Opener Reinforcement Bracket & Why Is It Needed?

Opener Reinforcement Bracket

What is an opener reinforcement bracket and what is its purpose?

Different Reinforcement Brackets

Not knowing the garage door industry, when installing a new garage door opener all manufacturers of garage door openers recommend you install this in the fine print. Some garage door companies let their customers know about this and some will not. It is also recommended that the strut bar accompanies the reinforcement bracket during installation.

Properly Installed Strut & Reinforcement Bracket

Due to the weight of garage doors and their widths, the opener creates a lot of pressure on the center of the door when the motor is lifting the door initially off the ground. On larger doors, you may see several strut bars across the door due to the width of the panels. These struts support the door when it is in the air over your head. When springs become weak over a period of years, the opener is forced to work harder to lift the door, causing more stress on the top section. In the picture below, a garage door reinforcement bracket has not been installed, and as you can see, over a period of time the damage is evident.

Damage Caused When A Reinforcement Bracket Is Not Installed

There are several different types of reinforcement brackets due to panel heights (18", 21", 24") and panel appearances (steel and powder coated). They all serve the same purpose of hopefully saving you hundreds of dollars in garage door repairs. So the next time you decide to have a new garage door opener installed, remember to ask about these.

To Purchase Click Here - $29.95 plus $6.95 Shipping & Handling

Differences In Garage Door Rollers

Do you know which type of roller you have in your garage door?

Not knowing about the garage door industry or it's products, you would be surprised at how many different rollers that can be put on your garage door. Although, the prices of the rollers do not vary a whole lot, the quality of the rollers can make a big difference on your garage door.

 Here are some examples of rollers.

• Plastic Garage Door Roller

Plastic Garage Door Roller

This roller is normally installed on your cheap, inexpensive, builders grade garage doors. They have a solid steel 3" stem with a hard plastic wheel rotating on it. Although these rollers can be quiet, due to temperature extremes and the weights of the door, the hard plastic will break over time. You might also find that these rollers drag when dirt and grease are collected on the tracks.

• Steel Garage Door Roller

Steel Garage Door Roller

This roller is a solid steel 3" stem with 10 steel ball bearings enclosed in a steel outer casing. These rollers run smoother on the door but your noise factor comes into play. Maintenance is also needed on these steel rollers, which is recommended at least twice a year by spraying them with a non-silicone lubricate spray.

• Nylon Coated Steel Garage Door Roller

Nylon Coated Steel Garage Door Roller

This roller is a solid steel 3" stem with 10 steel ball bearings enclosed with a steel outer casing that is also coated with a nylon dipped shell. These rollers are carried by most garage door service companies and are recommended change outs for the builders grade plastic rollers. These also require maintenance by using a  non-silicone spray to lubricate them. They are a much quieter roller and run exceptionally well with the heavier garage doors. Working in tandem with a belt drive opener, you door should be as quiet as a mouse.

• Sealed Nylon Coated Steel Garage Door Roller

Sealed Nylon Coated Steel Garage Door Roller

This roller is the cream of the crop! It has all the qualities of the above roller with the exception that this roller requires no maintenance. The working mechanism is all sealed in plastic, therefore no dirt or dust can get into the roller itself

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Liftmaster AC BELT drive opener lm8355

Liftmaster

Premium Series 1/2 HP AC Belt Drive Garage Door Opener This is probably the opener of the future for Liftmaster, the belt drive opener is bringing in the future  of home automation with apps to see when and if your garage door is open. Do you want to check that family members have arrived home safe and at what time. The new MyQ technology with the smart  phone apps keep a track of all this for you. As well as the ability to open and close your garage door  right from your phone. The apps are free to download so there's no annual fee to worry about. Simple instructions are all you need and the gateway module that plugs into the home computer network.

