You do need a basic understanding of electronics before attempting to assemble the controller, but the instructions are pretty straight forward.

Liftmaster MyQ

Liftmaster’s answer to the automated garage door openers is to offer a complete system (which includes a new garage door opener) that not only allows you to control your garage door via smartphone or tablet but also allow you to control the lights in your home or even open gates. Obviously more expensive than the previous apps we mentioned, the more comprehensive system works with both iPhone and Android.

GoGo gate

Like all of the previous apps, GoGo gate works with device connected to your opener to all you to control and monitor the door via your smartphone. Again, you will need to connect the device yourself to the garage door opener. The big difference which the company recently introduced is the ability to install a camera in conjunction with the system so you can actually see if your garage is open or closed. This system works via WiFi or ethernet connection and can be shared on multiple devices for your whole family. Also works with both iPhone and Android.

These are just a few of the apps the are currently available and which one is best for you probably depends on your budget and how comfortable you are with DIY projects. If you are interested in having the capability to use your phone to open, close, and monitor your garage door we highly suggest doing research and find reviews or forums to answer any questions you may have. And if you need professional help, Parker Garage Doors & More is always here for you!

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