GATEWAY MODEM Performance P3™ Motors from LiftMaster® are reliable, durable and powerful – designed specifically for your needs. 1/2 HP motor with belt drive system provides quiet, reliable and maintenance free performance. Motor Vibration Isolation System (MVIS®) provides super quiet, smooth operation year after year. Energy-efficient operation consumes up to 75% less power in standby mode. Lifetime motor and belt warranty. 1-year parts warranty. Security Security+ 2.0™ safeguards your household  With every click a new code is sent to the garage door opener so that the door opens only for you. PosiLock® locks down your door by electronically monitoring against a forced opening. Alert-2-Close warning system provides audible and visual warnings when the garage door is about to close This when using MyQ technology or Timer-to-Close. The Protector System® has safety sensors that project a light beam across the garage door opening Automatically reversing the door if anything interrupts the beam http://www.garagedoorsrepairsinstallations.com/garage-door-opener-prices.html

Retaining value on a new garage door.

Having a new garage door installed, you might think it's an ordeal in itself. The good news is its really not.
Not only does it look good and sound great but it puts that curb appeal back into your home.
According to regional data the recouping costs of a garage door right now are at 78%

check out this report for cost vs value

How do you make your home look better this spring without depleting your budget? An annual study of home improvement projects has found the answer is no further away than your garage.

Homeowners who upgrade their garage doors with either mid-range or upscale replacements can expect to see some of the best returns on investment (ROI) among popular home renovation projects. Even better, the survey found that garage door replacement is incredibly economical compared to other projects like family room additions, deck additions and kitchen remodels. 

Down the road when it comes time to sell,  mid-range garage door replacement will yield an average 83.7 percent return on investment (ROI), while an upscale garage door will deliver an average 82.9 percent ROI. Why so high? Take a look at your home and you’ll see. For many homes, a garage door comprises up to 40 percent of the façade. That means that when you replace an ordinary or old door with a new one, your home becomes the stand-out in your neighborhood.

So if you're thinking of improving the value of your home this spring, please feel free to give us a call at 214-612-8375 or visit our website.

Before

This homeowner needed a new garage door but didn't want the upkeep of a new wood door, so we supplied him with an alternative.

After

This is the CHI Overhead Door model # 5283 accents short panel, double steel door, that retains the look of wood at half the price with less the maintenance.

Home Link vs CAR2U

Does your car program to your new garage door opener?

HomeLink is the in-vehicle system,

     made by Johnson Controls.

     It is identified by one red LED

     on the panel or mirror.  HomeLink

     The design may vary slightly per vehicle.In the rare case that you are having trouble synching your HomeLink® system to a new LiftMaster® garage door opener, our HomeLink® Repeater Kit is a simple solution to get you up and running quickly.

• Converts and accepts a non-compatible HomeLink® signal into a Security+ 2.0™ compatible signal
• Compatible with vehicles that are equipped with HomeLink®
• Can be programmed to work with more than one Security+ 2.0™ garage door opener
• Kit contains a repeater and a "learning" remote control

WHEN TO INSTALL A REPEATER KIT:

 All 2006 & Older vehicles require a repeater kit installation which must be purchased by the homeowner.

All 2007 and Newer vehicles – Perform regular HomeLink installation per vehicle instructions.  If after a complete attempt at installation the HomeLink does not program with opener, install a repeater.

INSTALL AND PROGRAM THE HOMELINK® REPEATER

1. Program the new remote control included with the HomeLink® Repeater Kit to the Homelink® 

button in your vehicle. Refer to the owner’s manual for your vehicle for programming steps.

2. Plug the HomeLink® Repeater into a 120 Vac polarized outlet,located as close as possible to 

your garage door opener.

3. Straighten the antenna. 

4. Press and release the Learn button on the garage door opener. The Learn LED will glow steadily.

5. Within 30 seconds press and hold the programmed HomeLink® button in your vehicle.

6. Release the HomeLink® button when the garage door opener light blinks. If light bulbs are 

not installed in the garage door opener, two clicks will be heard. Programming is complete.

7. To ensure the garage door opener operates from the HomeLink® button, press the 

programmed HomeLink® button in the vehicle. If it does not operate the garage door opener, 

repeat the steps.

QUICK FACTS

       

1. Install ONE repeater per HOME
2. Use different HomeLink buttons in vehicle if programming multiple cars, button 1 first car, button 2 second car… etc.
3. The garage door HomeLink remote is NOT a garage door opener
4. If you are using the HomeLink® Repeater with a garage door opener that has a Battery Backup system, ensure the original remote control is programmed to the garage door opener and place it in your glove box for use in the event of a power outage.
6. The remote control included in this Repeater Kit MUST be kept for future programming (i.e. a new vehicle, a new garage door opener, etc.)

To purchase one $39.95 + $6.95 Shipping & Handling

Lear Car2U® Repeater KiT

The Car2U® Repeater Kit is designed to allow compatibility between a new Chamberlain, Sears Craftsman, or Lift Master* garage door opener and the Car2U® system in your vehicle. Refer to your vehicle owner's manual for specific instructions on programming the Car2U® system. Your model may look different than illustrated in this programming guide


The installation is exactly the same as the Home Link SEE INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE

CHECK YOUR CAR OWNERS MANUAL TO SEE IF YOU NEED HOME LINK OR CAR2U

To purchase one $39.50 + Shipping & Handling

Liftmaster 1/2 hp chain drive opener lm3255

Liftmaster 3255  1/2 hp chain drive opener

This opener is the most sold opener of liftmaster today, its reliable performance is what you'll get with the LiftMaster® 3255 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Door Opener. Its durable 1/2 HP motor combined with an industrial-strength chain drive provide smooth, steady performance year after year. Part of the Contractor Series, it is the choice for value and reliability.

This model has earned the Good Housekeeping seal.

• The Smart Garage Door Opener® lets you electronically program security codes from the Multi-Function Control Panel or the powerhead
• Delivers 100 watts of light with adjustable light time delay
• Meets all UL325 requirments

SAFETY & SECURITY FEATURES

• The Protector System® safety sensors project an invisible light beam across the garage door opening and automatically reverse the door if anything interrupts the beam while the door is going down
• Sensing technology will stop the door from closing if contact is made with a person or object
• Opener light turns on automatically when The Protector System's infrared beam is broken
• Security+® rolling code technology assures a new code is sent every time the remote control is used
• Patented PosiLock® system ensures the door remains securely locked when the garage door is closed
• Manual release handle in case of power failure

WARRANTY

• 4-year motor warranty 
• 1-year parts warranty

For all you out there that are just looking for an opener to lift your door then this is the one.

The ONLY RECOMMENDATION i would say about this is, If you want to go to Home Depot, Lowes, Sams, and all the rest of the big box store super stores, you are going to get your opener rail in a five piece system. Where as if you bought it locally from a qualified and experienced company, you would be getting a solid one piece rail. Less things to go wrong when joining five pieces together. 

http://www.garagedoorsrepairsinstallations.com/garage-door-opener-prices.html

Liftmaster Garage Door Keypad

Liftmaster garage door keypads

which to choose?

Right now liftmaster has several out side keypads to choose from

• LM977 
• Compatible with LiftMaster Security+ garage door openers (with orange learn button) and radio control receivers only.
• Temporary password option.
• Program code directly from keypad.
• Compatible remotes: 971lm, 972lm, 973lm; Mini remote:970lm

• LM377
• Compatible with LiftMaster garage door openers (with PURPLE learn button) and radio control receivers only.
• Temporary password option.
• Program code directly from keypad.
• Compatible remotes: 371lm, 372lm, 373lm, 374lm; Mini remote:370lm

• LM387
• Compatible with the following brand openers: Genie® Intellicode 1995 to Present, Linear/Moore-o-Matic® from 1997 to Present, Stanley® from 1998 to Present, Overhead Door CodeDodger® 2005 to Present, Wayne-Dalton® from 1999 to Present, Craftsman®, Chamberlain®, LiftMaster® , 300/310/315/372/390 MHz compatible. Note: Not compatible with Marantec or Hormann, Overhead 312Mhz, 360Mhz, 380Mhz, 390Mhz Openers.

• LM877
• Compatible with ALL LiftMaster garage door openers made from 1993 on wards and radio control receivers only.
• Compatible remotes: 871lm, 872lm,873lm, 871max,872max,873max Mini890max

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Garage Door Opener Surge Protector LM990

Garage Door Opener Surge Protector LM990

Protect your home during lightning strikes and power outages with the LiftMaster® Surge Protector.

For an in-expensive install you could potentially save hundreds of dollars on repairs.

The Liftmaster garage door surge protector is designed to protect the opener against any unwanted lightning strikes or power surges from the grid. this will also protect the garage door opener from any surges from the wall console or safety sensor wires.

Installing it is really simple, just un-plug your garage door opener & plug in the surge protector. Take the wires that go from your wall console to the head unit and take them out, connect them to the surge protector. Then run a new set of wires from the surge protector to the head unit. Do the same thing with the safety senors wires.

when all this is done just simply plug the garage door opener back into the surge protector, its that simple and with peace of mind you are now protected. making sure the green light is lit on the unit.

                http://www.garagedoorsrepairsinstallations.com/garage-door-opener-accessories.html

Broken Garage Door Spring? what to choose?

There are two types of Garage door Springs in our industry today.

Oil tempered vs Galvanized

One of the more common questions customers ask us is “What is the difference between oil soaked and galvanized springs?”  Of course, this is almost always followed up with “Which do i choose?”

Oil tempered and galvanized springs both serve the same purpose.  They provided the lifting power for opening up your garage door.  These are what lift the door not the garage door opener like most people think. Properly sized, torsion springs can hold your garage door open at virtually any point off the ground, as they work off a counter balance and make moving the door as simple as opening a swinging door.

The difference between oil tempered and galvanized springs starts in the manufacturing process and continues through to the installation.  The oil tempering process heat treats the wire in the spring to better withstand static pressures.  That is, the spring is meant to hold the weight of the door stably when the door is open, closed, or any position in between. 

 Oil tempered springs are black and sometimes have a slight residue on them.  Oil tempered springs will oxidize or rust in wet climates.  

Galvanized springs on the other hand have a zinc coating bonded to them which makes them shiny and silver, "pretty looking as they say!" these springs are not heat treated. The zinc coating on galvanized springs keeps them from oxidizing.

Once installed, galvanized springs will stretch slightly and have a tendency to loose there pressure, needing an adjustment after three to six months to avoid damaging the garage door opener.  Oil tempered springs hold their tension without stretching and do not require such an adjustment.

So the differences amount to the post installation stretch adjustments and the oxidation resistance.  Here in Texas, oxidation is not a problem.  Thus, the choice is simple: we use oil tempered springs so we don’t have to return to the door and tighten the spring, saving your time and ours for a second service call.

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Garage door emergency key release

Garage Door Emergency Key Release

Ever thought about if your garage door opener ever fails and you get locked out of your home? 

This cheap and in-expensive lock can save you hundreds of dollars by not having to call a lock smith, or your garage door company out. They are easy to install and the key just slips on your existing bunch of keys.

The way it works is they are usually installed on the top section of your garage door. You drill a small hole through the section for the back of the barrel to sit in. the two holes you see are for the long bolts to hold it tight on the section. the cable is then hooked to the openers disconnect. When your locked out you place your key in the lock and turn it and pull, what happens is the whole barrel comes out, which is connected to the cable, that's connected to the openers disconnect. All you do then is lift the garage door by hand making sure the lock doesn't get caught between the sections. When you get the door open, simply put the barrel back in the lock and turn it to get your key out. Then reconnect your door to the opener when you get your garage door opener fixed.

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Starting a business!

STARTING A BUSINESS

We all know that starting a business is something we all have thought about once in our lives. Its generally the unknown part that is what stops us from doing it. We talk & we talk about what we could do, what we could sell, all the money we are going to make for ourselves, it all sounds too easy.

Well it usually takes a leap of faith into the unknown for you to pull it off, with lots of support from family & friends. Life's not easy and never has been but with determination and the knowledge you possess i think if your smart enough, anyone could start a business.

Money is not always the answer, its the the idea behind the problem. What i'm trying to say is you don't need a lot of money to start out either. what you need is solutions to problems that might arise when you start. yes money does help but its not always needed. Owning a business is hard work and lots of effort if you keep telling yourself you can do it and set yourself goals the impossible becomes a reality. So for all the naysayer's in the world that hold you back, then let them. but if you stand tall and kick your heels in, then go for glory.

p.s
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Good Luck cause we all need a little of that too.

Tune-Ups & Preventative Maintenance

Although Garage Door installations & Garage Opener installations are the main part of our industry, a lot has to be said and thought about when it comes to garage doors. Like anything in life today, unfortunately, everything is not made to last forever. Here at GDR installations we would like to help you prolong your garage door products to the best of their ability, so like you ,we hope they can last for years to come. Even the manufacturers of the overhead garage doors and the makers of Liftmaster openers don't put lifetime guarantees on their products. The overhead doors usually come with limited lifetime warranties due to cracks and splitting on the sections, While the Liftmaster garage door openers come with a range of three to five years on all parts. It's ALL DOWN TO MAINTENANCE and a little TLC. That's where we step in and try to educate you on the procedures and what to look for when trying to maintain your overhead door and your garage door openers. So give us the opportunity to help you with any problems or questions that you may having by giving us a call today 214-612-8375!

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Garage Door Broken Spring

Garage door broken springs can be the most annoying thing possible. We all know that walking into your garage and pressing the button should make the garage go up and when nothing happens it may be because your garage door spring has broken. Well, as you may not know, the garage door opener is not what picks the door up. The garage door springs are what lift the door and they work on a counter balance.

Garage door springs are all different. All garage doors are not the same size and not the same weight. When the technician comes out to your home, he should weigh the door to find out how much the door weighs in the down position.  He can usually do this by placing a scale under the door and back winding the other good spring  to get an accurate weight of the door. Once he has determined the weight of the door, we can then look at the correct springs for the job. The question then becomes for you, do I just change the one spring or do I change both? 

Most garage door springs in the market today have what they call a 10,000 life cycle. This is what it would normally take for the garage door to go up and down 10,000 times before the spring breaks. So generally, if one spring has broken then the other one is about to break too. We would recommend you change both springs out while we have the whole system apart so in a few more weeks or months you wouldn't be having to pay for a second visit. 

On occasion, you can up the cycle of the springs to your desired specifications. They do this by making the desired spring longer and thicker in the steel's diameter. So, if for instance, you have a nice door and you don't want the hassle of ever having to worry about a spring breaking on the door again, then ask us about better life cycle springs.  

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Garage Doors Repairs & Installations

On most Liftmaster garage door openers, there are two types of force settings. The first setting that we look at is the up and down force setting. These adjustments are usually set on the side of the garage door opener. normally who ever installed your opener would have set these right and you would never really have to touch these.

These are the up & down settings for how far the door goes down before touching  the floor and how far the door comes up into the header of your garage, before it stops. These, like i said should never really have to be touched. On occasion if these need adjusting then this is a sign that the gear inside is getting warn. Its jumping on the teeth of the gear that is inside of the motor and its time to change the gear out.

Now on to the other settings, the ones that make the door stop and reverse if the door comes down on something. These are a second safety precaution that tie in with your safety sensors at the bottom of your garage door. If something drops into the way of your garage door, that is above the line of sight of your safety sensors. Then these settings are what causes the door to reverse.

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Garage Doors Repairs & Installations

The working conditions are a little not what we are used to in texas!

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Garage Doors Repairs & Installations STARTS!

Garage Doors Repairs & Installations



Its a great day & a new beginning at Garage Doors Repairs & Installations. Today, we are officially open for business. After long and serious thoughts I decided to quit the corporate job, inside of the garage door business, and pursue my dreams with my own company. After being in the industry for over 14 years and making other people all the money, I decided to go out and do it for my own family. Starting in the industry pushing a broom in the warehouse of the distribution side of the market was no fun but I learned all I needed to know after the first few years. It was then I went into the retail side with my own truck working for several companies doing the grunt work for all of them. After several years in the field I caught the attention of one company who took a chance with me and placed me in the office in charge of a location distribution center. After the market dropped and down scaling I was then transferred back into the retail side to help survive to what has become one of the biggest companies in Dallas today. This is when I decided enough was enough and here we are right back where I started. So for all your garage doors, repairs & installations don't hesitate to call 214-612-8375 for anything and everything you could possibly need help with. Thanks again, Lee!

                                             www.garagedoorsrepairsinstallations.com